97 Comments - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:51 am: Classless. You show up to see your successor be sworn-in. You do. Period. - 1776 - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:52 am: It’s apparent that Governor Quinn is still bitter at the election results judging from some of his actions toward the Rauners. This shows a lack of class on his part. - Amalia - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:53 am: not the way it is supposed to be Patrick! - Cheryl44 - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:53 am: Finishing the job is more important than showing up for a show. - Todd - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:53 am: Petty. Sore loser-man. In his loss Quinn has shown the pettiness of his ego and the petulant little child he can be. and people wonder why he never had a great relationship with the legislature - Anyone Remember - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:53 am: Didn’t he skip the ceremony at the Capital Vault to hand over the reins to Judy Baar Topinka in 1995? - LA - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:53 am: Is anyone really surprised by this? - William j Kelly - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:54 am: Quinn already witnessed Ryan and Blagojevich, I am sure he feels he’s seen this one before. - Under Further Review - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:54 am: Not too classy on Quinn’s part. Taken with his refusal to concede the election results last November until a day after the polls closed (the numbers were not there for Quinn at all), it makes Pat Quinn look like a sore loser. It was a knock down drag out campaign, but I expected more from Quinn. - Because I said so.... - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:56 am: Finishing up what? He really dragged his feet on the medical marijuana licenses. - Anonymoiis - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:57 am: Unreal. Classy. Is he barricading himself inside the Thompson Center? “Finishing up his work as Governor…..Quinn will be in Chicago.” Way to leave a last impression about downstate. Good riddance. - LizPhairTax - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:59 am: I say the no-show is fine. The campaign was brutal and why should Quinn sit through this. It’s not the classiest way to go out, but power is still transferred, blah, blah, blah. Blanchette was working with what he was given, but I wish they wouldn’t have tried to make it seem like Quinn is actively working on behalf of the people today. Own it. - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:59 am: Sorry, but that’s classless. Yeah it’s symbolic to show up, but it reinforces our constitutional transition of power, which many parts of the world don’t have. If he has that attitude, I wouldn’t be upset to see someone escort him out of his offices promptly after Governor Rauner is sworn in. - Downstate GOP Faithless - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:00 am: Put this is the category of “stuff nobody should care about” - Makandadawg - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:00 am: Quinn is too busy packing up and moving to Indiana where all the vacant jobs are. - Old Timer - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:03 am: Is anybody surprised by his immature childish behavior? The man has been this way since election night. - William j Kelly - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:03 am: Quinn was uniquely qualified to restore honor to the governors office, ironically, Rauner is uniquely qualified to destroy it all over again in a spectacularly national fasion. - Under Further Review - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:03 am: In his recent appearance at the City Club of Chicago, Governor Patrick Quinn described his father as his personal role model in an emotional speech. I think that Quinn’s father would have put in at least a token appearance at today’s inaugural as the outgoing Illinois governor. This really shows bad form. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:03 am: Let Rauner have his inauguration day. Let Quinn have his last day. - PublicServant - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:04 am: Partisan outrage at its finest. Get. Over. It. - Old Timer - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:04 am: Hey William Kelly go back to sleep nobody wants or needs to hear from you. - Gooner - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:05 am: What a way to leave. For all of those who talk about Quinn’s great character, this once again points the opposite way. I’m not happy that Rauner will be our Gov. but Quinn never deserved the job. - Secret Square - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:06 am: Finishing the job? What is he doing today (bill signing, clemency petitions, etc.) that couldn’t have been done yesterday or the day before or even last week? - Mokenavince - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:06 am: Who cares? Long live the Governor. - Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:08 am: Classy…to the end. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:08 am: No one will miss him, but a token appearance would have shown more class. - Snucka - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:10 am: I don’t blame Quinn in the least. My stomach is in knots. I am really worried and feeling sick about the fact that Rauner is about to be sworn in as Governor. I can barely stand to watch it on video. Seeing it in person would be overwhelming. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:10 am: Almost makes you wonder what he is going to do in his last 5 minutes as governor…. - vise77 - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:10 am: I find it hard to care about such a trivial, semi-symbolic thing, no matter who the players are. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:11 am: Hmmm, wonder if he is taking the B keys off the keyboards in the Governors office. - dgd - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:12 am: This is a non issue. The inauguration is supposed to be about the new Governor, not the old one. - Ron Burgundy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:13 am: Also, how much is this “finishing up his work” gonna cost us? - Just Observing - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:14 am: Just curious. Does Quinn lose his police detail immediately? Or does he at least get a ride home from them? - From the 'Dale to HP - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:15 am: Maybe Quinn isn’t going because he’d have a hard time containing the laughter knowing the mess Rauner has in front of him? Maybe Quinn doesn’t want to be seen on stage mouthing “sucker” over and over again during Rauner’s speech? Okay probably not. He should go, but really, who cares. - A guy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:20 am: Much ado. It will blow over almost immediately. It’s a matter of preference. He prefers not to be there. His prerogative. No biggie. Thanks for serving Governor. We’ll see you when we do. Godspeed. - Mouthy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:22 am: Adios Squeezy’s papa… - Gooner - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:23 am: For those saying that this is trivial, a peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of a democracy. Many places in the world have never seen one. This is not about Rauner or Quinn. It is about the very foundation of the system. I’m extremely disappointed (but unfortunately not shocked) by Quinn’s act. - SAP - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:27 am: Poor form - Jorge - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:29 am: Typical Pat. Hey old timer, take your midday nap. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:31 am: - Gooner - is On It. It’s the symbolism of the peaceful transfer of power. Peaceful…Transfer…Power. Quinn ain’t no appointee. He is governor until he ain’t. Should be there, as the power is taken, and the power is bestowed, by oath, not by violence. Bad Form. - lake county democrat - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:32 am: 1) Hope everyone’s 2015 is off to a good start. 2) Does some of the venom directed at Rauner here and by other Dems during the campaign seem a little overwrought right now? 3) Pat Quinn seems intent to make sure everyone realizes his old persona was a fraud, not just those of us goody-goody reformers who watched him betray his alleged principles from the start. - OneMan - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:32 am: On the plus side, if you are a democrat it may pay to be by your phone until the last minute… - Hoping for Rational Thought - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:33 am: One of the shining examples of our government is the peaceful transfer of power. It is sad that Quinn doesn’t want to honor that tradition and instead empty out his desk. - Langhorne - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:34 am: Just as well. Let the accidental governor slink away. I hope the chgo media has a couple folks following him out the door. Catch a cab and go home. Stay there. - Tommydanger - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:38 am: He is not the Democrat now that lost to the Republican. He is now the out going Governor of the State of Illinois and should show the incoming governor the respect commensurate with his office. - Joan P. - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:41 am: Tacky, very tacky. - William j Kelly - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:45 am: Old timer, wake up. - Ken_in_Aurora - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:46 am: Reeks of throwing his toys out of the pram. Not that I’m surprised. - Tommydanger - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:49 am: Then he read the words his father’s commanding officer had written years ago: “Patrick J. Quinn is one of the finest men with whom I have ever worked. Extremely capable in his work. He was at all times cheerful, earnest, cooperative, frank and honest. His personal character is beyond reproach. He is liked and admired by all of his associates.” In trying to emulate his father, Pat Quinn has fallen short of the mark by being a no show for the swearing in. - Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:52 am: On a more serious note, the peaceful, legitimate transfer of power is one of our greatest accomplishments as a nation. It’s pathetically bad form that Quinn would not show up to pass the baton to Rauner. You think Nancy Pelosi wanted to pass the gavel to Boehner? Or George H.W. Bush to the man that beat him Bill Clinton? Or W to Obama? It’s called being an adult and it’s shameful that Quinn is behaving this way. - Secret Square - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:53 am: It’s not the end of the world, but it’s not trivial either. Having both the incoming and outgoing governors in attendance not only demonstrates peaceful transfer of power but also shows that personal political differences can be set aside long enough to celebrate or commemorate something greater. If the PM of Israel and the head of the Palestinian Authority could put aside THEIR differences long enough to both participate in the Paris anti-terror march, couldn’t these guys do the same? - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:57 am: He’s taking his bobcat and going home. - vibes - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:57 am: Quinn will take the Green Line and the #86 Narragansett bus home at noon. - anon - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:01 am: Not showing betrays bitterness at his defeat. It’s not a big deal, however, though it would’ve been the right thing to show up, just like making a concession phone call to the winner. (Not all losers make that call either.) - Lunchbox - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:01 am: Pat Quinn, class act until the end. Definition of a sore loser. - MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:02 am: “Thoughts?” I won’t have an opinion till I know what “finishing up his work as governor” means. Likely nothing but a fig leaf, but we’ll see… – MrJM - Responsa - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:04 am: I hope that those who have loyally defended Pat Quinn, “Yeah he’s pretty incompetent but he’s a good and decent man and his heart’s in the right place and he loves Illinois”, are now fully disabused of those sentiments. - Westward - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:05 am: “Quinn will be in Chicago.” Says it all. Huge part of his legacy. - 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:12 am: Hard to defend, like many of Quinn’s actions over the years, but if I had to explain this I’d give Quinn the benefit of the doubt. I think he believes he’s doing Rauner a favor by not attending. Today is Governor Rauner’s day, having Quinn there would be awkward and uncomfortable for everybody. - Formerly Known As... - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:12 am: @Gooner and @Chicago Cynic nail it. More than 2 months have passed since the election. That is plenty of time to lick your wounds in private and finish up any work as governor. Dry the tears, force a smile, and show up for a couple of hours. If not for the state, then for yourself. - Bogey Golfer - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:14 am: Spot on, Chicago Cynic. He always wants to be the outsider. - Todd - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:30 am: In reading tommy’s quote of Quinn’s father it reminds me of the saying: You have been weighed, measured amd found wanting - walker - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:33 am: Make your calls or sign whatever from a desk in Springfield, if you have to. And step outside for the ceremony. Symbolic transfers of power are important, and part of your civic duty, Pat my friend. - Bobbysox - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:39 am: Whatever. - Sunshine - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:40 am: Sour grapes. Certainly thought he had enough class to be at the swearing in. - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:45 am: Bobbysox, your déclassé attitude has been noted. Grow up, people. You lost. The war is over. You lost. Did I mention that you lost? - VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:53 am: Today isn’t about Pat Quinn. It is about the governorship of Illinois. Sad that he couldn’t figure that out. - vise77 - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:58 am: “For those saying that this is trivial, a peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of a democracy. Many places in the world have never seen one.” Good point, but the peaceful transition still is happening, Quinn or not. - Wensicia - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:00 pm: It’s sad he can’t acknowledge Rauner, like when he refused to even look at him during debates and editorial board meetings. I’m not surprised, but disappointed. - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:02 pm: Unfortunate, but not surprising. - Levois - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:18 pm: I wonder what the protocol is. According to the US Constitutions 20th Amendement Presidential and VP terms are expected to end on Jan. 20th at Noon. Is there such protocol in the state’s constitution? - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:20 pm: ===Is there such protocol in the state’s constitution? === Quinn’s governor until his successor is qualified. Whether that means when he takes the oath or signs the oath is a question in my mind. - Arizona Bob - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:20 pm: Wow. You’d think that since there’s been rumors of him running against Kirk in a couple years, he’d be more conscious of his public image. It’s over, Pat. The work will be done by your successor. Selfishly grabbing at the mist of power while it floats away from you is unbecoming. - So of 64 - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:33 pm: Nothing that clown does surprises anyone anymore. We found out what he really is. - Finally Out (formerly Ready to Get Out) - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:39 pm: Seriously, does it really matter? - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:41 pm: ===Seriously, does it really matter?=== Yes, it does. It’s an opportunity to be gracious, to celebrate the choice of the people, to witness the constitutional transition of your office. Dismiss this all you want, but it most certainly matters, and it shows more about PQ than he may have wanted to reveal. - Rod - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:48 pm: As I have stated before, Pat Quinn believes in the content of his campaign’s critique of incoming Governor Rauner. He believes that Mr. Rauner is going to destroy the lives of the poor of Illinois, that he is going to attempt to destroy the labor movement in the state, and he is going to dramatically reduce environmental protections in the state among other things. So for him to go to the inauguration ceremony would be an act of hypocrisy. Pat Quinn has a set of values and beliefs that he sees are totally opposed to those of the incoming Governor. That is the bottom line. - orzo - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:49 pm: Quinn claims his father was his mentor, but although I did not know his father, I suspect he was one of those old school guys who respected institutions, unlike his son, for whom winning and losing is everything. - Rahm's Parking Meter - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:56 pm: Since election day, and I voted for now former Governor Quinn, he has shown no class at all and has been self serving. This is tacky. Classless. Wrong. The former Governor did not learn the lesson about being gracious in defeat. Good luck if you want my primary vote if you run for US Senate in 2016 (PLEASE, NO!) - Black Ivy - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:01 pm: FORMER Governor Quinn, even if you disagree with your opponent’s policy positions, you respect the office and show up. I would have criticized Pat Brady if he had behaved like you. If you take away anything, know that these lapses in judgment will impact future political opportunities. - Pot calling kettle - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:03 pm: ==So for him to go to the inauguration ceremony would be an act of hypocrisy. == Please. I am a solid Dem, voted for Quinn, and am as concerned as anyone about what Rauner might do to this state. The inauguration is not about endorsing the winner, its about endorsing our system of government. Quinn is acting like a child who had his toy taken away. This is embarrassing. - Finally Out (formerly Ready to Get Out) - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:05 pm: I see your points Rich…makes sense. - Anonymoiis - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:19 pm: ==is going to destroy the lives of the poor of Illinois, that he is going to attempt to destroy the labor movement in the state, and he is going to dramatically reduce environmental protections in the state among other things.== So, he believes Rauner is going to carry on what he started? - Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:21 pm: Anonymoiis is taking an early lead for this December’s Golden Horseshoe award. Touche. - Pension Arithmetric - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:28 pm: Benn tracking pensions since the early 90’s, Quinn wants credit for making the required contributio?? If Quinn was making the required pension contribution why does the unfunded amount keep going up despite double digit investment returns? Answer: because he is not - only getting further behind chasing a runaway train and not putting what is required to pay the pension debt Ryan put in more in four years than Edgar did in 8 years, Blago put way more (about 50%) in 4 years (not even counting the extra 7.5B from the pension bond) than Edgar did in 8 years. And Quinn has put a lot more than that but not the amountrequired Why because they all keep following various versions of Edgar’s phony plan. The only time the required amount (actually more) was deposited in modern history (since the 70’s at least) was the extra deposit of the pension bond in 2003 - which, in addition, has about doubled in asset value since then. See Greg Hinz column a couple of months ago Quinn made some efforts in pensions but one of them was not putting in the required amount of money - whether your an accountant, actuary or economist it was no where near enough. The state payment plan got us in the mess and is still keeping us there - Formerly Known As... - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:32 pm: == Minutes before Bruce Rauner was sworn in as governor, Governor Pat Quinn released 102 new appointees to state boards and commissions. == It looks like we now know what Quinn was ==finishing up==. Once a patronage chief, always a patronage chief. The machine and party come first for Mr Quinn. Always. To the bitter end. - anon - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:57 pm: Maybe Quinn had no more Personal or Vacation time on the books and had to go to work today. - Hon I.G - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 2:04 pm: Observer reporting that he made 102 appointments before leaving office. Wow. What a classless feind. - Liandro - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 2:46 pm: It was the Chicago anti-violence fiasco that made me finally realize Quinn wasn’t the good-intentioned guy I once thought; I was truly angry. Nothing he has done since has shocked me. Last-minute patronage is more important than paying his respects to the office, to peaceful government, and to the will of the people? Sadly, it’s about what I’d expect now, but still frustrating to see. - Rod - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 3:18 pm: Yes Anonymoiis there are many in the Illinois labor movement that believe Quinn did try to reign in the labor movement if not effectively destroy the public sector labor movement, many in the not for profit sector that believe Quinn was less than kinder and gentle with our state’s poor, and some in the environmental that believe Quinn supported some bad regulations. But Pat Quinn never accepted those criticisms and he fully believes he was a consistent progressive democrat from everything I have ever heard him say. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 4:12 pm: Rich, you know everything. Did Quinn call Rauner to concede and congratulate, or did he do it only in the news conf? - Packers Fan - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 4:26 pm: Quinn’s a spoiled brat, who was too buji to live in Springfield. He lived in the executive mansion part-time while the General Assembly was in session including special sessions, but lived in Chicago whenever there wasn’t any legislative sessions. - Soccermom - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 4:42 pm: Packers Fan — You are the first, and almost certainly the last, person ever to call Quinn “bourgie.” He’s many things, but that ain’t one of them… - Packers Fan - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 5:38 pm: Soccermon, I can understand that Illinois governors can’t stay in Springfield due to family concerns and all, but my gosh: the mansion comes with the job. Can you imagine Obama or Bush 43 not living in the WH during their presidencies ? - Kissfreak - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 6:39 pm: I come from immigrant stock. My Opa always admired the peaceful transition of power in this country when a leader is replaced. No riots, no tanks in the street, and the peaceful gesture of the losing opponent passing the torch off to his political foe. That’s what makes our nation of unwanted misfits from far away lands the greatest on earth. Yes, it did matter that Gov Quinn took a pass on today’s celebration. I beleive his Irish forefathers would agree. - Macoupin Minority - Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 9:45 pm: A “Classless Quinn” that has never been in doubt since his days of serving under Rod and turning a blind eye. However, it wasn’t his values vs. Rauner’s values that made him bitter enough to stay away, it was the fact that when he showed up at the Inaugural Job Fair he was told that with his qualifications a good paying minimum wage job was in his near future. - Packers Fan - Wednesday, Jan 14, 15 @ 3:42 pm: Quinn probably cleaned out his office at the Thompson Center in Chicago before Rauner’s inaugural on Monday. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.