Sore spot remains on statewide ticket

Sore spot r
Sunday, August 13, 2006

Everyone knows House Speaker Michael Madigan is a man of few words.

Last week, he uttered a special one: Messiah.

"There's been no word from the messiah," Madigan answered wryly when I asked whether he would be supporting Democratic Treasurer nominee Alexi Giannoulias in November.

The "messiah" to whom Madigan referred is U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

Obama yanked Giannoulias from obscurity and endorsed his run for state treasurer — despite the fact that Madigan had a different candidate in mind. In TV commercials that catapulted Giannoulias into Illinois living rooms, Obama called the young treasurer candidate "one of the most outstanding young men I could ever hope to meet."

Madigan didn't take too kindly to it, especially when Giannoulias won the nomination.

So far, Madigan is giving Giannoulias the cold shoulder, bolstered by media reports that Giannoulias' family bank extended loans to a mob figure. The mob issue hasn't crushed the Giannoulias campaign, but it jackknifed momentum this spring and surely gave Madigan some smug satisfaction.

Madigan indicated he was waiting for a "report" from Obama addressing the mob allegations before making a decision about Giannoulias.

"As you recall, about two months ago Obama said he would get an explanation about (Giannoulias') banking background, and I expect he will. We're waiting for him to give us some assurances," Madigan told me last week.

Obama's aides, however, were scratching their heads over Madigan's remarks. Madigan, they said, called Obama about three weeks ago to talk about Giannoulias. During their conversation, Obama acknowledged Giannoulias made some mistakes but said he still supports him. There is no "report" in the works.

"Barack cautioned the Speaker that he might be viewed as petty and vindictive if he's not united behind the party's ticket in the fall," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "Barack still believes that's good counsel."

Madigan indicated to me he will make up his own mind.

"That's (Obama's) decision. I'll make mine," he said.

Though Madigan doesn't talk to the press much these days, I caught up with him at a pizza parlor in southwest suburban Frankfort — a Republican stronghold in Will County. The owners of Palermo's restaurant from Madigan's 13th Ward opened a new takeout place, and the Speaker and his wife, Shirley, stopped by to cut the ribbon.

"Mike's looking for a parking place!" someone yelled when Madigan pulled into the small parking lot.

But before the owner, keys in hand, could move his car to make room, Madigan parked in the gravel lot out back.

During most of our quick Q & A, he was smiling. You know, the grin that seems to flash congeniality and wickedness at the same time. Pointing to my notebook, he made sure I wrote down his "messiah" reference.

"You can print that," he said, grinning, before being whisked away for pictures.

"I think you're going to help Christine Radogno," I called out.

Later, Madigan made a point of saying he would not stoop that low to covertly help the Republican candidate in the race.

"I'm not going to help Radogno," he said. "You know, Barack can be a persuasive person. Just look at all those voters he persuaded."

There was that smile again.

I asked Madigan whether, as the co-chairman of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's re-election effort, he was concerned about voter backlash in House races should the corruption allegations against the governor gain momentum. After all, if Madigan is concerned about Giannoulias loaning money to a mobbed-up client, surely he must be worried about multiple investigations into Blagojevich's administration.

"We're aware there could be a problem. So as we work with (our candidates), we're prepared for that," Madigan said.

In other words, don't expect House Democrats to scurry for posed photographs with Blagojevich this fall.

As for serious damage to Blagojevich or his associates between now and November, Madigan said: "Oh, I don't know anything about that. There is nothing I know of, but there is smoke. Even people in the administration would acknowledge that."

It's true smoke doesn't always lead to fire.

But if an inferno is coming, there's another Madigan waiting with her fire extinguisher. Or maybe some gasoline.