* Now we know why Bill Daley traveled to Springfield on a hot news day. Yeah, he wanted to get himself into the stories, but I think mainly he wanted to bury a position change…

Days after Bill Daley proposed strict campaign fundraising guidelines and promised to limit his own donations while a gubernatorial candidate, the former White House chief of staff reversed his stance Tuesday and said he would take in money this year while lawmakers are in session.

The Chicago Democrat rolled out his proposal to limit political fundraising last week, after he’d announced about $800,000 in political fundraising during the initial weeks since forming his 2014 exploratory committee.

Playing up Illinois’ dark history of political corruption, he called for reforms. He said once elected governor, he’d move to ban political contributions during the time that lawmakers meet in Springfield. That would apply to state lawmakers, statewide officeholders and candidates seeking those offices.

Then he vowed to extend that principle to himself this year, saying he would not take any political donations while lawmakers meet in Springfield — including sessions in July and later this fall.

But Daley pulled back from that idea Tuesday while addressing reporters outside the Illinois Capitol, where lawmakers were gathered inside. He explained the discrepancy by saying he was “correcting” his statements and that he wasn’t elected yet.

“I have no power to affect anything,” he said, adding that refusing to take donations on those days would “be just political grandstanding.”

I don’t disagree with this. Glenn Poshard killed his campaign by imposing his own campaign contribution caps. Sheila Simon lost what was believed to be a sure thing Carbondale mayoral race by doing the same. Get elected, then change the system.

But, obviously, Daley should’ve figured that out before he rolled out his initial announcement the other day. Not a good sign.

* More coverage…

Former White House Chief of Staff William Daley criticized Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday for snubbing a hearing this week before a legislative panel the governor himself prescribed as the venue for solving the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis.

“It’s unfortunate the fiscal crisis, driven by the pension issue, doesn’t seem to be any further than it was the last time the Legislature was here,” Daley told reporters outside the Statehouse. “It’s unfortunate the governor didn’t meet with the conference [committee] members [Monday], have the opportunity to lay out exactly what he’s for, what the parameters of what he would accept [in a] deal.” […]

“He called for the conference [committee], and I don’t know what’s exactly happened in the last two-and-a-half weeks since the conference was created, how many times the governor has met with the members or other legislators to try to develop a plan and a solution to this crisis,” Daley continued. “But it’s unfortunate: It looks as though once again, there will be failure here today on the fiscal situation.”

* More…

Bill Daley, the former White House chief of staff and gun-control advocate who has launched a primary challenge to Quinn, slammed him for touting his proposed gun restrictions at high-profile community events rather than behind closed doors with lawmakers.

“I know he’s gone to churches and he’s prayed, but hope and praying are not a strategy,” Daley told reporters outside the Statehouse on Tuesday as the override vote loomed. “There wasn’t a concerted effort driven by the governor” to get the restrictions into the bill earlier.

“One would have to raise the question,” Daley added. “Was this a political statement or a real attempt to have a solution to a problem that plagues our state and nation?”

Quinn, in remarks to later to reporters, testily denied he’d been disengaged from the legislative process . “I spoke about this to members of the Legislature over and over again,” he said.

* Daley press conference audio in three parts…

Click to listen Part 1

Click to listen Part 2

Click to listen Part 3

Discuss.