* For the second time in a week, Bruce Rauner used Stephanie Neely’s name in a debate. Sun-Times…
Both men also used the debate to try to win over the African-American vote.
Rauner repeatedly hit Quinn on his choice for lieutenant governor, saying Quinn passed up on City Treasurer Stephanie Neely, who is black. He also hit Quinn for what he saw as the effect his policies have had on the African-American community.
ABC 7…
Rauner criticized the governor for not choosing City Treasurer Stephanie Neely as Quinn’s running mate and promised to hire Neely in a Rauner administration.
“Stephanie Neely, I know her. She’s talented, she’s a super star, I wish she was a Republican, she’s not,” Rauner said.
* NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern asked Neely about Rauner’s repeated debate shout-outs…
Neely had been considered as Governor Pat Quinn’s running mate, but he choose Paul Vallas instead.
“I was honored when Gov. Quinn spoke to me,” she said in an interview with NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern. “He decided to go a different way and that is his choice and I’m not sour on him or politics because of it.”
GOP candidate Bruce Rauner mentioned Neely’s name to her surprise at last week’s debate focusing on African American issues.
“I was sitting there in the audience and I was like, ‘What?’” she said.
* More from Ahern’s Twitter feed…
*** UPDATE 1 *** With a big hat tip to a commenter…
*** UPDATE 2 *** From Fran Spielman’s story…
On Tuesday, Neely said she was “amused” by Rauner’s comment, but not at all interested in joining a Rauner administration. She called herself a “card-carrying Democrat” who is supporting Quinn.
“I’m not sure what he’s trying to do with that, but I’m not gonna be drawn into that kind of craziness. I actually find it somewhat comical. I have a job. I’ve already accepted a job,” she said.
“We need to be debating what’s best for the state of Illinois — not trying to use me as some kind of go-to to make somebody else look bad. The state has some serious problems. We need to be debating that. I’m not part of that conversation.”
If Rauner was attempting to use Neely to siphon African-American votes from Quinn, it won’t work, the retiring treasurer said.
“The voting public in Chicago and Illinois is very smart. They’re not gonna be manipulated by things like that. They’re gonna look at the real issues and decide who’s the best governor,” she said.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:56 am:
It sounds like he knows who she is and is impressed by her performance.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:56 am:
===“Stephanie Neely, I know her. She’s talented, she’s a super star, I wish she was a Republican, she’s not,” Rauner said.===
I’m sure ole Slip and Sue felt good about that. lol.
I mean Slip and Sue tried to get a job with the Quinn Administration.
“Stephanie Neely, I know her. She’s talented, she’s a super star, I wish she was a Republican, she’s not,” Rauner said.
“I’m stuck with Slip and Sue. I sure would have liked Ms. Neely.” (SNARK)
Priceless.
- NewWestSuburbanGOP'er - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:57 am:
Neely said “he threw me under the bus” when Rauner mentioned her and never contacted her ….
Typical of Rauner.
- haverford - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:57 am:
Hire em without talking to them, fire em with threats, go after their husbands because of their careers. Bruce sure knows how to the ladies on their toes!
Tip: If he asks about your family, you’re gonna want to go ahead and decline the job.
- phocion - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:59 am:
“Some of my best friends are City Treasurers.”
- Casual Observer - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:02 am:
It sounds like Ms. Neely is in a pretty good position to negotiate terms.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:02 am:
Neely has no interest in being Bruce’s black friend https://twitter.com/fspielman/status/524571224160997376
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:06 am:
He’s talked more about Stephanie Neely than he has about Evelyn Sanguinetti. What’s up with that?
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:07 am:
The Neely attack on Quinn is so ridiculous. Evidently because Quinn considered an African American as his Lt. Gov. but ultimately didn’t choose this one particular person, he is anti-African American.
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:08 am:
“Rauner treats woman as campaign prop.”
Is this where I’m supposed to feign surprise?
– MrJM
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:11 am:
Yup - pretty obvious why he did this and I think Precinct Captain said it best. She has no interest in being his “black friend.”
- Urban Girl - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:13 am:
Before becoming Treasurer, Neely worked in finance. Why did Rauner never offer her a job at GTCR?
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:16 am:
Sad. After all these years, Rauner finally found a black person he would hire and she’s not interested.
Maybe he should have talked to her first.
Another strange tactic from the cheez-whiz kids.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:16 am:
This is an example of a Mike Frerichs-type of self-inflicted injury.
We have the only candidate in the race with a female or minority running mate, who is facing off against two tickets full of white males, playing defense on both his view of minorities and his treatment of females.
Looks like things went awry somewhere with that == plan ==, if it was the plan.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:22 am:
==- Urban Girl - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:13 am:==
BR: “They weren’t there.”
PQ’s question last night, “Where’d you look?”
Hint: Bruce didn’t look anywhere because it wasn’t important to him to have a diverse workforce.
- Dirty Red - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:25 am:
SN: I’d rather not get dragged into this.
BR: Do you have a family to think about?
- A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:25 am:
He likes her. Period. Never say never Stephanie. Opportunity knocks on doors, windows, ceilings and floors. You never know where it could come from when you do a really good job.
- William j Kelly - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:27 am:
I don’t care what Neely or any other democrats do regarding rauner but I will say this, after rauner goes down in flames and he will go down in flames, any ‘republican official’ who was so lacking in courage and or intellectual/moral strength as to support the rauner candidacy will need to be replaced with people of character.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:28 am:
- Never say never Stephanie. -
In your head do these people talk back to you?
- A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:32 am:
Nope. But I’ve seen people redefine Never before. Pretty often in fact.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:33 am:
A Guy, he likes her, huh? Maybe he should have talked to her before he decided to transparently use her as a campaign prop.
Like Rauner’’s tactic, your Baghdad Bruceism is comical.
But I’m sure Neely will take your well-intentioned advice in the spirit that it’s offered.
- NewWestSuburbanGOP'er - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:34 am:
@William Kelly @ 11:27 am…..
Amen!)
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:35 am:
===Never say never Stephanie.===
Rauner will make you an “offer you can’t refuse”…
Danger afoot, Stephanie…danger afoot.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:38 am:
==- A guy… - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:25 am:==
But he didn’t like her, or any Black American, enough to hire them while he was running GTCR.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:38 am:
===In your head do these people talk back to you?===
Literally spit out my coffee on that one.
- Hamilton - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:39 am:
I wonder if these sort of comments focus group well with independents.
- Bigtwich - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:43 am:
It sounds like she knows who he is and is not impressed by his performance.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:46 am:
Nicely done, @Bigtwich
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:50 am:
BR-”Stephanie Neely, I know her.”
SN-”he threw me under the bus” when Rauner mentioned her and never contacted her.
He could have said, I know about her or I know her reputation, but he said “I know her”. Apparently not. Pants on fire Bruce. Enough said.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:55 am:
Reminds me when Rauner talked about talking with MJM often and is going to work in a bi-partisan manner.
Ask. Representative. Frank. Mautino.
That’s exactly right.
Rauner thinks all these people he “talks” to or “knows”…they love them some Bruce.
Stunning.
- dgd - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:57 am:
Bruce can shake this one off, I am sure he has binders full of city treasurers he can hire.
- PolPal56 - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:59 am:
No wonder Bruce doesn’t hire women. They wipe they floor with him.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:00 pm:
- phocion - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 10:59 am:
=“Some of my best friends are City Treasurers.”=
HA!
- PolPal56 - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:03 pm:
Well, that’s not accurate, but you know what I mean. He doesn’t seem to have much luck, even when he threatens them with radioactivity.
- A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:04 pm:
=== Rich Miller - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 11:38 am:
===In your head do these people talk back to you?===
Literally spit out my coffee on that one.===
Of course you did.
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:10 pm:
Last debate he mentioned Toi Hutchinson. This time it’s Stephanie Neely. Who’s next? Jehan Gordon-Booth? Go Federal with Robin Kelly? Think Rauner has a Palin-esque list of African-American women in Illinois government that he can glance at, pick a name, and toss out to show how relevant and inclusive he is?
- Funny - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:23 pm:
What I would love to see Rauner say to Quinn “Oh yah..your running mate Vallas–he REALLY wanted to be my running mate…approached me about it…why–because our view of schools/education is the same”–Quinn would really pucker over that one….
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:40 pm:
@Funny, or == Remember that time Paul Vallas essentially left the Democratic Party and then requested a Republican ballot in 2010? All while you were running in the Democratic primary? ==
https://capitolfax.com/2013/11/14/vallas-brother-quinn-2010-loss-would-have-restored-democracy-to-illinois/#comment-11386946
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
- Literally spit out my coffee on that one. -
I do for almost every one of guy’s posts.
He speaks for and to the masses, big or small, Democrat or Republican, and he knows them all personally.
He is the most interesting man in the world. He doesn’t always compliment Republicans, but when he does, they’re Bruce Rauner.
- low level - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 1:19 pm:
Hey Bozo Bruce! She’s not voting for you! Hello?
- Roadiepig - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
He was going to go with Rosa Parks first but someone told him she wasn’t “available”
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:28 pm:
==Last debate he mentioned Toi Hutchinson. This time it’s Stephanie Neely. Who’s next?==
If there was one more debate, he’d find a way to include Toni Preckwinkle as women (who just happen to be black) he now admires
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 2:35 pm:
With pandering like that it’s hard to claim you are not just another politician.
- A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 3:12 pm:
=== Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
- Literally spit out my coffee on that one. -
I do for almost every one of guy’s posts.
He speaks for and to the masses, big or small, Democrat or Republican, and he knows them all personally.
He is the most interesting man in the world. He doesn’t always compliment Republicans, but when he does, they’re Bruce Rauner.====
Lookie, another satisfied customer.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 4:01 pm:
Bruce Rauner’s continuing use of Ms. Neely as a political football is not only highly demeaning and offensive but smacks of a politically desperate candidate.
- A guy... - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 4:32 pm:
Or, he just likes her.
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 4:44 pm:
Guy, but he has never talked to her. The question can be parsed two ways. If he thinks so highly of her, why has he never met her? He’s given money to other Ds. If he’s never met her why did he use her name in the context he did (going to bring her into his administration) without first having talked to her?
I’m willing to buy that this is all pretty much well meant by him, but it comes across as so recent and contrived. “I can bring these black ministers around, especially if I put a little money in the ministries. Yeah, and I can both invest and give to this black SOL. Oh, D–n, I don’t have any black professionals working for me. Hey, I would be glad to have Stephanie Neely working for me if I’m Gov. I can say that, use it to gore Quinn a little. Hey, I bet I could hire quite a few black people if I became Gov. That’s a great idea. Have the guys get me some more names. I wonder if Meeks would be interested? What do you suppose he makes at that church?”
That’s how it comes across to me, at least. Still good things happening or can happen, but seems so late to the dance and as I said, contrived.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 4:55 pm:
Schnorf, hilariously contrived.
He’s never talked to her but he announces on TV that he’s going to give her a job in his administration.
Just oozes sincerity.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 4:57 pm:
Bruce Rauner sees Ms. Neely as a talking point jab, a push-button pivot.
Or.
Bruce Rauner admires her, albeit the timing and rationale to express his admiration seems contrived.
Vote. Accordingly.
- low level - Tuesday, Oct 21, 14 @ 6:12 pm:
New ad: (kinda like the Washington one)
Stephanie Neely: “Voting for Bruce Rauner would be the worst mistake ever. I’m voting for Gov. Quinn”