MY CHICAGO COMICS END FOR NOW

 

Unfortunately for me, and for most of the followers of the Chicago Tribune, the candidate for Lt. Governor on the democrat ticket has withdrawn from the race.

 

Scott Lee Cohen, the pawnbroker who won the democrat primary last week to run in November for the office of Lt. Governor, yesterday announced that he has withdrawn from the race.

 

After winning, Cohen admitted having been charged with abuse in 2005 involving his girl friend who was a prostitute.  He denied knowing she was a prostitute, insisting that he thought she was truly a “massage therapist”  Well, in fact, she probably was since that is the title for prostitutes on the near North Side of Chicago where they abound.  He also denied putting a knife to the girl’s neck, but that was what the police reports said.

 

Also it came to light that he owed his ex wife over %50,000 in back child support at the same time he put over $2 million in his campaign.  And, he admitted that he had injected steroids, and that he was a defendant in scads of suits involving unpaid taxes.

 

What the heck?  Who better for Lt. Governor of Illinois---when the governor gets impeached or convicted, or both, the Lt. Governor would be a natural for succession----to both the office and impeachment.  And, the hits would keep on coming.

 

But, the mighty Mike Madigan, chief of democrat politics, “spoke in confidence” to Cohen and urged him to step down for the good of the “people of Illinois”.  Right, Mike----what you really mean is that you threatened Cohen with his physical and mental well being for the “good of the ticket”.

 

At any rate, yesterday in high Chicago drama, Cohen announced his withdrawal at the Hop Haus, a popular Chicago tavern where scores of fans were cheering on the Saints during the Super Bowl.  Cohen and his family met in a private dining room in the bar and announced his withdrawal during half time----in a move destined to get top Chicago tv coverage as a “breaking news” break in on half-time.  As he made his announcement, his fiancé, his two sons and her son all hugged and sobbed, according to this morning’s Tribune.

 

Ahhhh.  Chicago.  As the classic feature of a long election run withdraws, the republicans don’t even know who will be their candidate as the re-count, and the threats of lawsuits continue.

 

Only in Illinois.  With the democrats self-destructing it would seem, the republicans cannot even come together to take advantage-----because they don’t know even who their candidate will be.

 

So, for my morning comics, I now will have to rely on the race for United States Senator in Illinois where the democrat is a banker with a long history of making loans to a syndicate boss.  Tomorrow I will turn to that, with reluctance.  Cohen, the pawnbroker, was so promising.