* Twitters…
* The governor’s response today…
“In terms of the convention, as I’ve been clear, I was never intending to go. Illinois has lots of problems, we’re not fixing them fast enough and I’m full-time focused on getting Illinois strong and I’m focused in Springfield and traveling the state so that’s how I spend my time.”
* Raw audio…
…Adding… From yesterday’s event in Taylorville…
Monday Governor Rauner toured a factory in Taylorville and then signed a bill that aims to prevent the sale of bath salt like drugs.
He was scheduled to answer reporter questions after the bill signing. Here’s him outlining that plan;
“If there are any other topics people would like to talk about let’s do that afterwards off to the side. We can cover other issues that folks want.”
But the Governor didn’t answer any other questions after the event.
His communication director saying his answers to questions about the convention would be no comment.
Sigh.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:18 pm:
Bruce Rauner supports Donald Trump for President of the United Stares.
He’s on tape saying it’s so. Rauner has yet to say he doesn’t.
That’s really all that needs to be told to voters.
Rauner supports Trump.
Exactly right, and there’s video too!
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
I sure hope that answers Michelle’s question.
Gotta love the irony of Southern Illinois media questioning why the governor isn’t somewhere else.
- silent watcher - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:20 pm:
Funny how he wouldn’t answer any questions yesterday when the statehouse reporters showed up to his event.
http://newschannel20.com/news/local/gov-rauner-dodges-questions-on-presidential-race
I don’t get why he thinks he can completely ignore national politics when he’s the first Republican Governor in more than a decade in the state.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:21 pm:
“Illinois has lots of problems, we’re not fixing them fast enough and I’m full-time focused on getting Illinois strong and I’m focused in Springfield and traveling the state so that’s how I spend my time.”
Doesn’t the Governor have plans in the near future to travel not only out of Illinois but out of the country?
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
Do what your friend Rahm would have done in this situation. Go on vacation somewhere out of state and tell those pesky reporters your family’s personal activities are none of their business.
- QuizIcal - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
From what I’ve heard, not too long ago he intended to go and be on the ticket.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
He’s going to have to answer the question eventually. Just support Trump and get it done with.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
If what he said was true, he would be the first Illinois governor in 200 years to intentionally avoid their party’s national election.
Rauner hasn’t displayed such a level of disinterest before.
Consequently I find his answer difficult to believe.
Incidentally, we do know what Donald Trump thinks about guys who got rich by buying and stripping business ventures. So, Rauner is about as welcome to Trumpslvania as a coroner is at a hospital’s emergency room.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:36 pm:
If he can’t embrace the republican nominee — then why be a republican?
Rauner’s no RINO — he’s veered solidly into wingnut territory — but if he’s not willing to step up and walk with the party — why be in the party?
- AlfondoGonz - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:42 pm:
If Bruce covers his ears and closes his eyes when he votes Trump, it still counts.
- MAD MAX - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
Odd, doesn’t Trump also think he can run the government just like a business? You’d think they’d have a lot in common. Oh yeah…they do!
- Saluki - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
I do not understand why this is a story. Who cares if the Governor didn’t go to the convention? Answer: No one.
- Mama - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
Rauner: “I’m full-time focused on getting Illinois strong” How are you making IL stronger by destroying colleges, social services and state workers?
Show us the math.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
===Answer: No one.===
1) Speak for yourself.
2) As we discussed yesterday, he’s been all over the map on this topic. So, keep up.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:52 pm:
Rauner supports Trump, the rest is Rauner hoping and filling abc pretending that Rauner is so unhappy with Do and Trump…
… that Bruce Rauner at the state convention made clear that he, Bruce Rauner, supports Donald Trump.
It’s not up for discussion… unless Rauner wants to denounce his own support of Donald Trump.
Ignoring press questions… that’s Rauner supporting Trump, as he said he did at the Convention.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:53 pm:
“fooling and pretending”
- doofusguy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:54 pm:
I care - and it is a legitimate question to ask why he’s not there and/or supporting the presumptive nominee
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:56 pm:
===… why he’s not there and/or supporting the presumptive nominee===
Rauner supports Donald Trump.
At the state convention, Rauner made it very clear, even pauses to make the point…
- Sir Reel - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 2:58 pm:
“We’re not fixing them (problems) fast enough.”
Understatement of the year.
- pundent - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
=At the state convention, Rauner made it very clear, even pauses to make the point… =
And this is precisely why this has become an issue. Rauner’s support at the state convention was unequivocal. Yet, when the topic has come up outside of that forum he’s refused to provide an answer. His willingness to address the issue so clearly in one setting and refusal to acknowledge questions in another is just bizarre. It’s a story because Rauner has made it one.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
FKA- “— why be in the party?”
****
Because it was/is a convenient cover and entry into politics. Same reason Trump is now a Republican. Money, greed, and power complete the set.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:13 pm:
Does Rauner actually think his support or non-support of Trump will change any ones opinion of HIS performance.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
===Does Rauner actually think his support or non-support of Trump will change any ones opinion of HIS performance.===
Yes.
Otherwise, Rauner wouldn’t be so ambiguous outside the state convention.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:28 pm:
Rauner and Trump are so alike. Giving straight and honest answers is an anathema to them.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:30 pm:
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Rauner remarked.
(apologies to L. Carroll)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUnqbBgYZmI
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:36 pm:
==Rauner’s no RINO==
Iowa congress-critter Steve King would likely argue over that one. So far, Gov has done nothing to push anti-abortion legislation, revoke gay marriage rights, or loudly denounce immigrants in Illinois illegally. He is worth a billion dollars and loathes unions in any form, but idk if that is enough to avoid the dreaded RINO label from most of the fundies.
- Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:48 pm:
I feel sympathy for Rauner on this. Trump has split the Republican party. And Rauner needs all Republican voters at the polls in November.
I would oppose Trump and talk up the downballot races as a check on Hillary. But then I view Trump as explosively dangerous and Clinton as corrosively dangerous. Trump is more likely to get us into a hot war. Clinton, with Supreme Court nominees, will further weaken our Federal structure of limited government. Two bad outcomes.
- Team Warwick - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 3:56 pm:
I never intended to go either. And when i grow up i want to be labeled a RINO because they are all going extinct. Then finally i will get my own pen enclosure and food and people lobbying Congress on my behalf for all my special needs. Sweet deal. Before they were going extinct nobody cared. They ran all the reasonable moderates of both parties out of DC and the rest of the lemmings ran right over the cliff, having no Rinos blocking their path or their fall that is.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:11 pm:
Rauner is a Raunerite.
A Raunerite that supports Donald Trump
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
“… we’re not fixing them …”
Please define the word “fix”. Because one persons “fix” is another’s “break”.
So far, all I have seen is break and no fixing.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:39 pm:
–Gotta love the irony of Southern Illinois media questioning why the governor isn’t somewhere else.–
MF goes yard, lmao.
I’m not even sure what the governor’s play is here — I don’t think he knows what it is. As has been pointed out, he’s take every side of the question.
Maybe it’s just all about obfuscation. Sure has worked for him regarding his governing strategy.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:40 pm:
Hope there are no tell tale evidence left behind….ISP hotel reservations, call logs other FOI’able stuff.
The scared little 3rd gradersdoes look like a fool. Does this mean he will dump super operative Nick Ayers who got stuck with the VEEP candidate rather than the Vegas SuperPac ? Surely that wil leave a Trumpesque stench to the BigBrain aroma
- Anon - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:47 pm:
Plus, it does make one wonder if Rauner has national intentions. I mean, the Midwest is apparently fertile ground now for veep possibilities — on both sides.
I guess if he’s traveling the world in the next two years and ushering in the dozens of companies waiting in the wings for the union death knell he has no time for that sort of stuff.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 4:51 pm:
We should be glad the Governor has stayed home to devote time to our State’s problems. Bath salts bill, check. Governor’s mansion, check. What’s the next problem he plans to tackle this week?
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 5:10 pm:
Well, he missed out on this;)
Norovirus at the RNC. Check your favorite news feed!
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jul 19, 16 @ 6:34 pm:
Imagine a world in which the Governor of Illinois could say something and thoughtful people would believe him.
We do not live in such a world.
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 20, 16 @ 7:16 am:
Why would anyone think that Bruce decided not to go to the convention. I bet Bruce was asked not to go to the convention.