Rauner: “Weak” leaders need ousting
Tuesday, Oct 2, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kabillionaire Bruce Rauner is rumored to be interested in a run for governor. But this quote on the front page of the Tribune might not endear him to some Republican leaders…
Rauner has indicated that his indictment of the Illinois political scene goes beyond just the Democrats who control Springfield.
“The politicians here are so weak, so incapable of leading, they’ve just decided to sort of let the circumstances, let the bond market force the change, let the tax revolt force the change because they won’t lead. We have got to replace the leaders,” Rauner said.
Discuss.
- CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:03 pm:
A snippet from the litany of alphabet funds and companies he lists in his bio….
“Bain Capitol”
- Kwark - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:04 pm:
Rauner is cruising for a bruising. His vein-popping angry performance on Chicago Tonight demonstrated terrible on-screen presence. His attempts to clout some friends into Payton (and his appearance on the Arne Duncan clout list), not to mention his involvement in country clubs that were all-white and his entire private equity record, will get scrutiny for the first time. No doubt leading to more vein-popping interviews and TV appearances.
- Shore - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:11 pm:
He was on chicago tonight as kwark notes and I think his problem will be like that of Andy Mckenna-he’s just too passive and getting the tribune to like you is not the same thing as winning over the party base. He got manhandled by the union guy they had up there and gave nothing to convince he could handle quinn in a debate.
He is right that the party leadership is awful. I don’t know what tom cross and radogno do all day but they aren’t very good at this politics thing. The congressional delegation-what’s left of it after november is also not serious.
- metro manifesto - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:13 pm:
He is just a more angry and bitter version on Ron
Gidwitz. Good luck to him.
- Cutler Fan - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:16 pm:
His op-ed in the Trib today was pretty tone deaf as well. All of his Scott Walker wish list items are politically unrealistic given what looks like is coming down the pipe in November.
- Sue - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:16 pm:
He has valid concerns but recently these mega business guys have flamed out politically- instead of being the next Meg Whitman- he would be better off getting behind an electable republican who shares his views
- The Captain - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:19 pm:
A lot of rookie candidates go gunning for the top spot and come out ahead, happens all the time Bruce. With little more than know-it-all gusto you could add your name to this distinguished list: Ron Gidwitz, Paul Vallas, Jim Oberweis, David Hoffman, Jack Ryan, Andy McKenna, Adam Andrzejewski, etc.
The bottom of the ballot is for chumps. A real player like you belongs at the top of the ballot, ballers come first.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
Boy, Tom Cross is going to be angry when he reads this after finishing his round of golf.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:26 pm:
Hey, I’ve got a bill that will decouple Illinois from the Romney-Rauner federal tax loopholes.
Who wants a copy?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:26 pm:
If I were Kabillionaire Bruce Rauner this is EXACTLY what I would do:
Buy all the Illinois bonds. Become the State’s #1 Debt.
Foreclose!
THEN run the state as it’s #1 liability.
* This is all snark. No, I do not actually recommend Kabillionaire Bruce Rauner do this, nor do I even think it is a real, true, honest, legal option. - This is Snark -
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:27 pm:
Illinois voters clearly are thirsty for leadership skills developed at Bain Capital.
Run, Bruce, run.
- walkinfool - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:28 pm:
Nice job, Captain.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:33 pm:
Rainer also made that kabillion backed by cash from public pension funds, including a couple in Illinois, holding the savings of those union members he likes to bash.
Good luck raising the next fund, big guy.
- Third Reading - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:38 pm:
“…let the tax revolt force the change…”
Billionaires for revolt? That’s choice.
I’m outta here.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:40 pm:
What kind of leadership has Rauner supported over the years with big-time money?
The Illinois Republican Party. Richard Daley. Tom Cross. Forrest Claypool. Christine Radogno. George Ryan. Tony Peraica.
Yeah, he’s a revolutionary.
http://www.elections.il.gov/campaigndisclosure/ContributionsSearchByAllContributions.aspx?ddlContributionType=All+Types&ddlLastOnlyNameSearchType=Starts+with&txtLastOnlyName=rauner&ddlFirstNameSearchType=Starts+with&txtFirstName=bruce&ddlAddressSearchType=Starts+with&txtAddress=&ddlCitySearchType=Starts+with&txtCity=&ddlState=&txtZip=&txtZipThru=&ddlOccupationSearchType=Starts+with&txtOccupation=&ddlEmployerSearchType=Starts+with&txtEmployer=&txtAmount=&txtAmountThru=&txtRcvDate=&txtRcvDateThru=&ddlOrderBy=Last+or+Only+Name+-+A+to+Z&ddlVendorLastOnlyName=Starts+with&txtVendorLastOnlyName=&ddlVendorFirstName=Starts+with&txtVendorFirstName=&ddlVendorAddress=Starts+with&txtVendorAddress=&ddlVendorCity=Starts+with&txtVendorCity=&ddlVendorState=&txtVendorZip=&txtVendorZipThru=&ddlPurpose=Starts+with&txtPurpose=
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:45 pm:
AA, thanks for making that point. I read about his pension fund backers the other day and my jaw dropped.
- just sayin' - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 12:46 pm:
Rauner is absolutely right re weak leaders need ousting. Rauner might very well make the best gov the gop could hope for. The guy is not a wimp that’s for sure.
Unfortunately for Rauner his past help of Rahm Emanuel will be a killer in a gop primary. Just imagine how his opponents will exploit that amongst the rubes. The whole wage war on Chicago schtick again.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 1:18 pm:
Thank you.
- L.S. - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 2:02 pm:
Ron Gidwitz, Blair Hull….yawn. How many times do we have to see that success in business rarely translates to being able to garner popular support. If Romney continues to tank it might single the end of the Billionare turned Pol for a while.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 2:10 pm:
===it might single the end of the Billionare turned Pol for a while===
Nah. The kabillionaires will keep floating their names because they are obviously so smart.
The only millionaire who did well was Peter Fitzgerald. But he had the sense - and the humility - to run for the Illinois state Senate first. No way would people like Rauner lower themselves to that level.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 2:31 pm:
Get set to watch Bruce Rauner join the long list of rich Illinois men who run for governor/senator and lose to the people who live & breathe professional politics.
I just love how people who make it big in the business think that somehow people will vote for them based on that fact (and their willingness to spend ungodly amounts of their own money on advertising).
- Rod - Tuesday, Oct 2, 12 @ 3:08 pm:
Mr. Rauner is now on the radar screen of the media and he is good for a hot quote. There is however nothing endearing about his persona and he has far less of a chance to get elected than even Oberweis, at least he sold ice cream - people at least like ice cream.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 7:20 am:
It seems Rauner creates the biggest problems for Schock, who is demanding a coronation.
Also, Dillard, who has a pretty weak case to make for his administrative experience.