Blago's GOP Flirtations and Other Juicy Stories in New Book 'Golden'

In their upcoming book on Rod Blagojevich, Chicago Tribune reporters Jeff Coen and John Chase write that the former gov once threatened to fire an aide if he revealed a secret: that Blago had voted for George H.W. Bush. “If you ever repeat this, first I’ll deny it, secondly I’ll wait a little bit, then I’ll fire you,” Rod had told the aide…

Mitt Romney, Waivers, and the End of Welfare

In Elk Grove Village this week, Mitt Romney accused the president of destroying welfare-to-work and bringing about a new culture of dependency. Here’s how a bit of bureaucratese turned into the latest front in the culture war.

The Hottest July Ever, By the Numbers

Last month was the second-hottest July in recorded Illinois history, and the nation’s hottest in 118 years of records. And that heat, and the dryness that came with it, hit the state and its neighbors the hardest.

The Crouton Theory of Political Gaffes

Journalists want gaffes; politicians want to avoid them; which makes journalists want them all the more. It’s a vicious cycle, but one that long predates 24/7 coverage and social media… as Mitt Romney’s dad could have told you.