OPINION POLL: Herman Cain's 'Smoking Man' Campaign Video

SEE POLL BELOW: A lot of buzz was created by the latest video released by the Herman Cain Presidential Campaign. It's a simple video that shows Cain's campaign Chief of Staff Mark Block speaking directly to the camera. What he says is not really so news worthy, but near the end he looks into the camera and puffs on a cigarette. You can see the Cain "smoking man" video here. You can also see Mark Block's explanation of the video on Fox News. Many are calling the video "bizarre," while some think it's brilliant. What is your opinion? Note: This poll closes on October 28 at 1:00 PM EST. It is not a scientific poll.
We're just trying to get a feel for how you feel about this.

Palin's Email Hacked

How the Left operates: Bully radio stations, shout down speakers, hack into email. Hackers broke into the Yahoo! e-mail account that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used for official business as Alaska's governor, revealing as evidence a few inconsequential personal messages she has received since John McCain selected her as his running mate. Full Article, AP...

Chicago Scumbags Rally for Obama

CHICAGO - Corrupt officials and at least one convicted felon rallied for Barack Obama yesterday at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway Street in the far north Edgewater neighborhood. (See video below.)

The event was more of a pep rally for Congresslady Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), whose banner was more than four times the size of the Obama banner hanging behind the little stage. Schakowsky was the main speaker. During her speech, she instructed the crowd in the fine art of responding to questions about Barack Obama's recently convicted friend and former financier, Tony Rezko.

Schakowsky said nothing to the crowd, however, about responding to questions about another convicted criminal who is still close to Obama: Her own husband, Robert "Mr. Kite" Creamer (photo, left).

Approximately 200-250 people showed up for the rally, many of whom were local politicos. Alderman Joe Moore, 49th Ward, showed off his recent cosmetic nose surgery as he sat with Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, a stooge of Cook County President Todd Stroger, and other elected officials.

David Fagus, Chief Operating Officer of Cermak Health Services was there too (photo, left). Fagus and Cermak are currently under federal investigation for alleged human rights violations. Cermak Health Services is the daily provider of healthcare to detainees at the Cook County Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision and Intervention. Fagus is also the 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman, a role he has allegedly used to help Alderman Joe Moore steal past elections. Unelected officials were there too, including Sheli Lulkin, the outgoing Executive Director of the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce. Two chairs were welded together and reinforced with steel beams to accomodate her.

Many people left the event while Schakowsky was still speaking. The echo in the large auditorium, which can hold two NBA-sized basketball courts, made it difficult for the audience to understand what was being said. Bored, people left early to enjoy the nice weather outside.

Comment on Suzanne Elder's Media Staff

The Bench gets high quality comments. See, we go for quality, not quantity. The following comment from "tofugirl" is great, and touches on the lousy coverage that the local Big Media give - or do not give - to second and third tier campaigns. Thanks, tofugirl. Please write again. Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:44:29 -0800 (PST) From: "tofugirl" To: rogersparkbench@yahoo.com Subject: tofugirl has left a new comment on your post "Where is Suzanne Elder's Media Staff?": Has The Bench never, ever worked in a lower-down-on-the-ballot campaign? "Major media" give virtually no coverage to such races. Are you thinking that the Times, Post or Journal will cover an Illinois state senate race? Are you hallucinating that the Tribune or Sun-Times will? Have they given any coverage to the Berrios-Deratany race or the MWRD races that cover lots bigger territory? Dearatany and Berrios will spend over a million, combined, and Deratany has earned 1 (one) Trib article and a tiny Daily Herald mention. period. That's it. A state senate race between two freshmen? Get real. They don't. They won't. It's not "news." First, unlike almost all of the hundreds of other races this cycle, this race did not even exist until the last week of October. Second, the "major media" are covering little besides the presidential race. They devote little resources for lower-level races. Have they given more than a couple articles to the much higher visibility state's atty race? How about Seals v Footlik? Or Pera-Lipinski? Finally, what "media savvy" has Steans shown? I just did a Google news search on her. "Your search - Heather Steans - did not match any documents."

Barack Obama's Mob

That's how a pro-Hillary web site refers to shady people in Obama's past (and present). Oh my, this is getting dirty. The Hillary people are jumping all over the dirty Tony Rezko connections to Obama, and actually complaining about the Big Media covering it up. Delicious. Here's a tasty morsel to whet your appetite: Recall, Obama’s other long time friend Antoin “Tony” Rezko was widely known as about to be indicted when Rezko bought and paid for a yard attached to a house Obama could not afford. This allowed Obama, in what he wishes to wave away as a “boneheaded” move, to purchase the mansion he calls home. With this Rezko history fresh in everyone’s mind, has Obama steered himself away from Giannoulias? No. Yummy. Read the whole nasty pro-Hillary/anti-Obama screed here. Hillary and Obama may be playing warm and fuzzy to the cameras lately, but behind the scenes their supporters are lobbing grenades across the trenches. (Major hat tip to ArchPundit)

HUCKABEE'S MEXICAN CONSULATE

Big kudos to The Caucus Cooler, with this exclusive story about what they call Huckabee's "pet project" - a Mexican consulate in lil' ol Little Rock, Arkansas. For those that don't know, Governor Huckabee lobbied aggressively for the addition of a Mexican consulate in Little Rock, at the taxpayers expense of course. This consulate served as a resource for illegal immigrants living in Arkansas, and some Huckabee opponents claim it drew additional illegal immigrants to the state. This is explosive stuff. The Cooler continues: The Mexican consulate helps Mexicans, legal or illegals, with papers,and hands out a consular identification - which critics argue gives illegals a valid ID which helps them meld into society. All of the costs associated with this come out of taxpayers pockets. Our take is twofold...

Watching Hillary Crumble

Oh, what fun. Here's a sampling of the Hillary Implosion coverage. Yes, she's melting down before our very eyes.

Is There Trouble in ‘Hillaryland’? - Dec 10, 2007 - New York Times, United States
The strategy has imploded.

THE CLINTONS REVEALED
13 Dec 2007 -The Clinton campaign is imploding right before our very eyes. Clearly, Hillary is no Bill. She is shrill, calculating, an American Evita.

Hillary Clinton Campaign Imploding?
3 Dec 2007 - Hillary Clinton Campaign Imploding The Hill’s Ron Christie proclaims the “Beginning of the End of the [Hillary] Clinton Campaign.”

What's even better than Mike Huckabee surging???
14 Dec 2007 - It's Hillary Clinton imploding!!!

Clintons campain implodes, People see through this sham
14 Dec 2007 - Hillary Clinton on Friday denied her White House campaign was in disarray, despite sliding poll ratings and an uproar sparked by an aide who questioned her rival Barack Obama's drug history.

The Fall of Hillary
14 Dec 2007 - After starting to doubt his long held belief that the Hillary campaign would eventually implode, Kos writes that he may not have been off base after all:. Hillary has put together a sort of "coalition" team of consultants and advisors...

Hillary, Hostage Taker Both Criminals

The headline is rich: "Clinton Office Hostage Taker Had Criminal Past," said Fox News. "Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton traveled to New Hampshire to thank police for ending a hostage crisis at her state campaign headquarters and meet with the hostages and their families." The hostage taker, Leeland Eisenberg, and Hillary Clinton have something in common: Criminal backgrounds. That's right. According to reports, Eisenberg's recently filed divorce papers say that he was once arrested and charged with domestic mischief of a criminal nature and violation of a protective order. Eisenberg's wife alleged that he abused drugs and alcohol and was verbally abusive. According to Fox News, "Eisenberg also was arrested at least twice earlier this year, once for allegedly driving under the influence and once on two counts of stalking." The difference between Mr. Eisenberg and Ms. Clinton is that the latter has not yet been arrested for any of her crimes. Not yet. But there are people working to correct that. Further Reading: WorldNetDaily: New film feature's Hillary's 'crimes on tape' YouTube - Hillary Tells Peter F. Paul "Dont Tell " About Her Crimes An American Endeavor: Hillary Clinton Creates Her Own Vulnerability

Kool-Aid Obama

Funny, biting post at the Beachwood Reporter about Senator Obama's speech in Springfield, where he announced that he was running for president. Read it now... Note to Alan: I didn't write it. I just report. You decide. :-)