Oh, come on, man
Friday, Aug 19, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Bruce Rauner held a press conference today in Mt. Vernon…
Reporter: How involved do you plan to be in local elections, specifically local Republican elections in southern Illinois?
Rauner: Um, I’m not really very involved. I’m really, my focus is really on the government and good policy and administering… That’s really where I’m spending my time. I’m really not too involved in races.
* Apparently, writing big checks doesn’t take too much time…
* Raw audio…
…Adding… Here’s the latest southern Illinois ad…
…Adding More… For crying out loud, he just said this on Wednesday…
Gov. Bruce Rauner promised today that Republicans would outspend Democrats this fall in a GOP effort to reclaim the Illinois General Assembly.
“This year, we’re going to go toe-to-toe with them,” Rauner told party county chairmen at an event starting the Illinois Republican Party Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. Rauner said Democrats have far outspent the GOP in recent elections, but “we’re going to do better than they do. You’ll see the biggest ground game ever for legislative races in Illinois.”
Sheesh.
…Adding Still More… Greg Hinz asks…
But is it a good idea to have one guy utterly dominating a party’s finances? Expect to hear more discussion on that as the election season moves on.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:35 pm:
What does it say about him that he has to misrepresent his involvement in local politics? Is he ashamed of it? Why can’t he simply answer this in a straight-forward manner? It’s politics, afterall, people expect the Governor to be involved in politics.
What a silly thing to be evasive about.
- walker - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:39 pm:
That amount of money is of little concern to him. Easy come easy go. His time and presence are what counts as involvement.
- Honeybear - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:39 pm:
My favorite word…….heeeeeeeeeeeere it comes!
PERFIDY!
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:41 pm:
“I’m really, my focus is really on the government and good policy and administering…” — Bruce Rauner, August 19, 2016.
“The State budget impasse has meant funding for homeless prevention programs is in limbo and more than $1 million in preventive funding was not available in fiscal year 2016.” — Catholic Charities, August 15, 2016.
Imagine how bad things might be if Rauner were very involved in campaigns rather than maintaining his laser-like focus on “good policy and administering.”
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:42 pm:
I think I’d like to get to a point in my life where dropping $20, $30 million dollars on a “hobby” is not involved in at all.
It’s frightening the interpretations Rauner has, as to defining, like “involvement”
- The anti-trib - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
Total opposite of what he said at the fair two days ago…the greatest ground game ever, etc
- illini - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:47 pm:
=== my focus is really on the government and good policy and administering ===
I really wonder how things would be different if he ever did decide to get involved in “local” races !!!
- PublicServant - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:48 pm:
To the Guv, lying is a tool, not a character defect.
- The Captain - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
And of the $11 million the Governor has transferred it’s flying out the door fast, they’re going to need a re-up soon. HRO has put almost $700,000 into McAuliffe already. We haven’t even reached the DuQuoin State Fair yet.
- Deft Wing - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:53 pm:
That commercial against Forby is going to leave a mark. Ouch!
- Huh? - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:53 pm:
Didn’t 1.4% say the other day that he was going to have the biggest ground game against the Dems that they had ever seen?
Boy, the guy can’t even remember what he said a couple of days ago.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:54 pm:
Meh
- John Gregory (ex-IRN) - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 12:59 pm:
Did that reporter get to follow up?
Though it should be clear he’s already involved in local races downstate, so asking that question doesn’t serve much of a purpose anyway.
- Moe Berg - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
A disturbing aspect of the governor’s character: the man will literally say anything if he thinks it might help him at the moment, even if it contradicts obvious facts/reality. Dangerous.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:04 pm:
He ought to consider dropping that money into the lap of someone else to be governor, because he hasn’t a clue.
- TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
He’s the Minister of Truth.
- illini - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:20 pm:
Can’t wait to see how the local press will cover this !!!!
Why, exactly, was he in Mt.Vernon? Or, was this just another of his many road trips that he has routinely used to stroke his ego and get some free, friendly, and unquestioned quoting of his statements by local media?
- Norseman - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
Honesty and integrity are not the hallmarks of the Trump/Rauner GOP!
- BBG Watch - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:27 pm:
I might actually have some respect for him if he dropped $11 million of his own money into social services that have been ruined by his “focus … on the government and good policy and administering”
- Curious - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
Why has the Governor’s office given raises when there are so many people who don’t have jobs because of his budget fiasco?
Richard Goldberg got a $57,000 raise in 2016
Lance Trover got a $6,000 raise in 2016
- South of Sherman - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
He also said he doesn’t know anything about Proft’s fake newspapers. So he gives the guy millions and doesn’t know what he’s doing with it? Good thing he’s got those great business skills.
- Responsa - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
Honeybear–
It’s interesting that you say your favorite word is PERFIDY. Have you ever given thought as to how that became your favorite word and/or how your entire worldview may be affected if perfidy is in fact your favorite word?
- Ghost - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:48 pm:
This election will show if the problems facing the wealthy white males in IL are money to advertise, or something else.
- scott aster - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
RICH…..have you got any idea how much $$$$ Rauner and his friends are going to drop on Madaigan et al during the fall. Maybe 50m or more????
- Anon221 - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
Illini- here is why he was in Mt. Vernon:
http://www.heraldpubs.com/2016/08/19/governor-celebrates-grand-opening-of-new-mt-vernon-township-high-school/
- walker - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 2:07 pm:
Tough week. Oscar time please.
- illini - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 2:12 pm:
@Anon221 - Thanks. I get the Sentinel and there was no mention of his visit.
- 37 - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 2:21 pm:
I also am curious as to how Perfidy came to be Honeybear’s favorite word, considering my favorite (”Mendacity”)was available.
Harvey ‘Big Daddy’ Pollitt: What’s that smell in this room? Didn’t you notice it, Brick? Didn’t you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?
- 37B - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 2:48 pm:
“37″ at 2:21 was me(typos and all).
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 3:55 pm:
Rauner is positioning himself. If the Republican candidates fail, he was not involved. Defeat is an orphan.
It is not healthy for any party to be too dependent on a single person or group. With the recent resignations, the Republican party looks weaker than in 2014.
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 19, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
=But is it a good idea to have one guy utterly dominating a party’s finances?=
I guess it depends on if you need the money? I am sure the GOP thought “oh boy, we can get in the game now” at first. Now they understand that can be a yoke as well.