49 Comments - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:12 pm: Quinn responded on early release by bringing up Burr Oak Cemetery. I still can’t understand why he hasn’t used that issue in his TV ads as of yet. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:13 pm: Hynes: Quinn brings up Burr Oak because he wants to “change the subject.” - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:16 pm: Quinn: My biggest regret was counting on other statewide officials for help. lol - Rex - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:17 pm: Thanks for updates from us stream-less folks. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:19 pm: Quinn goes back to the Burr Oak issue, attacking Hynes for “ignoring that terrible scandal.” - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:21 pm: Hynes asked if he is “cheating taxpayers out of an inspector general” by allowing his IG to work part-time. Hynes responded that this was all approved. Goes back to the “cover up” on the prison release program. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:21 pm: Pat knows the numbers have turned on him and he’s taking off the gloves. But this format with no follow-ups SUCKS! - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:23 pm: Quinn dodges question about reining in MJM by saying he doesn’t like to demonize people (except for Hynes, of course) and works to bring people together “for jobs.” - Cubs Fan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:25 pm: Governor is on his game…much sharper than I expected. Hynes seems to be grasping and reaching for the early release program, but the Governor has been able to deflect at every opportunity - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:25 pm: And dan just called Mike Madigan an institution. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:25 pm: Quinn says Hynes used almost the “exact wording” in his attacks on Barack Obama in the US Senate race as he is using against Quinn. - Cubs Fan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:28 pm: “I will take a look at that issue and learn more” says Hynes about FOIA. - Another SOTOS - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:29 pm: me thinks cubs fan is as delusional as his Northside team…Right now the debate is a toss-up - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:30 pm: Hynes didn’t really answer a question about parents accessing info on teacher evaluations and turned it into a FOIA point on early release. Quinn responded by calling the released prisoners “low level” types and said he was against releasing criminals. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:31 pm: I just don’t understand why Pat isn’t more aggressive with his prisons mea culpa. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:31 pm: Hynes: “The governor’s greatest complaint is that he hasn’t been able to borrow enough.” Claimed Quinn has borrowed more in one year than Blagojevich did in four. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:33 pm: “An expert in cover-ups is our comptroller,” said Quinn, bringing up Burr Oak again in response to the early release stuff. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:35 pm: Hynes dodged a question about two-tiered pensions by saying he would end early retirement and stop double-dippers who work and draw pensions at the same time. Quinn pointed out the dodge and referred to state pensions as “lavish.” - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:38 pm: Madeleine Doubek asks Quinn to say what level of tax hike he wants to pass. Quinn said he’s already said what he wanted to do, pointing out that his plan would cut taxes for many of the working poor. He also called Hynes’ tax plan a fantasy. Hynes repeats his line about how the governor has done a lot of flip-flopping, but has remained consistent on his desire to raise taxes on working people. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:40 pm: Quinn: Hynes “smiles in your face and stabs you in the back. He’s not been cooperative.” … “He stood silent when there was an effort to slash human services.” … Repeated claim that Hynes tax plan was a fantasy. “I hope he never gets elected.” Hynes, once again, repeats the talking point about how the guv has been consistent about one thing: raising taxes on the middle class. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:41 pm: I believe in staying on message but this is ridiculous. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:42 pm: Andy Shaw demands that Hynes use his 60 seconds to answer questions about Burr Oak. There was a “gaping hole” in the regulations, Hynes said. Moves back to early release program. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:44 pm: Quinn uses Burr Oak issue to say of Hynes “He always wants to dodge responsibility.” Repeats claim that Hynes was an attack dog against Barack Obama. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:46 pm: Quinn points out that Hynes’ tax plan would require a constitutional amendment and three-fifths vote in both chambers and then a statewide vote. Hynes says that giving people a vote on it is a good thing. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:47 pm: Man, this format sucks. The candidates are given too much time to respond to anything they want, and they keep going back to the same talking points. Hynes on prisoner release and Quinn’s tax hike, Quinn on Burr Oak. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:48 pm: Dan started strong but has become tiresome in this attacks. 3/4 of the way in, I give the edge to Quinn. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:49 pm: Amen Rich. Format sucks. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:49 pm: Also, keep in mind that this will be broadcast late tonight, so like with the State of the State, the news coverage is mostly what they’ll see. Ledes are likely to be nasty back and forth on Burr Oak, prisoner release and taxes. - Cubs Fan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:50 pm: Rich, it is on TV in the Chicago area. Channel 618 on RCN - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:50 pm: OK, but it’s not network. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:51 pm: “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” Quinn said, using the Bible passage to whack Hynes. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:55 pm: Hynes “reminded” Quinn that the “only reason” he is governor today is because he was Rod Blagojevich’s running mate twice. Said Quinn “sat silent” during those years. Question: “At the end of this, will you be friends?” Both said they would. - shore - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:56 pm: I said the format sucked last week, I said the same thing this morning on this website. The shameless plugging of ABC anchors is absurd. does rich miller grill candidates in general election debates? - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:56 pm: Score this one for Quinn. Post debate should be interesting. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 7:57 pm: End. Mostly worthless. - Another SOTOS - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:04 pm: If Coffee is for closers, then Hynes gets some Coffee. I agrees with Rich. The debate really was worthless. - Just once... - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:07 pm: I wished one of the panleists had aske Quinn what he meant by Hynes calling him names. I watched and listened as they spoke and I didn’t hear any namecalling from Hynes during the debate directed at Quinn. Quinn is confusing criticism with name-calling and at his age he should know that there is a WORLD of difference between the two. Quinn came across as very whiney in tone/pitch and words. Hynes’s tone was dry and mostly anti-climatic, but to hear a 61-year-old man whinning got on my nerves! I don’t want four-eight more years of that. Quinn’s cemetary task force absolved the comptroller’s office of wrongdoing. Would it have been more believable to Quinn had one of the panelsits said it, rather than hynes. Hynes did not answer on the burial trust fund, and he should have—he should have answered what his office has been answering for the past several years. Hynes is still way too stiff in presentation and delivery. I’m grateful that he isn’t whiney, though. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:08 pm: ===If Coffee is for closers=== Somebody paid attention this morning. lol - unnamed for now - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:11 pm: I only caught the last half of the debate, but judging from what I saw, I’d wager it wasn’t much different from the first half. Quinn: Burr Oak… blah, blah, blah… Hynes: Raise taxes on the middle class, early prisoner release… blah, blah, blah… Wash, Rinse, and Repeat. I’m still supporting Hynes, but that was a major disappointment of a “debate”. I did find it amusing how Quinn accused Hynes of calling him names on a few occasions while referring to him as a “back stabber”. Did Hynes actually use a derogatory name at any point? Did Quinn call him an “ankle biter” again? LOL - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:14 pm: ===Did Hynes actually use a derogatory name at any point?=== Said he was a flip-flopper, but he’s in good company on that one. lol - Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:14 pm: Did I really hear the governor say “gypped” in a televised debate? There goes the gypsy vote. Too bad for Quinn. That’s usually a loyal constituency for him. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 8:16 pm: ===Did I really hear the governor say “gypped” in a televised debate? === Yep. You did. Odd. - bill ryan - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 9:34 pm: Pretty much samo,samo. I give nod to quinn. I just dont think Hynes is capable of dealing with major issues, budget, cost cutting, etc we are facing. Quinn has done a good job and woud be a walk in if not for early release.. This is over and we need tomove on. - Blue Dawg - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 9:38 pm: The one thing I noticed throughout the whole back and forth bla bla bla was that Dan looked like a healthy young man (even though I guess he’s 40+). Quinn looked like a guy who could use a good run, or at least a bit of exercise. Quinn was quick to anger and seemed a little uncomfortable. Dan seemed very comfortable with himself. This probably won’t play in the election, but just something I noticed. - Truth serum - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:20 pm: Just got done watching the tape of the debate. If anyone appeared uncomfortable, it was Dan. Toward the end, “One Trick Pony” Dan was running out of ideas on how to avoid his office’s errors in regard to the cemetery scandals. He did, however, continue spouting his only soundbite: How Quinn was responsible for releasing prisoners early (albeit only 37 days earlier than they would have been otherwise). - Gregor - Tuesday, Jan 19, 10 @ 10:28 pm: I’m down on Quinn now, but Hynes does not do a thing for me as the alternative. These guys have not engaged my aspirations or enthusiasm with any kind of vision, and their schoolyard squabbling only weakens them for the republican challenger. - CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Jan 20, 10 @ 9:17 am: Looks like time was better spent watching the fighting Illini get whacked by Purdue. Capt Fax I think format credit goes to reform genius Andrew Shaw, the man who solicts funds with every release, email, nose blow and tweet issued by the BGA. If he were dead Terry Brunner would be spinning….. - Big Policy Nerd - Wednesday, Jan 20, 10 @ 9:19 am: Agree that it was a bloodbath. Basically it was a lot of Hynes bashing the Governor on prisoners and the Governor bashing Hynes on Burr Oak and the Funeral Trust Fund Losses. I thought the Governor missed an opportunity to bash Hynes more on Pension Reform, because Hynes still favors the status-quo with pensions. The Governor could have hit him more on being against the recall amendment too. Hynes seemed to bring up prisoner release every time he spoke. Quinn also called Hynes tax increase through constitutional amendment a “fantasy plan.” The whole thing was uncomfortable to watch. Quinn took a lot of shots and served a lot back. The gloves are now definitely off. - Philip Krone - Wednesday, Jan 20, 10 @ 7:47 pm: I saw the debate, straming at 7 PM, on Channel 7 at 11:05. I’m a partisan for Hynes and believed he won; but it wasn’t a knockout, though the remaining image is 1700 criminals on the street on early release. To switrch subjects and be slightly original, I think that primaries in gubernatorial years should be held in early May; in presidential years early enough to have an impact. But I think its great that in a democracy people do get interested in the last two weeks, and on election day a significant number actually participate. Yesterday’s results in Massachusetts makes it clear to me that the Republicans have an edge in Illinois state wide this November and that Quinn and Giannoulias are unelectable in November. Furthermore, if Preckwinkle isn’t nominated for President of the County Board, Hynes will have a tough time getting elected, and so will Hoffman. If Cheryle Jackson is the nominee for the Senate I don’t think she can win, but she helps Hynes. It’s all rather complicated. I’ll be the first to say I don’t understand it all, which makes watching it more fun. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.