Reid is an odd bird, he is LDS. Whodda thunk?

Liberals with whips -- *shudder*!

That's a great list. McConnell, ky and Nickle, ok looking good. McCain edged up to a 40 while is fellow AZ senator Kyl was much lower.

The list though, is useless unless one knows what key votes went into the rating.

It makes sense. The whip's role is to enforce party discipline and is thus typically one of the most idealogical members.

Puff Daschle was pretty much his own whip. Harry Reid is a more moderate Dem (well, at least in comparrison to Kerry and Puffy).

Durbin is also a bully. Not good for the minority party.

With Obama coming in, it will be iteresting to see how the other Senate Democrats react to having two high-profile Illinois senators, especially since as the party with only 45 members, the amount of perks and funds to go around on their side of the aisle isn't going to be very high (and as much as they try to play kissy-face for the media, Shumer and Hillary in New York are usually elbowing each other to get to the fax machine or microphone stand. Durbin-Obama may be fun to watch unto itself).

Sorry to the rest of the country from us Illinois Republicans. Actually, we don't need to apologize, Topinka and the Elmhurst Republicans that control the party should.

The Republican party of Illinois has self-destructed. I am so fed up with them. What use is it being a Republican in Illinois? All they do, led by their leader Topinka, is backstab each other, and destroy any candidate with a chance if they can't be controlled.

Of course, George Ryan is in a class by himself, his corrupt Sec of State and anti-prosecutor's office stance was the first blow that brought the party down.

Jim Ryan, a great guy, a man of integrity, could not convince people he would not be a repeat of George Ryan. Having the same name sure didn't help. Plus Jack Ryan, again the same name. But also, the Republicans torpedoed him.

This is the first time a candidate had to withdraw because of a sex scandal where 1. there was no sex, 2. they were both married, 3. the ex-wife even told the media to butt out, and 4. it was "he said she said" 5. the ex did not even get her kids, so what was wrong with her? In America, the woman has to be REALLY screwed up to not get the kids, yet the media (well the Republican party leaders) chose to listen to her side.

Besides, if any of us were married to Seven-of-Nine, you'd better bet there'd be plenty of sexual experimentation! I mean come on what is wrong with people? No Republican I know even cared. My Democrat friends were all laughing at us.

As Fitzgerald said, "the Republicans in Illinois don't like self-made men because they can't be controlled". Thus they didn't like Fitzgerald, they didn't like Jack Ryan, they didn't even consider nominating Oberweis (almost identical in platform to Jack Ryan) after Jack withdrew.

If it weren't for George Ryan and Topinka and the others controlling Illinois, we'd have a Republican Governor and one Senator. But alas, we have to fire all the incumbent Republicans in order to get some competent people.