Jim Ryan reportedly isn't letting his ties to admitted con man and wild party guy Stuart Levine get in the way of his ambition to be governor.
And why should he? Running from the ties that helped you get where you are is the Illinois Way. Just ask Tony Rezko and Jeremiah Wright.
Plus, everyone else who is running for something seems to be running from their bad ties too.
For example:
- Cheryle Jackson is trying to live down her ties to Rod Blagojevich.
- Alexi Giannoulias continues to distance himself from ties to reputed mobsters who got loans from his family's bank.
- Dan Proft would like everyone to forget his ties to Alan Keyes.
Politics
- Todd Stroger cut all ties with steakhouse busboy Tony Cole.
- Pat Quinn has cut all ties with his former self.
It's all about ties in Illinois politics. But it's not just having them, it's knowing how to manipulate them -- like in fishing. There's a time to pull on your ties real tight, a time to loosen them just so, and a time to let them go so you can live to fish another day.
Steve Rhodes is the proprietor of The Beachwood Reporter, a Chicago-centric news and culture review.
