THANK YOU, SPIKE, FOR THE NICE OFFICE

Two ethnic names and two distinguished citizens in this one. I know and like both of them. The office is an open office. The incumbent is Spike and she's running for Governor and from her old boyfriend, employee, tax cheater, snitch. You can't make this stuff up.

Paul Mangieri is a 17 year navy veteran, father of a whole mess of kids and elected two or three times State's Attorney of Knox County. He may have been the first democrat ever elected to that job in the history of Knox (nobody's sure)--one hell of an accomplishment! A smart, earnest guy and, of course, from Western Illinois. If Paul has a general downside it's that he's become kind of a perpetual candidate and he doesn't run very well outside Knox County. The latter knock is probably unfair because Paul's senate run was in the context of Shrub's reelection, a negative context. If Paul ,has a treasurer-specific knock, it's that he's never handled institutional investing.

Alexi Gianoullias has never run for office before. He has an interesting resume. Environmental Policy Maker, Lawyer, Professional basketball player, commercial and developmental banker. He's involved in the management of four banks and numerous community projects. He is the author of a couple of loan programs to restore toxic sites to public use. He's under thirty and looks younger than that. He plays baskeball Sunday nights with, among others, Barak Obama. He is, in word and deed, a political rookie but he's a smooth-acting rookie.

Rod Blagojevich's '02 campaign taught us the public finds a good "new world" story compelling. Lexi has that. He's a first generation Greek-American. Lexi is more telegenic. Paul will come off as earnest and good, which he is, but the TV camera will love Lexi. Lexi will be able to raise more money. Finally, Lexi has impeccable credentials for the job. He has handled money and investing almost all his adult life.

This is a close call between two attractive democrats and good guys. Much as I bark about a candidate from downstate being important, I just can't ignore Lexi's compelling electability and his more relevant experience. I'll be honored to support either one as our party's nominee but, with due respect to Paul, I'll vote for Lexi March 21.

And, of course, we do thank Spike for offering us this open office on a silver platter.