You will probably laugh when you read what Illinois state Senator Rickey Hendon said about GOP gubernatorial candidate  Bill Brady while introducing the Democratic governor Pat Quinn.

The problem is, no one in the audience on the west side of Chicago was laughing:

"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."

"I believe in civility," he said. "I disagree with people in politics, like my opponent Sen. Brady. I don't engage in name calling. Never have, never will."

Hendon later told the Chicago Sun-Times that his harsh characterization of Brady, a state senator from Downstate Bloomington, was based on the candidate's voting record. Hendon claims Brady has regularly voted against bills that have affirmative-action components that affect minorities, women and gays.

And Hendon says he won't take it back.

"Look, I just told the truth," said Hendon, who is running for Chicago mayor. "I know this man, and I serve with him. If he can show me that he votes differently than what I said, I will apologize. But he can't say that. I know he can't."

If he's basing his disgusting smears on Brady's "voting record," maybe he wants to tell us about the bill Brady voted for that would have taken away all women's rights except the right to make babies; or maybe the bill that would have specifically banned shooting gays in the head that Brady voted against.

Hendon is beloved of the statehouse media because he has been named "colorful" by the press. When they designate him as a "crack pot" that will be news.