Watch the bouncing ball
Wednesday, Dec 4, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller * State Sen. Kirk Dillard was on a Quincy radio station this morning. A quote…
…Said the guy who voted “No” on pension reform yesterday. Dillard, by the way, talked about another reason for voting against the bill yesterday. He’s concerned about how all those savings were going to be spent. * Dillard appeared on the show with his running mate, Rep. Jil Tracy, who voted for the pension reform bill yesterday. Go to the six-minute mark to watch her try to explain her difference of opinion with Dillard… * Rep. Tracy said she thought the bill was a “fair and reasonable solution.” More…
* The night before, Dillard spoke to a Quincy tea party meeting…
More…
* Dillard also spoke on today’s radio program about the Barack Obama campaign TV ad he appeared in…
Um, OK.
|
- Whatever - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:45 pm:
Does Dillard have a shred of credibility left???
- dave - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:49 pm:
** I believe that if I’m the nominee, Rev. James Meeks, the largest black Baptist pastor in the City of Chicago, a congregation of 20,000 people, will endorse me for governor.”**
Did he forget that Meeks has endorsed Rauner?
Its sad — Dillar used to be one of the statemen of the legislature. He was a reasonable and moderate legislator that people respected.
Too bad that Dillard doesn’t exist anymore.
- Raising Kane - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:55 pm:
OMG…I never thought it would get on TV? What did he think Axelrod was filming that for….did the big camera throw him off? He is so pathetic….I just can’t believe I ever liked him.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:55 pm:
–“He used a clip of mine and I never thought it would get on TV.”–
That’s just weird. What did he think the Obama campaign people were going to use the nice-nice clips he for? Home movies?
As far as his criticism of Brady, for the second day in a row, I’ll commend Brady for his guts. He’s stood up to the xenophobes in the GOP.
I imagine as someone in the homebuilding business, Sen. Brady recognizes the cynicism, hypocrisy and dishonesty of our immigration laws.
The fact is, like many U.S. industries, homebuilding is dependent on undocumented laborers from Mexico. You can add hospitality, tourism and agriculture to that, too.
- Confused - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:57 pm:
When did Bill Brady become the adult in the room?
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 2:59 pm:
Speaking of FarmerBrucey…he stumbled into Blagoof_AM and talked about a constitutional referendum to enact his 401K retirement plan. Funny stuff.We thought that Capt Fax told us after his loss on pension reform he was moving on to telling us how hiring Stu Levine was a stepping stone to improving the economy
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
===the largest black Baptist pastor in the City of Chicago===
I always thought James was a bit on the diminutive side. I’ve seen some large pastors. He isn’t one of them.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:00 pm:
I think Pat Quinn will lift a finger in response to Kirk Dillard.
- DuPage Rep - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:01 pm:
Who gave this guy the advice to appear with Jil Tracy the day after the pension vote and answer questions about why Dillard voted against a bill negotiated and agreed to by his running mate? STUPID!His explanation as for why he voted against it makes zero sense. He had no idea what was in the bill until the last minute??? Really? Did he call his running mate to find out the status of a months long negotiation?
- A guy... - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:03 pm:
===the largest black Baptist pastor in the City of Chicago===
Maybe Rev. Clay Evans remains uncommitted. Rev. Meeks doesn’t fit that description nearly as well.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:09 pm:
Kirk, we hardly knew ye.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:13 pm:
Dillard is literally in the dark in that interview.
Jil Tracy looks (and sounds) enlightened.
I can see why he picked her. In this clips she certainly seems gubernatorial … by comparrison.
- Done - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:13 pm:
Dillard’s goose was cooked weeks ago and now it’s getting more well-done. (Turkey/Thanksgiving pun intended). By the time the primary comes, he will have lost whatever little credibility he has now with all the crazy things he’ll be saying to even crazier Tea Party crowds. It’s a shame in some respects. Who would’ve thought even a year ago that he would sink so low?
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:17 pm:
That is so weird. I, too, believe that if I’m the nominee, Rev. James Meeks, the largest black Baptist pastor in the City of Chicago, a congregation of 20,000 people, will endorse me for governor.
No doubt.
- itsericwithaK - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:21 pm:
Meeks has not backed any candidate at this time. His ties with Rauner are nothing more than Mr. Pay-to-Play owning the land that the church is occupying and trying to expand on. Unless Rauner plans to hold the land hostage for their endorsement…or is that too Blagojevichian for the man who once employed Stu Levine for 25k a month?
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:30 pm:
Is this an endorsement? Kinda, I guess….
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/06/rev-james-meeks-endorses-rauner.html
- PoolGuy - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:31 pm:
he worries about what this is going to do to teachers that are already retired….
but right before that he said “I’ve always been in favor of very very very strong pension reform.” so you voted NO because you wanted to stick it to pensioners and teachers even harder than the bill you voted NO???
clueless….
- Downstate - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:42 pm:
Rich,
Think it’s time to pose your question again regarding a Republican candidate withdrawing and endorsing one of the others?
Dillard: So Dan, I’m thinking of pulling out and endorsing you.
Rutherford: Great! Thanks so much. But, how bout we keep the endorsement part on the shelf until mid-April.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:42 pm:
While I can’t think of any time I’ve ever agreed with Dillard, but I used to respect him because I knew what he stood for. Now all he seems to believe is that he really needs the far right to be elected. And that’s a shame.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:46 pm:
Even if Meeks endorsed Rauner… Dillard is saying that if he’s the nominee (meaning Rauner loses the primary) Meeks will endorse him. I’m not saying that Meeks will actually endorse him, just that is what Dillard contends.
- ??? - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:46 pm:
“A guy..” - you’re making me laugh out loud today.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:50 pm:
–Speaking of FarmerBrucey…he stumbled into Blagoof_AM and talked about a constitutional referendum to enact his 401K retirement plan. –
LOL, CFS, how many constitutional and advisory referendums does this guy have lined up? California, here we come….
Do you mean the General Assembly could not have tossed contracts and pensions and decreed 401K plans yesterday? I thought Farmer Bruce and Kass have been saying they could. Maybe I don’t understand the language.
You’re not suggesting they’re cynical and/or ignorant as to the Constitution, are you?
To hear them tell it, tossing out the state and national constitutions to unilaterally abrogate contracts so they can weasel out of paying back borrowed money is a virtue.
A holy, red, white and blue “conservative” virtue.
I feel sorry for those younger than me who might not understand how the concept of “conservative” has been perverted in this country by the cheap hustlers and the ignorami.
If you can’t fulfill your contract, you renegotiate. Happens all the time among people of good faith. I learned that on Main Street and the farm. You don’t stiff or impose new terms.
Walking away from a contract doesn’t make you a conservative, it makes you a punk.
For all you young ballplayers out there, you don’t have to be a phony or an idiot to be a conservative.
- Endangered Moderate Species - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:50 pm:
What is his definition of “Real People”? He used this phrase several times in each interview.
In the interview, Jill Tracy seems to be real and genuine. Dillard seems uncomfortable.
If he wants to go around the State and see “real people”, he needs to leave the tea party circuit and join the circuit that includes visiting volunteers of the PTA, Local Food Banks, Church Missions, Rotary, Kiwanis, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA , etc. He may even find some real people at the local watering hole.
- Under Influenced - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 3:53 pm:
LARRRRD….go take out the trash.
Lard claims to be a “rank-and-file legislator”, but at what year, in an almost 20 year career in the Senate, do you stop talking like you are a “Springfield outsider”?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:03 pm:
I have no clue what to say.
It’s almost as though some really good people gave him some great advice, and just on his own, Sen. Krik Dillard, decided to not only ignore all of it, but to do the exact opposite of what was being told.
Own the video - pretend you didn’t know it would air
Build a field organization - rally the zealots
Find a base near right-center - find a base center of far right
With that logic, I am sure Jil Tracy, his best campaign move since … ever was …
Find a minority woman, with no experience, limited government skill who can’t overshadow you - Jil tracy
At what point does - Cincinnatus - look at this and say, “Why have you forsaken me, Kirk?”
Sometimes you bounce back from a defeat that is crushing, and sometimes a defeat will just crush you to your soul.
Yeah, that was rhetorical, and sad to type.
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:04 pm:
Mr. /Ms. Wordslinger:
We just doing some folo up reporting after the pension loss. FarmerBrucey continues to demonstrate how little he actually knows about IL government and the low information broadcasters and listeners fail to correct him.
It is just too much fun
- James the Intolerant - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:04 pm:
Maybe we can use the savings to pay bills?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:09 pm:
@FakeJasonPlummer - Rich Miller posted that he had seen bigger black ministers, and all these people laughed. I read it twice and had Dad read it. Dad laughed too. #WhyDoesStuffHaveTwoMeaningsAnyway
- MrJM - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:09 pm:
To call Dillard’s campaign “floundering” would be an unfair insult to demersal flatfish.
– MrJM
- itsericwithaK - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:13 pm:
I still think Dillard can pull it off. With Rauners millions and out of touch Carhart vests, Brady’s inability to beat Quinn in 2010 and Rutherfords lack of message, Dillard seems to be the only one worthy to take on Quinn. The pension bill is going to have a tough battle in the courts. So before we hate on Dillard for voting no lets see what the court has to say about the bill.
- low level - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:16 pm:
So, not only has he totally sold out to the tea crazies, he now is completely delusional. Meeks will not be endorsing him.
- Dan Bureaucrat - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:18 pm:
I am laughing/crying audibly at both this post and Oswego Willy’s comments. Kirk Dillard’s reaction to professional advice should be a new OW feature.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:21 pm:
- itsericwithaK -,
If you could, email that to the Dillard/Tracy campaign. Otherwise, wishing away realities like a lack of Cash, losing longtime supporters for insane positions he, himself 10 years ago, would never have taken, and destroying a solid career based on “I didn’t think …” is not how you get through a Primary … and not how you get to a General against an incumbent governor with a legislative win.
To - wordslinger -,
Yeah, this “conservative” word hijacking has made me disappointed that others seem to feel its ok to redefine the word, and the messengers, who made the word resonable and sound politics.
Example? Kirk Dillard(?)
- 4 percent - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:26 pm:
It’s a very sad end to what had been a decent tenure in the General Assembly where he used to be widely respected by both parties, staff, media, and lobbyists.
Kirk Dillard is a shell of himself. It’s extremely disappointing.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:33 pm:
Or — per OW’s comments — maybe Dillard isn’t getting any GOOD advice. He seems to be surrounded by a lot of retreads.
- too obvious - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:43 pm:
BTW Kirk Dillard is simply lying about his Obama ad.
He taped a very glossy segment for that tv ad. All top quality professional, for one purpose. He even participated in an Obama campaign conference call for reporters to introduce the roll-out.
Dillard is apparently so old school he doesn’t realize there’s a thing called Google now.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:46 pm:
OWilly: I feel your pain. At the start he was at the top on my list. Now I’m trying to find him.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:56 pm:
Sorry to quote Hawk Harrelson to all the Cubs and Card fans on this site, but….He gone.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 4:58 pm:
And Walkinfool, he started out on the top of my list that only had two names on it back then. The overall ineptness of this campaign is so hard to fathom.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 5:04 pm:
Some Housekeeping …
I don’t think I could make the “Dillard Advice” bit funny because every time I think about it, it makes me sad.
If Jim Edgar is a retread on advice how to win, and Jim Thompson is a retread on how to run, I like those tires. Advice is only as good as itds given… and taken.
Those feeling my pain, I still don’t have anything to add to make any of us feel any better. It is good to know we are all at least smart enough to recognize this Kirk Dillard from the Kirk Dilard we once knew is not the same.
Yea us.
To - CFS -,
FarmerBrucie and Kass. Every time I think that they are together I think of all the times Kass called politicians out on integrity, and look where Kass sits, and what he says, over the radio… with a guy he would have railed on for days and days in columns. Pathetic, actually, but fabulous radio!
- Almost the weekend - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 9:34 pm:
Dillard said he locked himself in his office to read the entire pension bill.
Maybe he should lock himself in his office until the primary is over.
- K3 - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 9:35 pm:
To see Dillard acting like this is sad. Guess there are no true statesmen left
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 10:29 pm:
Has anyone asked Dillard: So if you were governor, does this mean you would veto the pension bill, and would veto anything that was passed quickly and had constitutional questions?
- mokenavince - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 10:39 pm:
Dillard you open your mouth insert your foot. Still a member of the party of NO.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 10:41 pm:
I knew the dude back the day, first when he worked for Big Jim, then Edgar.
Used to be Sen. Lugar was a model GOP statesman. Now I guess it’s Mourdock and Akin.
Times change.
I don’t.
I got dues to pay, daddio.
No snark here, Dillard, but you need to lose some weight.
I’m no health nut, by any means, but I’m not carrying 100 pounds of fat around my belt, either.
One hundred pounds, at least, is deadly. You have babies you have to take care of. Get square.
C’mon, man. Get real. Your babies are worth more than any of this other ego-tripping junk. They need their daddy for a long time.
And you ain’t committing to a long time.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Dec 4, 13 @ 10:42 pm:
What a gutless worm.
I don’t know how else you describe him after this baloney he’s feeding people about not knowing the Obama campaign would use the clip of him.
It’s not like he only recorded the video. He was happy to lap up as much national media attention as he could back then giving favorable quotes about Obama and his bipartisan credentials to national reporters constantly throughout the primaries.
I remember them because I used them to help convince my Republican dad to vote for Obama in ‘08.
Man if you would have told me a year ago that a couple months before the primary I’d be looking at Bill Brady as something of a bipartisan statesman, and Kirk Dillard as a phony right-wing wackjob…
- BoBo - Thursday, Dec 5, 13 @ 12:13 am:
“What a gutless worm.”
If you start hearing and reading phrases like that fairly regularly, it might be time to reconsider your viability.
- Jimbo - Thursday, Dec 5, 13 @ 8:14 am:
So his bigoted anti-marriage-equality show was a hail Mary to get black votes… Hate to tell him, but it probably won’t work out that well.
- silky - Thursday, Dec 5, 13 @ 8:55 am:
He should drop out now. He has no credibility.
- Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner - Thursday, Dec 5, 13 @ 9:42 am:
I have never seen a candidate try to curry favor with such a hodgepodge of constituencies in such a lurching, chaotic way. Nor have I ever seen a reasonably respected politician destroy his brand so quickly.