I must admit that I have yet to see an episode of “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.” So I didn’t actually hear for myself when one-time Illinois first 
lady Patti Blagojevich referred to former state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka as a “kooky old aunt.”
As I understand it, Blagojevich was trying to give an example of how her husband was noble and tolerated a “crazy” old lady who would do and say outrageous things. In theory, that is how her cast-mates on the reality television program should cope with one of their less-agreeable show mates.
IN REALITY, BLAGOJEVICH was the kooky one during that 2006 gubernatorial campaign who came up with those outrageous campaign spots that permanently put the image of Topinka dancing with 16627-424 (a.k.a., former Gov. George Ryan) into many of our minds.
Judy was the blunt-spoken one who was a little more down-to-earth than most political people. That’s not kooky, even if she is likely the only government official who would include jokes about flatulence in her Inauguration Day speech the way she did in 1995?
But a large part of what made Topinka different back when she was an elected official was that she wasn’t a typical run-of-the-mill Republican from the suburbs – even though she is a long-time resident of west suburban Riverside.
She didn’t fit the stereotype. That is what made her “kooky” in the minds of some political people, although to others.
WHEN I REMEMBER the Topinka I encountered during my years as a state government reporter-type, what comes to my mind was a person who actually showed some interest in her job.
She was a long-time state senator from Riverside who then went on to serve 12 years as Illinois treasurer. For the last four of those years, she was the lone GOP official to hold a statewide government post.
Most people who run for the low posts on the Illinois constitutional officers roll (state comptroller and treasurer) do so out of a sense that they are gaining experience for the day when they run for a higher-ranking office.
Current Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes fits that mold perfectly, as does current state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. I don’t doubt that they can handle some administrative duties to oversee the offices that pay state government bills and oversee state financial investments.
BUT TOPINKA (ALONG with one-time state Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch) were among a type who actually went out of their way to understand government finances. In fact, there were times they could bore you to death with their knowledge of financial minutia.
Even in responding to Patti Blagojevich’s televised cheap shot, Topinka couldn’t help but point out to reporter-types that she “returned $230 million in unclaimed assets and made a profit.”
Another thing I remember about Topinka was that she was a woman who believed in bipartisanship, to a degree. I can recall the shock at one of her election victory parties when Cook County Board President John Stroger showed up. She invited him – even though he was a Democrat.
Like many Chicago Democratic political people, Topinka always had a strong sense of her ethnic background (from the Czech Republic). She never had the idea that ethnicity was something that needed to be erased in order to be a “real American.”
HER KOOKY IMPRESSION may have been tied to the notion that she would dig out the accordion and play along with polka bands on occasion. Of course, she never (to my knowledge) went on national television like then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton did with his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show.
Although I remember one time she appeared on a WFLD-TV morning show, and helped to review a film. But instead of giving it stars, she gave it accordions.
But Topinka had her loyalties to the Republican Party.
There was never a doubt of her being a GOP supporter. This is, after all, a woman who seriously believed that Phil Gramm was qualified to be president of the United States (back in 1996, although she was the only Illinois Republican of significance who thought so).
SO WHAT SHOULD we think of Patti Blagojevich’s attempt to inject some Chicago political tidbits into a reality television program?
I realize most people who bother to watch this show (I can’t bring myself to do so) won’t have a clue who Judy Baar Topinka is, and won’t care to find out.
But for those of us who do have a clue, I can’t help but think we will find it ridiculous, if not outright absurd, that Patti Blagojevich is calling anyone else “kooky.”
After all, she’s the wacky one who ate the tarantula on television.
-30-
EDITOR’S NOTES: When characters on a reality television program perform prayers asking that “the truth will be revealed” about Rod Blagojevich, you know that something has seriously (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=298836&src=143) gone awry.
Will it be as soon as next year that Judy Baar Topinka has to revise the front page of her website (http://www.judybarrtopinka.com/), particularly the line about how she is, “the last Republican to be elected to a statewide office in Illinois.”
lady Patti Blagojevich referred to former state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka as a “kooky old aunt.”As I understand it, Blagojevich was trying to give an example of how her husband was noble and tolerated a “crazy” old lady who would do and say outrageous things. In theory, that is how her cast-mates on the reality television program should cope with one of their less-agreeable show mates.
IN REALITY, BLAGOJEVICH was the kooky one during that 2006 gubernatorial campaign who came up with those outrageous campaign spots that permanently put the image of Topinka dancing with 16627-424 (a.k.a., former Gov. George Ryan) into many of our minds.
Judy was the blunt-spoken one who was a little more down-to-earth than most political people. That’s not kooky, even if she is likely the only government official who would include jokes about flatulence in her Inauguration Day speech the way she did in 1995?
But a large part of what made Topinka different back when she was an elected official was that she wasn’t a typical run-of-the-mill Republican from the suburbs – even though she is a long-time resident of west suburban Riverside.
She didn’t fit the stereotype. That is what made her “kooky” in the minds of some political people, although to others.
WHEN I REMEMBER the Topinka I encountered during my years as a state government reporter-type, what comes to my mind was a person who actually showed some interest in her job.
She was a long-time state senator from Riverside who then went on to serve 12 years as Illinois treasurer. For the last four of those years, she was the lone GOP official to hold a statewide government post.
Most people who run for the low posts on the Illinois constitutional officers roll (state comptroller and treasurer) do so out of a sense that they are gaining experience for the day when they run for a higher-ranking office.
Current Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes fits that mold perfectly, as does current state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. I don’t doubt that they can handle some administrative duties to oversee the offices that pay state government bills and oversee state financial investments.
BUT TOPINKA (ALONG with one-time state Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch) were among a type who actually went out of their way to understand government finances. In fact, there were times they could bore you to death with their knowledge of financial minutia.
Even in responding to Patti Blagojevich’s televised cheap shot, Topinka couldn’t help but point out to reporter-types that she “returned $230 million in unclaimed assets and made a profit.”
Another thing I remember about Topinka was that she was a woman who believed in bipartisanship, to a degree. I can recall the shock at one of her election victory parties when Cook County Board President John Stroger showed up. She invited him – even though he was a Democrat.
Like many Chicago Democratic political people, Topinka always had a strong sense of her ethnic background (from the Czech Republic). She never had the idea that ethnicity was something that needed to be erased in order to be a “real American.”
HER KOOKY IMPRESSION may have been tied to the notion that she would dig out the accordion and play along with polka bands on occasion. Of course, she never (to my knowledge) went on national television like then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton did with his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show.
Although I remember one time she appeared on a WFLD-TV morning show, and helped to review a film. But instead of giving it stars, she gave it accordions.
But Topinka had her loyalties to the Republican Party.
There was never a doubt of her being a GOP supporter. This is, after all, a woman who seriously believed that Phil Gramm was qualified to be president of the United States (back in 1996, although she was the only Illinois Republican of significance who thought so).
SO WHAT SHOULD we think of Patti Blagojevich’s attempt to inject some Chicago political tidbits into a reality television program?
I realize most people who bother to watch this show (I can’t bring myself to do so) won’t have a clue who Judy Baar Topinka is, and won’t care to find out.
But for those of us who do have a clue, I can’t help but think we will find it ridiculous, if not outright absurd, that Patti Blagojevich is calling anyone else “kooky.”
After all, she’s the wacky one who ate the tarantula on television.
-30-
EDITOR’S NOTES: When characters on a reality television program perform prayers asking that “the truth will be revealed” about Rod Blagojevich, you know that something has seriously (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=298836&src=143) gone awry.
Will it be as soon as next year that Judy Baar Topinka has to revise the front page of her website (http://www.judybarrtopinka.com/), particularly the line about how she is, “the last Republican to be elected to a statewide office in Illinois.”
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