* The only “news” to come out of yesterday’s leaders’ meeting was that House Speaker Michael Madigan was a no-show…
Republican leaders Sen. Christine Radogno and Rep. Jim Durkin described Thursday’s meeting as productive but took turns noting Madigan’s absence.
“I thought it was a good conversation. But the fact is we’re not going to move this along unless we all are fully participating and actively involved in these negotiations,” Durkin said. He said he didn’t get an explanation of what Madigan’s scheduling conflict was.
“We covered quite a bit in there, despite having the speaker not be at the meeting,” Radogno said. […]
Brown defended Madigan’s absence, saying the speaker has been “fully involved” in budget discussions. He said the governor was notified in advance that Madigan would not be able to attend the meeting, but Brown couldn’t say when the notification occurred.
* The Illinois Policy Institute’s news service also focused on the absence…
Rep. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove, said he doesn’t believe Madigan’s absence on Thursday was intended as disrespect for the governor or the other leaders.
“I’ve been told by others that this time of year is typically when the speaker goes out of town, and it’s familial and not unusual for him to be away at this time,” said Sandack, who leads the Republicans in debate on the House floor. “Obviously, I wish he was there, and I’d prefer a full meeting of the leaders.”
It’s also quite possible that MJM missed the meeting because his daughter Tiffy had a baby the day before. Those Madigan guys are a pretty sealed-lip bunch when it comes to the boss’ private life, so either he was in Palm Springs or with his daughter and new grandson Theodore Maxwell Madigan Matyas.
It’s not like they were going to solve the world’s problems yesterday, but no matter why he missed the meeting the Speaker yet again managed to make himself the story - and not in a good way.
* So, what did they talk about yesterday?…
Radogno and Durkin said the day’s topics included the governor’s requests for legislative action on term limits and redistricting, changes to the workers compensation system, funding the state’s pension systems and, to some degree, the school aid formula.
Cullerton’s spokeswoman late Thursday afternoon released a statement saying, “The senate president was encouraged by the addition of school funding reform to the meeting agenda.”
And…
Durkin called the discussion on Thursday “robust” and he said the discussion of the five reforms was “healthy.”
Radogno too said the leaders are getting more clarity about the issues in their meetings.
“Staffs are getting together, which I always think is a good thing to try to actually put pen to paper and refine the issues. I would say there’s progress on some of those issues,” Radogno said.
The governor may take questions after his 9 o’clock event this morning at the DeVry University Advantage Academy High School in Chicago.
*** UPDATE *** The governor comments…
- Daniel Plainview - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:15 am:
Obviously the superstar secret agents completed yet another oodle loop by scheduling a meeting at a time when only they knew something would come up preventing the Speaker from attending, thereby controlling the story yet again.
Breathtaking talent.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:29 am:
===Obviously the superstar secret agents completed yet another oodle loop by scheduling a meeting at a time when only they knew something would come up preventing the Speaker from attending, thereby controlling the story yet again.===
Rauner said nothing, zero, about Madigan missing the meeting. Good move.
Hearing that up until the day before, Madigan had planned to attended, there was no OODO loop.
If anything, Gov. Rauner by holding his powder showed some class.
Now, while The Owl tries to sound “Un-Owl-ly”, the tweet, the Hoot by The Owl tells more about The Owl then any quote trying to seem… thoughtful.
@RonSandack - Meeting. Schmeeting. (12/17/2015, 6:49 pm)
That Owl, a “class” act.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:31 am:
So at the Leader’s Meeting they discussed the Governor’s desired reforms. I did not read that they discussed the budget. Successful hijacking of the goo-goos meeting by the Governor.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:32 am:
Sorry, the tweet by Sandack? That was at 7:10 pm
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:36 am:
–Rauner described recent talks with House Speaker Michael Madigan as “pretty productive” and said ongoing conversations with Senate President John Cullerton remain “cordial.” Trib, Oct. 17–
The governor has been saying those same things for months. Try the google and you’ll find loads of quotes from the governor about ongoing, productive talks.
If the spin from the Bots is now that one missed meeting is a wrench in the works, they’re stepping on the boss’ message.
The issue is not, and has not been, the budget. Rauner’s proposed budget was about $3 billion short, the Dems budget passed budget was about $4 billion short.
The issues remain the governor’s pre-conditions before considering a budget. He’s been quite adamant and clear about that.
For me, I’ll take the governor at his word that nothing is likely to happen until after the March primary.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:42 am:
Sometimes, silence is golden.
And in a room full of hot air, it can be cooling.
Rauner and company blathered about productivity.
Yet without the other side of the issues, there wasn’t anything approaching productivity.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:46 am:
Willy:
Doesn’t matter that Rauner said nothing about Madigan’s absence. Durkin is his waterboy, and Madigan knows it.
To the post:
Rauner, at the IMA meeting, told five hundred business leaders that these leaders’ meetings are pointless, everyone knows the issues, we are all just killing time until the politics shift in January, and then hopefully there will be a budget by April.
Anyone who learned something new in that meeting hasn’t been paying close attention for the past year, because nothing has changed. We have a $6 billion annual structural budget gap, the backlog of bills under Leslie Munger - who has only one job - has grown from $4 billion to $8 billion, and Governor Rauner has put a brick on any new revenue until he gets the five things he couldn’t get because minimum wage was pulled out from underneath him and pension reform is DOA.
Did I miss something “new”?
- Ahoy! - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:47 am:
I don’t know who we can lay blame on here. If Madigan missed because of a grandchild being born that is absolutely more important, if he is traveling and he failed to mention this in a timely manor, that’s on him. I find it a little odd that Brown couldn’t say when the Governor’s office was informed.
Either way, if we can’t even schedule a meeting with the legislative leaders, we are in a world of hurt, it’s only 5 people.
- MOON - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:52 am:
Illinois needs a budget.
Until BOTH SIDES realize and deal with it these meetings are a waste of time.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 8:57 am:
Sorry, - YDD -, I was checking my email, and my Spam…. empty.
- Georg Sande - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:02 am:
Lol. There goes Oswego Dilly bending over backwards to defend his guy, the Speaker. But wait, Jilly’s a “Republican”, remember?
- Big Joe - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:02 am:
Well said, Wordslinger. We all know that the budget cannot be looked at until the governor gets his TA issues. Plain and simple.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:05 am:
Oh - Georg Sande -
You stay classy. His daughter had a baby. Neither I, or anyone else can control that.
I guess that’s not an excused absence for you? lol
- ILGOP67 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:07 am:
I’m actually beginning to feel a bit sorry for Mike Madigan. If he thought the meeting would be productive, I suspect he’d have been there.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:10 am:
Someone might want to check if anyone let the others know he would not be attending or if he bailed on the meeting.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:16 am:
Why hasn’t the Speaker had someone explain his absence? Isn’t that a bit disrespectful of the public who may believe that these talks are a step toward the budget being completed? Naive as that may be.
- Stones - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:18 am:
I’ll give Mike Madigan the benefit of the doubt given this information about his daughter having a baby out of state. That being said, in this day and age of technology, he could have participated (at least tacitly) via any number of methods. Maybe the world’s problems wouldn’t get solved this way but it shows that you are at least engaged in the process.
- Demoralized - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:24 am:
==Why hasn’t the Speaker had someone explain his absence?==
If it was for personal reasons (i.e. a birth or a previously scheduled vacation) then it’s really none of your business is it. I don’t like it when the public thinks they have a right to know everything about an elected officials life.
- Norseman - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:24 am:
Only in bizzaro Illinois is a meeting on breaking a budget impasse productive when the budget isn’t discussed and not everyone is in attendance.
- Demoralized - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:25 am:
==in this day and age of technology==
He doesn’t even use e-mail. You think he’s going to Skype into the meeting? lol
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:28 am:
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.”
Joyce Meyer
******
People need to stop “spinning”- you’ll only get dizzy. Rich has been the only media source so far that I’ve found to post WHY the Speaker was likely absent. Unless you want a note from the hospital, let it go.
- justacitizen - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:36 am:
===If it was for personal reasons (i.e. a birth or a previously scheduled vacation) then it’s really none of your business is it.===
Most normal, respectful people would have simply released a statement ahead of time saying they could not attend because of personal reasons. He didn’t do that-disrespectful to the other leaders.
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:44 am:
– disrespectful to the other leaders–
LOL, get the smelling salts.
Apparently, life under the Dome has transformed into a Junior League Club.
Read the story. Madigan informed the governor he wouldn’t be there.
It’s not like he bought millions in TV spots to accuse them all of a lifetime of corruption.
That would be disrespectful.
- Joe M - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:48 am:
With Rauner parading around the State saying that there probably won’t be a budget till April, until and he first gets his anti-union agenda - I’m not sure why anyone is bothering to meet.
- Dome Gnome - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:50 am:
I think we all realize it doesn’t matter who attends these meetings. Unless it was Madigan’s assigned day to bring the donuts, the “show” must go on.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:51 am:
There is a difference between notifying others of your absence 10 minutes before the meeting or 10 hours before the meeting.
As for Skype, dialing in for 15 minutes on a conference call would also suffice or show he cared enough to at least try.
The manner we conduct our business and treat others matters, as does perception - especially in politics, as so many savvy commenters understand.
- walker - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 9:57 am:
Radogno rightly floated the straw for hope for us to grasp: the staffs are meeting and putting pen to paper.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:00 am:
Pro and con Madigan commenters are all assuming too much. No one has confirmed if he was hanging with with his new grandson, sitting poolside in Palm Springs or eating lunch somewhere. All we know is he missed the meeting and had a scheduling conflict (which we assume relates to a birth in the family).
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:02 am:
Anonymous @9:51 am- You are making assumptions based on little to no evidence. This continues to skew perceptions, and in a political way. I have a feeling that if this was a willful “skip” by the Speaker, Rauner’s superstars would be all over it. Thus far, nada. But, I guess the (Fri)day is still young.
According to Brown, the Governor knew and had been notified. Unless he was under a gag order from Madigan, he could have let the others in attendance know the circumstances of the Speaker’s absence. Isn’t that enough for you?Either he did, and Durkin and Radogno were playing their political cards, or he didn’t. None of us were there. Were you?
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:04 am:
- then it’s really none of your business, is it -
The Speaker has chosen to be a ‘public servant’, chosen to be an elected official, chosen a leadership role. He works for the public, and yes, it is our business if the reason for his absence is something as simple as the birth of a grandchild. If you want a public life, that is part of the deal when the stakes are high (activities by the leaders to resolve this impasse should be seen as important). He is accountable to the public, if to no one else. If it is a serious matter that warrants privacy, then say that. But don’t disrespect the public.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:13 am:
I don’t think missing the meeting is a big deal. But agreeing to the meeting and then cancelling for a scheduling conflict - without further information - was a mistake. It gave the other side some ammo for little apparent gain.
Now, to be fair….switch “Madigan” for “Rauner” in the story and ask yourself whether it is a big deal.
- Ageaintnothingbutanumber - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:15 am:
Speaker is 73 years old. He may have not been feeling well.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:19 am:
Age - certainly could be, he could have nipped it in the bud with a slightly more detailed press release. But, either way, not a big deal to the masses.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:23 am:
IMO, cancelling at the last minute was intended to communicate to the other attendees that he is the Speaker and does what he wants. I haven’t seen it speculated anywhere, but the bill to free the lottery and local government funds was released from his hold after the last meeting. It was probably a topic, and there was no support from anyone else for it to be held. He released it and sought to claim it as his own, despite that it was originally worked by Cullerton, with the Gov indicating support for it.
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:32 am:
Lincoln Lad- you really need to go back to blueroomstream and watch the House proceedings of that day in regards to WHICH bill actually included all of what was released, and HOW they successfully got there. It was not as simple as lifting the brick. The brick had been placed for a very legitimate reason. Do a CapFax archive search on “Dunkin’s fit”, and you should be able to find the link to the proceedings.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:34 am:
- Lincoln Lad -
So you agree Gov. Rauner should give up his daily schedule from day one? Rauner is a public servant after all.
Think on that.
- Junior -
If one of Rauner’s children had a child, and canceled, I think, no, I know, I’d be cool with it.
You’re welcome.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:42 am:
Willy - we agree. I suspect Rauner would have made sure the birth of the child thing was out there. Not a big thing at all, just curious why Madigan would have willingly allowed the “blow off the meeting” meme to occur. He didn’t need to, and is certainly smart enough to foresee the headlines.
- Bogey Golfer - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:53 am:
=Speaker is 73 years old. He may have not been feeling well.= if you are implying he can no longer put up with the rigors of being Speaker, perhaps he should consider stepping aside.
- Phenomynous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:56 am:
I don’t see what the big deal is, and I’m sure that the Speaker will be sponsoring a bill and/or offering an advisory referendum on the concept of grandpaternity leave during the spring session.
- Angry Chicagoan - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:00 am:
Not that I usually recommend this but go to the Tribune’s slanted news coverage and then look down the comments below. (Take blood pressure meds or a stiff drink and avoid salt consumption beforehand). I can’t help thinking that as things stand, this was a political gift to Rauner.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Angry - I agree that it is a political gift. I assume it was intentional, because Madigan is an extremely sharp politician. He rarely does things without a lot of thought.
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:09 am:
“Babygate 2015″-
“What did the Governor know and when did he know it?”
- Stones - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:11 am:
@Demoralized 9:25A
Yes, I know he famously doesn’t even own a cellphone but anyone (say a family member?) can connect him on Skype. My humble opinion only but I think he should have attempted to participate remotely.
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Latest from the Twitterverse-
Rauner says Madigan is “not a big fan” of the meetings and “has not wanted to be there.” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown says Madigan is committed to finding a budget agreement and makes “every effort” to attend the meetings.
****
Anyone have a download of Rauner’s complete comments this morning? Looks like, from the snippets above, that he’s workin’ on spin. Would be nice to see the complete context.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:24 am:
–I agree that it is a political gift. I assume it was intentional, because Madigan is an extremely sharp politician. He rarely does things without a lot of thought.–
So the calculated intent was to give Rauner a p.r. gift? What’s the sinister reason for that?
Quite diabolical to use the birth of a grandchild at the holidays. Geez, talk about thinking two moves, and nine months, ahead, somehow.
It never ceases to amaze the self-inflicted Jedi mind tricks some people will put themselves through regarding Madigan.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
- Triple fat - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:30 am:
I guess not one of you Madigan haters ever even considered that there may have been complications with the birth of his grandson. Get over it!
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:31 am:
To the Update,
I also remember Madigan thought meeting with Rod was something Madigan thought was useless too.
Does Governor Rauner want to go down this road? It’s not helping. Oh well.
- Politix - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:32 am:
“If the spin from the Bots is now that one missed meeting is a wrench in the works, they’re stepping on the boss’ message.”
Yes - 100%. The message is and always has been that he is “working hard for the people” and meetings and discussions and (phantom) phone calls are always “productive.” No way he is going to hint that Madigan’s absence got in his way, regardless of reason. And let’s be real, Bruce didn’t comment on MJM’s absence because he knew a grandchild had been born. You don’t get extra credit for being a decent person.
- Lucky Pierre - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:32 am:
So predictable how no matter what the Speaker does he has passionate defenders who bend over backwards.
No excuse not to at least phone in. Totally unprofessional but not unexpected.
- Politix - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:36 am:
And judging from Amanda’s tweet, Ruaner’s going to prove me wrong on his level of decency.
- Abe the Babe - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:41 am:
Bottom line is that the Gov had months and months to call leaders meetings and he didn’t. Now he calls one for the 2nd time after May session and is huffy that Madigan cant make it?
Seriously, what were you guys doing from June to November?
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:46 am:
A self-inflicted and entirely avoidable wound. Perception is reality, and all Madigan or a staffer had to do to avoid this was be slightly forthcoming in a timely manner.
“He won’t be able to make it and the governor knows why”
“His daughter had a child yesterday, and he will be spending the day with his family. The other tops have been informed”
“He was previously scheduled to be out of town. The leaders know”
Anything would have been better than this. It should not require a Chuck Goudie-level investigation to determine why he skipped the leaders meeting during a budget crisis.
- Austin Blvd - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:46 am:
Madigan’s modus operandi has not changed. When he skipped meetings with Quinn or Blago, the bloggers were not aghast.
He skipped them because they were a waste of time.
Being maligned publicly with childish themes makes these attendees hucksters.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:53 am:
===Perception is reality===
Only to feeble minds.
- Thoughts Matter - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:57 am:
I will agree that Madigan has been ’spun’. However I will not blame him for skipping a budget meeting which focused on term limits, re-districting and pension debt(according to the sj-r website). We all have times when family comes before meetings. Especially one so far off topic.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:58 am:
Anonymous @11:24. I didn’t mention or imply a sinister motivation. Also, I wasn’t aware Madigan even mentioned his grandchild. Just said scheduling conflict. Mindeed tricks, indeed.
- Dee Lay - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:59 am:
Amanda - how about a follow-up with why weren’t you calling for these meetings in June, July, August, etc?
It’s a fine line to walk being a statehouse reporter, but jesus folks, whatever happened to calling out pols on their nonsense?
- Politix - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
“Totally unprofessional but not unexpected.”
Are your standards of professionalism the same for Bruce? Please. Maintaining any level of professionalism as a priority flew out the window for most of these folks months ago.
- South of Sherman - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
===Only to feeble minds.===
In fairness, there are a LOT of feeble minds out there.
- Norseman - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
*** ===Perception is reality===
Only to feeble minds. ***
Unfortunately, there are a lot of them.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Rich, c’mon, most people pay little attention to the small details of politics, such as attendance ato a largely useless meeting. It does not follow that their minds are feeble. Both political parties spend enormous money to package their stories for the masses (aka, voters or the bosses of the those privileged to serve).
- Triple fat - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
i’m starting to believe that the most vocal critics of the Speaker are emotionally driven by envy. Being envious of another person’s power is so unbecoming.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
Triple - good point on the emotionally driven thing. This is certainly a weakness on their part. Of course, it is fully offset by supporters of the other side, who suffer the exact same affliction.
- Austin Blvd - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
Guessing Madigan offered to send a replacement…
- Georg Sande - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:46 pm:
#Speakerless
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:23 pm:
I’m against Rauner’s side 100 percent on this budget fight and Madigan no-showing this meeting was bad. Bad for his position in negotiations and bad for Democrats generally. Just supports the Rauner narrative that Madigan is the problem here.
- JS Mill - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:38 pm:
=probably a topic, and there was no support from anyone else=
Yeah, cuz MJM cares what the other four boneheads “support”.
Welcome to Illinois, I can only assume that you are new here.
- Huh? - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:54 pm:
When was the meeting scheduled? It was announced to the public a couple of days ago. Did the governor’s office have the courtesy of attempting to schedule the meeting a month ago? What was the response from Mr. Madigan’a office?
To announce a meeting on short notice, and expect everyone to be able to attend is than poor planning and impolite.
I get that the budget is a crisis situation. But to lambast Mr. Madigan for not attending a meeting on short notice is unfair.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 2:23 pm:
If we don’t know all the facts, we probably can’t place blame on anyone involved, right? Bigger point is the Madigan left the door open for a bad looking headline, and it could bite him a bit (just a bit).
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 2:34 pm:
Junior- You can let your dog bark all it wants, and that’s annoying. But let it bite, and there are consequences, even with little ankle biters. Someone knew something at sometime. If the Someone (Rauner) knew, then why allow all these shenanigans in the media? And, I do realize how rhetorical that question is.
- Junior - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 2:49 pm:
221 - Sorry, I am not sure I understand. Ankle biters abound in Springfield, but either side could have put more light on Meeting-gate if they chose.
- Anon221 - Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 2:55 pm:
Here it is more clearly- why couldn’t Rauner, for once, have not let his “dog” bite? You want to continue to blame Madigan for failing to do this or that to inform the media/public, fine, that’s the road you want to walk down. Rauner’s “disappoint” comments earlier today were totally unnecessary since he “knew” something the rest of us didn’t. He said that for political reasons only, and especially since it’s Friday (end of week news fodder).