Commentary by Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director
I receive Dave Diersen's GOPUSA Illinois daily e-newsletter. For those not familiar with GOPUSA Illinois, it is by far the most informative and comprehensive source for information concerning Illinois Republican politics. Four thumbs up! Diersen's e-newsletter is also posted at: http://www.gopillinois.com
I was shocked when reading Diersen's GOPUSA Illinois and came to a link which lead to an online poll conducted by the Illinois Review (IR) and the blog's editor, Fran Eaton. The IR poll, reported on the results of 614 respondents, who were asked who they would support for the Illinois Republican Party's primary nomination for the United States Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Roland Burris.
Why was I shocked? Well, let me first state, I won't report on the IR's polling results because they are tainted. There are at least 10 individuals who are running in the Republican primary, although that number will be reduced greatly after petitions have to be filled on November 2, 2009. But still, the IR poll seems to have been selective in this alleged objective poll because a serious candidate is missing from the list. I don't know if the poll is over because I don't read the Illinois Review for some of the reasons I will make clear in this story. However, Andy Martin, for some reason, was not included in IR's list of senatorial candidates, but Mark Kirk was.
Now, let me make something perfectly clear. I have no horse in the Republican race for the GOP senatorial primary bid. Let me qualify that statement. I will do everything I can to ensure U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk of the 10th Congressional District does not receive the Party's nomination for the Senate. Kirk, another pro-abort, anti-gun, tax and spend liberal, is exactly what our country does not need, especially as a representative of Illinois in the U.S. Senate. I believe Kirk should be in the Democratic Party and I have written numerous articles and commentaries on the subject of Kirk and his record. Even the Republican National Committee (RNC) has backed away from their early endorsement of the liberal Kirk.
But let's get back to the Illinois Review poll. I'm going to ask my readers to speculate regarding the following. Why would Fran Eaton and the IR leave Andy Martin out of their poll? Of course, someone might claim since Eaton asserts she is a social conservative, though inappropriate, if Kirk had been excluded from the poll it might have had some validity, but even this would violate the true tenets of honest journalism and question the validity of the IR poll. However, Andy Martin is on record as being pro-life, pro-Second Amendment rights, and promotes smaller government and less taxation. Any reasonable individual would have to ask the question why Andy Martin, who is the only candidate seeking the GOP's primary nomination for the U.S. Senate who has run a statewide campaign in the past, was excluded from the Illinois Review poll.
First, some background here. Before Fran Eaton was the editor for the Illinois Leader--a now defunct website which was alleged to be a pro-family conservative alternative to the mainstream media--she helped maintain RFFM.org's website during the gubernatorial campaign of former state Sen. Patrick O'Malley. After the Illinois Leader's demise, Eaton became editor of the Illinois Review blog at its inception. Therefore, the Illinois Review, under Eaton's guidance, can hardly claim ignorance concerning knowledge of who is running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican.
Perhaps Martin's candidacy was simply an oversight in the IR poll? Now, if you believe that, I have some oceanfront property in Nevada that I can get my hands on and I will make available to anyone who is interested. Certainly, this is a poorly veiled attempt at humor, but I think you get my message. Dennis G. LaComb, Illinois Review's publisher and Executive Director of the United Republican Fund, surely must have been aware of the fact the Illinois Review was running a poll on this issue. LaComb, who has a long history regarding the workings of Illinois politics, cannot claim ignorance of the fact Martin was omitted from the IR Senate poll. Because I have the right to do so, I am going to give LaComb a pass on this. As publisher, LaComb may not be aware of the daily postings on the Illinois Review, even though that might be a stretch of one's imagination, to say the least.
Since I am an American citizen and I have the right to voice my opinion, I believe Andy Martin's omission from the IR poll was not an accident, was not done out of ignorance, it was not a simple oversight, etc. The Illinois Review has an agenda here and clearly by leaving Martin's name off the poll, the intention was to act as though he was not a candidate for the Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate. I believe this is part of power politics that many of us thought and hoped was only something that was done by the Republican Party establishment. Unfortunately, common sense paints a very different picture concerning the Illinois Review's actions under Fran Eaton's leadership. Personally, I hate writing stories like this. But when I founded Republicans For Fair Media, nearly two decades ago, I naively believed I only had to deal with the liberal mainstream media. It troubles me deeply when I have to address something like this coming from "our side".
I did not try to contact LaComb or Eaton for a response regarding IR's poll, its results and the fact IR omitted Andy Martin's name. Frankly, I don't know what they could say that would make a difference, nothing could suffice.
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