By Steve Rhodes
It is the consensus today not only of the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board but the 100 Chicago area newspapers in the Sun-Times News Group that distractions are hazardous to drivers.
DOG BITES MAN
News You Already Have
Study: Distractions Cause Most Car Crashes (AP, 4/21)
Emotional Wiring Different In Men And Women (LiveScience.com, 4/20)
Americans Commute Longer, Farther Than Ever
(Reuters, 4/20)
Democrats: No Single Message Sums Us Up (AP, 4/20)
– Tim Willette
Hastert Hijinx
U.S. Speaker of the House and Illinois congressman Dennis Hastert has forwarded three names to President Bush to choose from for the post of U.S. Attorney in central Illinois. One of those names is Darin LaHood, son of Illinois congressman Ray LaHood, Hastert’s right-hand man. The Peoria Journal Star got the scoop last week; the Chicago Tribune editorial board today says the move makes Hastert look “tone deaf, secretive, and conniving.”
Also Secretive And Conniving
LaHood: No connection between lobbyists and pork.
So those lobbyists just threw their money away and won’t make the same mistake again, right?
Ryan Jury Watch
Prosecutors have asked Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer to deny a defense request to interview two jurors dismissed from the George Ryan panel – Evelyn Ezell and Cynthia McFadden – to learn about possible “juror misconduct,” Abdon Pallasch reports today in the Sun-Times. “The interviews would accomplish nothing of legal significance,” prosecutors argued in court filings.
I’m not so sure. Perhaps Ezell and McFadden have something to say about whether jury foreperson Sonja Chambers ever mentioned discussing the trial with her coffee guy, or watching the coverage on TV, or overhearing other passengers on the Metra talking about the case.
Rock and Roll Jury
“The Supreme Court, in its 1987 Tanner case, considered a jury in which jurors later admitted they drank alcohol and used cocaine during deliberations and that was not enough to reverse the verdict,” Pallasch writes. “Screaming, hysterical crying, fist-banging, name-calling, obscene language, and chair-throwing were all ruled to be fair game.”
Supreme Conflict
“I had a son on that [Iraqi] battlefied, and they were shooting at my son and I’m not about to give this man who was captured in a war a full jury trial,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said about whether Gitmo detainees have legal rights under the Constitution. “I mean, it’s crazy.”
Art Anguish
Art Chicago is really fucked-up.
Blame The Media Watch
“Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay blamed the media Tuesday for undercutting his company’s strengths in the weeks before it crashed, by highlighting problems at Enron that he said were already cleaned up,” the Associated Press reports.
Rope-A-Dope
Richard Roeper: Beyond Smart?
Pickett Watch
In her Chicago Tonight commentary last night, Debra Pickett suggested changing the slogan on Illinois license plates to “Welcome Federal Prosecutors” or “Indicted We Stand.”
Six years ago, John Kass held a reader contest for a new state slogan and city sticker motto. Frank Bemis of Schaumburg won the former with “Illinois: Will The Defendant Please Rise?” and Konrad Voigt of Berwyn won the latter with “Slippus Envelopus.”
At least Pickett didn’t suggest “Illinois: More Yuppies Wanted.”
Lube Job
If George W. Bush thinks the problem behind rising prices at the pump is our addiction to gas, maybe he should go after the dealer.
Topinka Stinka
“What American adult has not formed their opinion on whether Bush is leading the country where we need to go?” asks Jim Leach on AbeLog, talking about Judy Baar Topinka’s evasion of the question. “This attempt to deflect and say ‘I’m too busy, I can’t fill my head with all this complicated federal stuff, I leave that to congressmen” is disingenuous and more than a little silly. The question’s not that tough – if she won’t take a stand on it, what else will she dodge and deflect?”
Blago Bluff
The governor shows off his leadership skills in addressing rising gas prices. (Video on the right)
– The last two items via items via The Capitol Fax Blog, though we came up with this question on our own: When do the adult candidates arrive?
Ethics Watch
The Chicago Headline Club fails to find an ethical journalist in the city.
So-Called Austin Mayor connects the dots.
Coming Soon In The Reporter
* Showgirls
* Mexicans
* Slot Machines
* Booty
* And More!
The Beachwood Tip Line: News we can use.
Posted on April 26, 2006