This is gonna be a heck of a primary
Thursday, Aug 8, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn tied Bill Daley to his brother today when responding to criticism over Frank Zuccarelli’s appointment to the CTA board…
“People who are complaining about Frank Zuccarelli, they should look at their own family,” Mr. Quinn said. “The campaign manager of our former mayor was appointed to the CTA board, right after the campaign was over.”
His reference was to former alderman and Chicago Housing Authority chief Terry Peterson, who indeed was made CTA chairman in 2009.
But that was about 2 1/2 years after Mr. Peterson managed Mr. Daley’s 2007 re-election campaign, and it came at a time when the CTA was facing lots of fare-hike turbulence and the job was not considered much of a plum.
Mr. Quinn also strongly defended Mr. Zuccarelli as “a man of the people” who faces no legal impediment to joining the CTA board.
“I’m not going to allow him to be a punching bag,” Mr. Quinn said. In fact, Mr. Zuccarelli is a military veteran who came back to dedicate his life to public service, deserves the pay he gets for running “the largest township in the state” and will provide needed representation to the south suburbs on the CTA board.
As I’ve told you before, the Daley name is one of the biggest polling and focus group negatives that Bill Daley faces in this primary, so we’re likely to hear much more of this from the governor.
- Sir Reel - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:02 pm:
Typical Quinn … I support the troops.
Also, exactly what does “a man of the people” mean? If that’s his big qualification for this job it’s pretty lame.
- Cassiopeia - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:09 pm:
Yeah he always talks about supporting the troops. Too bad his Veterans purchasing programs at CMS are phony. Announced 2 years ago and they haven’t bothered to track any veteran’s purchasing in any agency. It was just a press release.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:11 pm:
Who knew transit authority boards would become the big political issue of the Democratic primary? LOL,the idea that the Zuccarelli is anything more than a patronage pick is an insult to logic and reason. That doesn’t mean the pick isn’t smart politically, but Quinn the Reformer is a cut of the same old political cloth. There will be a lot of nose holding going into the voting booth.
- Daley double - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:14 pm:
Quinn’s observation on Daley’s hypocrisy on this is spot on.
Can’t see Quinn tiring of pointing Such out throughout the campaign.
- Skeeter - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:15 pm:
If these guys are going to go down that path — and it is pretty clear they are — it sure seems like an opening for Kwame.
Kwame just doesn’t have the negatives that those two do. What do you hit him with? Kwame could come in, let those two whack each other, and come out with the nomination.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:24 pm:
Daley should be looking for a proxy to be his attack dog. Just sayin’
- siriusly - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:30 pm:
DuPage Dan is right, Daley needs to worry about beefing up his own bona fides. Find someone else to hatchet Quinn, like maybe someone from Chicago.
- Dry Blanket - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:39 pm:
Wait, wait, wait — are you all telling me that, when called on his own conduct, Pat Quinn would selflessly come to the aid of poor little Don Segretti?
Next thing you know, we’ll get a lecture on how Lincoln appointed Herndon to the Canal Authority.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:39 pm:
Cassie, Pat Quinn has done more to support veterans than any Governor in Illinois history. You can fault the Governor for whatever you like, but attempting to smear his record on veterans shows what a petty person you are.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 3:59 pm:
Yeehawww!!!! With his weird attacks on insiders and business as usual, Daley’s sure asking for it. I believe they call that “leading with your jaw” and Daley’s got a glass jaw. Fun fun fun campers.
- Rahm'sMiddleFinger - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:04 pm:
Skeet-
If I’m Quinn, I hit Kwame for negotiating the conceal carry bill. I don’t carry that he didn’t vote for the final bill. I run ads on African American radio, send mailers to AA households, and make robocalls. He won’t have enough money to defend himself and you don’t even have to go up on TV to do it.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:09 pm:
==Too bad his Veterans purchasing programs at CMS are phony. ==
Probably because you can only have goals and not quotas. Try and navigate the state purchasing system sometime. It ain’t pretty.
- Northsider - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:25 pm:
There’s so much more Quinn can use. Didn’t even need to bring up the Vanecko CTA Pension Fund management story. Daley shouldn’t be using this strategy.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:31 pm:
So begins the “I’m still holier than thou, no matter what I do.” campaign.
- Oneman - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:33 pm:
Really, the vet thing? Governor there are a host of people in Thornton Township who are not drawing checks from the township and the community college board who are vets who could fill this role.
- b - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 4:51 pm:
“this is gonna be a heck of a primary.” Yeah, in both parties. Going to be wild.
- Just Observing - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 5:00 pm:
1. So Bill Daley is responsible for the actions of his brother?
2. Terry Peterson, I don’t believe, was a local elected official, which is what part of this controversy is about.
3. Is Quinn really defending the super high salary Zucarrelli derives from the Township? Most Township officials in the state make nothing or next to nothing… Zucarrelli is pulling in six figures a year. Not to mention that township government is a redundant waste.
- Just Me - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 5:28 pm:
Quinn can release the application that Zuccarelli submitted on the Governor’s appointment website to show why he is qualified. I’m sure he went through that normal, public, process just like all of Quinn’s appointments.
- Just Me - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 5:39 pm:
I still want to know how many Ambassadorships President Obama gave to donors while Daley was the President’s Chief of Staff.
- Anon. - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 6:09 pm:
==deserves the pay he gets for running “the largest township in the state”==
So how does he have time to devote to the CTA?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 6:16 pm:
==So exactly where was Governor Pat Quinn during the Vietnam Conflict? Flat-footed? High blood presure? Canada? Can’t wait to hear Small Town Liberal’s explanation.==
He was in high school and college.
- ZC - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 6:44 pm:
Re Quinn and veterans …
If you don’t know the “Quinn and funerals” angle, I recommend you read up here before venturing into these waters, via our own Rich Miller: http://www.thezephyr.com/miller/rmiller081805.htm
Maybe not the best way to attack Quinn.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:03 pm:
You will seldom hear praise of Pat Quinn from AA. However, I greatly appreciate his efforts for our veterans. Besides attending the funerals, the vets’ homes have been kept open and PQ also quietly writes Illinois troops deployed abroad.
As far as the procurement, Demo nailed the problem.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:14 pm:
–With his weird attacks on insiders and business as usual, Daley’s sure asking for it. I believe they call that “leading with your jaw” and Daley’s got a glass jaw.–
I agree with CC. Farmer Bruce can fake the outsider bit for a while because he’s largely unknown.
But how in the world can you try that as a “Daley?” It’s not possible. The family business has been ultimate-insider politics since the 1950s.
Add to that Bill Daley’s lucrative revolving door career between appointed government posts and corner offices at SBC, Mayer Brown, JP Morgan, Amalgamated Banks — an outsider he ain’t.
Oh, and the Fannie Mae board appointment. Fannie and Freddie are the Lombardi Trophy and Stanley Cup for insiders — huge payday at a government-chartered institution for doing a whole lot of nothing. Rahm got a Freddie.
- Rolo Tomassi II - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:15 pm:
Joe McCarthy is alive and well. Before this is over Bill Daley will be responsible for his father’s “shoot to kill” order in 1968.
- Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:17 pm:
Overall, a shrewd reply by Pat Quinn. My God, the DAleys, of ALL people, should talk about throwing their Clout around in such matters–what a joke…!
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:24 pm:
–Joe McCarthy is alive and well. Before this is over Bill Daley will be responsible for his father’s “shoot to kill” order in 1968.–
Where do you see McCarthyism?
Bill Daley was hard-wired to his brother’s political organization.
And if I remember my “Boss,” didn’t Richard J. tell reporters to kiss his tukkus when they called him on directing government-connected insurance and law business to his four sons — including Bill?
“What kind of world is it where a father can’t help the son….” or something like that?
- Rolo Tomassi II - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:40 pm:
Word- I don’t know about being “hard wired ” into RMD’ campaigns. I was not in the room. I do know this , you can wait forever if anyone thinks Bill Daley will ever turn on any member of his family
- Fayette County Democrat - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:46 pm:
I hope another candidate jumps into this primary. If the choice is only these two then I am truly undecided. Please Kwame, run so I feel like I am voting for someone and not picking between bad and worse.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 8:52 pm:
–I do know this , you can wait forever if anyone thinks Bill Daley will ever turn on any member of his family–
Did anyone suggest that he should? It’s just not credible for him to portray himself as an outsider.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 9:01 pm:
Laurper, if you don’t know the Governor’s record with veterans, you’re too ignorant to argue with.
- low level bureaucrat - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 9:10 pm:
PC - “a lot of nose holding going into the voting booth”. Well said and so true. The campaign will be about as inspiring as watching paint dry.
Wordslinger- I didn’t realize William had a Fannie Mae appointment to add to his plethora of super insider “jobs”. As for William turning on the family, how the heck could he? There are so many of them with so many nice appointments/jobs if he turned his back on one he’d just be facing another one!!!
- Rolo Tomassi II - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 10:44 pm:
Let me put it this way. As an AFSCME retiree I know where Bill Daley stands on SB 1 (he supports it). As you all know that this not Labor’s bill. I personally respect candidates who tell you up front where they stand. In this game your word used to be your bond. AFSCME donated 500+K t o PQ in 2010. Conclude from that what you will.
- Rollo Tomasi - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 11:05 pm:
Based upon the last two weeks can I vote “none of the above?”
- Rolo Tomassi II - Thursday, Aug 8, 13 @ 11:19 pm:
Uncle Rolo that is a strong possibility. Good to hear from you again.
- A Modest Proposal - Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:40 am:
@ Rollo -
In Illinois you cannot vote none of the above, but in Nevada None of the Above Candidates is an option.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/None_of_the_above
- Soccermom - Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 8:41 am:
Just Me —
The answer to how many ambassadorships Obama gave to donors is “lots.” Here’s why:
“While ambassadors currently earn a maximum base salary of $179,700, and housing is provided with the job, in some capitals they can expect to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on entertaining. So those who can “self-finance” have a competitive edge.”
Here’s one of my favorites: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-evangeline-bruce-1525799.html
- Anonymour - Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 9:12 am:
As I noted the other day, court testimony said that Bill Daley was in the room with Tim Degnan and others as HDO was being formed. Bill was long described as the political brains of the family, who ran his brother’s campaigns and was his chief advisor. http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/16/news/mn-41652
Bill just can’t credibly deliver the message that he’s against clout.
- low level - Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 9:36 am:
If you think Obama was the first US Pres to give ambassadorships to big donors, you really need to study the issue more.
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 9:39 am:
Complaints about presidents giving ambassadorships to donors is similar to complaints about presidents playing golf or going on vacation — it’s the realm of the hopelessly hyper-partisan and is as old as the hills.