* As expected, Gov. Pat Quinn just couldn’t help himself today.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has said that he wants a Chicago casino to help invest in infrastructure improvements. Hizzoner laid out several serious problems that the casino money would help address…
Emanuel today said Chicago’s construction needs go far beyond the $1 billion Quinn said the state infrastructure plan has earmarked for Chicago roads, bridges and mass transit.
“It’s very simple. I think all of you saw the car that fell through. It’s not just a pothole. It’s because the pipes and water system in Chicago, parts of Chicago, a hundred years old,” Emanuel said. “The capital shortfall at CTA alone is in the multi-billions. That doesn’t count what I have to do for the roads, the 25 new schools, the 40 miles of new water infrastructure.”
Quinn, clearly in campaign mode, pivoted on Emanuel’s sinkhole example…
“There is a role for municipalities to pay attention,” Quinn said. “We’re not going to have a situation where every community in Illinois that wants to fill its sinkholes or potholes wants a casino. I mean, come on.”
* And then Quinn expanded the playing field and whacked Emanuel on another topic…
“They’re reviving the drive, and who do you think is paying for it? The state of Illinois is the big investor in that,” Quinn said, while also taking a swipe and Emanuel for placing his name on construction signs in the city, a practice Quinn banned at the state level.
“My name ain’t on that road, and I don’t want it to be, but the fact of the matter is we’re putting, I think, $300 million into a major endeavor to fix up a thoroughfare in the city of Chicago that needed radical improvement.”
If he was this focused during last year’s campaign, Quinn might have won more than four counties.
*** UPDATE *** Raw audio of the governor’s remarks…
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:43 pm:
PQ ought to sign the casino bill before the state is required to pay landing fees at Midway…
IN ADVANCE!
- gnome - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:44 pm:
Since when does Illinois have an electoral college? Counties matter in statewide elections now?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:45 pm:
gnome, it’s called snark.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:46 pm:
===before the state is required to pay landing fees at Midway===
Or banned from landing altogether.
- Louis Howe - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:50 pm:
Good for Quinn!!! If Emmanuel wants casinos you can bet somebody that he is up close and personal with has major bucks on the table.
- gnome - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:56 pm:
SNARK WEEK! Not quite as good as Shark Week.
- One County, One Vote - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:57 pm:
Nothing like dissing your base…
- Just sayin' - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 2:58 pm:
CAGE MATCH!
- The Captain - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:00 pm:
Quinn for the last 2-3 months has had this issue defined by who his adversaries are, if I were him I’d try to refocus the narrative based on who his allies are. Current song/dance not productive.
Flip side is that the Mayor seems to be getting this issue defined on exactly his terms. He may ultimately be dependent on the Governor but he’s playing his cards better right now.
- sal-says - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
It’d be real nice if IL doesn’t fall into the Washington DC crap; and these guys are both in the same party ! Grow up & solve problems, big boys.
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:11 pm:
From the GOP side, many of us are sure happy to watch this exchange between Pat and Rahm. Keep up the good work boys!
On another note, when will Rahm ship a dead fish to the Capitol?
- Cassiopeia - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:15 pm:
Quinn is becoming more in touch with his inner child every day that passes. He is making less sense daily. With anyone else you would think there might be a strategic plan to his actions.
- siriusly - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:21 pm:
If he had been that focused during the campaign he might have won by 4 percent.
- walkinfool - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:24 pm:
With you Cassie. I just don’t get this exchange — does PQ think Rahm will challenge him in a primary?
- NotRMiller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:28 pm:
Quinn LOVES playing Gov, he never wants to give this job up. He is planning on running in 2014. Does he think he can win a Democratic primary with the Mayor of Chicago actively agiainst him? PQ, needs to quit sticking it to the Mayor, or reality will be a rough slap in the face..whoever is feeding/advising the Gov better be careful too!!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:29 pm:
Seems like Emanuel is provoking those “whacks” from the way it is presented here. And he is pressing for money from a casino in a bill that the Governor hasn’t even seen on his desk yet.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:36 pm:
===Seems like Emanuel is provoking those “whacks” from the way it is presented here===
How, exactly, was today’s whack provoked?
- Its Just Me - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:38 pm:
Quinn better not be planning on running for re-election. He’ll need the Mayor to win a primary and the general.
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:50 pm:
- Its Just Me - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:38 pm:
“Quinn better not be planning on running for re-election.”
Bite your tongue…
- Seriously??? - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:56 pm:
Does Quinn really think he can beat Rahm in this type of game. He is definitely out of his league.
- siriusly - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:58 pm:
Rahm’s too smart to run for a sucker job like Governor of this state.
As for PQ’s future? Write four options on a piece of paper. Now scratch off the three best, he will choose the other, then change his mind, then change it again.
- norseman - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 3:59 pm:
Word is Rahm started this with United announcement. How can quinn not fight back?
- Thoughts... - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 4:03 pm:
So he thinks after getting rolled by Madigan and Cullerton (mostly Madigan) that he’s going to be able to take out his frustration on Rahm? Hoo boy, good luck with that. Hope he doesn’t have a legislative agenda for next year. Oh wait, it’s PQ, of course he doesn’t…
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 4:06 pm:
===Rahm started this with United announcement===
He did all the work and was supposed to invite the guv to the event? lol
I think it started before then. But it all comes down to some very thin skin.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 4:35 pm:
If I didn’t live in this state this would be funny.
PeeWee Herman said it best, “I know you are but what am I?”
- Excessively Rabid - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 4:52 pm:
+++===before the state is required to pay landing fees at Midway===
Or banned from landing altogether.+++
Or before Rahm bulldozes the runway in the middle of the night….
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 5:31 pm:
We have the best Governor in the country. What a relief to be away from Blago and his Fidel Castro type State of the State addresses.
He is articulate, non-combative with the press, and answers questions directly.
- park - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 6:23 pm:
Good news for non-Chicago Illinois. Maybe the Governor will tumble to the fact that he represents the entire state, not just 2.7 MM Chicago residents. He can start by killing the proposed 100% toll increase. Suburbanites have only tollways, and their gas taxes subsidize Chicago FREE ways
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 6:44 pm:
===Good news for non-Chicago Illinois.===
LOL. He favors a Chicago casino and opposes Downstate casinos. You’re letting a little rhetoric cloud your outlook.
- Coach - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 7:15 pm:
The only way Quinn’s “I’m the governor of the whole state” message makes sense is if he’s trying to build support among non-Chicagoans. Folks in Chicago care about Chicago; if there’s a conflict between the city’s interests and the interests of “the whole state,” the city’s interests trump hands down. But perhaps some in the burbs and downstate will get excited about Quinn staring down Big, Bad Chicago. Just can’t see where else Quinn could be going with this.
Trouble is, Quinn doesn’t have the political skills to survive a battle with Rahm. I can’t see how whatever short-term boost he may get among non-Chicagoans comes close to trumping the adverse political consequences.
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 8:34 pm:
Pat Quinn won the election after being Lt. Guv under Rod. His political skills transcend advice from high end consultants. The bigger question is why does Rahm bother acting like Quinn is his adversary: for more control of casino deals? If so, what exactly will Rahm get?
- mokenavince - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:46 pm:
The game is afoot,can the Gov.win a primary if Rham backs another canidate? Is the Gov. bigger than the some of the parts of MJM,Rahm,and John?
- Aldyth - Wednesday, Aug 24, 11 @ 7:20 am:
I wonder if Rahm has stopped by a fish market lately?
- Robert - Wednesday, Aug 24, 11 @ 9:37 am:
seems like gov. quinn is some combination of frustrated and jealous.