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Quote of the week
Tuesday, Jun 3, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’m still listening to it, but Gov. Blagojevich was on the Don & Roma show this morning and was trying to explain what he claims is a $2 billion budget deficit “that the House Democrats really are responsible for. They passed that.” But then the guv went into kindergarten mode…
I kid you not. 
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- Wacker Drive - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:27 am:
Rod’s losing it….. Is he medicated?
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:29 am:
2 Billion Don and Roma is
20K a week for a long time
- Kevin Fanning - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:29 am:
That reminds me of the episode of the Simpsons where they have Barney on t.v. repeating “2 + 2 is four, 2+ 2 is four.”
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:30 am:
Well he may have skipped constitutional law class when in law school, but it appears he did show up for multiplication class in grade school. I wonder how his attendance was for civics?
- Belle - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:30 am:
Explains how bad public education is in Chicago.
- Stumped - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:32 am:
I wish I had learned to multiply millions and billions in kindergarten…
- DumberThanYouThink - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:33 am:
Let’s remember we are under a lot of pressure this week….And 2 billion is 2500 times more than KJ got on the last POB…wonder he is/was going to score this time?
- Ahem - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:38 am:
I’ve got an idea: let’s give the $2B to seniors!
- Northside Bunker - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:40 am:
Without a script or spokesperson. Rod is an embarassment.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:41 am:
Gosh, that’s like a gajillion dollars!
- Truth in Accounting - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:42 am:
Why can’t the Governor understand that if the
budget is balanced, then revenues should equal expenses and the deficit amount would be . . . zero? Then why do FY 2006 the Illinois audited finanial statements report an $800 million deficit?
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:44 am:
A more effective analogy would have been, “$2 billion is $150 for every man, woman and child in our great state.”
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:45 am:
Hey Steve, I just told my boss that I was sending an intern to all of my meetings this afternoon…and he fired me! Any tips for how you made this work?
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:47 am:
Rich, of all the things he talked about on that call, why do you need to share this with your readers who couldnt listen for themselves? It was a great interview and you made it look ridiculous with your little comment.
I just dont understand sometimes. I guess you need to keep feeding the haters.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:47 am:
So, you’re comparing the Majority Leader to an intern? Seriously?
Look, I think MJM should go to the meetings, but BFC and Hannig are no mere interns.
- MouthofBabes.. - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:48 am:
Why doesn’t Blago do his job and veto what he doesn’t think is kosher?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:49 am:
===why do you need to share this with your readers who couldnt listen for themselves?===
They can listen for themselves. You ever heard of a hyperlink? It’s in the post. It’s an mp3 file. See, you just click on that link and you can listen to the entire interview for yourself.
As to why I highlighted it, everything else is rehash as far as I could tell.
Also, lighten up. Have a bit of fun.
- problem - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:53 am:
For those who were wondering, 2 billion IS actually 200 million times 10.
Just checked.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:57 am:
Rich - and I’m not the Speaker of the House. I have very good, intelligent interns that can do a lot of things on my behalf. But I would not send them to important meetings to discuss the future of the company. I am not comparing my intern to the majority leader, but would you send Kevin (or Paul) to create InsiderzExchange while you are lounging a few floors up?
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:57 am:
Rich could have reviewed the entire interview, but how many different ways can you repeat “It’s all about the working people” in a summary.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:59 am:
Just Fired, again, you’re comparing an intern to legislators with decades of experience. Did you happen to see this post earlier today? Start making comparisons based on reality and I’ll respond, because your comparison is just not sane.
- The Doc - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:01 pm:
The budget/capital chatter proving to be a nice distraction from the impending Rezko verdict.
BTW, anyone see Donne Trotter on Chicago Tonight last night? Not exactly the type of legislator I’d want representing my district or state.
- BehindTheScenes - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:04 pm:
O-K, the gov can do basic math. Can’t/won’t lead, can’t/won’t govern, but he can do basic math. Goody!
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:04 pm:
Just imagine the pre-show prep work.
“OK, it’s $200 million times a hundred, right?”
No, times ten.
“Right. I keep forgetting. Can you write it on a card for me?”
We already did, governor.
“Oh. Yeah. Right. Did Thompson call yet?”
- Bill - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:05 pm:
“…but would you send Kevin (or Paul) to create InsiderzExchange while you are lounging a few floors up?
Isn’t that exactly what happened? That’s what Kevin said.
- Greg - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:05 pm:
It would have helped if Rod had given life to the numbers. “$2B is $200M that we could give to 10 hardworking, uninsured Illinois families.”
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:05 pm:
===Not exactly the type of legislator I’d want representing my district or state.===
Actually, Trotter is a heckuva legislator.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:06 pm:
and 200 Million is 200 times the money I mistakenly gave to a questionable school, lost, and never did anything to get it back….
It was radio, you just could not see the line of children protecting him from the media (Don & Roma). His explanation was for the benefit of his child shield wall.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:11 pm:
HAHA! That’s all I can say about his quote.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:12 pm:
OK, I will concede that the comparison is not apples to apples. I wish I could say my interns had decades of legislative experience, but let’s face it, I don’t pay THAT well. That said, these are LEADERS meetings. To not go because they are “not productive” is ridiculous. That excuse would get anyone else fired - Even if they sent their top staff instead.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:15 pm:
I agree he should go, but I also agree that they are completely unproductive. Were you around last year?
- Bman - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:18 pm:
Anon, The guv also talked about people feeling pain. The only time I feel pain is when Rod always blames someone else.
- The Doc - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:18 pm:
*Actually, Trotter is a heckuva legislator. *
Well, his appearance on CT left much to be desired. He seemed more interested in defending the actions of the GA, and dodged some of the more pointed questions from Carol Marin.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:20 pm:
===He seemed more interested in defending the actions of the GA===
Well, he and Hannig drafted the budget, so I’d expect him to defend it.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:21 pm:
Yes, yes I was. And I still have the battle scars. But so were Cross, Jones, and Watson. Yet they still manage to show up.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:23 pm:
Again, I think MJM should go to the meetings. He should return the guv’s phone calls as well.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:27 pm:
Steve - What are your thoughts?
- The Doc - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:27 pm:
*Well, he and Hannig drafted the budget, so I’d expect him to defend it. *
Fair enough. Perhaps my expectations for our elected officials are too lofty. But then, Trotter also defended the parlor trick the GA is using to get their raises. An 11% raise for a mediocre job (at best) is unacceptable, whether the state is buried in red ink or flush with cash.
- Princeville - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:31 pm:
I can’t blame Speaker Madigan for not attending the chats. Last one I remember him attending last year they turned Rickey loose on him with all Rickey’s crudeness in full glory. Why attend a meeting when one can’t be trusted, another broke a deal, and you can send your right hand man/woman who excells on the issues. It’s a waste of the Speaker’s time considering the past meetings. Has anything changed to think any new meetings would be any different?
I’m real curious if Rod would have made all this fuss over the budget if the CP would have passed. If the CP had passed would Rod have just picked up his pen and started slashing the operational budget away?
- Rod b - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:43 pm:
Mike Madigan passed a budget that is $2 billion over. Mike Madigan, what was he thinking?
- Vote Quimby! - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:52 pm:
Do you realize, Don and Roma, that the state would have to sell 80,000 jobs at $25,000 each to make up that deficit?
- Heartless Libertarian - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:54 pm:
This is starting to turn into Michael Jackson creepy. His brain just died right along with Elvis. And I don’t think any leaders should talk to him. They should all meet and decide what they are going to do, tell the governor that is what they are going to do, and if the governor doesn’t like it too bad, because they won’t come back for a special session. We have put up with Rod’s crap for far too long. It is finally the time when the democrats realize there is no hope for this man.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:54 pm:
Madigan remembers, while obviously most of you have forgotten - last year.
Since when have you people started believing Rod Blagojevich? And why?
Your naivete is, (how does Rod say it?), breathtaking!.
- Vote Quimby! - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:57 pm:
Is Rodnocchio trademarked yet?
- Steve Dahl - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:57 pm:
“$2 billion is $200 million x 10″
Can’t blame the Governor for that one. Do you know what morons make-up the listeners for Don and Roma?
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 12:57 pm:
At $25,000 per job, thats like 800 state jobs
- Little Egypt - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:01 pm:
I would actually feel quite comfortable having Kevin and/dor Paul attend any legislative meeting. They are a lot smarter and have better insight than the ones we have elected.
- Dirt Guy - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:12 pm:
Did Rod get a haircut or is that the real shape of his head?
- If It Walks Like a Duck... - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:14 pm:
Really, Don and Roma, I learned that naught from naught is naught at the Jethro Bodine School of Cyphering.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:25 pm:
It’s three a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there’s a phone in the Speaker’s Office, and it’s ringing. Will Michael Madigan answer it?
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:29 pm:
We could raise revenue if we just got rid of pay to play bans and auctioned off each state job to the highest bidder….
- A real financial analyst - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 1:45 pm:
Just Fired,
sometimes when there is really bad blood between 2 individuals it’s more productive when one of them sends someone else, so their personal antagonisms don’t get in the way–not that there’s any reason to expect a leaders meeting to suddenly be productive after so many failures, but if Curry or Hannig is there it at least avoids Blago and MJM glowering at each other
- Princeville - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:01 pm:
Second quote of the week from Blagojevich in June 3rd SunTimes article by Steve Patterson, Gov Optimistic About Reaching Budget
“I hope that talks will be productive,” he said. “They ought to be productive. Why wouldn’t they be productive?”
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:01 pm:
== Did Rod get a haircut or is that the real shape of his head? ==
Tinfoil hat hair maybe?
- Mad Brown - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:07 pm:
Just fired- Based on history, and analyst’s pointed post, MJM sending competent budgeting colleagues to meetings to accomplish things is less offensive to me than the gov not showing up for things like his own prayer breakfast or the holocaust survivor’s function and a gazillion others events he misses. Sure there’s no dire financial decisions to be made, but it’s not the like gov makes any of those anyway. But regular voters, especially survivors don’t merit his presence?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:09 pm:
Actually, up until sometime early in the Edgar years, Madigan sent Jim McPike to the budget negotiations.
- so-called "Austin Mayor" - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:24 pm:
A torts exam question for future 1Ls: An Illinois tax-payer reads a Capitol Fax post that includes a statement by Rod Blagojevich and then injures himself by violently smashing his head against the nearest brick wall — which of the following should the tax-payer sue for damages and why?
a) The governor,
b) Rich Miller,
c) the State of Illinois,
d) Al Gore for inventing the internet,
or e) Jessie Ventura for increasing the tax-payers gubernatorial expectations.
The correct answer: The tax-payer should sue Patrick Fitzgerald for failing to indict this guy already.
– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com
- imback - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:32 pm:
He said the same exact thing at about 6:00 this morning on the Spike O’Dell show. G Rod is not the first thing you want to hear when the alarm clock goes off.
Well — maybe Rod should be my alarm, his voice got me to get up and shut the radio off in a hurry instead of doing the snooze thing.
- BIG R.PH. - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:40 pm:
Lets see:
$2 Billion out of $58 Billion.
See We still got 56 out of 58 right.
That’s still an -A-!!
Mom & Dad Taxpayer What more do you want me to get?
- Town Monument Blob - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:44 pm:
It’s not about the productivity of the mtgs, or whether Hannig and Currie can get the job done. As Princeville said, it’s about a lack of trust and resoect for some of the other people in the meetings, mostly the Governor. Why would you show the Governor the respect of your presence when he has either by ommission or commission violated so many of the standards of respect, decorum, and tradition of his office? Would you sit down at a table to shake hands and negotiate with someone who had sat across hthe table from you several times before and either lied right to your face, or made a commitment and then reneged on it? Frankly, I don’t know why any of the leaders meet with the Governor. You can’t even say, “Well you’ve got to at least respect the OFFICE he holds”, because he himself has not shown any respect for the office he holds, or respect for the process or the other officeholders.
- South of I-80 - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:44 pm:
Because of the Gov’s math/accounting skills, that is probably the reason Rezko was helping him keep the books! Darn, maybe his defense team should have used that argument.
- Truth in Accounting - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 3:44 pm:
We (the Institute for Truth in Accounting) have studied Illinois’ budgets and financial statements in detail. Does anybody in Springfield (strike in Springfield) at the State of Illinios building in Chicago have any math/accounting skills? According to their calculations 20 x $0 = $44.5 billion. For 20 years the public have been told the budgets have been balanced, so the deficits should have been $0. Now we find the state is $44.5 billion in debt and that doesn’t include the amount we owe state employees for post retirement benefits. See: http://www.truthinaccounting.org/pdf/publications/IL_Trifold_2006-singlepage.pdf
- Irish - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 4:20 pm:
All the leaders go to the meetings including MJM for the following reasons. The taxpaing voters of Illinois are sick and tired of the lack of interest, lack of understanding, and arrogance generally shown by the lawmakers and administration of the state. What they need to see are adults standing up and doing their job to commence getting this state working again. Everyone needs to see this. It does not help investments in Illinois by business when there is no leadership. The general populace needs to get their confidence in the system back so they feel better about spending money. It is time for Leaders to be leaders. The one thing they should do, however, is to have a factual, informative, non-combative, joint press conference after every meeting to spell out what the discussions were, what was accomplished, and what was not accomplished. The Gov should not be included in this press conference. Let the people know who is leading and who is not. I think we know where the roadblocks will come from but the more light that is shone on the proceedings might make them more productive. Am I smokin funny mushrooms? maybe, but what would it hurt. They have to at least try to lead.
- Just Fired - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 4:20 pm:
So, the question is, if Hannig or Currie came back from the ‘Leaders or Lieutenants meeting’ and said “This plan that everyone else agreed on, is actually really good, and it does make sense to do it now, even though Rod would get years of ribbon cuttings,” what would Madigan say?
- Princeville - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 4:40 pm:
Well, Just Fired, to me as Ms. John Q Public my first thought would be not is it a good deal and it makes sense to do it now (the CP plan) but instead would be great, a decent plan, timing right, but how’s the trust issue coming along?
I don’t get the big ribbon cutting theory. If you think people don’t pay attention now, what’s make you think they will even notice a press moment of Rod cutting a ribbon. Odds are those first ribbons will be up in the Chicago area anyway and likely will not even make downstate newspapers more than a tiny blimp. Really think that ribbon cuttings will make everyone suddenly stop and say “hey, that guv, what a guy, we should vote him in again” ?
- annon - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 4:56 pm:
Stay on script Roddy my boy !….reminds me a little of the episode of the Addams Family when Morticia asked Gomez to teach the children the ‘value of money’. 5 pennies = nickels 2 nickels = dime & so on. At the end Gomez proclaims “now children ..you know the value of money”…kind of approp. in the case with a Rod “Pugsley” Bladgoviech. “naught + naught is naught”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 5:03 pm:
“2 billion. That’s all your fingers and toes, 100 million times. Except if you’re Ron Santo, because he doesn’t have real toes anymore. Or except if you’re Antonio Alfonseca. He was that reliever on the Cubs who had 12 fingers and 12 toes. 12 plus 12 is… 24, not 20. I wonder if he was born that way…”
- Levois - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 5:49 pm:
Is he serious about talking about governing? Surely no one would call what he’s been doing governing.
- Belle - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 7:35 pm:
….and that 2billion, if I gave it back, NO! I mean! if I could find it! could reduce the carbon footprint of Illinois by paying the unemployed to leave the state and become somebody else’s burden, NO! I mean poor unfortunate person that I fight for….
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 7:43 pm:
Yawn…I wish the jury in the Rezko trial would hurry it up already…I wonder if a guilty verdict on all counts will force Rod into the corner where he can hide until further notice until the Feds come calling…
- TallyWhacker in FL - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 7:48 pm:
I think, after what is it now? 5 years? People know he’s not a poster child nor a recruiter for Mensa — but this quote is abso-friggin-lutely the dumbest thing he’s ever said in a micrphone. This makes Dan Quayle look like a Blackburn College Valedictorian.
Bottom line - it’s funny in Springfield, but his five remaining hard core loyalists will say it’s just a reflection of the stress of governing. Whatever that means.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 8:00 pm:
Just for the record, even though I was curious, I’m not going to listen to the interview now because Rich never bought me a meal…and I read and comment on his blog all the time.
- A Citizen - Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 8:32 pm:
ACtually I am almost relieved that we don’t have an effective guv. My goodness, imagine the havoc they could create if we had a functioning guv. Whew!!!
- annon - Thursday, Jun 5, 08 @ 6:27 am:
Your absolutely correct A CITIZEN….imagine if this guy was actually involved {at whatever involved is to him} more than he is with that mind set ! reeking havoc !! Gezzzzz????????