Off-message
Friday, Oct 8, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller
* OK, this is a bit much…
When it comes to managing the state, Republican Bill Brady says Gov. Pat Quinn is worse than former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“There’s no question,” Brady told reporters during a campaign swing through central Illinois Thursday. “In terms of fiscal mismanagement this administration is far worse than the Blagojevich six years.”
Pat Quinn is not a good manager, but he didn’t get us into this mess.
And “Rod Blagojevich was better” is not really a message that will sell with voters. So why bother? Brady has been off his game since his campaign ran that anti-union ad last week and polls showed a tightening race. Stick to the message, man.
* The same thing goes for Gov. Quinn…
Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday he believes civil unions, agreements legally recognized to give gay and lesbian partners rights and benefits, could be passed into law by the time “Christmas comes around.
“The votes are there, I believe, Quinn said. “In the Senate for sure, and definitely I think we can do it in the House. […]
While he believes there is enough support among Democrats and Republicans for a new General Assembly to pass the measure in 2011, he said he thinks it will be taken up before then, during the fall veto session.
“I think we can pass it this year. I would like to see it voted on earlier, Quinn said.
Why the public desire to push a plan like that through a lame duck General Assembly? Stick to the economy, governor.
* And the president should’ve known better last night…
We also — if I’m not mistaken, we’ve got the junior senator from Illinois, Roland Burris, in the house. Where’s Roland? There he is right there. (Applause.) Appreciate Roland for his outstanding service.
“Outstanding service”? He’s just lucky nobody picked up on that.
- shore - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 2:57 pm:
politico or national journal had the burriss quote in the what was he thinking section of either morning call or playbook.
- TimB - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 2:58 pm:
“Outstanding Service” — That’ll look good in granite.
- ANON - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:05 pm:
Sign that you’re not popular: you’re a sitting US Senator, the President is in town, and not only are you not allowed on stage but you have to buy a ticket to get in.
- Team America - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:07 pm:
===you have to buy a ticket to get in. ===
At least they let him in, LOL.
- JN - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:10 pm:
Burris is outstanding, for a Blago appointee.
Compare him to Jim Bunning. Then ask yourself who should choose our Senators: Rod Blagojevich, or of the Kentucky voters.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:11 pm:
Yes Blago got us in this mess (with help) but I’m more angry with Quinn because he had such a golden opportunity to start to rebuild confidence in state government and blew it. I didn’t expected him to turns things around in two years but I did hope to be going down a better path.
- ANON - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:14 pm:
Well, since we live in Illinois, I would absolutely think having Kenticky voters choose our Senator would be a bad idea. Illinois voters don’t have that great of a record the last few elections, however, so it is a tempting thought.
- shore - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:15 pm:
quinn was riding shotgun for this fiasco. If you are going to accept the democrat bs that a random congressman-mark kirk is responsible for the bush meltdown then you have to accept that quinn as blago’s number 2 in command was responsible for the state mess.
- Ahem - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:17 pm:
While I agree the economy is a serious matter and needs dealt with. Those of us waiting to have legal rights with our partners also feel that is a priority issue, an in some cases, a life and death issue. So from our perspective it isn’t an apples and oranges game. At least Quinn gives us hope, Mr. Brady gives us cause to fear.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:17 pm:
shore, the point is that the voters don’t buy it. Even Brady’s own polling shows that.
- D.P. Gumby - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
Geez…this is just another example of how common courtesy is the target of a political hit. “And where’s the Junior Senator…there he is, Roland Burris, the political mediocrity thrust into the Senate by a convicted felon”…come on…leave that bleep to the teabaggers who have no social graces.
- D.H. - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:27 pm:
As a Democrat I am very sad that the leaders of my party are so very clueless as to what is concerning the voters—–the spending is the problem and not the solution. Everytime Quinn announces a new spending program he plays into the anger against more spending.
Plus David Vaught is a financial idiot who has always seen borrowing and not necessarily paying back as an easy thing to do.
- MrJM - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:30 pm:
Roland’s service is “outstanding” in as much as it “stands out” when compared to the service of other senators from Illinois
– MrJM
- What's in a name? - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 3:38 pm:
Quinn definitely bumbles but to suggest Blago was a better governor is wrong-minded. Brady doesn’t need to demonize Quinn, doing so make me questions his credibility.
Quinn is becoming the least of two evils.
- Wensicia - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 4:16 pm:
What happened to Brady this past month, did someone forget to give him his ‘anti-stupid remarks’ pills? Or is he just trying to catch up to Quinn?
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 4:35 pm:
Other than a hook shot, what is the difference between Roland and Alexi?
- Anonymous ZZZ - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 4:52 pm:
D.H., I’m not convinced that the majority of voters are really all that concerned about spending. They might say they are, but as soon as a candidate proposes shiny new programs and promises everyone a brand-new pony, people decide he’s the candidate “who really cares about people” and throw their votes his way.
- sal-says - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 5:12 pm:
OMG. Are they ALL dolts?
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 8, 10 @ 6:33 pm:
As far as Obama on Burris, what are you going to do? The dude’s in the house. I’m with Gumby on the social graces. If you take a hard look, his testimonial for Burris was about as robust as Edgar’s endorsement of Brady.
Leaders have to hold their noses and spit it out sometimes. Hell, Churchill, Roosevelt and Truman delivered flowery toasts for Stalin, as did Nixon for Mao. I don’t think that made them genocidal commies.
Quinn worse than Blago? That seems a bridge too far, for anyone. I don’t really see where that’s going to pay off.
- Cheryl44 - Sunday, Oct 10, 10 @ 1:49 pm:
Actually, granting gays their full civil rights (and not just civil unions but legal marriage rights) would be good for the economy. As someone who used to cater, there were lots of time where a couple of weddings a month would bring in enough revenue to keep my wee company afloat. The state could certainly use the money from marriage licenses as well.