75 Comments - I'm New Here - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 10:56 am: Better than some of the other videos we’ve seen from Quinn. Gotta give the campaign’s tracker some credit for getting the great footage of Rauner. - Ron Burgundy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:00 am: Indeed. Good work putting that together. Seems like a variant on the “What is she thinking?” thing used on JBT, where this time it’s not just a rhetorical question. - Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:01 am: My impression when I heard the tape of the presser on Pearson’s radio show last Sunday was a combination of admiration for the discipline to stay on message with a cringing of how he is dismissive toward very legitimate questions. Good use of the video. However web isn’t enough. . .needs to spend for some points. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:02 am: “B-, C+” Part of a bigger narrative, but on its own, just above the “Gentleman’s ‘C’…” - Lt. Guv - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:02 am: Oops. That last anonymous post was me. - 47th Ward - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:02 am: Meh. It’s low-hanging fruit. The only people who watch web ads are already supporters. The analogies are pretty lame too. The Declaration of Independence and a Kardasian marriage? Who writes that stuff? Commenters here could do much better if they want to farm it out to us next time. - Walker - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:03 am: Fun, clever, to the point. Attacks Rauner’s image of being a hard-nosed business leader. Won’t mean a hill of beans. Only insiders really care about detailed plans. - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:11 am: I don’t like upbeat music in a negative ad. C - downstate hack - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:13 am: A Grade of C- at best. Nothing definitive, and it’s hard to take Quinn seriously on this issue given the budget nonsense of this current legislative session. - tberry - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:16 am: This whole budget mess is about pensions for government employees…the average Illinois taxpayer will have to retire on social security at age 66, unlike government employees who can retire at age 55 on a gold plated pension that is some non-trivial multiple of the average social security check. My point is that the average middle class taxpayer doesn’t care what Rauner cuts as long as it isn’t necessary to extend the promised “temporary” tax increase. Then the average taxpayer might be able to save enough for his own retirement. Where is it written that government employees are entitled to retire on a gold plated pension and taxpayers without a pension have to pay for it? - hanging chad - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:19 am: Wake up Illinois voters! You’ve been hoodwinked by Brucey and his million$!!! - Arizona Bob - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:20 am: I’m in Illinois for most of the summer, and I was thinking of doing some “GOTV” and door knocking work for Rauner while I’m in town, but after his support of taxpayer funded abortion on demand and his staff’s lack of information on what he really wants to do when elected, or even identifying what he believes are the root causes of the problems he hopes to address, I’m not going to spend my time walking for the guy or contributing to him. The talking points his people are handing out on walker sheets are pretty weak and indefensible. There are a lot of GOP candidates that deserve our time and resources much more than him. NOT Cross, obviously! Were I still an Illinois citizen, I’d probably hold my nose and vote for him, but there’s little other than a driving desire to get rid of Quinn’s corruption and incompetence to motivate his troops. Arizona is such a breath of political fresh air. The debate there, amongst both Dems and GOP, is what to do about a projected deficit in 2017, and how to get the reasonable and affordable public pension funds up from being ONLY 70-80% funded. Yeah, they DO think that far ahead outside of politically dysfunctional Illinois. - PublicServant - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:22 am: ===Where is it written that government employees are entitled to retire on a gold plated pension=== The Illinois and Federal Constitutions. Oh, and they’re far from gold-plated. You don’t get to change benefits after someone’s supplied, or started to apply the services. I’m telling you now. The courts will be telling you shortly. - Hit or Miss - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:28 am: It is good but not great. It points to a issue Rauner needs to address (his lack of addressing directly his solution to many of the issues). The music gives a softer edge to the message. I also like how Rauner ends with a laugh. - Chi - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:29 am: =Where is it written that government employees are entitled to retire on a gold plated pension and taxpayers without a pension have to pay for it?= The answer, in addition to Public Servant’s reply, is that taxpayers without a pension should work to get one, and people like you are standing in their way. Don’t tear down people with reasonable benefits; work to give reasonable benefits to everyone. - siriusly - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:35 am: C- Cute and I love that he is getting nailed for having nothing to say. But as a campaign ad I wonder what is the message? What will someone remember about Rauner if they see this three times? No message, no theme, no points behind it. Good for the blog and your readers, not so good for the Quinn Campaign. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:39 am: C Quinn should be trumpeting his own accomplishments and budget successes for the state. He has none worth advertising, so Quinn must resort to trying to make the “other guy” look even worse than he does himself. Alas, the jokes about astronauts and weddings only serve to remind us of what a joke this budget process has been. That’s on Quinn, not Rauner, and that single reminder alone hurts Quinn more than the entire commercial helps him. - Waffle Fries - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:44 am: I think its great, its funny in a ridiculous way. It will play well with the right demographic. - Jimbo - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:45 am: AZ Bob demonstrates Rauner’s problem. He thinks he can count on far right support by staying vague. Heck it almost worked for Bob. He was going to knock on doors for the guy even though he didn’t know a thing about him. And now lol, because he won’t provide any facts about himself, people are learning “facts” like he supports tax payer funded abortion. Bob, he doesn’t. No one does. Don’t let that stop you from hating the guy though. - Anon. - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:45 am: ==Where is it written that government employees are entitled to retire on a gold plated pension and taxpayers without a pension have to pay for it?== Who says government workers don’t have to pay for their pensions? They pay for them the same way every other worker “pays” for whatever they get from their employers — by doing the work. - Black Ivy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:48 am: I am not able to be objective in reviewing this ad. Governor Quinn’s antics are so transparent - I cannot take the class warefare nonsense seriously. I’ll have to pass on this one. - Adam Smith - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:49 am: AGAIN, pay no attention to the continuing debacle of Democratic rule in Springfield! Ignore the budget farce! Gloss over the tax increase efforts! The crime here is not serial incompetence. It is Rauner not providing a draft budget when Pat Quinn demands it. The ad production is a B-. The message is desperate and continues Quinn’s flailing attempts to change the subject any way he can. Why should Rauner present a detailed plan before he and his team have been able to analyze the damage the Dems are in the process of compounding down in Springfield? I wouldn’t present a detailed plan during session. The dynamic can change significantly in the last hour of session. - Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:49 am: It takes a completely wrong tack. Instead of emphasizing how much time has passed, the video should show clips of Rauner denouncing “career politicians” contrasted with his refusals to answer legitimate questions. Nobody really cares about the “time” issue. The Big Idea here is that Rauner has morphed into the very thing he criticizes. - Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:49 am: ==The Illinois and Federal Constitutions== Where exactly in the US Constitution does it say Illinois State employees are entitled to a cushy pension, or any pension? To the post, D+/C-. Nobody will care about this “issue” in the fall, and the only people caring about it now are wonks on here. - Will P - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:52 am: And the Quinn camp has a balanced budget proposal??? This is the pot, calling the kettle black, isn’t it. With that said, it is time for Rauner to start releasing some specifics. - PublicServant - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 11:57 am: ===Where exactly in the US Constitution does it say Illinois State employees are entitled to a cushy pension, or any pension?=== Let me connect the dots for you. Illinois Constitution says they’re a Contract…Federal Constitution, Article 1, Section 10 - read it. - wordslinger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:01 pm: –The analogies are pretty lame too. The Declaration of Independence and a Kardasian marriage? Who writes that stuff? – No kidding. And “Lost?” Mars? It’s like it was written by committee over a bong session in the dorm room. The “Duck Dodger” concept is a good one, but the execution is terrible. Should have just run Rauner’s “Guy Smiley” routine, over and over. - Keyser Soze - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:01 pm: Other than we policy wonks, does the general public actually pay attention to State budget numbers? The suspicion here is that the public is more concerned with its own pocket book issues, including taxes. Who said ‘…it’s the economy stupid?” - Amuzing Myself - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:07 pm: …and, BTW, Rauner could take the Quinn track from 2010, lie about taxes and pensions, then do the opposite of what you promised. Next campaign, you have the gall to slam the other guy for not having clear positions. LOL! Oh, Illinois! What a sad state… - Bill White - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:13 pm: @tberry == My point is that the average middle class taxpayer doesn’t care what Rauner cuts as long as it isn’t necessary to extend the promised “temporary” tax increase. == Prospectively, yes, this is right. But wait until those cuts actually occur and those same “average middle class taxpayers” will be looking for someone to tar and feather — especially those who live in suburban school districts facing (a) higher property taxes and/or (b) reduced programs and services. - VanillaMan - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:15 pm: “Tell me Governor, why we should reelect you?” We’ve been waiting the answer to that question far longer then the one you claim Rauner isn’t answering. The fact that you would rather make this an issue instead of telling us, IS probably the answer, isn’t it? - Rauner's x - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:19 pm: Billionair Bruce is laughing all the way to the bank! - Arizona Bob - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:23 pm: @jimbo =people are learning “facts” like he supports tax payer funded abortion. Bob, he doesn’t. No one does.= Actually, talk to the folks at Planned Parenthood who rely on government funding to keep their doors open. Technically, the government isn’t DIRECTLY funding abortion, but when you supposedly fund other “services” they provide, you’re enabling them to support their infrastructure that allows lower rates for abortion procedures. As far as “no one” supporting taxpayer funded abortions, talk to Pelosi, Durbin, Reid and Stoyer. They’d support it in a minute. - S Illinois - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:25 pm: FYI Mr Quinn. The fracking bill passed 365 days (and counting) ago and YOUR plan has been to stall the bill from being implemented. - Old and in the Way - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:32 pm: AZ Bob Arizona a breath of fresh air? You are indeed delusional. Seems to me I recall the AZ legislature trying to welch on pensions just as Illinois is trying to do. Only problem was the AZ Supreme Court smacked them down. BTW Bob both AZ and IL have the same constitutional guarantee. No, Bob take the blinders off. You have the same problems in AZ that we have in Il, lame legislators in both parties and taxpayers that want everything for free. - PublicServant - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:34 pm: === lame legislators in both parties and taxpayers that want everything for free === Preach! - Chicago Cynic - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:40 pm: It’s fine for what it is and I appreciate them at least taking the easy and deserved shot, but what’s with the crappy production values and really weak voice over? Still waiting for these guys to click it into gear. - Neglected stepchild - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:43 pm: It’s blindingly obvious Quinn has no accomplishments of which to brag, only failures to lament. - Just Observing - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:45 pm: The Mars and Declaration of Independence comparisons are fine, but the ad gets silly and tedious with the Kardashian and Lost comparisons. The first two make the point well enough. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:46 pm: This as a stand alone Ad is just above a Gentleman’s C, it’s this continuing narrative of Rauner, being a Raunerite, and not giving the voters anything that will destroy Carhartts or watches. That is this Quinn Ad, through the prism of mocking reporters, questions, and saying nothing to ruin the fake persona of “Shake up” or “Bring back” Raunerites don’t mind this stand alone “hit”, if this continues as a theme, then let’s see how effective the Ads, collectively, are. - wordslinger - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:46 pm: –The fact that you would rather make this an issue instead of telling us, IS probably the answer, isn’t it?– Wow, you’re really on to something. Or on something. There will be negative spots, and there will be positive spots. Just like every other campaign, ever. - Norseman - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:48 pm: Totally agree with Word, including the description of the writing session. Terrible analogies. Better do a lot better or Quinn’s toast. - phocion - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:54 pm: Godawful - F - CapnCrunch - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:55 pm: I think -FKA- @ 11:39 has it right. “Quinn should be trumpeting his own accomplishments and budget successes for the state. He has none worth advertising,……” One could say that Quinn is saying ‘I can’t fix the problem and he won’t tell me how.’ - Mason born - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:56 pm: Add is a b. I agree this is low hanging fruit. However it is time for some serious discussion from both on these issues. Quinn to his credit is being honest as for more taxes and hosing over employees and retired state workers. Rauner? Rauner? Rauner? - William j Kelly - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 12:59 pm: I guarantee the reporter who was so rude as to ask Bruce for his plan will never be comptroller! - VanillaMan - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:00 pm: Wow, you’re really on to something. Or on something. I am. You ought to try it. Are you sensitive to codeine when it is mixed with Glenfidditch? - Arizona Bob - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:05 pm: @Old and in the way =No, Bob take the blinders off. You have the same problems in AZ that we have in Il, lame legislators in both parties and taxpayers that want everything for free.= The big difference is, Old, in Arizona we DEALT with the problems without gimmicks, and are working in a non-partisan manner to run the government responsibly and effectively. That’s a BIG discriminator between Illinois and states like Arizona, and you have to be wearing those rosey glasses to suggest EITHER party in Illinois is serious about dealing with our budget, pension, and overpriced public educaton system. 70-80% pension funding in Arizona vs 30-40% in Illinois. Illinois is dominated by public union backed polticians, while Arizona is not. Seems the “anti-union” state is taking better care of its public workers pension obligations than the “union dominated” one, Old. How do you explain that? - Archiesmom - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:08 pm: I’ll be different. I love it. It hits one of Rauner’s main weaknesses, and is funny. I think you’ll be seeing a lot of web ads like this. - NoBody's Perfect - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:10 pm: A+ for the ad but remember the time the TRIBBIES rehearsing this confrontation is time not spent looking up the 400 companies ShakeyMitt Rauner ran. This week learned TransFirst a credit card processing got hacked and lost 8 million accounts while Bruce sat on the board. - Jake From Elwood - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:20 pm: D. Ineffective. Stating that it has taken six times longer than the Kardashian wedding actually serves to minimize the length of time involved. Bad tactic. Funny that the Quinn campaign references the “Lost” program as a unit of time measurement. Fitting in so many ways… - Sunshine - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:22 pm: There’s a long way to go. lots of problems will pop up for Quinn so Rauner isn’t particularly pressed to divulge his programs….yet. Quinn will need to find something positive, anything he can find, and focus on that. As for the ad, I’ll go with a C. - Formerpol - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:35 pm: Rauner would be crazy to release any detailed budget while the Legislature and Madigan and Quinn are still self-destructing in Springfield! Voters don’t care now. After Labor Day the swing voters start to pay attention. But budget details are not as important as CHANGE and TAXES, and I think Rauner will totally swamp Quinn on these issues. The irony is that when Rauner wins, Madigan will have to decide whether to bail him out by raising the income tax during the veto session. - Precinct Captain - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:36 pm: ==Why should Rauner present a detailed plan before he and his team have been able to analyze the damage the Dems are in the process of compounding down in Springfield?== Rauner has been running for over a year. Your line of thinking means the fiscal situation either started this year (Rauner needs to assess the damage in your words) or Rauner’s just a liar making promises he won’t keep. Considering that the state’s fiscal issues are structural, long-term issues, then Rauner’s lack of a plan indicates that not only is he a liar for promising plans and not coming out with them, but that he is an uncurious and stupid. ==Rauner could take the Quinn track from 2010== Run on the need for a tax increase? - Cassandra - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:38 pm: I’m not sure there is much point in coming out with a Rauner plan now that summer is practically here and most voters will stop paying much attention to political issues for a while. Maybe he should wait until the fall. The later the better at this point, less time to pick it apart. It’s a judgement call, I guess. This is where you need a David Axelrod on your campaign squad. - Walter Mitty - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 1:56 pm: C…. This week is anyone interested? They are in session not doing their jobs… It a twisted sense, if an undecided did see this, will it move them to Quinn? Or will it reinforce that the current Governor has no plans and has been in charge? Just doesn’t do much…Maybe if PQ was in it wearing a smoking jacket? The since the Farmer has a trademark on the name I can’t use for infringement…. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:00 pm: D. Can’t top word’s comments so I’ll just say that I agree. - Yipperdo - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:22 pm: Please fire your voice overs - jake - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:36 pm: I think it is a very good ad. Needs to be balanced by a positive ad pointing out some good things that have happened, and there are a few–unemployment is down since Quinn became Governor, pension payments are being made, and the backlog of unpaid bills has been reduced. Schools and roads may not be much better, but they are not worse. - Jimbo - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:42 pm: Bob, funding women’s health services isn’t funding abortions. Taxpayers buy planes from Gulfstream too. I wouldn’t say they are funding private jet ownership. Whatever. This isn’t the place for this argument. - Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:49 pm: == Schools and roads may not be much better, but they are not worse.== “It hasn’t gotten worse since I’ve been here” is a great strategy when the baseline for that measurement in the Blagohevich fiasco. That narrative’s a sure winner. ==One could say that Quinn is saying ‘I can’t fix the problem and he won’t tell me how.’== Bingo. Quite the leader we have in office right now… - Responsa - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:51 pm: As entertainment it kind of made me smile. As a political ad it’s pretty stupid and ineffective. But mostly I can’t wait till Kanye’s people contact them about using his new wife with her former husband as the set-up for a “joke”. C- - Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 2:53 pm: ==. I think you’ll be seeing a lot of web ads like this.== I’m guessing the Rauner campaign would love for Quinn’s camp to blow a ton of time and money on this. As had been said before, not many people are actually giving a thought to the issue, and the second Rauner releases his plan the whole argument will look dumb and pointless in the rear view. - Old and in the Way - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 3:31 pm: AZ Bob The only reason the legislature is dealing with it is because the Supreme Court made them! The AZ court had consistently ruled against the legislatures attempts to undermine pensions in AZ. BTW the balanced budget in AZ has been a sham for the last four years. It will finally be balanced again in 2015. Face it Bob both IL and AZ have a lot of problems in common besides your residence in both! - Tom Joad - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 3:55 pm: Not a vote changer. All Rauner has to do is come up with something he calls a budget next week and all that money spent on ads was for nothing. - Cheryl44 - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 4:01 pm: Except he won’t come up with a budget next week. His entire plan seems to be Vote for Me! I’m Wealthy! - Demoralized - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 4:55 pm: @Arizona Bob: Illinois ain’t Arizona. Enough with the dopey comparisons already. - A guy... - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 5:17 pm: This isn’t a very good ad. The production value is good, but the content and message are lacking. The comparisons are hopelessly ineffective to large swaths of people. How many would know what “Lost” was? How many know the Kardashians? How many can relate to how long it takes to get to Mars (or how?) or what the time was to write the Declaration of Independence. There’s just no common cohesion to it. For a negative ad, Rauner comes off looking likable if you just look at him or hear the musical bed. A talented production crew had some really poor concept and a less than adequate script to work with here. That’s the only thing that separates pass from fail. Just barely Pass. Rauner’s folks will hope they run this one. - Anonymous - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 6:06 pm: Not only is it a bad ad, it’s factually inaccurate re the Declaration of Independence. The writing, editing, etc. was a collaborative effort, involving negotiation among many different people that resulted in a satisfactory product…or, you know, the exact opposite result of the State Democrats budget process. - Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 9:19 pm: The Ad makes its’ point–loud and clear. It shows Rauner to be sickeningly dismissive and pompous, the ‘ol “Oh you can trust ME” approach–just keep holdin’ on.” (Yeah, as in hold on forever while you try to buy THIS Election, too, like you did the Primary)? The fact that his deliberate, arguably incompetent, and altogether unnaceptable delay (and slap to the Voters’ sensibilities) has gone on this long without the candidate presenting a detailed Plan as to how exactly he’ll be able to so miraculously solve all of Illinois’ major problems without any hallacious cuts to Education and Public Health and Safety, etc. is both a JOKE, and insulting to the 13+ Million People of Illinois–pure and simple (while he audaciously has the nerve then to laugh into our Collective Faces aw WELL–as this Ad clearly reveals to BOOT)…! - Just The Way It Is One - Thursday, May 29, 14 @ 9:21 pm: That was MEANT to read above, “…as WELL…!” - Will P - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 6:49 am: Cheryl44, I can’t believe the amount of Illinois voters that hold success against someone. The Quinn camp is making his wealth a campaign issue so low information voters will feel disconnected from him. Nobodys Perfect - Nobody is immune from Hackers and because a credit card processing company was hacked is a reason to consider changing your vote? What actions could he have taken as ONE member of the board to change the outcome for those 8M people? Were they compensated for the inconvenience? Did Rauner personnaly hack those credit cards? Quit pushing partial narratives. - wordslinger - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 7:09 am: –I can’t believe the amount of Illinois voters that hold success against someone. The Quinn camp is making his wealth a campaign issue so low information voters will feel disconnected from him.– If you “can’t believe that,” you must be one of those lowest-information voters. Campaigns have been like that since Adams vs. Jefferson. - Anon - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:58 am: It’s a bit hypocritical considering how neither side has a releasable budget right now. Maybe it will stand now, but when (if you really want to be anal about it, if) Rauner releases his budget, it won’t have any impact. There was really no point to this advertisement as it will just be nullified when/if he puts out a budget plan. - Nikole - Wednesday, Jun 4, 14 @ 3:41 am: If you are going for most excellent contents like myself, just visit this web site everyday because it offers feature contents, thanks Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.