Carol Marin http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/ en Copyright 2009 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:03:59 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The Battle of Chicago Reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez

November 7, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Carlos Hernandez Gomez is a reporter with attitude. Streetwise and smart, punky yet sweet. When Carlos walks into a news conference, he brings his own electricity.

Thick black glasses, trimmed black beard, and fedora whenever possible -- these are the accessories of a young man whose questions to politicians and prosecutors will not be ignored.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/11/the_battle_of_chicago_reporter_1.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/11/the_battle_of_chicago_reporter_1.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:03:59 -0600 The Battle of Chicago Reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez

November 7, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Carlos Hernandez Gomez is a reporter with attitude. Streetwise and smart, punky yet sweet. When Carlos walks into a news conference, he brings his own electricity.

Thick black glasses, trimmed black beard, and fedora whenever possible -- these are the accessories of a young man whose questions to politicians and prosecutors will not be ignored.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/11/the_battle_of_chicago_reporter.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/11/the_battle_of_chicago_reporter.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:03:59 -0600 Illinois: Is this the best reform deal we could get?

October 31, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Dawn Clark Netsch, the venerable voice of Illinois political reform, called early Friday morning even though it was going to make her late for a dentist's appointment. She was concerned I was going to get it wrong. That I was going to blast the Legislature for once again passing a watered-down, weak-kneed bill on campaign finance reform that they would hail as progress.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/illinois_is_this_the_best_refo.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/illinois_is_this_the_best_refo.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:51:07 -0600 Will Illinois Lawmakers Finally Get It Right?

October 28, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Scott Turow, the prolific, best-selling Chicago author, had a message for Illinois lawmakers the other day.

"Don't come home without it," he warned.

The "it" is campaign finance reform.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/will_illinois_lawmakers_finall.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/will_illinois_lawmakers_finall.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:22:35 -0600 GOP: Determined to Take Obama's Seat Back

October 24, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

'Illinois Republicans eat their own," one of my breakfast companions said Wednesday morning at a GOP candidate forum.

Meaning?
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Carol Marin

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/gop_determined_to_take_obamas.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/gop_determined_to_take_obamas.html Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:22:02 -0600 Why Can't Quinn Fix Chicago State?

October 18, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

How come Gov. Pat Quinn, in the wake of a clout scandal at the state's premier university, can sweep out the University of Illinois' board of trustees (with two notable exceptions) but can't do the same for our most beleaguered university?

I'm talking about Chicago State University, the mostly African-American school on the Far South Side with a horrifically low 16.2 percent graduation rate.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/why_cant_quinn_fix_chicago_sta.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/10/why_cant_quinn_fix_chicago_sta.html Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:23:18 -0600 Health Care Reform: An Oxymoron?

September 26, 2009

CAROL MARIN cmarin@suntimes.com

Early Tuesday morning, sitting in a pre-surgical cubicle dressed in the always-awkward hospital gown, I was waiting to be prepped for a routine colonoscopy.

And thinking about President Obama's mission of revolutionizing health care. And about his mantra of bringing "change we can believe in" to Washington.
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Carol Marin

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/health_care_reform_an_oxymoron.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/health_care_reform_an_oxymoron.html Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:34:23 -0600 Jesse Jackson Jr.'s World of Woe September 19, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

"Wednesday's child is full of woe . . .

Thursday's child has far to go . . ."

Old nursery rhyme

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was born on a Thursday, but these days he could claim to be Wednesday's child and who'd argue?

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/jesse_jackson_jrs_world_of_woe.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/jesse_jackson_jrs_world_of_woe.html Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:26:24 -0600 Memo to Blago: It's Not Always About You Christopher Kelly will be buried today.

HIs story is one of great business success, political access, federal indictment and death by his own hand.

He was Rod Blagojevich's friend and fundraiser.

And our indicted ex-governor wants to make sure you know he'll be there:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/index.htm

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/memo_to_blago_its_not_always_a.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/memo_to_blago_its_not_always_a.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:30:46 -0600 The Stunning, Sudden Death of Blago Insider Chris Kelly Chris Kelly, 51, looked tortured in federal court last week.
His hugely successful life was crashing all around him.
And the next stop for Kelly was prison.
What happened?
http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1768069,CST-EDT-carol13s1.article

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/the_stunning_sudden_death_of_b.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/the_stunning_sudden_death_of_b.html Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:20:21 -0600 Why, I Regret to Say, I've Become a Party Pooper

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1766641,CST-EDT-carol13.article

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/why_i_regret_to_say_ive_become.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/why_i_regret_to_say_ive_become.html Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:39:10 -0600 Chris Kelly's Crucible Blagojevich fundraiser and friend, Chris Kelly, stood in court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to a second set of charges, getting ready to head to jail on a first guilty plea, and contemplating a third indictment.
There are no easy roads out of the terrible mess he's in.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1759568,CST-EDT-Carol09.article

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/chris_kellys_crucible_1.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/chris_kellys_crucible_1.html Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:25:40 -0600 Chris Kelly's Crucible Blagojevich fundraiser and friend, Chris Kelly, stood in court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to a second set of charges, getting ready to head to jail on a first guilty plea, and contemplating a third indictment.
There are no easy roads out of the terrible mess he's in.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1759568,CST-EDT-Carol09.article

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/chris_kellys_crucible.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/chris_kellys_crucible.html Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:25:40 -0600 Almost Impossible to Override Stroger? Here's Why
September 5, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

Call the Neanderthal who left anonymous, threatening, epithet-laced messages on Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims voice mail by three names: Coward, racist and dope.

The first two require no explanation. The last one is worth a few words.

The caller, in addition to a mournfully stunted vocabulary, didn't seem to understand the focus of his tirade was misdirected.

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/almost_impossible_to_override.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/almost_impossible_to_override.html Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:25:49 -0600 Todd Stroger Plays His Ace---and Cleans Up September 2, 2009

BY CAROL MARIN Sun-Times Columnist

No wonder Todd Stroger looked so darned happy at Tuesday's Cook County Board meeting.

He knew he had a surprise vote to pull from his pocket -- like a rabbit from a hat -- to show his critics he is the Big Tuna of Cook County.
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Carol Marin

]]> http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/todd_stroger_plays_his_ace---a.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2009/09/todd_stroger_plays_his_ace---a.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:17:09 -0600