86 Comments - anon - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 9:56 am: I think it would be fair to say that Rauner bullied CPS forcing his daughter to be admitted and that the more deserving student was bullied out of the opportunity they actually deserved. - Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 9:56 am: Word association. Word: “Rauner” Response: “Icky.” - Nobody's Perfect - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 9:58 am: Come on man We are busy refining our itsy bitsy R8 corp….we don’t have time to worry about our fix with CPS. We don’t have time to deal with all these facts - Jimbo - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 9:59 am: Because yeah, that’s what they’re doing, tarnishing the record of a seventh grader. Not, you know, calling attention to blatant insider gaming by Bruce Rauner to get his daughter into a school where she wasn’t accepted, and was ineligible to attend based on residency. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:00 am: The last GOP Candidate to hide behind a child? “Jack!” Ryan. Hiding behind your then 7th grade Daughter, to pivot off the blatant Clouting, as described by the IG, and lest we forget… The Denied Winnetka living 7th Grade Daughter Bruce Rauner is hiding behind…. …was a Principal’s choice, before Principals were even at the stage to choose! How is that possible? Well, a Clout Call, by Bruce Rauner, to get a Daughter, not with the “Perfect” score Bruce falsely brags about, but a Daughter who failed to meet the criteria, and was “magically” chosen, before choices needed to be made. “Don’t pick on my Daughter!” You, Bruce Rauner, with the “Perfect Score” hyperbole, and getting her accepted, after being denied, before anyone could get a Principal’s Choice acceptance, put your own Daughter in this light. No one, not one of us, said or did any of that but you, Bruce. Throw your wife under the bus, (”she may have called”) or the Principal, and now the most pathetic, that Quinn is going after the Daughter? No Bruce, you “Own” this, like ole “Jack!” Ryan, hiding behind a child to shield yourself is just pathetic. Wonder if he would do this. “Over and over and over again”… … to his Daughter, hiding behind her I mean…Hmm. - Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:00 am: Actually, I hope a reporter asks Rauner what he would say to the parent who found that their *qualified* daughter was forced out because Rauner’s *unqualified* daughter was admitted. If that’s not clout — I don’t know what is. Rauner’s cynicism and hypocrisy is astonishing. The fact that a state like Illinois is even *entertaining* someone like Rauner is beyond astonishing. - Commander Norton - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:01 am: To say this has to do with Rauner’s daughter’s academic record is to insult every student with a stellar academic record from a low-income or middle-income family who doesn’t get into the city’s top public school. I feel sorry for his daughter; she doesn’t deserve to be dragged into the limelight. Maybe her dad should have thought of that before he clouted her in and then lied about it while campaigning for a very high-profile office. - Norseman - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:01 am: Payton Clout story number 666 coming up. Shades of Blago past, the picking on my poor daughter defense. - Raymond - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:04 am: Criticize his running mate for her total lack of understanding about the office she seeks, and you must me a sexist. Criticize him for repeatedly changing his story about his efforts to clout his daughter into a public school she had no business attending, and you’re a bully. How pathetic. - Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:04 am: =Shades of Blago past= That. Using one’s child as a human shield speaks even more to lack of character than his repeated lying. Shameful doesn’t begin to describe it. It’s really too bad the public may not know this Rauner until its too late. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:05 am: The problem from my vantage point is Rauner’s rank hypocrisy. Here this person slams public unions for being greedy after he gorged himself any way he can at the public trough. He got billions of dollars in public pension business, had a criminal on the payroll, got untold amounts of Medicare and Medicaid money in the failed nursing home venture, clouted his daughter into a prestigious school, gave money to politicians of both stripes and got a good word from a governor, in regards to getting more pension business. He demonizes union leaders for doing what they can–and what they’re paid to do–to negotiate for workers’ economic well-being. He’s definitely not an outsider. If he gets elected and goes after unions in a grossly disproportionate way to fix the state’s budget problems, like he might do to satisfy his funders, grab yourselves some popcorn and get ready to enjoy the battles that will very likely ensue. - Raymond - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:07 am: Whoops, that should have been … “and you must BE a sexist” - Skeptic - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:17 am: “That would be called a “pivot.” It would also be a dodge.” It’s also a classic logical fallacy called The “Straw Man” argument. “My statement must be right because look how awful the other person is.” (As if the other guy’s integrity makes his argument more valid.) - Steve - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:17 am: This is legitimate issue for Pat Quinn to bring up in the campaign. It deals with everything in education to special privileges for the elite. No candidate is perfect but… is Rauner going to be able to walk away from this issue? - And I Approved This Message - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:18 am: Interesting that the quote used the word “bully” after the campaign sent a dancing clown to a press conference on anti-bulling legislation yesterday. I’m not sure Mr. Rauner is getting his money’s worth out of his staff. - George - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:20 am: So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? I don’t like the guy, but please give me a break with ur holier than thou speak. What do I tell my kid if They were the one that got bumped–we’ll kid, life ain’t fair–get used to it. Not everybody gets to date the homecoming queen. - walker - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:20 am: The little I’ve heard thru these attacks makes me think, if anything, more highly of the daughter, not less. - Klondike Clapton - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:21 am: Admission into schools a big issue now? I remember when a certain Democratic Senator was running for president it was considered “not newsworthy.” - too obvious - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:22 am: Everything is always someone else’s fault with Rauner. Recall he tried this same nonsense on the nursing home story. It was basically “how dare anyone try to politicize the suffering of elderly people that I helped cause.” - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:22 am: Quinn Crew, Frame this in the honesty, integrity, ethics and morals, and that his lack of those denied a worthy child a seat at Payton Prep. As Bruce Rauner slams teachers unions, Bruce Rauner clouted his daughter, after being denied, to be taught by Chicago teachers. Bruce Rauner made sure his daughter was taught by the Chicago teachers he rails on. Why? Because he felt his clout and money matters, “over and over and over again,” bad rules don’t matter to Bruce Rauner. - SAP - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:25 am: This issue goes way beyond on special privileges for wealthy friends of the school superintendent. It also speaks to Rauner’s inability to answer any substantive question directed toward him. How did your daughter get into Payton Prep? three different answers, 3 different lies. What is your budget plan? Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle, we’ll have a detailed plan very soon - PublicServant - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:27 am: What I find even more outrageous is that since there is nothing of substance on policy being put forth by the Rauner campaign, the only thing we have to go on is his character, and when we go there, we see little of it. And the kicker is most of his supporters don’t care. They just know he’s gonna Shake up Springfield and Bring Back Illinois. It’s not that they’re low information, it’s worse than that. They’re adamantly against receiving any information that would interfere with their uninformed pre-conceptions about their anti-gubmint muse. - Soccermom - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:29 am: Dear Team Rauner, When you have just sent a clown to dance at the signing of an anti-bullying bill, it is poor taste to accuse someone of, um, bullying. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:29 am: ===So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? I don’t like the guy, but please give me a break with ur holier than thou speak.=== Are you ignoring the flip-flopping on this issue and the lying to Bernie and the SJ-R, or is hypocrisy too difficult of an issue for you to understand. Just start with Insider-”Outsider” hypocrisy if this is just too difficult for you. You can’t run as an “Outsider ” and clout your denied Daughter through a phone call. ===What do I tell my kid if They were the one that got bumped–we’ll kid, life ain’t fair–get used to it.=== Bruce is fighting for all of us against the “rigged” Springfield way, making it fair. So now “life ain’t fair”? Yikes. You can’t tell me “life ain’t fair” and run a campaign based on running on corruption, including 1/3 of the GA GOP being corrupt, and accept this Clouting as “life”. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:31 am: “As Bruce Rauner slams teachers unions, Bruce Rauner clouted his daughter, after being denied, to be taught by Chicago teachers.” You got it. That’s the point, to me. If he had not slammed unions for trying to get whatever benefit they could, and if he was honest about clouting his daughter into school and said what Mayor Daley I said about his kid’s insurance business clout, it would be different. But he didn’t. He tried to savage unions and built his campaign on attacking them and blaming them for helping destroy the state. He has a history of getting whatever government help was available, and yet he tried to whack others who lobbied politicians and gave their campaigns money. - MrJM - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:33 am: “And you know, the kid, like all kids, loves Walter Payton College Preparatory High School and I just want to say this right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we’re gonna keep it.” — Bruce Milhaus Rauner - Mighty M. Mouse - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:35 am: ===What I find even more outrageous is that since there is nothing of substance on policy being put forth by the Rauner campaign, the only thing we have to go on is his character, and when we go there, we see little of it.=== I think we’re getting to see a lot of his character, as the comments above clearly indicate, and what most everybody is seeing is pretty ugly and horrifying. Rauner is a real life monster, human on the outside and Godzilla on the inside. - Old Hippy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:36 am: My wish both of these clowns and their clown troop would act like an adults and demonstrate an understanding of the issues/solutions facing our screwed-up stare! - Willie Stark - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:36 am: Did Bruce amass his fortune and 9 homes/estates by being a nice guy? No. He’s ruthless, with a win at all costs mentality. Part of his “competitive advantage” is a willingness to say or do anything - an inclination that many of us lack due to seeing value in honesty, integrity and treating others decently. In his stunted moral universe, others are just a means to an end, not ends in themselves. For all Quinn’s bumbling flaws, deficiencies and ineffectiveness, he’s not that. - Old Hippy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:37 am: oops …..screwed-up state! - John A Logan - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:38 am: In comparison to the Quinn administrations scandals, Rauner’s daughter does not even register. Gimme a break already. - walker - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:40 am: @George: My answer to your question is no. But your comment about self-righteousness holds true. Critics of government officials often hold them to higher ethical standards than they hold themselves, their families, or their own employers. And rightly so. It’s a rare honor to hold such a job, and higher standards should be applied. Just wish critics would admit that’s the case. - Wally - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:41 am: Willie, do you know exactly how BR amassed his fortune? I don’t. Could you tell me exactly how he made roughly $53 million a couple of years ago? Maybe, just maybe, he is a very smart, very savvy businessman who is incredibly successful. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:41 am: Agree with those saying this… ===…are attempting to bully and tarnish…=== Says more about Bruce Rauner, who sent Quinnochio to a Bullying Bill signing to Bully the Governor, …than words could at times . That Rauner, he can be classless on his own, with bullying as his “hammer” to “shake” while Clouting. It’s pretty disappointing in his character too. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:46 am: ===Willie, do you know exactly how BR amassed his fortune? I don’t. Could you tell me exactly how he made roughly $53 million a couple of years ago?=== Bruce Rauner can’t even tell people how Stu Levine got on his payroll. Bruce Rauner can’t even tell us one story about how his daughter got into a Chicago school. Bruce Rauner can’t even tell us about the Nursing Homes, the “bust out” Medicaid settlements … Now you want me to explain $53 million earned? Ask Bruce, lol “Maybe, just maybe, he is a very smart, very savvy businessman who is incredibly slimy and icky about being smart and savvy” Better. - A guy... - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:46 am: Here’s the frame, the lens this is in now: Issue vs. Issue High School admission vs. $50+ million in a corrupt program. It’s not hard to pick a winner here. The Quinn team is not proficient at matchups. This one really doesn’t work for them. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:50 am: ===High School admission vs. $50+ million in a corrupt program.=== Nice spin. It’s actually this: Repeated apparent lies over a truly stupid little thing (who wouldn’t make a call for his kid in Chicago?) vs. a botched politically motivated program that’s now under federal, state and local investigations. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:51 am: - A Guy… -, Your Guy” lacks honesty and integrity, ethics and morals, and yet you will vote against your better self, and try, with a Raunerbot pivot, think that denying a worthy child a seat in a school, and lying about it, and hiding behind a child is acceptable character traits. There is always an excuse from Rauner, rarely the truth, and even more rare, a show of character. But, - A Guy… -, you support someone against your better self. - OneMan - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:52 am: Sorry, He does have a bit of a point about bringing his daughters 8th grade grades into it. Seems to be a subject that an inspector should be talking about. Is there another situation where they have specifically talked about a minors (at the time) academic record. Considering how often ‘privacy’ was used when talking about clouting people into state schools it seems that you might have more protections in the 8th grade, not less. Seems to me that is an issue, regardless. - A guy... - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:54 am: === Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:50 am: ===High School admission vs. $50+ million in a corrupt program.=== Nice spin. It’s actually this: Repeated apparent lies over a truly stupid little thing (who wouldn’t make a call for his kid in Chicago?) vs. a botched politically motivated program that’s now under federal, state and local investigations.==== Hey dude, I can live with your summary. I think even Pat Quinn would think I was being kinder, but your definition covers the bases. The match-up is the same. - Willie Stark - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:56 am: A guy, you are a very wishful thinker if you really believe that’s where the frame is going to remain. Payton Prep is just an appetizer on the smorgasbord of Rauner’s past dealings. A piano concerto on the playbill before the orchestra gets to the symphony that everyone came to hear. A few lousy dollars on a misguided, ill-managed, somewhat sketchy anti-violence program is going to balance out against dead grandmas and a Goodfellas plot point? Good luck to you and the dancing Pinocchio, sir. - He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:59 am: I don’t know too many people who would not go to extra lengths to help their kids, for that I do not fault him. But for Pete sakes, just tell the truth. Doesn’t he know that when you run for office, eventually the truth comes out about EVERYTHING? I would have come out and said I did this for my daughter and I am not apologizing for it. Then deal with the aftermath, eventually the story goes away. I am sure Quinn has never made a call for someone (or any elected official for that matter). - A guy... - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:00 am: ===Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 10:51 am: - A Guy… -, Your Guy” lacks honesty and integrity, ethics and morals, and yet you will vote against your better self, and try, with a Raunerbot pivot, think that denying a worthy child a seat in a school, and lying about it, and hiding behind a child is acceptable character traits. There is always an excuse from Rauner, rarely the truth, and even more rare, a show of character. But, - A Guy… -, you support someone against your better self.==== Willie, your guy lacks an identity since he doesn’t have one. You’re for neither if I understand you right. I’m making a choice between Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner, if that makes him “my guy” fine, though I haven’t thought of any Gov or candidate for Gov as “my guy” ever. Here’s where my better self is. He’s out looking for your better self. You seem to be making the case that Pat Quinn is chock full of all the qualities the other guy is lacking; honesty and integrity, ethics and morals. At the moment, your argument isn’t holding water with subpoenas flying around like confetti. I know he’s not your guy. One of them is going to win. I’ll tilt the scales one vote and as many more as I can influence toward a choice. - RNUG - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:03 am: Being a downstater where we just pay for our kids to go to private schools if we don’t like the public ones, I didn’t get the whole Peyton Prep thing when OW started (excuse the term) “ranting” on it. But the more I read about it, I get it. Now I agree with OW, if anything derails Rauner, it will be the cover-up of this “silly” little item instead of the big stuff. - Norseman - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:04 am: === So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? === George, your missing the point. I’m sure most folks would clout their kids if they could and it was legal. That’s not Raunervich’s problem. He’s tried to tell us that he hasn’t clouted his kid. Like Word said yesterday, he should have simply fessed up at the beginning and said he clouted his daughter as anyone parent would do. He would have been hit at the beginning for political reasons and it would have died down. And we all would think to ourselfs, I’d do it if I could. Most of the follow-up deals with his ever-changing story. As has been said before, it’s the cover-up that gets you in trouble. - Wally - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:04 am: OW, We all get that you loathe Rauner. Really, we do. But he is the R candidate, the state has been poorly run, and people want a change. - Soccermom - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:06 am: Can you reverse-bully? I mean, Rauner’s daughter is now a rising sophomore at Dartmouth. So how is anybody bullying a seventh-grade girl? - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:09 am: (Sigh) ===, if that makes him “my guy” fine, though I haven’t thought of any Gov or candidate for Gov as “my guy” ever.=== Ever? Ever? ===- A guy… - Wednesday, Jan 8, 14 @ 12:14 pm: ===O Willie, I am now ready to accept your accusation. I am supporting Rauner…,He is “my guy” now, so the insinuations are now true. === You are worse than Rauner at understanding words haunt, and “always, never, and only” haunt even more. Just because one will win, doesn’t make my points any less true. - Chicago Publius - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:11 am: No, Bruce. What’s disgusting is that you think you’re entitled to push aside people who are disadvantaged and ignore the law just because you’re rich. You illegally claimed 2 homeowner exemptions so ou didn’t have to pay your fair share of taxes on your 2 multimillion dollar homes in Cook County. Then you falsely claimed that you resided in Chicago AND in Winnetka, as a way of pushing some kid out of Payton School so your kid could get in. Count your lucky stars in the hope that Anita Alvarez doesn’t open an investigation into your pathetic efforts to game the system. If you’re lucky, It’s only a matter of time before Anita Alvarez starts looking into your behavior. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:12 am: ===George, your missing the point. I’m sure most folks would clout their kids if they could and it was legal. That’s not Raunervich’s problem. He’s tried to tell us that he hasn’t clouted his kid. Like Word said yesterday, he should have simply fessed up at the beginning and said he clouted his daughter as anyone parent would do. He would have been hit at the beginning for political reasons and it would have died down. And we all would think to ourselfs, I’d do it if I could. Most of the follow-up deals with his ever-changing story.=== Well said, - Norseman -. This all should have been behind him, but it bubbles up because of the choices Rauner has made trying to explain away what a softball answer would have cured. That is a character flaw. - Frank - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:15 am: When the U of I admissions clout list controversy broke a few years back, no one thought it was an attack on the students who got admitted. Most of them were good students — just not quite good enough to get in without a nudge from a friendly local pol. No one blamed the kids, we blamed the pols. Same thing with the now abolished General Assembly scholarships. Someone should ask Bruce his views on those two programs…were the media and the candidates who made hay out of the U of I clout admissions and the GA Scholarships exploiting the kids or holding the pols accountable? - Norseman - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:16 am: === Well said, - Norseman === Except for grammatical errors like “anyone parent” instead of “any parent.” Oh well, you get the point. - Chicago Publius - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:17 am: George @ 10:20 am: So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? Come on, George. Rauner’s problem is not that he cares about his kid. It’s that he’s greedy and overbearing. We all know that life isn’t fair — that’s why Rauner’s kid got to go to New Trier. Rauner’s behavior is a lot like the guy who parks his SUV lengthwise in the parking lot, taking up 3 spaces when he could’ve fit into one. If you can’t see narcissism and egocentrism in this, you’re not looking very hard. - Willie Stark - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:19 am: A guy…not making the case that Quinn in chock-full of those quantities. I would expect (hope) we could agree that a fair-minded assessment of these two men would say that voters do not have a great choice to make. For me, Rauner has had the chance to show he is serious, different, has a real plan and is going to bring some of that business sense that earns such lavish praise from some as the means to cure all government’s ills. He just hasn’t done that. You combine that with what has come out on his business and personal dealings, thus far, and it starts leading me to a “better the devil you know” conclusion. In many instances, Quinn has done the right thing despite himself, the legislature has gotten him there. And, he inherited a hell of a mess decades in the making. Whatever misdeeds are around this anti-violence program, they pale in comparison to the significant corruption of Ryan and the epic corruption of Blagojevich and despite the DC-style verdict first, then the trial that characterizes the matter thus far, I would not expect there’s going to be a smoking gun that brings in the feds and criminal indictments. The jury is still out on Bruce’s possible misdeeds, but based on what we know so far, they have the potential to tip the scales when weighed against Quinn’s. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:20 am: === === Well said, - Norseman === Except for grammatical errors like “anyone parent” instead of “any parent.” Oh well, you get the point.=== Clean it up for the Campaign press release, under the letterhead, and have it ready for the fly-around. ===Someone should ask Bruce his views on those two programs…were the media and the candidates who made hay out of the U of I clout admissions and the GA Scholarships exploiting the kids or holding the pols accountable?=== - Frank -, this is really good. What has been ironic is the pivoting to that scandal, and how Bruce is “different, but not different, but different” but to get Bruce to comment about that in his own Clouting prism, that would be interesting to see/read/hear. - OneMan - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:21 am: Frank, The difference is, I don’t recall any of them being named… Big difference. - RNUG - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:25 am: - Norseman - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:04 am: EXACTLY! Norseman, I’m sure you remember the one day tempest in a tea pot when Mayor Ozzie made a phone call for his kid applying for a promotion in the fire department. Oz handled it perfectly when questioned; said he made the call, didn’t issue any orders, just asked for consideration like any dad would have done for his kid. That was the end of the story. - Langhorne - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:36 am: “i have succeeded at everything i have ever done”. i wanted my kid in, she is in. even if i had to call arne, and spend some chump change to buy a condo, and spin bull about how i did it. so what. - Langhorne - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:37 am: yep, reminds me of blago holding his kids in front of him at the state fair, and on his porch. it has absolutely nothing to do w the kid, and everything to do w rauner. - Cassandra - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:37 am: For me, the problem is still this: there are so few really good public schools in Illinois that parents, even rich ones, have to go to extraordinary lengths to get children into them, because the choice is so limited–much more so for parents of moderate and low income than for the wealthy of course. Here in ultra-liberal (sigh) Oak Park, for example, even the high school has recently stepped up its verification of residence, presumably because of a perceived increase in families trying to beat the residency laws to get into a decent (but far from perfect) high school. - A guy... - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:37 am: ===O Willie, I am now ready to accept your accusation. I am supporting Rauner…,He is “my guy” now, so the insinuations are now true. === You are worse than Rauner at understanding words haunt, and “always, never, and only” haunt even more. Just because one will win, doesn’t make my points any less true.===== I guess the “quotation marks” confuse you parser-in-chief. I’ll try to be more “clear” with you in the future. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:41 am: - A Guy… -, you owned it then, own it now, and that “ever” was not in quotes. Type what you mean, not what we have to interpret, lol ===it has absolutely nothing to do w the kid, and everything to do w rauner.=== That is the mistake this Rauner response is making with the pivot as it is. Pretty soon, no one left to blame. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:46 am: As I mentioned yesterday, I believe the inspector general erred. U of I specifically cited confidentiality laws in not releasing academic info. That said, Rauner pretty much waived confidentiality when he brought up his daughter’s test scores, as well as the “Stop picking on my daughter defense.” I warned Rauner that trying to use is daughter as a political shield would probably make matters worse. See “The Dead Zone.” I do disagree with Rich that he is lying about a trivial thing. Admitting to clout undermines his entire brand. Everyone knows he did it mind you, just like we knew Clinton inhaled, but small lies comfort like an old sweater. - Belle - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:49 am: What all of these denials remind me of is Bill Clinton saying “I did not have sex with that woman.” That statement kept the story alive. If he had only admitted it, it would never have grown into the massive issue that it became. Tell the truth Bruce. Too many people know and you’re making it into a bigger deal every time you deny it. - Frank - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 11:59 am: – One Man – You are incorrect, the students were often named. The Sun-Times did a series of stories on Dan Burke and Bob Malaro’s scholarships a few years ago and named the recepients. - Wow! - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 12:00 pm: When is Quinn going to fess up about his pet projects? - Timmeh - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 12:05 pm: ===So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? I don’t like the guy, but please give me a break with ur holier than thou speak.=== Actually, no. Let me dispel the notion that any parent would do it. Everyone fails at some point. Not getting into Payton Prep isn’t the end of the world, especially if you’ve got the options that the Rauner’s do. What kind of message do you send to your children when they’re rejected from a good school and then clouted in by daddy? - paddyrollingstone - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 12:13 pm: ===So what ur all saying is that none of u would have tried to get ur kid in if u were Rauner? I don’t like the guy, but please give me a break with ur holier than thou speak.=== Of course I would - I believe in clout! I just would not be a hypocrite about it. No one - no one- likes a hypocrite. - Mokenavince - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 12:51 pm: Why must we drag kids into a political debate? The are bigger questions than which school a 7th grader goes too. - George - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 12:51 pm: Ok. I get it. Ur not about the clout ur about lying about it afterward. I get that I really do but get real–show me a politician who doesn’t step in it now and again and doesn’t have some stink on their shoes? Character flaw? That’s a stretch–political neophyte yes. Bottom line is that we’re all going to have to hold our noses and vote for one of these guys warts and all. Nothing says we have to like doing it. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 1:03 pm: Frank: The names of legislative scholarship winners are public record. Their schools cannot release their records, however. - Anonymous - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 1:41 pm: Rainer may not be a weasly politician, but he does so many of the things they do…. - Glenn - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 1:45 pm: ‘It’s disgusting that Pat Quinn and his allies are attempting to bully and tarnish a seventh grader’s stellar academic record, but that’s what governors under federal investigation for clout and abuse of taxpayer money do.” The reputation being tarnished is Rauner’s. If he is referring to himself, then kudos to him for being forthcoming about his level of education. - Precinct Captain - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 2:01 pm: ==What kind of message do you send to your children when they’re rejected from a good school and then clouted in by daddy?== Money buys access and access can buy the things you want. - wordslinger - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 2:04 pm: I don’t know what this guy’s problem is. Tell the truth from Jump Street: “Yeah, I pulled some strings for my kid. So what? You wouldn’t?” But I have no respect for some dude who won’t cop to it, and keeps lying and pushing his kid and wife out into the news instead of ending it by taking the arrows for them. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 2:08 pm: ===I don’t know what this guy’s problem is.=== He lacks the character of someone who wouldn’t let his wife or child take the hits he is suppose to. Speaks volumes, even as months go by, and we are still “here” on Payton Prep. That Payton Prep…one day story, max. A man of Character would have made it a one day story…that is the “rub”. - Illinois Indy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:02 pm: Wow - I see that most if not all of the comments here are from people who do not see how destructive it is to use Rauner’s 7th grade daughter as a weapon in the Governor’s race. Whoever decided to use her as a weapon is at fault, not Rauner. Bullying is wrong and children of politicians should not be used. Great timing with Quinn signing the anti bullying law on the same day as his followers smear a young girl at a vulnerable time in her life. It’s sad. - Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:04 pm: ===use Rauner’s 7th grade daughter as a weapon=== Um, no, he’s using her as a shield. He should’ve just taken the hit, which was about him, not her. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:10 pm: === smear a young girl at a vulnerable time in her life. It’s sad.=== Reportedly, she is a Sophomore…at Dartmouth. She is all broken up, I’m sure, lol - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:13 pm: - Illinois Indy -, That Bruce, always protecting… It was Bruce Rauner himself saying her score was “Perfect “. I never said it, no one said it but Bruce. Bruce Rauner out his Denied Winnetka living Daughter out there for academic scrutiny. The IG busted the Bruce Rauner “Perfect” bubble. Bruce Rauner is hiding behind a child, for the “sins of the father”. That, is real. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:15 pm: “Bruce Rauner put out his Denied Winnetka living Daughter for academic scrutiny. The IG busted the Bruce Rauner “Perfect” bubble.” Apologies. - catrike - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:20 pm: Not to excuse Rauner, but the one obvious fact that seems to be overlooked by most is that all Arne Duncan had to do was say no. Instead this totally corrupt man is now the highest official in this nation’s education system. Obama should demand his resignation. - olddog - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:23 pm: === … Whoever decided to use her as a weapon is at fault, not Rauner. === Let’s be clear about who thrust the kid’s 7th-grade academic record into public controversy. Here’s what his campaign told Bernie Schoenberg on Jan 16: “So they … saw and spoke with Arne Duncan multiple times throughout the year,” Schrimpf said. “The exact date of when they might have brought it up, I don’t have that. But at some point, they said they were applying. … They knew their daughter had top grades, top test scores, but had the absences, and they wanted to go to Chicago public schools. So they inquired as to … if she would even have a shot at being admitted, and were told that she should go ahead and apply, and if she doesn’t get in via the first route … then she sounds like her situation is why the discretionary pool exists.” http://www.lincolncourier.com/article/20140115/OPINION/140119578?template=printart If Rauner would just tell the truth, there wouldn’t be a story here. - olddog - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:26 pm: @ catrike === Obama should demand [Arne Duncan’s] resignation. === Agreed! - DuPage - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 3:42 pm: Duncan:GRRR! Bruce? Bruce who? Who the h*ll is this! And how did you get my private unlisted cell number?!?…Oh, Rauner, Bruce Rauner, how you doing buddy? What can I do for you? - Norseman - Friday, Jun 27, 14 @ 4:06 pm: Let’s get down to the basics for our Raunerbot friends. It’s the cover-up stupid! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.