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Jason Plummer discovers that live TV ain’t easy
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller * Take it from me, doing live TV is a whole lot harder than it looks. One little screwup and you look like a freaking moron. Republican lt. governor nominee Jason Plummer had one of those moments on Chicago Tonight last night. Less than two minutes into his interview with host Phil Ponce, he lost his train of thought and completely froze up. Phil mercifully bailed him out. Have a look… Almost the same thing happened to me last night during a speech to Model Illinois Government. I was able to make a funny joke about it, though, and move along. That comes from experience. Plummer doesn’t have much of that yet. What I always try to do is watch the tapes of my live appearances. It’s a painful exercise, but it’s the only way to learn. Plus, I’ve learned a few tricks about how to attract attention at crucial moments during panel discussions or undermine somebody else’s arguments - and that’s crucial if another person on the program is, um, dissembling. Watching and learning is essential. Back during the impeachment brouhaha, I was on Chicago Tonight and I thought the camera was shooting Carol Marin and I from the shoulders up. Nope. Most of our bodies were in the shot while I was unconsciously twiddling my thumbs. Oops. But because I watched the replay, you won’t ever see me do that stupid thing again. * Anyway, Plummer’s performance during the rest of the interview wasn’t exactly stellar, either. Ponce is an expert at calmly and dispassionately taking apart his guests, and this interview was no exception…
Oof. Plummer’s answer to why the Madison County Republican Party rented an office from his family and paid $13,000 in rent and fees while he was chairman wasn’t the greatest…
The only retail location in all of Madison County? Really? Luckily for Plummer, Ponce let that one go by.
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- wordslinger - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:26 am:
That Big Eye never blinks. Being unprepared for any public speaking engagement, much less on on TV, is nightmarish.
The office lease answer is a real groaner. It might not be big money, but it is what it is.
- Chad - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:28 am:
There is simply no advantage for the GOP to have this guy out there until he has his substantive positions and skill sets up-to-speed. Jerry better get him on the sidelines, and quick.
- richrod - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:35 am:
Wow! that was painful to watch!
- sideline watcher - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:36 am:
It was painfully funny to watch. Thanks to the magic of dvr, we kept rewinding it. Someone also needs to tell him that talking really fast doesn’t make his nonexistent points sound any smarter. All he did was string together buzz words and talking points. Some politicians and media folk do that well with experience. Not Jason Plummer. He came off like he was going for the biggest internship of his life….the chance to study about being the governor. Very Palin-ish.
- train111 - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:42 am:
Is it just me, or am I just so far from being a professional communicator that I thought there was more substance to Plummer than what I had originally thought?
train111
- sideline watcher - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 7:49 am:
It may not be just you train111.
It always kills me when I hear candidates for that office talk about all that they want to do with it while they conveniently leave out the fact that there is nothing to do with it. No one ever actually asks what the statute says and why there are 20 something employees and 2.9 million dollar budget for an office we haven’t even missed since the impeachment.
But in the event that something were to happen like death or indictment, we need a little more than an intern or a low rent thug to get us through. I’m just sayin.
- washedmyhands - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:14 am:
Thanks Rich for showing up at Model Illinois Government. That is a great way for kids to learn a little something about how all of the branches work. Played Madigan once myself.
But not sure, based on that performance, if Mr. Plummer would be voted in as Gov. Lt. at MIG.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:25 am:
I watched it live … and I have to say that “Jay-Jay” should ask Daddy for media lessons along with a new Title Maker 3.0 so he can “expand” his experience.
I said this before, and this “puff” interview (Ponce let a great deal slip, but the internship experience was an ‘ouch’ moment) should make “Jay-Jay” think about going on vacation until May or so and be absolutely ready to face merciliously harsh criticism from this point on. You can only get so many “get to know the candidate” interviews.
Yikes!
“Jay-Jay”, Daddy can’t buy the media coverage you want, or want to avoid, so take some advice from Rich, watch, learn, and hope to goodness you don’t get beat up on the “internet company” you owned, but were not an office. Or, the less than a week experience as an intellegence officer before announcing. Or, your “matching my experience with anyones” quote, along with my personal favorite - “I bought my car.”
- Boone Logan Square - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:37 am:
This interview was pretty rocky; for their next pledge drive, WTTW should give out a premium DVD entitled Phil Ponce Interviews the Lt. Governor Nominees. Absent a knife to a hooker’s throat, however, I see nothing that would dissuade a casual voter from voting for a ticket with this guy as #2 on the ballot. You might get a little mileage out of Plummer’s wet-behind-the-ears image, but most eyes will be focused on the candidates for governor.
An attack ad on the #1 under the theme Bill Brady Wants to Kill Lots and Lots of Puppies and Kittens would have more effect on the election. Given that Quinn’s going to have the prison release ads against him yet again, that tactic may be what keeps him in office. (Yes, I saw the poll. Let’s see what the numbers are after a fresh wave of attack ads in the fall.)
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:44 am:
===WTTW should give out a premium DVD entitled Phil Ponce Interviews the Lt. Governor Nominees.===
Bonus DVD: Phil Ponce interviews failed 2004 US Senate candidates Blair Hull and Jack Ryan.
I don’t know why people submit themselves to Phil. I love him, he’s the best, but I wouldn’t do it. No way.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:45 am:
By the way, I think my brain freeze at MIG happened at almost the exact same time as Plummer’s awkward moment. Must’ve been something in the air.
- cassandra - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:48 am:
Whoever his political advisors are, they need to be replaced.
With all the reported family money, you’d think they could spring for a really good media coach to put him seriously through prep before he appears on major TV shows. If he can’t talk on TV, he’s gone before the campaign starts, even assuming some good will for a young person starting out.
It doesn’t matter, because, again, this gubernatorial race is over. Maybe Jason has at least learned a few things at a young age. Republicans will have to take another decade of retreat, at least, assuming our Pat goes for two, maybe three of his own terms. The only thing interesting left in this race is who the Dem nominee will be and/or if there will be a lt. guv race.
- Stones - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:50 am:
Electing candidates such as Plummer and Cohen are an indictment of us as voters as much as it is the political parties. Sometimes you get what you ask for and we are all guilty of not paying attention. We should hold both parties accountable for their endorsements / non-endorsements for these lower profile races.
- Fed Up - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:52 am:
Cut the kid some slack. Hopefully he learns from this experience. If we get later in the election cycle and he has shown little or no improvement then its appropriate to give him more than a few whacks.
- fedup dem - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:01 am:
“Baby Face” Plummer ought to be thankful that most people (other than political junkies) were watching the Olympic Ladies Figure Skating Final on Thursday night. The public would rather see a triple lutz instead of this sorry performance from a political triple klutz!
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:01 am:
===Cut the kid some slack.===
I think I did. I probably cut him too much slack. He is, after all, the GOP nomineee. He thinks he’s qualified today to be governor. Frankly, he ought to be held to that standard.
- Patriot - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:03 am:
Cut the kid sine slack? He’s running for statewide office as an elected official. Get over it. Ponce is the best. I’m not sure why he would grant his first major interview to Ponce considering the guys notorious biting questions.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:06 am:
Wow, did he have a Youtube Fail Blog moment or what? Poor kid. He has no idea how famous he is about to be.
- Moving to Oklahoma - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:08 am:
Wow. Just wow. Bill Brady is gassing dogs and Jason Plummer looks he is answering a trigonometry question with a shoe horn and a cheese grater.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:08 am:
You can not claim, that “if something were to happen today, can you be governor?”, and your answer is “Yes. Absolutely.” and get some slack.
Pat Quinn was the LG and became governor. It happens. “Jay-Jay” wanted his Daddy to buy him an opportunity, he got it, so, this scrutiny is warranted, valid, and legitimate.
The job is …”fulfill the office of governor if the office becomes vacant.”
“Jay-Jay” deserves ALL he gets when you look at the facts he gives about himself, his experience, and his … quotes.
- Joe - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:15 am:
The kid is way in over his head.
- David Ormsby - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:28 am:
Plummer is extremely qualified to be a Lt. Governor intern.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:28 am:
I was reminded of this when I watched it again this morning …
Ponce asked “Jay-Jay” about his commission in the Navy and what that entailed, for example ROTC … “Jay-Jay” stated he went through the process … now …
Is “Jay-Jay” unable to explain how he got his commission in the navy, in such a way that it would be clear to anyone? You would think this would be the easiest, slam-dunk, no-doubt answer to a question.
“you just don’t get a commision in the United States Navy, I went through a process …”
“Jay-Jay”, what was the process? Can you explain? If it’s not ROTC, then what was the process? We can keep up with you, just explain. A throw-away “I went through a process” is unacceptable if you want to claim this as your “experience” ….
- Indeedy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:35 am:
I couldn’t watch it. Money surely helped this kid win this seat but it’s done nothing for his confidence or his grasp of the issues.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:41 am:
The GOP has been out of leadership in Illinois for so long, they need candidates that don’t give any appearances of being amateurs. Plummer encapsulates many things Illinoisans are concerned about regarding the Republican party at this time. We believe that the GOP is not ready to lead. Plummer proves that case.
This image has occurred due to the fact that Illinois culturally is Democratic. Brady is wrong, Illinois is not a center-right state. (Maybe in Bloomington, it is.) George Ryan’s victory in 1998 demonstrates that Illinoisans are culturally liberal, and fiscally conservative.
John Anderson’s congressional career mirrors this kind of shift. Anderson was a conservative Republican until the early 1970s. By 1988, Anderson was endorsing Michael Dukakis. While there are Henry Hyde and Phil Crane types peppering late 20th Century Illinois congressional politics, statewide Illinois chose moderate Republicans.
Now that the GOP has been out of office for a decade, the last kind of GOP candidates they needed to nominate was Bill Brady and that silly kid with the oversized ego. In 2010, the Illinois GOP demonstrated once again, that it is not ready to be take seriously, or ready to lead this state.
- MrJM - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:44 am:
If only Jason Plummer had had the foresight to write “energy,” “budget cuts,” “tax” and “lift American spirits” on his hand before the interview.
Then we’d all be talking about him as a possible 2012 presidential nominee.
– MrJM
- anon - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:55 am:
i would agree, he got plenty of slack in that interview. brutal.
- Robert - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 9:56 am:
why did his advisors/republican leadership let him on? Ponce is a tough first interview and could have been tougher. Woulda been better to keep him bottled up and energizing the base.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:03 am:
===I said this before, and this “puff” interview (Ponce let a great deal slip, but the internship experience was an ‘ouch’ moment)===
I just wanted to clarify, Ponce is tough, real tough. I just felt Ponce let “Jay-Jay” get himself into trouble (which was easy to watch and let him do) as opposed to how Ponce can completely dessimate someone… and Ponce really didn’t do that, beacuse, frankly, he didn’t need to with “Jay-Jay” .
Much respect for Phil Ponce.
- Dem in Denim - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:08 am:
I think we just saw the rough draft of a TV commercial, if the Gov race polls are tight in the Fall. “Is this really the person Illinois wants as LG?” This interview shows why there is a very good reason political newbies choose to run for County Board or State Rep. instead of statewide office.
- Greg - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:08 am:
Can we make the nicknames/insults a bit more clever?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:14 am:
“Jay-Jay” is good, thanks…reminds me of the 9 yeard old on my block, named Jason, and his parents call him “Jay-Jay”….
- Will County Woman - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:15 am:
I didn’t watch the Plummer interview yet, but if the IL GOP does not get behind Madigan’s legislation to eliminate the Lt. Governor’s Office, they are stupider than they seem. They really do have an interest in getting rid of Jason Plummer as soon as they possibly can, and if Madigan’s legislation is the means by which they can do, then it MUST be done.
At least Aaron Schock understood what people like Plummer, Proft and Adam A. critically failed to realize: YOU NEED SOME POLITICAL EXPERIENCE FIRST!
Many people are critical of Lisa Madigan and suggest that she only got into the AG office because of her dad. I won’t/can’t speak to that, but she at least has held previous elective offices before assuming a (major) statewide constitutional office.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:15 am:
I watched the replay at midnight and actually felt sorry for him while he was stammering “edu…um…uh…a…ed…” for what must have been the longest five seconds of his life.
Then I remembered he put himself in this position. More than that, he spent more than a million dollars to buy the opportunity to get on WTTW and other news programs.
Both Rich and Phil went easy on him. The bottom line is this: it may seem fun and look easy to go on the tee-vee, but in fact it is pretty tough to come across well even if you’re prepared and have experience with it.
It’s a tough lesson to learn. The next tough lesson for him to learn is how video never goes away. I can’t wait for the You Tube producers to use this footage to hammer Plummer for the rest of his campaign.
Welcome to the big leagues Mr. Plummer. How do you like it so far?
- Former Card Carrying Repub - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:35 am:
I can see a Quinn ad in the fall with this interview and that blank, uh uh uh, look…followed by: “and he could step in and be the Governor?”
And you want to be my latex salesman!?
- Steve-O - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:55 am:
We can have fun with this now, but no one will care who the LG candidate is come November. Quinn and Brady will be in a slugfest full of negative commercials.
Also, “Oswego Willy”, do you get turned on by repeatedly calling him “Jay-Jay”? That was almost funny (not really) several months ago, but are you going to carry on like a 4th grader until November?
I think all of the experience questions are in-play and he should be grilled on them. The one issue that I think is really stupid is the “$13,000 rent” issue. I’m a metro-east guy, and I know where the office was. And I can guarantee you that $13,000 for the 14-16 months that they had the office is a freakin’ bargain at that location. In addition, Congressman Shimkus’ campaign reimbursed the party for $6000 for their portion of the rent. That strip mall is maxed out with nice restaurants and businesses…if anything the Plummers lost money on that deal with the party. I know you folks in Chicago get excited imagining that this is a hot story. But if you were familiar with Edwardsville, you’d know that they literally own half of the city, and probably 60% or more of the retail and office space there. The Madison County GOP has always been headquartered in Edwardsville, the party wanted office space there…so the choices are: rent an office in a Plummer development, or rent an office from a development owned by a trial lawyer. The choice was easy. The particular issue is tired and has no legs.
- Conservative Veteran - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:03 am:
Chicago didn’t lose population, every census year, since 1950. According to the 2008 World Almanac & Book of Facts, the 1990 census stated that Chicago’s population was 2,783,726, and in 2000, Chicago’s population was 2,896,016.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:07 am:
Steve O doth protest too much …
If the worst “Jay-Jay” is called … is “Jay-Jay”, then this is going to be a snap!
I remember conservatives railing on a newly minted state representative, I think this rep was there less than 6 months, and although this rep was a lawyer and elected official, this person used their family money to run for LG with a candidate they were not fond of, and wanted this guv candiadt to pick a conservative and this choice irked those rascal conservatives.
These persons refered to this LG candidate as “Corky Sherwood”, complaining of a lack of credentials, a weak grasp of the issues and just someone, they felt, unqualified for higher office.
So, if you were one to call Corinne Wood, “Corky”, and then think “Jay-Jay” is just so bad … get over it.
He is “Jay-ay”, especially when Ponce asked if he was involved in ANY businesses outside his family’s and STLL can’t name one in a nearly 20 minute interview … you need a better way to get people to back off “Jay-Jay” …
Daddy paid for this … now, welcome!
- Steve-O - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:09 am:
Ok, 4th grade it is…
- shore - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:17 am:
1. that matt murphy lost to this guy should end murphys career.
2. pat brady dropped the ball, he should have vetted this guy. he’s our version of alexi or dan seals. dumb and dumber.
3. 5 years ago ponce was interviewing barack obama. now this guy. wonder what was going through his head.
4. even though I am a republican I hope this guy gets absolutely savaged by the democrats. this is a great 30 second ad.
- I want my GOP - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:21 am:
What in the name of HE double hockey sticks is he doing on Chicago market TV
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:26 am:
Actually, Oswego Willy, Steve-O is right. Can it. It’s tired and old and juvenile. No more. Last warning.
- curtis - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:37 am:
Kid needs to drop the consultants who gouged him in the primary and get some pros… and fast.
- JonShibleyFan - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:43 am:
“he’s our version of alexi or dan seals…”
You wish.
- Polifan - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:47 am:
Curtis you comment is interesting. My understanding is the pros who got him elected resigned from his campaign on Feb 3rd. Seems like the road has been bumpy ever since.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 11:51 am:
=== Kid needs to drop the consultants who gouged him in the primary and get some pros… and fast. ===
There is no Crash-Course in how to run state government.
This isn’t an Econ 101 final, its real life. And when candidates try to fake their way through it, they only look worse.
I mean, Brady’s been in state government for nearly two decades, and even he can’t fake his way through the budget. Expecting Plummer to do it is nonsense.
For one thing, there’s little substantial coverage of state government in the MSM in either Champaign or the Metro-East, so unless he’s been reading CapitolFax every day for the last four years, he’s just not going to be up to speed.
On that point, Brady would be better off with Vanillaman as his running mate.
- D.P. Gumby - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 12:19 pm:
Maybe we should let the MIG students elect the Lt.Gov. as a training ground for future leaders and have an order of succession that follows Madigan’s bill if the gov. ofc is vacant. It would avoid all of this Lt. Gov. embarrassment and be a great higher education learning opportunity
- eee - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 12:27 pm:
Plumer ain’t ready for prime time!
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 12:30 pm:
===Maybe we should let the MIG students elect the Lt.Gov.===
Their LG is a really good guy. Not much younger than Plummer.
- Will County Woman - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 1:19 pm:
The problem with Matt Murphy was that while running for the office of lt. guv he kept saying that the office was not necessary. so voters probably saw him as the type who wanted to simply mooch at the public’s expense. the guy stood to make $136k or so doing nothing as HE kept pointing out.
The IL GOP is a mess. They failed to take advantage of the 6 years of Blago and they failed to shift into gear after Topinka ran against Blago and lost. While Andy McKenna bears most of the blame, and thank goodness he lost the primary, the rest of the IL GOP dropped the ball too. Now it’s all hands on deck and full steam ahead, but Plummer is a problem.
- JonShibleyFan - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 1:37 pm:
WCW, I think in theory there may be some validity to the idea that Murphy’s candidacy was hampered by his dismissal of the need for the office.
But I think the sad reality is no one knew he didn’t think it necessary because no one paid attention. And Plummer spent more money.
- dupage progressive - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 1:50 pm:
Any bets on what junior was trying to say?
I’m guessing he wanted to say State Board of Education, but couldn’t remember what the agency overseeing education is actually called.
This is so sad, and really scary.
Quinn’s campaign shouldn’t take time off, they’ve just been handed a fantastic TV ad. That awkward pause will take up half of the ad-time.
What a gem.
- Oh please.... - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 3:21 pm:
Did the poor kid not have any notes…just in case?? Ouch!
- ironman - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 3:27 pm:
I would like to see all of you wise guys go on live tv for an interview. Rich, have you ever froze for a moment….I think this is the first time jason has ever done that. He does send a strong message of bringing jobs and creating a business friendly environment. Has Quinn ever started a business? Has most of our senators and house members have any of that experience? most likely not……. I will be voting for jason and brady/dillard
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 3:28 pm:
ironman, if you had read the post, you would know that I have frozen.
But that’s besides the point. The guy wanted this job and now he’s showing he ain’t ready for prime time. Literally. That’s his problem, not ours, so don’t make excuses for him.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 4:45 pm:
On that point, Brady would be better off with Vanillaman as his running mate.
Sad, but true. Can you imagine me getting before crowds and telling them what I think of Bill Brady? I’d be assassinated.
- polisciguy - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 5:16 pm:
I think he’s ill-prepared. He does not have a grasp of the issues, but who does? What he hasn’t learned is the craft of public speaking. He tries to say a lot, but nothing comes out. There are too many long drawn out and confusing/vague answers.
- scoot - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 8:51 pm:
Very painful to watch…very monotone…just a kid w/ a rich daddy.
Brady - Plummer…it’s just awful.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 26, 10 @ 10:29 pm:
I like how he kept saying one of his main duties at daddy’s various companies is job creation. Companies want to make profits, and hire people when doing so will create profits; any job creation is purely coincidental. As soon as it’s more profitable to lay off, buh bye!
- What a Joke - Saturday, Feb 27, 10 @ 5:28 pm:
Steve O must be on Jason’s campaign committee ! I’m from metro east as well and what a shame that the Chicago area media on Jason has not drifted south. Yea, the Madison County Republican party paid Mr. Plummer $13,000 or so for rent, worse yet, Jason’s dad donated most of that income to guess who - Democratic office holders and candidates in Madison County ! Jason has not led a Cub Scout group much less anything else. His election is an embarrassment to not only the metro east but the entire state. After that TV interview he should crawl under a real big rock and hide for at least nine months. What will daddy do next