It’s About Authenticity: Odd Video of William Kelly Surfaces
December 7, 2009 | Filed Under Budget, Business, Chicago, Cook County, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, GOP, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Liberals, Republicans, Society/Culture, State Government, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment
-By Warner Todd Huston
William Kelly is running for Illinois State Comptroller. We’ve highlighted him several times here and as long as he is in the news we will continue to do so. Sometimes, of course, the “news” is not all good. In fact, it looks like at least one person is passing around a compilation video showing Mr. Kelly over indulging some “adult beverages,” if you will, in his guise as TV sports show host.
The YouTube videos show Kelly really putting on the show and downing enough alcohol to float a battleship it seems. Let us assume he had someone to drive him home after the show that night! (We’re sure he did, of course)
As fun-loving, TV show host, of course, Kelly proves an interesting screen presence but his is certainly not the sort of behavior we are used to from our politicians. At some point I guess I’d rather see a guy in office that likes to have some fun once in a while than one that will end up in jail for corruption like so many of our less emotive sorts seem to end up.
And, one cannot do years of TV appearances without something coming back to haunt you, I’d suspect. My own writing has gotten me in trouble in the past, so I can relate — at least a little.
Still, I would be remiss in my reporting duties if I did not report the existence of these less than savory videos. So here are the two videos in question:
I’d note that the existence of this video shows that Mr. Kelly has an enemy or two, doesn’t it?
Following best journalistic practices, I got in touch with Mr. Kelly and he had quite a lot to say, all of it very forthright and unapologetic.
I asked if those videos were actually taken from his TV show, or if these were outtakes, or what? He affirmed that they were well known and not hidden from public view and were, indeed, part of his show from some episodes over the last four years.
“I started this award winning business from scratch,” Kelly told me. He said he started the TV show business to, “help fund and to further my efforts to bring conservatives into Illinois politics. I’ve hired veterans and I’ve donated valuable TV time to veterans and charities.”
Kelly informed me that his TV experience gave him the skills to be Illinois Comptroller.
“This business has taught me all of the important parts of business like accounts payable and accounts receivable and that is what the Comptroller’s office should be about. As Comptroller, I’ll bring all that business sense to the comptroller’s office.”
Kelly went on to say, “I’ve learned a few things with this business and that is don’t spend more money than you have. We need that in Illinois government don’t you think?”
My next question was about what many people might consider the impropriety of the videos. Kelly was unapologetic. He wasn’t going to pretend he didn’t like to “have fun” and he said that if other candidates pretended they didn’t, they were “pansies.”
“Not one of those other candidates would bat an eye at having some fun and drinking beer. And I am not a pansy trying to hide that I like a beer and to have some fun.” the candidate told me. “Yes, I’m conservative, yes I like to go out and have fun. I’m not going to stop being who I am.”
“If you want to be a politician, you have to be able to relate to people,” Kelly insisted.
Authenticity, it appears, is the refrain.
Finally I asked him what his goals were for the Illinois GOP if he were to win office.
“I want to say to Reagan Democrats, hey it’s fine to come back to the GOP. With all these Andy McKenna clowns around, this is one candidate that says come on back with open arms.”
“Everything comes down to February. 2010 is the best chance to fix Illinois but if we don’t pick the right candidate we will lose the best chance to reform Illinois we’ve ever had. As Comptroller I can win and reform this state.”
And maybe while he’s reforming, he can spare some time for a drinkie or two?
Mr. William Kelly is certainly not an old fashioned campaigner (no that wasn’t a drink reference). He is right out there, and proud of it. It should be an interesting race this year.
Visit Mr. Kelly’s Campaign site.
My Pal, Tom Mannis, over at Chicago News Bench passed along his thoughts on this story:
Great post, but the Dodge people already tried to smear Kelly with those a couple of weeks back. Frankly, I don’t see that they’re a big deal. I mean, Kelly made those videos in the role of an entertainer. He’s a professional media guy, and I seriously doubt that he would have actually been drunk while making the shows. Did he drink? Probably so. Was he drunk? Probably not. But, Warner, you and I have both been to many a Republican Party event at which the dandruffy, short, bald fat guys with the pasty skin and thin lips were shitfaced on brandy old fashioneds. For that crowd to point a finger at the refreshingly candid Bill Kelly is the height of hypocrisy.
Finally, Kelly is an entertainer, just as Ronald Reagan once was. When Reagan put that Nazi uniform on in his capacity as an actor, nobody but the most extremely deranged leftists actually thought that it meant Reagan was a Nazi. Same deal with Kelly. As an entertainer, he plays the role of a partier. I’ve been with Kelly in person several times and he was quite sober and rational. For his opponents to twist these videos into some kind of representation of his character is simply wrong and smacks of foul play.
(Cross posted at RedCounty.com)
____________
“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
Fair Use: This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in my efforts to advance understanding of political, human rights, economic, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. I believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research, educational, or satirical purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site/blog for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
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