Candidates give voters peek at fall strategy

CHICAGO -- U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich and Attorney General Jim Ryan flew across the state Thursday, thanking volunteers and giving voters a peek at their strategy in the fall campaign for governor.

Blagojevich began the day in Chicago beside the two men he defeated in the Democratic primary, former Chicago schools chief Paul Vallas and former state Attorney General Roland Burris. Both pledged to do whatever it takes to help Blagojevich win Nov. 5.

"For 25 years we've had a system in place in Springfield that has sat back and hoped things would get better, that has accepted mediocrity, that has accepted corruption," Blagojevich said. "We have an attorney general who's a part of that system."

Democrats, who last elected a governor in 1972, are relying on a message of change -- along with outgoing Republican Gov. George Ryan's ties to a bribery scandal -- to win in the fall.

Machine versus scandal

Republicans hope to counter that message by painting the statewide Democratic ticket as a product of the Democratic Machine in Chicago.

"If you look at how I arrived at this point in my career and my life, and you look at my opponent, I think there are differences," Ryan said during a stop in Springfield. "I did it on my own. I worked hard."

Blagojevich is the son-in-law of Chicago Alderman Dick Mell, a longtime Democratic ward boss. Several other Democrats running for statewide office are the children of Chicago politicians, including attorney general candidate Lisa Madigan, the daughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Blagojevich again laid into Ryan for being "asleep at the switch" as attorney general when drivers licenses were being traded for bribes.

George Ryan oversaw drivers bureaus as secretary of state when most of the bribery occurred. Federal prosecutors say about $170,000 of bribe money ended up in his campaign fund. The governor has not been charged in the matter.