Topinka taps Birkett as running mate

[barb162]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051215topinkabirkett,1,3710508.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Topinka taps Birkett as running mate

By John Chase
Tribune staff reporter
Published December 15, 2005, 2:39 PM CST


Republican gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka made it official today, announcing that DuPage County State's Atty. Joseph Birkett will be her running mate for the 2006 campaign.

"Joe Birkett will be the new sheriff in town, one that will not rest until Illinois government is something that Illinois citizens can be proud of," Topinka said.

She said Birkett's experience as a tough prosecutor would help her crack down on ethical breaches in state government.

It has been speculated for a week that Birkett would join Topinka's campaign, even though he announced Nov. 22 he would not run for any statewide office because he had too much work to do as a prosecutor.

snip

Birkett is a big lying POS, I truly cannot stand this guy. He was one of the ones who set up Rolando Cruz for the Nicarico murder. He should have had his law license rescinded at the very least.

[DanCa]

1. Lol JBT and Joe Birkett is a really funny match up.

Is it just me or has the GOP reduced the prolifer base to second class citezen status in Il?.
It's kinda of like in high school where the jocks make the smart kids do their homework yet get all the attention. Hopefully the Il Dem party can use this as some kind of wedge angle to splinter the il gop party.

[benny05]

6. Again, let us a few of us downstaters say it...

We do not like Blogo
We do not like Blogo

and we want another Dem to run besides him. We wish he would graciously step down and continue his happy life with his happy wife in Chicago since neither one of them want to live in Springfield, which last time we checked, was the capital of Illinois. Sorry all to hell if his wife, which I have some interesting adjectives to suggest but won't because it's like putting lipstick on a sow, doesn't like living in a city smaller than Chicago.

The governor has governed this state poorly. And I know more hard core Dems down here who are licking their chops to get him defeated if he runs again--especially if it is a liberal republican who runs against him. Other than stem cell research and insurance for same sex couples which many of us support down here, the pork for Chicago is pathetic and we don't appreciate our pensions being pissed away for insipid grants such as 200K for promotion and development of an electronic music concert in the Chi-town burbs, or 250K for the promotion of the Joffrey Ballet in a small frigging town who cannot afford. Our tax money needs to be spent wisely, such as extension of health care for more citizens. That is good, but not for the other pork out of my or other state employees' wallets.

Sorry to rant, but JRT has a fightin' chance where I live until you in Chicago give us a much more moderate governor who cares about all of us, and turns his on unions, etc.

[benny05]

7. sorry..correction

who will be truthful to unions instead of telling them he supports them, then turns his back on them.

[undercoverduer]

2. The Lt. Governor position is very ceremonial. . .

. . .Quinn has very little influence in the Blagojevich admin. If the voters of Illinois pay attention to the way the state is run a running mate is irrelevant.

[GatoLover]

3. Rolando Cruz

So far as I am concerned, anyone who was involved in the botched prosecution of Rolando Cruz is unfit for any public office>

[DanCa]

4. Gatolover welcome to DU

:hi:

[Nickster]

5. That was the very first thing I thought of as well. Birkett has always bee

n out for numero uno.