And off we go…
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the twitters…
* From the RGA…
Republican Governors Association Chairman Chris Christie issued the following statement regarding the outcome of tonight’s Illinois gubernatorial primary election:
“It’s time to leave behind the days of high unemployment and job losses, skyrocketing taxes, unaccountable spending and failing schools that have blighted the last five years in Illinois under Pat Quinn. Illinois is ready for a real leader: someone who can’t be bought or intimidated. Illinois is ready for a governor who is willing to solve the toughest of problems, not avoid them; for a governor who works to foster economic growth, not stifle it; for a governor who can balance a budget without saddling the taxpayers time and time again; for a governor who refuses to endure the persistent failure of government that has racked Illinois for years.”
“Illinois is ready for Bruce Rauner. He is focused, willing and prepared to do what it takes to bring back Illinois. The Republican Governors Association congratulates Bruce Rauner on his victory tonight and proudly supports his campaign to defeat Governor Quinn.”
Past success elsewhere means the RGA is playing defense a lot this year. They want badly to go on offense, and Illinois is the spot. Plus, taking away a governor’s job in President Obama’s home state would be icing on the cake.
* Also, follow that link in Kurt’s tweet and you’ll see an $18k in-kind contribution from billionaire Ken Griffin. The guy loaned Rauner his private plane.
…Adding… I don’t know if this is the same plane, but this is from a 2009 Bloomberg profile of Griffin…
He spent $80 million on a Jasper Johns painting, donated $19 million for a new wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, married French-born hedge fund manager Anne Dias in the garden of the Palace of Versailles near Paris and bought a Bombardier Global Express private jet — worth about $50 million today, according to the aircraft maker — which he had outfitted with a crib for his 2-year-old son.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
–“It’s time to leave behind the days of high unemployment and job losses, skyrocketing taxes, unaccountable spending and failing schools…–
Chris Christie said that? Did he resign?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
Its always nice to see the GOP hopeful every two years, the day after their primary.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:54 pm:
“It’s time to leave behind your car, the bus and taxi, and walk to the nearest off ramp. Illinois is ready to move forward without the burden of traffic jams and lane closures to the open road tolling that Bruce Rauner can deliver.”
There. That’s better.
- Upon Further Review - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:54 pm:
Mere chump change for Farmer Bruce.
At Rauner’s primary election rate of expenditure, $750K will only purchase 17,454 votes.
- Hans Sanity - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:55 pm:
How many times has Rauner said Mitch Daniels is his role model? It’s so nice to watch that surplus collect interest.
Take a trip to NW Indiana.
See what they think about Mitch & the surplus in Hammond, Gary, East Chicago, and just about anywhere north of Crown Point.
- PoolGuy - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:57 pm:
private plane? wow Bruce doesn’t fly coach to stay in cheap motels?
the .01% and their private jets. so nice.
- Hans Sanity - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 1:57 pm:
Yes, I know Pence has the tight fist now.
- Empty Chair - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
I bet we’ll be seeing “Use of Personally Owned Aircraft” in literature or a TV ad in the near future.
- Walker - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
New Jersey has one of the worst records in the US on those metrics listed in the statement above. On the numbers: worse than Illinois economically, and measurably worse with political corruption.
Christies’ response: “I didn’t write that statement, and I don’t know who did.”
- so... - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:13 pm:
==private plane? wow Bruce doesn’t fly coach to stay in cheap motels?
the .01% and their private jets. so nice.==
Yes, I much prefer Pat Quinn, that tribune of the people, who flies on the private state plan.
But, then again, that’s the difference in this race. Bruce Rauner spends HIS money (and, admittedly, his supporters’), Pat Quinn spends YOUR money.
- Toure's Latte - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
Quinn=State continues to drown in problems.
Rauner=Helpfully supplies concrete water wings.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
Three reasons Rauner may beat Quinn in November -
Ryan
Blagojevich
Quinn
Rauner doesn’t scare me because he’s rich. He would scare me if he has a record of felonies as long as our former Democratic governors since the 1960s.
- Timmeh - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:27 pm:
==Illinois is ready for a real leader: someone who can’t be bought or intimidated.==
Rauner seems pretty intimidated about the power of unions, given that he did a complete 180 when they nearly knocked him out.
- NotYetRetired - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:28 pm:
“Illinois is ready for a real leader: someone who can’t be bought or intimidated…”
I guess Christie is right about one thing - Rauner can’t be bought. It is because he is the one doing the buying and intimidating.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:29 pm:
Grif’s plane must be a crop-duster compared to John Buck’s party bus.
So far, Rauner has reported $75,000 in in-kind contributions from Buck for use of his bus.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Buck’s bus going up and down Michigan Avenue checking on his properties, but it must be a honey.
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/ContributionsSearchByAllContributions.aspx?ddlContributionType=All+Types&ddlLastOnlyNameSearchType=Starts+with&txtLastOnlyName=buck&ddlFirstNameSearchType=Starts+with&txtFirstName=john&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=&pageindex=0
- Samurai - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:35 pm:
==March to Victory” event today, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at 11:30 AM, at the Union League Club in Chicago?==
To the shock of Union League members, a
food fight erupted at the GOP unity luncheon.
- PoolGuy - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
private state plane? hardly. if/when Brucey is Gov he will also use the “state plane”.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
It’s so amusing how Grif’s and Rauner’s wealth appears to really bother some people but the Pritzker’s somehow doesn’t ever seem to.
- Jack - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:56 pm:
All the Republican candidates in suits but Rauner is wearing a carhart jacket like his a blue collar stiff out for the working man. What a phony.
- Anon - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:06 pm:
Some would consider that a major contribution. To Rauner it’s a rounding error.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:17 pm:
Sometime around October 2014, Hillary will come to Chicago with Bubba and announce she’s running for president. She and Bubba will endorse Gov. Quinn and campaign for him……
Wha? Sorry, I’m tired from last night and nodded off.
- concern1 - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:28 pm:
Can we close down lakeshore drive down to one lane for a few days?
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:34 pm:
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
Three reasons Rauner may beat Quinn in November -
Ryan
Blagojevich
Quinn
Rauner doesn’t scare me because he’s rich. He would scare me if he has a record of felonies as long as our former Democratic governors since the 1960s.
Ryan ran as a Republican. Maybe you can complain about “the combine” (ala Kass), but he beat a damn good Democrat to take the office and was a lifetime R. Corrupted before he was in the governor’s office, but still corrupt.
Richard B. Ogilvie (also a Republican) also spent some time on jail, but for crimes after he left office (just like his successor in office, Dan Walker).
In other words- if you are a citizen of this fine state, you have a rich history of governors who think their actions are above the law…
- railrat - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
and in closing Chairman Christie lamented Chicago is ready for a Mayor like Toronto’s Ford !!
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
–Richard B. Ogilvie (also a Republican) also spent some time on jail, but for crimes after he left office–
Say whhhhhaaaaaattttt?
- Normalite - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:41 pm:
750K is not going to make up for the lack of ground game and the County by County network needed to win statewide. It also won’t make up for the sleeping giant of the labor union, that seems to choose state leaders at will. The only chance he has is national folks importing a winning infrastructure from the Beltway. Even then his support is a mile wide and an inch deep.
- OurMagician - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:42 pm:
-Richard B. Ogilvie (also a Republican) also spent some time on jail, but for crimes after he left office–
He spent time in jail visiting Otto Kerner?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:46 pm:
Just so no one gets the wrong idea, Ogilvie did not go to prison.
I don’t recall any whiff of scandal around him, except he had Dick Cain on the payroll at the county.
I don’t know where that came from, Roadie.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 3:53 pm:
Quinn v. Rauner. The contrast couldn’t be greater, to Quinn’s advantage. Rauner’s going to end up being a witless foil for Quinn, and all of his money won’t change the outcome. Yor read it here first: Unions stay home, and Quinn still wins.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 4:03 pm:
==Yes, I much prefer Pat Quinn, that tribune of the people, who flies on the private state plan.==
How else would you suggest he travel? Dope.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 4:03 pm:
==Bruce Rauner spends HIS money==
And I suppose you think he’s going to run the state with HIS own money. Dope again.
- champaigndweller - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 4:50 pm:
We’ve tried everything else before–Republicans, Democrats, insiders, career politicians and haven’t seen much improvement–I’m ready to try a rich guy who has no experience to see if he can do any better.
I doubt if he can do worse than what we’ve seen in the past.
- Oh Come On! - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 4:50 pm:
Richard B. Olgivie did not go to prison. George H. Ryan is the only Republican governor to serve time.
Governors Small and Stratton were put on trial (Stratton was out of office), but neither was convicted. Many think that Small’s trial was fixed.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 4:55 pm:
===. Many think that Small’s trial was fixed. ===
Um, yeah. Evidence magically disappeared, and then so did a witness. Small was the pardoning governor. He pardoned one couple before they were even put on trial for running a gambling joint. He pardoned a mobster who shot a state trooper.
He was something, that guy. Very good buddies with Capone.
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 5:19 pm:
Sorry- my bad- I did mean Kerner but got him mixed up with Olgesby. Both were before my time but I should have known better.
Post comment, insert foot
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 5:20 pm:
If only there was a place where a person could look up facts before opening their mouth (figuratively). Then they wouldn’t make stupid posts here.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 5:34 pm:
I learned that not one thing was learned last night with the numbers Rauner got, and how Illinois voters are not lke other state’s voters.
A Shame.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 6:20 pm:
Roadie, Illinois had a Gov. Richard Ogilvie and a Gov. Richard Oglesby. How weird is that?
Oglesby was an original Republican, Civil War general and three-time governor. He was also in the room across the street from Ford’s Theater when Lincoln died.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 6:38 pm:
Legend has it that Richard Oglesby was in a party during the Mexican-American War that almost captured Santa Ana.
In his escape, Santa Ana left his wooden leg behind and Oglesby and other soliders used it as a bat to play baseball.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 7:51 pm:
That was the main wooden leg bat in the Cubs arsenal for decades.
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 8:38 pm:
Interesting- thanks for the history Word ! And what are the odds to have two governors over the years with names that unusual but similar?
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 8:43 pm:
One more thing- the “original” Richard Ogelsby’s mansion is just a few blocks from my home in the historic near west end of town
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 9:09 pm:
So are you saying that Governor Ogilvie was sent to prison for using Otto Kerner’s leg as a baseball bat?
Hey - I wrote that just like it was meant to be written.
All the former Democratic governors in my lifetime, ended up in prison.
Quinn makes it out alive - then he’d be the first former Democratic governor in my lifetime, who didn’t end up in jail.
I hope he makes it and doesn’t get in more hot water over his “grants” to his voter base in South Chicago to the tune of $54,000,000.
So hey, Democratic governors since the 1960s end up locked up. Nice, huh?
I didn’t make them break the law, so don’t threaten to sue me over Kerner, Walker and Blagojevich.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 10:19 pm:
Hey VMan,
If you’re old enough to remember Gov. Kerner, you’re old enough to remember Gov. Sam Shapiro. He never went to prison.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 11:11 pm:
Sorry I’m not old enough to remember Kerner or Shapiro. While these guys may have been governor in my lifetime, I certainly don’t remember them. The first governors I remember hearing about were Ogilvy and Walker. I remember Walker walking the length of Illinois.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 19, 14 @ 11:21 pm:
Walker was in the 70s, not 60s. Shapiro was after Kerner in the 60s.
So almost accurate, which is pretty good for you.
- Pantel - Tuesday, Mar 25, 14 @ 8:46 pm:
I every time spent my half an hour to read this webpage’s content everyday along with a cup of coffee.