Today’s quotables
Monday, Oct 21, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Former Mayor Daley is having “memory” problems, at least while he was deposed during a lawsuit over a politically and Daley family-connected restaurant contract in Millennium Park…
Novack: Do you recall asking them to move the bar from the front of the restaurant to the back of the restaurant because you thought that would be more family-friendly?
Daley: I don’t recall.
Novack: Do you recall that you actually attended the announcement of the opening of the restaurant?
Daley: I don’t recall if I did or not.
Novack: OK. I’ll show you . . . a picture of a bunch of people standing in front of some buildings. Do you recognize yourself in that picture?
Daley: It’s kind of blurry. I guess it’s me, if it is.
Novack: And you are there, aren’t you, for the opening of the ice rink . . . and the restaurant being open for the first time?
Daley: I don’t know what it was for, but — I don’t recall.
Novack: In other words, is it your testimony that the first time you knew that they [Horan and O’Malley] were associated with the restaurant was that day?
Daley: I don’t know what I knew.
A quick visit to a doctor might be in order. Or not.
* Bill Cameron reports on a speech given by Sen. Bill Brady…
“Don’t underestimate Pat Quinn. He may be a buffoon when it comes to leading and on policies, but he is brilliant when it comes to manipulating the populist card in a Democratic state,” Brady said.
Brady was in Oak Brook with Republican candidates for the Chamber of Commerce when he made the comments about Quinn.
Ouch.
* And speaking of Oak Brook, Treasurer Dan Rutherford was all upset this morning about the price of his conference hotel room…
OK, fine, dude, you worry about and even pick up pennies. But how many fundraising calls could you have made while you composed six outraged tweets today and monitored online feedback?
Sheesh.
* Let’s end on an up note. After a months-long refurbishing project, commuters are gushing about the Red Line, and for good reason…
The red line hasn’t moved this fast on the south side since 1969 when it first opened.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:23 pm:
===I don’t know what I knew.===
I miss Mayor Daley.
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:25 pm:
Well some have thought DandyDan might be able to improve his standing over Brady and D-lard and be first in line for CousinBrucey’s attacks, but we guess we were wrongarooni
- Wilson - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:26 pm:
Attorneys who specialize in civil defense should buy that Daley transcript and use it for a text book for their clients titled: “How to properly not answer questions in a deposition.”
- truthteller - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:30 pm:
I read the entire deposition. Amazing. 165 pages of no recall of any knowledge or input by the Mayor on the entire park, except he wanted it on the record that he supported the planting of trees, large trees. Daley’s attorney constantly broke the S.Ct. rules on coaching the witness, and Novak accused Daley ont he record of looking to his attorney before answering on every question. 165 pages of “I don’t recall.”
- OneMan - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:40 pm:
Little known fact the mayor testified via video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_X13P7V2×0
- x ace - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
Former Pres. Reagan is the only politician whose ” I don’t recall” answers were legitimate. Suspect the rest are counterfeiters.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:47 pm:
I drive back and forth to Michigan a lot, at weird hours. Going up and down the Ryan, I can tell you the folks who rebuilt the Red Line worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in all weather.
Well done.
It’s a big deal for the folks on the South Side.
Twenty years ago, before they shut down and rebuilt the Green Line (the old Lake Street El), it could take you an hour to get from Oak Park to the Thompson Center.
That ain’t good for business.
- Mouthy - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:48 pm:
I seem to remember a Royko story about Papa Daley’s instructions to an Alderman about talking to the press. It went something like “Don’s say nothing, and if you got to say something, don’t say nothing”.
That’s about as close as I can get without looking it up. You know,,,memories fading…
- Timmeh - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:48 pm:
OneMan; your link isn’t working, and I can’t find the video that you speak of (will keep trying).
- Small Town Liberal - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:49 pm:
- 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in all weather -
The contractor faced a fine of $675k each day they went past the deadline. That’s serious motivation.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 2:51 pm:
Wow. Mayor Richie Schultz.
AA has stayed at that Hyatt, also the lodging for “Hamburger University” at McDonald’s HQ and Rut’s beefs aren’t unfounded. But 7 tweets? C’mon. Next thing you know he’ll be claiming his cholesterol is up and he needs more treadmill time.
- Skeeter - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
This may be the only time I ever write this, but Brady was absolutely right. Quinn is a terrible gov., but he knows how to get votes.
Plus, it is nice to see Brady refer to the “Democratic” party.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:03 pm:
Daley bobbed and weaved through his 22 painful years, but this is just a shameful performance for him. Did he even acknowledge remembering that he was Mayor? Give me a freakin break.
As to Rutherford, this is beyond stupid. Newsflash Danno - more expensive hotels charge for Internet access. In fact, the more expensive the hotel, the more expensive the access. Congratulations on learning this lesson.
Dan has repeatedly vented everything he does out in public through FB and Twitter. This alternates between charming and moronic. On this one, it’s just moronic. He looks like a schmuck.
- Conservative Republican - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:04 pm:
Re Rutherford– sounds like he hasn’t stayed anywhere other than Red Roof — its my experience that most major hotel chains charge for WiFi connections unless you’re a preferred customer, club member, in a suite, etc. Should be no news to Dan. I agree with him but his free WiFi movement means he is taking on most of the hotel industry.
- OneMan - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:21 pm:
Sorry the link isn’t working, it was too a video of Peter Gabriel’s I don’t remember
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x64o42_i-don-t-remember-peter-gabriel_music
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:22 pm:
–I seem to remember a Royko story about Papa Daley’s instructions to an Alderman about talking to the press. It went something like “Don’s say nothing, and if you got to say something, don’t say nothing”.–
Mouthy, that’s hilarious.
If you love Chicago, warts and all, and I do, you can’t help but loving the Daleys a little bit, warts and all.
But I’m glad the Cult of Personality is over.
Daley II — unchallenged by most media and the business community, went all in on the Olympics; selling off assets, banking TIF money — and couldn’t fill the inside straight.
He came a cropper and walked away from the table.
It will take a sober card player to make back the grubstake. I don’t think out-of-towner Rahm is the guy. He’s not sticking around to clean up the mess.
He wanted to parlay mayor to governor to president, but Pat Quinn beat him like a mule and scared him off.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:26 pm:
@FakeRutherfordDan - Look, I got a lil upset. It should not be so difficult to get online to “like” something on Facebook. I need more lives on Candy Crunch #NothingBetterToDoExceptMyJob
- AA -, thanks for the props, I hadn’t thankd ya, so …
@FakeRutherfordDan - If they are not careful, I will unFriend @HyattLodge. Ask Pongee how that turned out. #ScrapMetal
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:26 pm:
Actually that’s not true, Conservative. The fancier the hotel–chain or not–the more likely it will charge for wifi. It’s the Holiday Inns and Red Roofs and Motel 6s that have free wifi.
- AFSCME Steward - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 3:43 pm:
Sounds like an honors graduate from the Yogi Berra school of communication.
“Daley: I don’t know what I knew.”
- Northsider - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 4:10 pm:
Frankly, I’m surprised the ellipses were for Novack.
- otoh - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 5:19 pm:
==I don’t know what I knew.==
He showed up in a bathrobe, right?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 5:40 pm:
@FakeJimIrsay - hey @FakeRutherfordDan, you wanna learn to rant, follow my twtter! #3AmRants
@FakeRutherfordDan - I would follow you, but I am too busy fixing the spot on my tie #ReallyHonest
@FakeJimIrsay - You making fun of me @FakeRutherfordDan? I can out-rant you like A. Luck outplayed Peyton #ComeAndGetSome
@FakeRutherfordDan - I guess you need to look at my twitter, I visit Bozo, fix toliets, see Superman, all true #DopeyButTrue
@FakeJimIrsay - Are you saying that I am a Bozo, or Bozo is better than me? I own a football team #NoIdeaHowItRelatesButWhatever
@FakeRutherfordDan - At least I didn’t move a team in the middle of the night to Indy. I just scrapped Pongee #LeaveTheBlowtorchTakeTheCannoli
@FakeJimIrsay - What the heck is a Pongee? A weak side linebacker? Punt Returner? #IsPongeeReal
@FakerutherfordDan - have you stayed at a Hyatt before, they charged me nearly $10 for internet. What, I have to pay to look foolish? #SavingDanFromHimself
@FakeJimIrsay - What kind of rate does a Pongee get? Maybe you can get Pongee to reserve the room? #AgainWhatIsAPongee
@FakeRutherfordDan - Pongee was $22 a day, unlimited entry and exit. A bit high for the suburbs. #FreeParkingWinsPotInMonopoly
@FakeJimIrsay - $22 Dollars? What, do they lock a Pongee up if it doesn’t pay? This is confusing #Prison
@FakeRutherfordDan - Pongee was my friend, my car … he is gone.
@FakeJimIrsay - Trade in? I have a 1973 Mercedes that is fabulous. Did you say “friend”? #WhichIsIt
@FakeRutherfordDan - No, Pongee got jealous of my other cars and had to leave him in Pontiac #LeaveThePongeeTakeTheOther
@FakeJimIrsay - Your car got jealous? Jealous of what? #GetHomingPinnnedTheDannyNeedsHelp
@FakeRutherfordDan - Jealous of me. Jealous of my tweets and all the fun I have and of my life. Kinda creepy. #YouAreNotKidding
@FakeJimIrsay - Well gotta go, I need to rant against my own fans and prove that a son can destory the cerdibility a dad built #AnyoneLikeThatInIllinois
@FakerutherfordDan - Ok, bye. Don’t forget, don’t stay at a Hyatt. #EndorsementsMeanAdMoney
- Anon - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 5:51 pm:
I use one of the online discount sites to book when I stay in Oak Brook. If I choose a 4 star hotel I usually get the Hyatt for about as much as you pay for a Red Roof Inn. Maybe the Treasurer needs to be more savvy about his bookings and stop complaining.
- a drop in - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 5:52 pm:
If you ask me anything I don’t know, I’m not going to answer.
—Yogi Berra
- Just The Way It Is One - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 5:52 pm:
A “buffoon.” REALly? Sounds really so “Gubernatorial” 3 years later, doesn’t it now? Just SO classy…NOT! Well, BB, all’s I can say is that I guess some people’s mouths must REALLY get to tastin’ God-AWful when they’ve been chewin’ on SOUR GRAPES every day for around 3 years so that garbage-breath comments like THAT come spewing out, hmmm…?!
- regular democrat - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 6:44 pm:
Memo to Oswego Willy-I know u miss Daley but u don’t live in this city that he left bankrupt. I certainly don’t miss him and neither do the citizens who have had a chance to see how much damage he did to this once proud city.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 6:57 pm:
Memo to - regular democrat -;
How do you know I miss Mayor Daley?
Could that be snark?
I could miss Mayor Daley. but I don’t miss his “way”.
I could miss Mayor Daley, but I wouldn’t miss Rahm Emanuel at all.
I could miss Mayor Daley, but I could miss Maggie Daley a whole lot more.
I could miss Mayor Daley, but I miss a Republican Governor with Mayor Daley more than just Mayor Daley…
So, really … do you actually know …
I know …I know, I miss Mayor Daley.
- Timmeh - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 6:59 pm:
Oswego Willy is to missing Mayor Daley as comedians are to missing Bill Clinton.
- Hamilton - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 7:25 pm:
Whoa, Rich calls out Rutherford on opportunity cost. That’s fun. Although if one becomes too obsessed with opportunity cost, then one might decide to skip commenting on one’s favorite blog…
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 7:49 pm:
Daley: I guess it’s me, if it is.
Now that is pure Zen. Hope he doesn’t mind if I lift that line. You just know there was a brief pause before, “…if it is.”
- danray - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 7:49 pm:
sorry, anon at 7:49 is me.
- BobInPeoria - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 8:03 pm:
“The Red Line 95th Street Station will cost $240 million. ”
Ridiculously over priced!!
- Timmeh - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 8:25 pm:
240 million does sound like a lot, but I’m sure that hundreds of commuters and tourists will use it each day. Good rail through a city can’t be cheap.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 8:41 pm:
Hey Bob-how much did it cost to do-over I-74 in Peoria correctly instead of slapping down an inch of asphalt on the 1950s design?
Many folks up north probably thought that was “ridiculously overpriced,” too.
Give us some data before you throw the shade, ok?
- Rollo Tomasi - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 9:42 pm:
If Daley had gotten the Olympics he would still be mayor. He could have still played the shell game with city finances and shorting the pension funds so his son and nephews could have all make millions.
- Northsider - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 10:01 pm:
BobinPeoria @ 8:03: So glad you can judge that from Peoria. Should we react similarly the next time you guys need a new bridge over the Illinois River?
The 95th/Dan Ryan terminal is the sixth busiest station on the entire “L” system and is the connecting point for myriad CTA, Pace and even Greyhound bus routes. It’s 44 years old and out of date for current demands.
Information about the project is only a click away, whether it’s the CTA’s project page, or the entire history of the station.
- Sally - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 10:43 pm:
This Ruthersford seems to have many problems and this act will get old in a hurry.
Why doesn’t he just sleep in his car and bath at the YMCA.
- Just Me - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 11:01 pm:
Let’s see here:
1. A cousin of Mayor Daley gets a sweet heart, insider’s only, contract, and when caught with her hand in the cookie jar she argues that she doesn’t have an interest in the business, it is actually her husbands.
2. That cousin becomes Mayor Emmanuel’s Chief-of-Staff.
3. Weeks prior to Mayor Emmanuel deciding to cancel that sweet heart contract, Mayor Daley’s cousin’s “husband” sells her/his interest in the company.
4. Mayor Emmanuel complains that the business is corrupt.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 21, 13 @ 11:18 pm:
*sighs*
Nothing seems the same anymore since Zorn decided to link to the “21 Annoying Facebook Friends” and “21 even MORE Annoying Facebook Friends” articles.
Now everything in politics seems so transparently clear. No surprises. No mystery…
…except, of course, trying to figure out how many of the categories might apply to each individual.
(And, Willy, I believe some of your posts on this thread are your best work to date. lol)
- AFSCME Steward - Tuesday, Oct 22, 13 @ 8:15 am:
What he really said: I refuse to answer on the grounds it might incriminate me.
“Novack: Do you recall asking them to move the bar from the front of the restaurant to the back of the restaurant because you thought that would be more family-friendly?
Daley: I don’t recall.
Novack: Do you recall that you actually attended the announcement of the opening of the restaurant?
Daley: I don’t recall if I did or not.
Novack: OK. I’ll show you . . . a picture of a bunch of people standing in front of some buildings. Do you recognize yourself in that picture?
Daley: It’s kind of blurry. I guess it’s me, if it is.
Novack: And you are there, aren’t you, for the opening of the ice rink . . . and the restaurant being open for the first time?
Daley: I don’t know what it was for, but — I don’t recall.
Novack: In other words, is it your testimony that the first time you knew that they [Horan and O’Malley] were associated with the restaurant was that day?
Daley: I don’t know what I knew.”
- Seanoge - Tuesday, Oct 22, 13 @ 8:18 am:
Aren’t you about a day late on this story which makes it not newsworthy
- OleYellerstain - Tuesday, Oct 22, 13 @ 10:20 am:
Dan should post on his twitter about all his paid relatives on the campaign !
- regular democrat - Tuesday, Oct 22, 13 @ 8:28 pm:
Oswego I will never quite understand your writing style I hope u not offended by my comment. I simply wanted to male a point that I along with many others do not miss him for one second. He has no shame whatsoever.
- JoeInPeoria - Tuesday, Oct 22, 13 @ 10:51 pm:
Arthur Andersen—Thanks for the reminder on the Peoria I-74 “Upgrade 74″ Reconstruction, I googled the details.
$499 Million, 4 year project. 2 construction companies involved.
Walsh Construction(Chicago) was general contractor for Phase 1. United Contractors Midwest(Tremont) was contractor for Phase 2.
Found this in Illinois.gov and other sources, at end of the project.
” Constructed one new interchange at Sterling Avenue;
Built two tunnels in Downtown Peoria;
Removed and repaved more than eight miles of I-74;
Improved 11 interchanges;
Reconstructed 32 bridges;
Built 88 retaining walls;
Installed 162 lights;
And shortened the Murray Baker Bridge by 180 feet to make the Jefferson Street ramp longer and safer. ”
If you have actually seen the Before/After of Peoria’s Upgrade 74, the scope of that project dwarfs the redo of Chicago’s Red Line 95th Street station.
(And, yes, I have used that CTA station. I have ridden every CTA line, and most of the Metra lines.)