Leo Klein's Blog

HCAN Rally for Health Care at the Federal Plaza in Chicago

Leo Robert Klein — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:11:14 EDT

I just wanted to say that the HCAN people put together a great rally with several hundred people in the Federal Plaza.

Take Your Average Plumber Making $250k a Year...

Leo Robert Klein — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:57:44 EDT

Why is it that Republicans only start to notice you once your income soars above six figures?

I guess that's when all their polices finally have a chance to work. I mean, vouchers for schools, tax credits for health care -- that's only going to work if you can bring to the table some serious money on your own.

For the rest of us, it's 'you're on your own'.

And it's like this every election cycle. Out of one side of their mouths, Republicans say, 'balance the budget' and out of the other, they say, 'tax cuts for the rich'. Then a year or two later we find they really meant only 'one of the above'.

By now, most people have wised up to this trick. I mean, it's why we're going broke at the moment. So apparently this year's approach is to justify their focus on the $250k-and-over crowd by slapping on the label of "plumber".

No doubt, this is wonderful news for the building trades! Go into plumbing and be part of the top 1.5 percentile of household incomes nationwide! Who knew? How could the plumbers have been keeping this under wraps for so long?

Madeleine Albright's Starbucks Cup

Leo Robert Klein — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:22:18 EDT

Apparently former Secretary of State Madelaine Albright is none too happy that Sarah Palin is running around (mis-)quoting her -- supposedly from the back of a Starbucks cup -- about there being "a place in Hell reserved for women who don’t support other women". Said the former Secretary of State:

"Though I am flattered that Governor Palin has chosen to cite me as a source of wisdom, what I said had nothing to do with politics. This is yet another example of McCain and Palin distorting the truth, and all the more reason to remember that this campaign is not about gender, it is about which candidate has an agenda that will improve the lives of all Americans, including women. The truth is, if you care about the status of women in our society and in our troubled economy, the best choice by far is Obama-Biden."

Senator McCain, Please Stay in Washington

Leo Robert Klein — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:11:20 EDT

My latest letter to the McCain Campaign:

Senator McCain,

Please stay in Washington.

We know refusing to go to Mississippi for the Debate and claiming you've "suspended" your campaign is nothing but a desperate publicity stunt. We know economics isn't your strong point, and that your role, such as it is, in the negotiations to hammer out a bailout agreement has been less than constructive.

But Senator McCain, keep at it.

There's no better way to illustrate how truly erratic and cockamamie your judgment is. You only came up with this stunt once your polling numbers started to head south. In the Midwest, we call this 'digging your own grave'.

So while you may have no leadership position in the Congress and hence nothing really to do, Senator please stay.

And sure that means Obama will have a nationwide forum in Mississippi all to himself but you'll be rendering a far greater service to this country by showing us all, as if we had any doubts, how utterly inadequate you are to the office of President of the United States, something you're doing quite nicely just staying where you are.

Thanks and best wishes,

LEO
webmaster
IllinoisDemNet

Photos from the Protest Against McCain's Fundraiser in Chicago

Leo Robert Klein — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:51:30 EDT

Good weather seems to have eluded the arrival of GOP Presidential Candidate John McCain during his fundraiser held today at the Hilton in Chicago. It rained all day.

Across the street, the rain didn't diminish any of the spirit of us Chicagoans who came to give him a proper reception. The signs said "Bush McCain - More of the Same" and that's pretty much what we chanted to media and passers-by alike for close to an hour.

The ever eloquent William McNary from Citizen Action was there to express to the media probably what all of us felt: McCain is bad news for America.

We were marching in the rain.

More marching.

William McNary of Citizen Action speaking to the Media

Group showing our signs to the traffic on Michigan Ave.

Obama's Accomplishments

Leo Robert Klein — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:58:30 EDT

Somebody sent me an email asking about Obama's "Actual Accomplishments'. Here's what I wrote:

Well, first off he was raised by a single mother and wound up a Harvard graduate and member of the U.S. Senate. People don't realize how difficult an accomplishment this is. We've got a guy who actually made it based entirely on ability alone. No silver spoon (or heiress wife) required.

Thoughts on McCain's Speech: Total Snoozer

Leo Robert Klein — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:01:32 EDT

Total snoozer. Even as someone in the opposition, I'm completely dissatisfied.

It seemed like a chore -- something he had to get through rather than a pivotal moment in the campaign to elect the next president of the United States.

If it were a movie, we'd all be asking for our money back.

On the bright side, as least we won't be hearing from the RNC for another four years!

Sunday Morning Graphic Factory: John McPhony

Leo Robert Klein — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:01:56 EDT

Chicago Tribune: Obama as 'Elitist' and 'Egghead'

Leo Robert Klein — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:13:42 EDT

The Chicago Tribune is channeling the Weekly Standard:

Having made hay of Barack Obama's relative youth and his foreign-sounding name, his opponents are now homing in on his neighborhood.

For his critics, the presumptive Democratic nominee's home turf offers a tempting opportunity to paint him as an elitist and, perhaps more damaging, an egghead.

It gets better:

Obama left himself open to this line of political attack when the media discovered he'd had some sort of relationship with Bill Ayers, an unrepentant 1960s radical, and Obama shrugged it off, saying Ayers was just a "guy who lives in my neighborhood."

His response permitted The Weekly Standard to wonder: "Wow, what kind of neighborhood does Barack live in?"

See, this is how the game is played: instead of automatically identifying this as pure rubbish, the Chicago Tribune uses it as a jumping off point -- literally the context -- of a brief look at life in Hyde Park and U. of C.

What's next? Call Obama a drug-addict -- no, rather say his "critics" call him a drug-addict -- and then look at how easy it is to score some weed in Washington Park?

This is how a GOP smear campaign gains traction. It's happening before our very eyes.

P.S. "...some sort of relationship with Bill Ayers..." Can you get any sloppier?

Graphic of the Day: McCain Out of Gas

Leo Robert Klein — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:06:52 EDT

New McCain Campaign Artwork

Leo Robert Klein — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:09:07 EDT

Because America deserves a leader who's way past his prime:

Message to Charles from Alaska

Leo Robert Klein — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:02:42 EDT

I got a funny message from someone in Alaska regarding our weekly Saloon Democrats of Chicago event:

Charles: "Can you provide Airfare round-trip? I live in Alaska but would hate to miss an opportunity to have a friendly drink or two."

Charles, I'd love to fly you out but Midwest Hospitality only goes so far! Why would you want to come out here anyway when judging by today's news, Alaska is the place to party this week?

In any case, rest assured that if you ever make it out here, we'll get you a couple of rounds to celebrate the fact.

Thanks for signing up.

LEO

Chicago Tribune Using Obama Teeshirts to Sell Subscriptions

Leo Robert Klein — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:45:02 EDT

So on my way to Saloon Democrats, I stop by the Walgreens on Clark and Lake. And what do I see just inside the entry? A woman with a bunch of baseball hats and tee-shirts trying to sell subscriptions to the Chicago Tribune.

The deal is, if you sign up for the Chicago Tribune at one dollar a week, you can get one of the hats or teeshirts for free. And what's on the teeshirt? Why "Obama" of course. It wasn't the official campaign logo but it was his name splashed across the white cotton fabric. The only reason I noticed is because the woman called out to everyone entering the store saying they could get a free "Obama" teeshirt if they signed up for the Tribune.

Now, I have nothing against the Chicago Tribune trying to cash in on the success of Barack Obama. Truth is, this is a candidate that makes all of us from the state of Illinois proud.

I just wonder whether it's a bit ironic for a newspaper that in its entire 161 years has always backed the Republican candidate for president -- to now push its wares under the moniker literally of the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Being a liberal and therefore a believer in the ultimate redemptive nature of human beings, I can only hope that this marketing scheme is a sign that the Chicago Tribune will finally come clean, do the responsible thing, and endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States.

McCain: 2/3s Recycled Bush, 1/3 Imitation Obama

Leo Robert Klein — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:02:00 EDT

This has been circulating the internets lately. I thought I'd update it a bit:

Boycott Fox in Nevada

Leo Robert Klein — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:04:05 EST

I'm not the first to urge this but there's possibly a million better ways of reaching out to the people of Nevada than through the biased lenses of Fox TV.

They perform for the Right Wing what Radio Moscow used to do for Soviet Russia. No reason to lend them any legitimacy from our side of the aisle.