Desperate Rickey Hendon Disgraces Himself

Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon goes pretty routinely by the nickname "Hollywood" for his flamboyancy and over-the-top rhetoric.  Yesterday, in introducing Governor Pat Quinn he went as over the top as it possibly gets.

"I've never served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life," Hendon said before introducing Gov. Quinn. "If you think that the minimum wage needs to be three dollars an hour, vote for Bill Brady. If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except to have his children, vote for Bill Brady. If you think gay and lesbian people need to be locked up and shot in the head, vote for Bill Brady."

After covering the podium, at a church no less, in this spewed pile of garbage, Hendon received a hug from Pat Quinn, as Quinn waded his way through the verbal filth.  Covered in Hendon's pile of trash, Quinn has proceeded over the past day to distance himself from the comments, though he refuses to denounce Hendon, or even what he said, rather just the nature of the commentary.

Local media outlets have given Hendon the opportunity to explain himself today, with the best interview being this approximately ten minute clip from the Cisco Cotto show today on WLS.  Cisco goes heavy after Hendon, holding him to what he said, driving Hendon at what point to threaten to give up on the interview.

Hendon offers the typical non-apology "apology" wherein he basically says, "Hey guys, sorry if anybody out there didn't have the stomach for what I was dishin' out, but it's all true anyway."

Apparently, in Rickey Hendon's mind, we are living in a world where your voting record propels you to the position of being a hate-driven mass murderer.  This is desperation attack politics at its worst, and it's absolutely a disgrace.

Let's not forget this lunatic is running for Mayor of the City of Chicago, and that back in February, during the primaries, he mounted an unsuccessful bid (big surprise there) for Lieutenant Governor.  In the meantime, he's supposed to be representing the Illinois' 5th Senate District.  East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Lincoln Park, the Loop, the Near West Side, North Lawndale, Old Town, UIC, the Medical District, Ukrainian Village and West Garfield Park all make up this district.  That's a huge and diverse grouping of people for a guy to pretend to represent while he's out trying to advance his career by being a loudmouthed jackass.

Live in one of those neighborhoods?  Horrified by your level of underrepresentation delivered by a bombastic careerist politician?  Why not let him know how you feel?

Springfield Office:

Senator 5th District

627 Capitol Building

Springfield, IL   62706

(217) 782-6252

District Office:

2928 West Madison

Chicago, IL  60612

(773) 265-8611

(773) 265-8617 FAX