BY DAN CAMPANA
Beacon Election Central is bursting at the seams with stuff for this week's Sideshow. Wednesday night's mayoral forum helped a lot, but another round of campaign silliness also sprung up. There's so much, this is just the FIRST INSTALLMENT!
We can hardly contain ourselves, so here we go... .
Just plain silly: Let's start with non-forum related nuggets from the ridiculous rumor mill. This week, whispers in the winter wind said Alderman Richard Irvin poll numbers were so bad -- HOW BAD WERE THEY? -- that he was being pushed to drop out.
Irvin's response was simple, he hasn't run any polls since joining the race in December, although some are expected in the coming weeks. He's not going anywhere.
Elsewhere, much was made of the departure of Liam Flynn. Who? Exactly.
He carried the title of campaign manager for Alderman Stephanie Kifowit and did one interview with me about his job. Volunteer coordinator seemed a more appropriate title for him. Kifowit said the early twenty-something Flynn, who she found through a job ad, returned to his native Ohio for family reasons.
She appeared unconcerned by his departure. Who could blame her? Honestly, this wasn't like Karl Rove or some major league strategist jumping ship. Flynn's duties have been picked up by a pair of volunteers, Kifowit said.
Far-reaching appeal: Speaking of Kifowit, her campaign signs are becoming pretty noticeable. Perhaps the most obvious one is along Route 59 ... in Warrenville (or is it actually Naperville?). I first noticed it Thursday morning. The refs rule that one out of bounds.
What's in an ad: Picked up one of Mayor Tom Weisner's newer fliers on Wednesday night. Aside from a couple of solemn photos of Weisner around town, with Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez next to an Aurora police squad car and visiting senior citizens, there's the mayor arm in arm with President Barack Obama from 2005.
It's a no-brainer to use this picture. Who is a more popular politician these days than Obama? The only drawback, perhaps, is the noticeable difference in Weisner's look from four years ago to today that could remind people of his two battles with cancer.
I saw the Kifowit sign too. I think it is way out of bounds, but I drive it every day and live in Aurora. At least it's on 59 where people driving into Aurora will see it.