ALL DEMS, ALL THE TIME THIS SUNDAY
It was a glorious, warm autumn day in McHenry County. And with just three weeks and two days to the election, it was time to get serious.
Even at morning services at the Congregational Unitarian Church, after Woodstock PFLAG leader Toni Weaver led a commemoration of the tenth anniversary of Mathew Shepherd’s murder, the morning was given over to the election. Two members of the congregation running for office, Kerry Julian, Democratic candidate for county auditor, and Frank Wedig, a Green Party candidate for County Board in District 6, spoke of what it was like to run for office. Then the Rev. Dan Larsen gave a modern version of the traditional election sermons that were delivered in our ancestor New England congregations more than two hundred years ago. The service was not about endorsing candidates or parties, but about fulfilling the commitment to democracy that have common in the founding documents of the United States and in the traditions self governing congregations.
After church, Kerry Julian and his family gave me a ride to the Marengo Settler’s Day Parade, the last big parade of the season. Marengo, in the rural western portion of the county has not been traditionally friendly turf for Democrats. There has been vandalism to Obama signs in and around the town, including at least one incident where a home was broken into and vandalized as well. But those of us marching with the Democratic Party of McHenry County float got a uniformly warm reception today with cheers and thumbs up all along the route.
Getting ready to march.
Kerry (right) with wife Cindy and Julian offspring.
Some of the contingentpose before the parade. Representative Jack Franks and McHenry County State’s Attorney candidate Thomas Cynor each were assigned separate positions in the parade.
Bob Gibson, by far the senior Precinct Representative in the county party, walked the route. An octogenarian, World War II vet, and former Teamsters business agent, Bob knows everyone in Woodstock and works his precinct better than anyone. I kind of hurt my back passing out candy and by the end of the parade couldn’t lift my leg high enough to climb on to the float for the ride back to the parking area. Bob did not. (photo by Kathy Bergan Schmidt).
After the parade Kathy and I had to dash back across the county to link up with County Board District 3 Chair Dan Giallombardo then dash down to tony Barrington and the even tonier Makay Country Club for the Eighth District Democrats and Independents (EDDI) annual fundraising dinner. The Eighth Congressional District encompasses all of Lake County, and parts of northern Cook County and eastern McHenry County. It’s the district Melissa Bean wrenched away from Phil Crane four years ago and which she is now defending for the second time. EDDI is naturally a bit Lake County centric, but it has been a force in turning this once reliable Republican turf blue.
The dinner was tasty and so was the program, which was emceed by Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes, who is making a strong run for an open seat in the 26 State Senate District, which includes portions of McHenry County.
Several folks were honored with awards including Tammy Duckworth, the disabled Iraq War veteran who scared the bejesus out of the Republican party by nearly winning Henry Hyde’s old 6th Congressional District. Duckworth, who accepted the award despite having competed earlier in the day in the Chicago Marathon in a hand cranked wheel chair, is often mentioned as a possible candidate to fill Backak Obama’s Senate seat.
Also accepting an award was the popular Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who is a likely challenger to Governor Rod Blagojevich in the 2010 Democratic primary in the unlikely event the governor is not indicted on corruption charges first.
After the dinner Madigan took time to chat with and pose with McHenry County Democrats.
County Board District 4 Chair Mary Margaret Maule, Patrick Murfin, Lisa Madigan, Dan Giallombardo, Thomas Cynor, and Kathy Bergan Schmidt.