The AP interview
Thursday, Jul 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This may have been unintentionally ironic in the AP’s interview of the governor. First, the setup…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich insists he knows what he’s doing as the state budget deadlock drags on and on, even if others have their doubts.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, he dismissed griping from lawmakers that he is deepening the impasse by, for instance, dragging the contentious issue of gun control into the mix. Some say Blagojevich’s approach seems random.
“It’s not at all. It’s totally what I envisioned was going to happen in January, February and March,” Blagojevich said, adding that the confrontations could grow even more public.
* And, now, the payoff…
Blagojevich would not take a position on whether he would sign another [one-month budget] extension. “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he said.
[Emphasis added.]
Actually, as I told subscribers this morning, many of his private predictions have, indeed, come true. But that was too funny to pass up.
* More from the Q&A. On why this is “the only chance we have” to pass a health care bill…
“You know better than I do that it becomes more difficult doing those things in an election year. … It only gets harder. It doesn’t get easier. I do believe this is the year of opportunity. I said it when I gave my speech on the seventh of March, that we must seize the moment now. My readings of history tell me that the great accomplishments and the things that really matter happen when people seize the moment.”
Q: Next year is an election year. And the year after that?
A: “The year after that the pension problem gets worse. We dig ourselves even more into a hole and it becomes a lot more difficult. And quite frankly as a Democrat, who knows what the next election is going to hold for Democrats. Why would we risk what we believe in and push it back and find ourselves with fewer of us and not have as many who are willing to be for these things as we have now?
* On his “confrontational approach”…
“Not talking to the press a lot over the last couple of months was an attempt to work quietly behind the scenes and … be more diplomatic and get things done. We thought that might be a good first effort to achieve something. Unfortunately, that didn’t work so now it’s a little more public, and it will be a lot more public as the days and weeks unfold.
Well, that’s something to look forward to.
* More overtime stuff, compiled by Paul…
* Budget fight signals deeper rift
* Schoenburg Column: ‘Lot of frustration’ behind rep’s ‘madman’ comment
- OneManBlog - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:23 am:
I am reminded of the BBC show Blackadder..
“I have a cunning plan”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:27 am:
Rich, exactly what KoolAid did you dring when you were at the mansion yesterday? I’ve seen this time and time again when journalists spend “quality time” with leaders. In the fax this AM, you have given the Gov wayyyy too much credit as a reasoned leader and cut him wayyy too much slack. Rod is being irrational, as in not dealing with reality. This is not and will not go his way as long as he insists on behaving this way.
- Mac Daddy - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:32 am:
I’ve noticed every time the author spends time with Rod he comes out singing his praises. Classic.
- North of I-80 - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:57 am:
Rich, THIS is how departments of IL government have been managed & run past 4 years. You sound a little surprised by Governor B’s behavior while those of us who are/were expected to carry his water observed 1sthand that arrogance is his substitute for substance. Buckle up… these antics will probably deteriorate and start showing up on Drudge.
- Larry - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 10:17 am:
Even those required to carry the water for the Governor, like Jay Hoffman, are getting concerned about what is taking place.
- Truthful James - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 10:19 am:
I keep reading that Federal revenues keep increasing and the deficit keeps dropping.
What happened to the parallel income tax revenue in Illinois? What is happening to the increased state sales tax revenue?
- Blagojevich End Game - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 10:20 am:
Reading that Q&A reminds me of a household that says, we should borrow the money now to put a pool in the backyard, because we won’t be able to afford a pool when the Christmas bills come due in January and February. Any guess as to what the color of water is next June, when the family can’t afford the maintenance of the pool?
- Cogito - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 10:59 am:
Yeah, he knows what he’s doing. Its the rest of us, including members of his staff and his supporters in the GA, who can’t seem to figure it out.
We just need to perfect our psychic abilities a little bit more. I’m working on it. Heck, I feel the public’s aura changing from Blue to Red already.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 11:08 am:
I admire Blago for standing up for his principals. Too many pols don’t do that anymore. However, being confrontational for confrontation’s sake is like being the kid in the sandbox who won’t share his Tonka truck - it’s not necessary and it damages those around him.
A couple of my friends who work for the guv told me that it’s possible a string of one-month budgets will continue until 2008. Of course, that could be complete conjecture but the thought is scary.
- Rick - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 12:00 pm:
Or Governor is a moron. What exit did I have to get off to come to the Twilight Zone and come to live in a state where if I value the principles of Democrats, I have to vote for Republican candidates for Governor. This end of this guy’s term (or resignation for corruption charges) can’t come fast enough.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 12:01 pm:
The governor is clearly a legend in his own mind.
- Mr/ W.T. Rush - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 12:23 pm:
BTW …Mr Non-Insane aka Rod the Ringmaster took his circus to Chicago for a presser on health care at a U of In clinic…I think he forgot to tell Dr. Rich or the AP HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm.
- FED UP - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 1:11 pm:
Blago needs to realize the votes arent there for a huge tax increase that he wants. He keeps blaming the house but his little puppet E.Jones cant get the votes for blagos plan in the senate, all Jones can do is get state contracts and jobs for his family and block ethics reform to make it hard for the public to find out about taxpayer money enriching him and his.
- Buck Naked - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 1:16 pm:
Rich, I’m glad that you were able to spend some time with the governor yesterday, and I appreciated today’s cap fax. Carol Marin referenced you and the fax on Chicago Tonight as “the Bible of what goes on in Springfield.” Clearly, reporters outside of the capitol look to you for well thought insight into the happenings at the statehouse, and your fax may help to balance out some of the one sided reporting that has been going on for the past 8 weeks or so. I’m not, as others here are implying, suggesting that you drank the governor’s kool aid. Far from it. Actually, like when you rode the bus, you were let behind the curtain a bit to see what goes on inside his head. I understand your comment about the how off the record time is better with him because then you dont get the talking points. People underestimate his grasp of issues, his knowledge of history, and his ability to apply one to the other. Perhaps many may be frustrated with his approach, but, as you know, he has a strategy that has been very accurate since he first explained it to you.
Your fax today may help to cool some of the crazy rhetoric that has dominated the news and this blog since May by demonstrating that the governor isnt simply in over his head. He has taken calculated steps to advance an agenda and he understood full well the shots he would be taking at this stage in the game. He is a strong man and will fight for what is right to the end.
I only hope that those who stand to benefit most from his fight (those without health insurance, inadequate health insurance, underfunded schools, pensioners, medicaid providers, social service providers, etc…) stand with him and help him by pressuring their legislators to support his agenda. Too many people get tired of the fight, and it would be a shame if the governor stands alone under fire, while those he seeks to help are onthe sidelines watching.
Its time for people to realize that the person next to you wont get it done. That goes for members of the GA, labor, and all of the groups I just mentioned (plus a bunch I missed — Bill or Demgrrl, a bit of help please). Now is the time to get this done.
- Bad for Business - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 1:36 pm:
It’s telling that Illinois is one of a handful of states without a budget surplus this year. It’s telling that Illinois’ economy isn’t growing all that fast, compared to other states’. It’s telling that while this administration has lots of plans for how to spend money, it has little in the way of plans for how to grow the economy. A strong state economy produces the wealth and income that translate into tax revenues, that then can be used for all the worthwhile programs everyone says they support. For 5 years now, we’ve seen business bashed and blamed. For 5 years, we’ve seen no real economic plan for Illinois. If this continues, Illinois will become the only state without a budget surplus, year after year. The problems faced today will seem small.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 1:36 pm:
Anonymous 9:27, just because you have an opinion, doesn’t make you right and doesn’t mean I have to heed your advice. Try to remember that.
Also, if you re-read the article, take special note of how I show where he completely miscalculated.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 1:40 pm:
“Mac Daddy,” give me a break. Declaring tongue in cheek that the governor is not insane is singing his praises?
Also, please see my previous comment, and also take notice of how I wrote this morning that I didn’t believe he knew how to get to the end from here.
And then, please, bite me.
- Buck Naked - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 2:04 pm:
Bite me — hilarious!
- amomynous - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 2:55 pm:
“I only hope that those who stand to benefit most from his fight … stand with him and help him.”
- Buck, it would help a great deal if he would quit demonizing the general tax increases that are absolutely freakin’ necessary to accomplish these shared goals - and quit demonizing the legislators and others who support said increases.
- Cassandra - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 3:13 pm:
I reject the Crazy Blago image, but the Blago as Machiavelli practicing statecraft to help the needy is a bit over the top. He’s not that, well, talented.
On the other hand, I do have to give him credit for pushing back against the liberals’ demand for much higher taxes on the middle class; those same liberals, of course, reject the notion of a progressive tax or a tax on the wealthy. Nor do they want a tax on business, apparently. Nope, its
the average joe they want to have pay for all those social programs. On top of those utility bills, whose status appears in limbo still.
- This voter will remember - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 5:16 pm:
Blagojevich would not take a position on whether he would sign another [one-month budget] extension. “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he said.
That seems to be the core problem, he doesn’t think ahead.
The Gov says “Let’s sell the lottery, let’s provide healthcare for everyone, let’s increase money for education, lets …..”
Reporter asks….”How do you intend to pay for all these nifty ideas?
The Gov says “I haven’t thought that far ahead” (fade to black or in this instance fade to red)
- Squideshi - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 5:52 pm:
“Not talking to the press a lot over the last couple of months was an attempt to work quietly behind the scenes and … be more diplomatic and get things done.”
I am glad to see that Blagojevich acknowledged that he hasn’t talked to the press a lot over the last couple of months; but the public should be offended that he thinks that the way to be diplomatic and get things done is to conduct back room deals in secret, away from the eyes of the public.
- Huh? - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 7:31 pm:
The mess in Springfield has made it to national news on NPR. Here is the link
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11926691
- Just Me - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 8:34 pm:
“I admire Blago for standing up for his principals.”
At last, the truth. Please tell me that isn’t just a spelling error.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:04 pm:
Rich,
It’s not clear to me why a journalist who swims and socializes with a person central to a story she’s covering is different from a journalist who invites his journalistic subject to socialize on his boat. Do you think there’s something of a gender double-standard? Please, don’t construe this as criticism…. I’m just curious.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 12, 07 @ 9:50 pm:
That’s a good point, and something I’ve considered.