BY DAVE PARRO
Does Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns know that he's running for Congress? Of the United States of America? That is, the most powerful country in the world?
You wouldn't know it based on a statement the Republican candidate issued in response to state Sen. Chris Lauzen getting into the 14th Congressional District race. It seems more like Burns is gearing up for his first local School Board contest.
In response to Lauzen launching his three-day, eight-county "Faith, Family, and the Fruits of Freedom" tour, Burns had this to say:
“I am honored that Mr. Lauzen is conducting a district tour just as we did last month,” Burns said. “It is proof positive that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.”
What, did Burns invent shaking hands and kissing babies, too? As if a politician has never gotten out to meet voters before.
Is this what we can expect from Burns for the next few months? He's going to have to do a lot better than trivial and pathetic self-flattery if he wants to go from small-time mayor to the halls of Congress.
Oh, Burns’ campaign chairman Mike Donahue also had this to say about "Lauzen’s well-known unwillingness to work with colleagues at the Illinois statehouse":
“I wonder if the Senators endorsing Mr. Lauzen are as supportive of his political ambition as they are enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with a new colleague in Springfield."
Lauzen might not be everyone's favorite politician to work with, but he's gotten that reputation because he doesn't submit to the GOP's will. That's at least worthy of respect, unlike Burns' childish comment.
I've worked for the democratic candidate in the last two Congressional elections. We lost to the man who had run the most corrupt House of Representatives in American history, Dennis Hastert. This didn't leave me with a lot of respect for the voters of the 14th district. Hastert, along with George Bush and his entire gang, has gotten our country into a terrible mess. We're $9 trillion in debt, our industry has been shipped over seas, our infrastructure is falling down on our head and the world hates us. Yet I'm sure the voters of the 14th will elect another Republican hack to complete our destruction. As that great old song asked: WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN, WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
Dave, comments such as yours (and one very similar comment that appeared, not-so-coincidentally it would seem, in the Daily Herald) leave the impression that you're in bed (figuratively, of course) with Mr. Lauzen. If it's so childish, why mention it?
Dave;
This attack on Burns is suspiciously similar to one posted on the Daily Herald by Lisa Smith. Is it true she is your wife? And what is the motivation (yours and hers) with this attack on Burns? Are you Lauzen supporters? How can we expect unbiased reporting on this race from either one of you?
RESPONSE FROM DAVE PARRO:
Yes, Lisa is my wife. We have never hidden that.
However, we did not collaborate on this. One of her duties is to write a regular column. One of my duties is to post to this blog. We just happened to find something we both found silly enough to comment on. And we weren't the only ones. Check out this WurfWhile blog post, which beat us both to the point.
I actually hadn't read Lisa's column until this morning. We did talk about the Burns comment, however, which is probably why there are a couple similarities.
In her duties as a reporter, Lisa is covering the 14th Congressional District race. In my duties as opinions editor, I will be commenting on it from time to time. There's bound to be some overlap.
But we are not Lauzen supporters and haven't even talked about who we like to take Hastert's seat.
RESPONSE FROM DAVE PARRO:
One more thing: Lisa and I are both on Burns' e-mail distribution list and each received the statement directly from his campaign.
I think someone should write a book of infamous campaign bloopers. Burns' comment would have a chance there, although I can think of many worse mistakes in recent campaigns.
But really, I'm kinda on the same track as the first commentator.... I don't have a lot of faith in the 14th District's voting record either.