Skinny Sheahan- Icon or Chick Magnet - Either Way He's Ahead of the Pack!

Yesterday, I was driving to O'Hare Airport on the Kennedy and was riveted by the above Chicago Marathon Icon - the woman who graces my company and passenger in Phaeton Hickey remarked, "Why, that is Skinny Sheahan* on that wall. That spot is generally given to images of scantily clad children, pouting suggestively."

With my customary focus to the Illinois Rules of Road- Sec. Jesse White editor and publisher- hands at 2 and 10, proper application of my leg, ankle and foot muscles to the accelerator with regard to posted speed limits, all electronic communications devices off, a grin of self-assured confidence strained with pity due to my witness of sinfully self-absorbed bad drivers, my peripheral vision took in the sight of the image of James "Skinny" Sheahan leading the pack of runners.

"Indeed, Madam, Skinny is on the Wall and wherever good and patriotic men and virtuous women and innocent bright-eyed children need a Champion! ( heroic orchestral music rising) There's a new spirit abroad in the land. The old days of grab and greed are on their way out. We're beginning to think of what we *owe* the other fellow, not just what we're compelled to give him. The time is coming, Ms. Sullivan, , when we cannot fill our bellies in comfort while the other fellow goes hungry, or sleep in warm beds while others shiver in the cold. And we shan't be able to kneel and thank God for blessings before our shining altars while men anywhere are kneeling in either physical or spiritual subjection.

But in the days to come, the American people for their own safety and the good of all will walk together in majesty and in justice and in peace. Skinny is on that Wall . . .We want him on that Wall . . .we Need Him on that Wall!."

The elegant woman marveled, "Your words are so noble . . ."

I cut her off, as is my wont, post gerund but mid-thought, 'Not mine, Ms. Sullivan -James "Skinny' Sheahan . . .or from an old Sherlock Holmes movie, or something. I'm getting a big ass popcorn at O'Hare."

"Please, use that language with the boys at Keegan's, I don't care for that."

" Sorry . . .well I'm getting the large one anyway.'

"That's nice. Watch the truck in front of you, please."

In Hoc Signo Vinces!

*Jim "Skinny" Sheahan, 64, is president of Special Children's Charities/Special Olympics Chicago. He's also running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday (his 39th marathon overall). His course:
Huge Cap tip to John Ruberry Our Marathon Pundit!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036348/quotes

SEIU's Jan Schakowsky Must Be Scared to Death of Joel Pollak

South side scion and the pride of Morton Grove, John Ruberry - The Marathon Pundit -posted a stunning story about the ACORN/SEIU leash that locks some Democrats - notably Illinois Congress-critter Jan Schakowsky.

Joel Pollak, a sharp and honest young guy, is running to unseat the daffy Schakowsky, most noted for her convicted felon Grassroot opportunist hubby Bob Creamer who operated Camp Obama in 2008, after he spent a few semesters in Terra Haute Federal Prison for check kiting. Jan is also frequent howler on the irrelevant cable Progressive cheer leading MSNBC. Other than that, Jan Schakowsky votes in Congress to eliminate the American middle class.

It appears that Schakowsky called on the Purple Gang of Illinois SEIU to disrupt a Pollak fund raiser -

During the luncheon, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, endorsed Pollak, the GOP candidate for Congress in my district, Illinois' 9th. Ryan, who represents a southeastern Wisconsin district, is the author of the Roadmap for America's Future. Ryan says social security is going bankrupt, and I don't think a single sane person disagrees with him. Too few workers will be funding too many retirees--it's a numbers game. Ryan that workers under 55 be given the opportunity to invest one-third of their social security taxes into personal retirement accounts. The protesters, most of whom are over 55, were waving signs "Hands off My Social Security." Ryan's plan won't effect them, and besides, he wants to strengthen social security.

There were about 50 protesters.

Initially it was believed that MoveOn.org was organizing the rally, but this was a Service Employee International Union operation, I believe. Although with these leftists, it's hard to tell where one group ends and another begins. Which brings me to the picture on the upper left. The man in the blue sport coat is Keith Kelleher, a longtime SEIU organizer. For years he was the head organizer of SEIU Local #880, which was started by the disgraced community organizing group ACORN--the serial voter registration fraudsters. Kelleher once claimed he was "a field organizer, lead organizer and head organizer for ACORN."
Here's what Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), the GOP candidate for the US Senate in Illinois, wrote last fall about this two-headed monster:


SEIU Local 880, which until recently boasted it was founded by ACORN, used an ACORN e-mail address on its Web site and tax filings, was co-located with an ACORN "tax center" and employed the former president of ACORN Illinois, according to official records. Recently, the IRS terminated is relationship with ACORN tax preparation offices.
Local #880 is now SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana, Kelleher is still in charge.
Whose "roadmap" would you believe in? Ryan's? Or a gaggle led by a former ACORN organizer?

On the lower left is John Gaudette, who is the organizing director for Citizen Action/Illinois. If he looks familiar, it's because he was the astroturfer shown on Fox News last summer coaching attendees to chant "Health Care Now" at a Jan Schakowsky townhall at near my home at Niles West High School. Robert Creamer, the husband of Pollak's opponent, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, was caught kiting checks while serving as executive director of this organization. He spent five months in prison for fraud and tax evasion for his avionics.

Yikes! Democrats, this is your party.

Gaudette must have liked the way I looked, he took about a dozen pictures of me. I took only two of him. Perhaps he was trying to intimidate me, which isn't easy, although a rattlesnake in Utah succeeded.

I spoke with some of the protesters, who (surprise!) knew nothing about the Roadmap for America's Future, other than Ryan wants to privatize it, which is a colossal distortion.

Once again, Ryan wants to strengthen social security.

What I witnessed this afternoon could be a preview of the Democrats' counterattack against the GOP this fall. Using imaginary assaults on social security to scare voters hasn't worked for them before. But it could be the only thing they can come up with this year. If that's the case, the Dems are in a worse predicament than I thought.

Coming in November: The Great Correction.

Related post: (emphases my own

SEIU goons fail to disrupt Joel Pollak fundraiser

Jan and Bob Creamer must be more than a tad nervous in the service of SEIU. Purple is the new Red.

The more Democrats cling to the Marxists and the goofs, the more Democrats will take other ballots.

Wake up, kids, that coffee is a boiling!

Brian J. Quirk Sr., 1922-2010 R.I.P.

Huge Hat Tip to my pal John Ruberry and the great Trevor Jensen of the Chicago Tribune.

Sad to report that another wonderful man who fought for America and returned to help build the greatest age of prosperity in human history has gone home to Christ - Brian J. Quirk Sr., 1922-2010.

Mr. Quirk was a public relations man who had fought all over the South Pacific as one of Carlson's Raiders - a Marine Raider.

Mr. Quirk took part in the great raid on Makin Atoll in 1942 and returned to Makin almost 60 years later* to help recover the bodies of buddies lost in that heroic fight - 'No one gets left behind or forgotten.'

Mr. Quirk was one of the guys who helped build, finance and market La Lumiere School in La Porte, IN. La Lumiere School is the alma mater to his son Brian Quirk, Chief Justice John Roberts, Director Paris Barkley, Comedian Jim Gaffigan. Colonel Quirk went on ahead and when he returned there was always a crowd following in his wake. Len O'Connor of NBC News was attracted to La Lumiere School and decided to send his sons there and soon La Lumiere Football scores became news worthy. Col. Quirk got in and out before anyone knew he had been there - He was a Marine Raider.

Col. Quirk tried to teach me my chops when I was tasked to become La Lumiere School's Director of Development. "Hickey, think smart. That means bring everything that is needed and then go back and ask everyone involved what is not needed - pretty soon you will figure it out. Lead from the front, but take a glance back and see if anyone is following you - you will get a pretty clear picture of things up close to the action, but remember you had better have good people covering your back."

This sweet, tough guy is missed. God Keep You Young!
Click my post title for links to Marathon Pundit and the great Trevor Jensen of Chicago Tribune.


http://www.lalumiere.org/Alumni/notablealumni.html



*

WWII MARINE RAIDERS IDENTIFIED, RETURNING HOME

The remains of 19 World War II Marine Raiders killed in action on Butaritari Island (Makin Atoll) and listed as missing in action since August 1942 were recently identified, and will be returned to their families for burial.

The remains are those of:
Capt. Gerald P. Holtom, Palo Alto, Calif.
Sgt. Clyde Thomason, Atlanta, Ga.
FM1C. Vernon L. Castle, Stillwater, Okla.
Cpl. I.B. Earles, Tulare, Calif.
Cpl. Daniel A. Gaston, Galveston, Tex.
Cpl. Harris J. Johnson, Little Rock, Iowa
Cpl. Kenneth K. Kunkle, Mountain Home, Ark.
Cpl. Edward Maciejewski, Chicago, Ill.
Cpl. Robert B. Pearson, Lafayette, Calif.
Cpl. Mason O. Yarbrough, Sikeston, Mo.
Pfc. William A. Gallagher, Wyandotte, Mich.
Pfc. Ashley W. Hicks, Waterford, Calif.
Pfc. Kenneth M. Montgomery, Eden, Wis.
Pfc. Norman W. Mortensen, Camp Douglas, Wis.
Pfc. John E. Vandenberg, Kenosha, Wis.
Pvt. Carlyle O. Larson, Glenwood, Minn.
Pvt. Robert B. Maulding, Vista, Calif.
Pvt. Franklin M. Nodland, Marshalltown, Iowa
Pvt. Charles A. Selby, Ontonagon, Mich.

The Marines were members of the Marine Corps' 2nd Raider Battalion, killed during the August 17-18, 1942, raid on Japanese-held Butaritari Island, during which an estimated 83 Japanese soldiers were killed. Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson commanded the Raiders during the operation, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's son, Capt. James Roosevelt, was the operation's second-in-command. Ferried to the island by submarine and landing on and departing Butaritari by rubber boats, the Marines were unable to evacuate the bodies of their fallen comrades. With the assistance of island inhabitants, including a man who assisted in the burial of the Marines in 1942, a recovery team from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) uncovered a mass grave and excavated the remains in November and December 1999. That operation was preceded by an initial investigation in August 1998 and an unsuccessful recovery effort in May 1999. The U.S. Marine Raider Association provided invaluable assistance with firsthand information and documentation about their combat on Butaritari. In late 1999, the CILHI began an exhaustive forensic identification process, including the use of mitochondrial DNA, to confirm the identities of the Marines. Marine Corps officials, using historical military records and more modern search techniques, located the next of kin of each of the Marines.

Arrangements for the transportation and burial of the Marines are underway, in consultation with the families. The first burial is expected to be that of Cpl. Yarbrough in Sikeston, Mo. in December. Among the remains recovered are those of Sgt. Clyde Thomason, the first enlisted Marine awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. The identification of these Marines contributes to the ongoing effort by the Department of Defense to locate and identify more than 88,000 American service members who remain missing in action from World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

-END-