18 Comments - wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 4:53 pm: She was way too far out in front on this. She tried to force Quinn’s hand, and he played his cards wisely. I don’t think dragging in LaHood, Durbin and Cullerton as alleged supporters was wise, either. All it takes is a call to determine if it’s legit. Just another chapter to the memoirs, “Breaking Through: The Obama Years,” available this Christmas. Maybe. - sal-says - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 4:58 pm: “…to run IDOT.” Previous: “U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said Halvorson is not qualified to be transportation secretary and that any consideration of her for the post would endanger the airport plan and other state transportation issues.” “But you can be sure that Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. is happy as a clam.” OMG. Now THAT is scary. IDOT has been thru A LOT since the Blago days. A LOT. They need less of that; not more. Exactly WHAT quals does Jackson bring???? - sal-says - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 5:34 pm: Please let me add. Unfortunately, I voted for Blago the first time; never a second time. If Quinn puts Jackson, Jr. in IDOT….. And, I voted for Quinn a first time……. Jackson in? Not a 2nd vote for Quinn. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 5:42 pm: Sal- Don’t get your undies in a knot here. Triple J is just happy that DH is not getting the job. Has nothing to do with him getting the IDOT Secretary job (which, incidentally, would be a major demotion for him). - Apple - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 5:43 pm: No one suggested he would. - sal-says - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 5:52 pm: Six Degrees of Separation: “Has nothing to do with him getting the IDOT Secretary job” Apple: “No one suggested he would.” Don’t care. Capfax sorta made this linkage, I didn’t. If it actually happens, what IS Jackson Jrs. quals? Like loving the third airport? Sorry; IDOT needs some quality leadership. - What's in a name? - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 5:54 pm: Sal, I think you missed the point. JJJ has a fantasy that includes a south suburban airport. To some extent I think it his signature project, maybe he wants to name it after his father, who knows. I don’t think he has any designs on being the head of IDOT he just knew if Halverson got the job the airport would get harder to move forward. I live in the south suburbs and the airport would be a great idea. I am not sure the economics make sense. You are absolutely right about IDOT. Blago should spend an extra decade in club fed just for what he did to IDOT. Can we start a rumor that Dale Risinger should be Sec of Trans? - Fed up - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:02 pm: Triple j. Isn’t getting the job he just wanted to keep Halvorson out of the job. She didn’t support him on his big project the peotone airport. I’m fine with it Halvorson was one of Blagos enablers while she was in the state senate. - Apple - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:02 pm: Sal-Says- On what planet do you spend most of your time? - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:02 pm: I think Rich was making the point that DH brought no political capital to the table, and nothing else (like real transportation experience) that would overcome the intense opposition of a seated US congressman with influence over a voting constituency PQ needs. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:09 pm: As far as South Suburban Airport goes, it is a matter of who controls the airport as much as who moves the ball down the field. The real battle here is between the south Cook County constituency and the Will County constituency. PQ is on record as saying he wants to move the airport along “as fast as humanly possible”. We haven’t witnessed breakneck speed here, but more progress than the last years of Blago. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:12 pm: My final post on this. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/politics&id=7208731 - park - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:31 pm: Although I shudder to think of who PQ might appoint (another 28 yr old with no experience in the subject matter??), Ms. Halvorson was not a good choice. Back to the private sector, now (wasn’t it ‘real estate executive’?). IDOT’s been a political hack dumping ground since the Chicago dem’s took over the Governor’s office. Woulnd’t it be nice if he nominated someone with real qualifications this time? - Bee - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 6:57 pm: ~Although I shudder to think of who PQ might appoint~ Wouldn’t Rep Gordon be an interesting choice! - Gregor - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 7:54 pm: It would be refreshing to see someone with an engineering degree as Secretary. It’s happened before. Yes, one of you will tell me that at the Secretary’s level, it’s all about politics, money, lobbying, and business, but still, there have GOT to be some folks over there that have technical backgrounds as WELL as administrative skillsets? Some old-timer who’s seen it all? I hated to see what IDOT ran like when mere “suits” were in charge, fellas who didn’t know their asphalt from a hole in the ground, if ya know what I mean. - Concerned Observer - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 8:44 pm: I mean, I like the Governor, but…given his rather extensive history of flip-flopping, shouldn’t Debbie just order the business cards now? - Newsclown - Tuesday, Mar 22, 11 @ 11:02 pm: Three-Jay may be happy as a clam *today. April may change that. - Judy - No Peotone - Thursday, Mar 24, 11 @ 2:24 pm: I agree with ‘Gets It’, RFD exists and is ready to go - but landowners are not lining their pockets as the state has held them in a hostage situation for 20+ years with no one being able to sell their property because of the threat of an airport. Tax payers of Illinois can’t possible want another ‘White Elephant’ like Mid America. To ‘What’s in a Name’, thinking Peotone is a good idea, it’s a 40+ years old idea that is only politically driven - and financially does NOT make sense so you are right there. Residents in eastern Will County do not want an airport and neither do the airlines. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.