* You can read the governor’s amendatory veto message of HB824, the ethics bill, by clicking here.
* Unrelated, but the Sun-Times has a late afternoon convention report with some interesting quotes…
Mayoral brother Bill Daley has arrived at the Democratic National Convention, adding a fifth (at least) potential candidate for Illinois governor to the mix here. […]
“January” he said, trying to get back to his breakfast. “I’m going to talk about it next year in a serious way.” […]
“It’s certainly something I’m thinking about,” [Lisa] Madigan said of the governors race. “I’m not going to be supporting Gov. Blagojevich for a third term. I think we need better leadership in the state of Illinois. … It’s not news.”
Asked about Blagojevich’s criticism of her father, House Speaker Mike Madigan, for not attending an Illinois delegation event with Blagojevich, Madigan replied, “I’m not part of their fight, so go find them.”
Giannoulias denied the speeches by himself, Madigan and Hynes on Monday night were a “test run” for the 2010 Democratic governor’s primary.
* More on Bill Daley from Sweet…
*He talked to potential donors, asking one I chatted with to stay neutral and not take sides in what could be a crowded primary field.
*He’s already polled statewide and found that he could sell the Daley brand Downstate.
The big question is will voters–especially south of I-80 in Downstate Illinois–not want to vote for Daley because his brother Richard is Mayor of Chicago, his brother John is Finance Chair of the Cook County Board and his father was the longtime legendary Chicago mayor. Daley found that the name Daley is respected in government.
*He’s tested his names against all the players–Gov. Blagojevich, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and found nothing in the results that would discourage him from running.
