It’s Munger’s turn to take a hit over Trump
Thursday, Jun 9, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tina Sfondeles…
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger — one of the state’s highest-ranking Republicans — isn’t attending the Republican National Convention in July, citing her duties in dealing with the state’s budget mess.
Munger confirmed on Thursday that the Cleveland convention isn’t on her schedule. And she wouldn’t comment on whether she supports Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
* React from Munger’s Democratic opponent, Susana Mendoza…
“Donald Trump’s comments were racist, sexist and un-American. If Leslie Munger won’t stand up to Trump, then her silence is a betrayal of our American values. Fact is if Munger won’t speak truth to Donald Trump, she won’t speak truth to those in power in Springfield who continue the mess that is state government.” -Susana Mendoza
I’m assuming Munger said what she said to avoid stepping on her fiscal message, but, man, that Trump sucks all the oxygen out of just about anything that goes near him.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
To the Post,
You walk away from Trump.
You walk away or you don’t.
No hedging. Choose.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:24 pm:
From the (fake) Illinois Republican Party-
Due to budget constrictions, the ILGOP will not be represented at the National GOP Convention in Cleveland. We just can’t “afford” it.
(Maybe having no budget was Rauner’s Grand Master plan all along to get out of having to attend the convention! heavy, heavy snark!)
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:26 pm:
With the negatives Trump and Clinton have, 2016 is going to get particularly ugly.
This is just the beginning of requiring stances to be taken. We can expect a great deal of reciprocity concerning Democrats also =standing up= to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s treatment of women in some races, President Obama’s treatment of the VA in other races, and more fun. smh.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Interesting, but not-quite=persuasive, take below as to why Republicans have chosen now to start pounding Trump on his racist comments.
Still, should have done it earlier, when the smart thing to do was also the right thing to do.
Never miss a chance to do the smart thing when it’s the right thing.
Now…. you bought it. No deposit. No return.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/06/07/why-republicans-are-eagerly-blasting-trumps-racist-attacks-on-a-judge/
- siriusly - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
Trump at the top of the ticket for the GOP. And Munger is running against the first Latina to run statewide (correct?).
She better cut bait and dump Trump completely. I agree with Oswego, don’t prance around on this one. Munger needs to disavow - cut bait - move on.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
Munger and other IL Republicans better get used this. If I were them, I’d disavow Trump right away before he blunders again. Kirk opened the door for them.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:31 pm:
She may not “support” him, but…are you going to vote for him?
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:37 pm:
This is probably an uninteresting tangent to most, but I have always had a pet peeve with the phrase “speak truth to power.” The reality is always more like “speak your version of the truth to power.” Just irrationally annoys me, don’t care who says it. Anyone else?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:40 pm:
You can’t make it to Cleveland Leslie? That’s okay, I was just wondering if you also consider yourself Trump’s “wingman,” just as you do for Governor Rauner’s Burn-It-Into-The-Ground Agenda?
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:49 pm:
I don’t understand why some of these folks find it so difficult to walk away from Donald Trump.
I’m pretty sure being asked about him every time you talk to the media is going to ruin any campaign message you’re trying to pitch.
- downstater - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
Munger and some others are being rather cowardly and seem unprepared with their remarks. If I’m her, my response is: “I’m the Comptroller of the State of Ilinois. I currently have one of the most difficult job in America: trying to pay bills that are backlogged more than $8 billion, while our state is held hostage by a legislature that just tried to pass a fairy tale budget that would add an additional $7.5 billion to my backlog. I’m sorry if I don’t have time to monitor every comment made by a presidential candidate. I’m not interested in responding in an attempt to fend off lame and desperte political attacks by my opponent. Instead I’m focused on the job I was appointed to do.”
- downstater - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:51 pm:
Also, I’m really sick of hearing about who will and won’t be attending the conventions. Who cares? I’ve never voted for a candidate based on their attendance at their party’s national convention…nor have I ever met anyone who has.
- Delimma - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:51 pm:
What is your position on X…? Trump! What do you think about Y? Trump! Trump Trump Trump….
- Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:56 pm:
That doesn’t bug me but I get it. The use of “decimate” in a context other than reducing by a 10th kills me.
- John Reynolds - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:57 pm:
What Trump said was racist.
Whats even worse is that Trump said he would do something about it if elected, and still no response from the Republican party about this.
I guess they defend the Constitution when it suits their purpose. Otherwise, its an optional document.
- The Muse - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
Madam Comptroller, your track record for winning an election isn’t so good. Perhaps denouncing the guy who uses language that the US Speaker of the House deems “the definition of racist” would be a solid starting point.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:07 pm:
When a baseball team scores 5-6-7 runs a game but the team is 0-20 because the pitching staff gives up 10 runs a game, the pitching staff shouldn’t blame the offense.
Susanna is part of the pitching staff.
- Ghost - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:13 pm:
I like to think the Mungers predecessor would have unhesitatingly blasted trump, unlike Paul Ryan and Munger
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:21 pm:
“… Democrats also =standing up= to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s …”
Nope, not me, will never happen. They are as bad, if not worse, as Trump.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:44 pm:
Bad move by Munger. Even her benefactor has been smart enough to disavow Trump.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:46 pm:
–And she wouldn’t comment on whether she supports Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. –
No worries. I’m sure no one will ever ask her that question again.
- illini - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:46 pm:
And I am still waiting for a response from Mike Bost as well. At least LaHood and Davis appear to be conditioning their acceptance of him.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
Downstate grow up! What I really want to tell you would get me banned. I’m not a Clinton fan, but I can’t sit back and let the country in love be run by Trump.
- Gooner - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:24 pm:
This is a down-ballot race and Trump is second to the top of the ticket.
Kirk may be able to effectively distance himself from Trump, but I don’t see any way for Munger to do it. People are not going to be paying close enough attention on that one. She’s going to take the hit no matter what she says.
If she denounces Trump, the only people who may remember are GOP primary voters who will punish her for it in her next race (if I had to bet, she loses this one and then runs statewide in the future).
All she can really do is ignore it, talk about her job, and hope that somehow she gets enough name recognition to make a difference.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:34 pm:
==- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:07 pm:==
I think you mean Leslie. It is the self-described “wingman” of Baron von Carhartt who has stood idly by as the state burns and the Barons fiddles around on his barnstorm.
- Rabid - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 5:54 pm:
It’s not like she didn’t sit at the same table for lunch with him