Althouse: "Rich Whitey" — a misspelling that just happened to get onto the electronic voting machines in 23 wards in Chicago.

October 14, 2010

"Rich Whitey" — a misspelling that just happened to get onto the electronic voting machines in 23 wards in Chicago.

"I don't want to be identified as 'Whitey.' If this is happening in primarily African-American wards, that's an even bigger concern. I don't know if this is machine politics at play or why this happened."

Rich Whitney is the Green Party candidate for governor in Illinois (where the race between the Democratic and Republican candidates is close). And the problem is not going to be corrected!

28 comments:

Scott M said...: If one wrote that in as part of a work of fiction, it would be a "groaner". Truth is so much stranger.; 10/14/10, 3:37 PM
A.W. said...: i find it interesting he is primarily worried about it happening where black people live.

i mean does he think this won't bother white people? and are there neighborhoods dominated by hispanics, or asians?

Its a little weird. I think he should have left it at the basic complaint of mispelling.

then again, we are quickly learning that he exists. free publicity!; 10/14/10, 3:38 PM
ndspinelli said...: Rich "Whitey" Herzog. He'd get my vote.; 10/14/10, 3:38 PM
Kevin said...: Good to see that The Machine has a sense of humor...; 10/14/10, 3:42 PM
Unknown said...: Typos happen, but the machine can't afford to split the Demo vote.

Ya gotta love it.; 10/14/10, 3:49 PM
traditionalguy said...: That is a knee slapper. I bet the ChiTown machine did that to remind people that they do not have to play fair if they don't want to. The can screw up for their own benefit as innocently as the driven snow. If you don't own any Judges, then you better not mess with people who do own Judges.; 10/14/10, 3:52 PM
Trooper York said...: Serves him right for his grandfather having invented the cotton gin!; 10/14/10, 3:53 PM
jimspice said...: At least now he'll get the T-party vote.; 10/14/10, 4:02 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: The Chicago Combine strikes again.; 10/14/10, 4:05 PM
MadisonMan said...: He should be glad his name is not Rich Bigger.; 10/14/10, 4:21 PM
The Dude said...: They fixed one typo - originally he was listed as Loaded Honky.; 10/14/10, 4:26 PM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: It would take more than two weeks to make a name change? Only govenment could invent a computer system like that.; 10/14/10, 4:27 PM
Phil 314 said...: Peckerwood was too long.; 10/14/10, 4:54 PM
Big Mike said...: The Daley machine is Democrat politics raised to an art form.

The State of Illinois also failed to get absentee ballots out to the men and women in the armed forces who are deployed overseas, despite a Federal law ordering them to send out the ballots no later than 45 days prior to the election.

Whatever it takes to win.; 10/14/10, 5:28 PM
MadisonMan said...: What would be very amusing -- youtube-worthy amusing -- would be for an Illinois TV station to interview Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board or Elections, on air about this. And have them ask Mr Allen: So if his name had been misspelled as Fucker, or Asshole, you wouldn't have time to fix that, either?; 10/14/10, 5:40 PM
al said...: It's the Chicago way.

Same kind of thugs run the White House as run Chicago.; 10/14/10, 5:43 PM
Amy said...: I laughed till I cried when I saw this story. "Rich Whitey" hahahahaha

But then again, this story still is the best misprint ever:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_7_101/ai_83040499/; 10/14/10, 5:59 PM
Lincolntf said...: If a black candidate named, say "Ron Digger", had suffered a similar ballot insult, hell would've been unleashed.; 10/14/10, 6:28 PM
BJM said...: @Bushman

Yeah, our medical records will be in the very best of hands...what could go wrong?

Jeebus.; 10/14/10, 8:13 PM
Wince said...: Chicago Debate: “Yea, like everyone else, I was born a poor black child too.”; 10/14/10, 8:28 PM
Wince said...: "An inspiration to jerks eveywhere."; 10/14/10, 8:37 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Bushman:

Good point! It's hard to believe they can't change a record in a computer in two weeks. I have a feeling someone in power is lying.; 10/14/10, 10:08 PM
Jeff said...: "Rich Whitey, Green Party": typo or truth in advertising?; 10/14/10, 11:31 PM
Adjoran said...: One can understand his chagrin at being listed as "Rich Whitey" when he should be known as "Stupid Greenie."; 10/15/10, 1:00 AM
Adjoran said...: One can understand his chagrin at being listed as "Rich Whitey" when he should be known as "Stupid Greenie."; 10/15/10, 1:00 AM
Quaestor said...: The failure of Illinois to implement the terms of the MOVE Act will disenfranchise at least 200,000 disproportionately Republican voters. I smell a juicy suit worth at least nine figures.; 10/15/10, 6:05 AM
SarcastiCarrie said...: According to chicagobreakingnews.com, election officials have relented, are blaming a subcontractor, and a fixing the problem. Excerpt:

====

"No one at the Chicago Board of Elections or a vendor would ever do anything to, in any way, negatively affect the integrity of the election, the integrity of this office," Neal said. "That's our reputation and that's our history."

He estimated the mistake will cost in the "low tens of thousands" of dollars to fix.

Asked if election officials would spend the time -- and money -- to correct the mistake if it didn't involve loaded racial language, Neal replied, "It certainly makes it more embarrassing."; 10/15/10, 11:10 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: The failure of Illinois to implement the terms of the MOVE Act will disenfranchise at least 200,000 disproportionately Republican voters. I smell a juicy suit worth at least nine figures.

Except for one small problem - the jury pool. They are the ones who keep these crooks in power in states like Illinois. Now, if they could promise each of the jurors a seven figure recovery if they get a nine figure one, they might be able to make this work.; 10/15/10, 11:22 AM