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Carol Felsenthal
Ameya Pawar's First Year: The Rookie Alderman on Rahm, Schools, and More
By Carol Felsenthal
A year into his rookie year as 47th Ward alderman, Ameya Pawar sat down with me in his office on North Lincoln Avenue on a recent Monday evening. Despite pulling an all-nighter—he was writing a paper for a graduate class at the University of Chicago—the 31-year-old energetically listed for me all of his accomplishments and plans as alderman, a job that few expected him to win... Read more
Quinn Brings Jerry Stermer Back in the Fold
By Carol Felsenthal
During his campaign in 2010, Pat Quinn suffered the loss of one of his longest and must trusted confidantes, Jerry Stermer. Stermer now has a new job as acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced today by the gov's office. Read more
Joe Walsh on Tammy Duckworth: Did He Really Say That?
By Carol Felsenthal
Nobody would ever call Joe Walsh a temperate personality; he has made his reputation and become a favorite of cable TV shout shows by saying what’s on his mind. But he went over the line in an interview with Politico’s David Catanese, held in an Elgin coffee shop, published today. Read more
Illinois Primary: Some Takeaways from Voting Day
By Carol Felsenthal
Illinois had its primary yesterday, and, in an embarrassment to the state and its politicians, not too many voters showed up—24 percent in the lowest turnout in 70 years in a presidential primary. But for people like me, it was feast of important races. Here, some thoughts as I followed the races well into the evening... Read more
Susan Crown on Why She Supports Mitt Romney
By Carol Felsenthal
It’s common knowledge that two of Chicago’s wealthiest families—the Crowns and the Pritzkers—are staunch Obama supporters, so it surprised me to read earlier this year that Susan Crown, 53, was supporting Mitt Romney for president. I wondered: Why isn’t she in the Obama camp like her older brother, Jim, president of Henry Crown & Co.?... Read more
Chicagoans on the White House State Dinner Guest List
By Carol Felsenthal
Wednesday night’s dinner, carrying the theme, “America’s Backyards,” was in honor of “The Right Honorable David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and his wife, Mrs. Samantha Cameron.” Here are the Chicago names I recognized, along with, in some cases, a bit of annotation... Read more
Howard Dean on Ilya Sheyman, the Presidential Campaign, Iran, and More
By Carol Felsenthal
He served as governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003. He ran for the Democratic nomination in 2004 and became infamous for the scream that ended his presidential hopes. He pushed a 50-state strategy as head of the DNC that helped Barack Obama win the presidency. And he morphed from traditional Democrat to full-fledged Progressive. So it’s not surprising that Howard Dean, 63, is drawn to Ilya Sheyman... Read more
This Time, the Illinois Primary Matters
By Carol Felsenthal
The Illinois primary has suddenly become interesting—in fact, it may be the "stopper" this year, putting away the race for Mitt Romney if he solidifies his momentum and does well. Plus: the brilliant Bears quarterback who gave Mitt his name. Read more
Andrew Breitbart's Right-Hand Man: Skokie-Bred Joel Pollak
By Carol Felsenthal
In the wake of Breitbart's sudden death today at the age of 43, Breitbart.com editor-in-chief and legal counsel Joel Pollak—Alan Dershowitz protégé and former opponent of Jan Schakowsky—says that his boss's death was "out of the blue" and that his websites will go on "in a big way." Read more