* JB Pritzker has posted a campaign video on Twitter…
The dude seems genuine. We’ll see.
* Check the live coverage post for more, but this is a sampling from today’s announcement…
* From Pritzker’s new campaign website…
Illinois is my home. This is where I’ve raised my family, where I started businesses and where I’ve created programs to improve the lives of people across the state.
What’s happening now in Springfield is offensive to our values and who we are as a state. Bruce Rauner’s failure as Governor isn’t just about numbers, it’s creating real damage every day to people across Illinois.
* And on another page, he has this…
Now, let me address a question I imagine may be on your mind:
With Bruce Rauner as Governor and Donald Trump as President, why do we need another rich guy running for office?
My answer is that it’s a matter of values, and that Trump and Rauner are trying to destroy many of the things I’ve spent my life fighting for.
About a century ago, my great-grandfather Nicholas arrived in Chicago penniless. He worked hard — but he had help. A social service agency helped him find a place to live. A good public school helped him learn English. A state university allowed him to get a higher education degree.
You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you don’t have any, and this state gave my great grandfather his bootstraps.
It’s what everyone in Illinois deserves, it’s what I’ve been fighting for my whole life, and it’s what I’ll be fighting for every day as your next governor.
Pretty sure that argument alone is not gonna do the trick. Your own thoughts about what he should say?
*** UPDATE *** Raw audio of the event…
Waiting on Q&A audio.
- Ok - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:22 pm:
That argument is more than enough..
- Juvenal - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:23 pm:
You can’t pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, period.
The English phrase is meant to describe someone attempting something foolishly impossible, usually with great effort.
- Rocky Rosi - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:25 pm:
Looks like he is a likeable person.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
“Bruce Rauner failed”
Repeat over and over and over…
Start there. Don’t stop.
- Annyong - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
Not a huge fan of JB but I actually like that he addressed the issue head-on. I like how he mentioned the specific social service agencies that helped is Grandfather, and I think it makes a real, human connection to how important it is to fix the issues of this state.
I think it’s a pretty good line, but Rich is right — this alone isn’t going to make the questions go away.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
When Diana Rauner needed help with her wonderful organization, who did she call? Me.
Bruce? She sued him.
- Simple Simon - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:35 pm:
I think it is an eminently sensible opening for the campaign, to be repeated endlessly and followed up by fleshed out policy specifics. Far better than the “Tax hike Mike” coming out of the other channel.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:35 pm:
While I’m not into the billionaire/millionaire trend, if he becomes Governor I’m going to learn to impersonate him. I already have the big guy (read fat) look down with similar hair and body.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:36 pm:
If I were him I’d make the point that super-wealthy doesn’t always mean out of touch and then give specific examples of “the things I’ve spent my life fighting for.” He needs to show people how he’s different than Trump and Rauner and that he truly understands the struggles of the ‘common’ person. Talking about his ancestors doesn’t do that in my mind.
- Rerun - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:40 pm:
What is the likelihood that Pritzker has ever ridden on a CTA elevated train? He ought to take the Red Line challenge and ride from 95th Street to Howard Street. It would be an eye opening experience for him.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:41 pm:
Hmm…
===”More than three decades of experience have led us to identify some big bets that have the potential to transform early learning. We are so grateful to the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation for sharing our belief in these innovations,” said Diana Rauner, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund.===
“We are so grateful to the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation for sharing our belief in these innovations,” said Diana Rauner, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund.
That Diana Rauner, she knows how great JB Pritzker is, and his foundation, in actually helping people.
Why does Diana Rauner, as a Democrat, keep donating to Bruce Rauner’s campaign fund and Republicans that only want to starve social services and close state universities?
I guess Diana Rauner will have to ignore JB Pritzker bailing out The Ounce when Bruce Rauner would rather not pay social service groups, not like The Ounce.
That’s right. Diana Rauner thinks it’s a business decision. Getting the Pritzkers to donate to The Ounce is… survival of the fittest?
Those Rauners…
- phocion - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:42 pm:
He should say something like:
“Mike Madigan and Bruce Rauner are both part of the problem with what ails the great state of Illinois. But you know what, my whole life I’ve fixed problems and I’ve reaped the rewards. Now it’s time to give back. I need your support to help me solve some of the serious issues facing us: educational opportunities, job growth, investing in our infrastructure, looking out for our most vulnerable citizens. Together we can make a difference - and move beyond the petty fighting happening in Springfield.”
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:42 pm:
Perhaps now these Democratic campaigns will start documenting and publicizing the willful damage that has been done to real people in service of Rauner’s personal agenda/retirement hobby.
Goodness knows the Democratic Party of Illinois and the GA leaders didn’t do it.
- W Flag - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:45 pm:
How many of the smiling commuters meeting J.B. Pritzker mistook him for the actor Oliver Platt who was also reported to be in Chicago (according to Michael Sneed)?
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
Just run a commercial with Rauner’s CMS building lease from now until November 2018.
- Annyong - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
Just rewatched the video, it is really well done. He’s going to be paying for all the best consultants and while that may not be enough to get him the primary win… it certainly doesn’t hurt.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:52 pm:
====r mistook him for the actor Oliver Platt
A bit older, but I could probably pass for him too.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:54 pm:
To the Pritzker Crew,
Well done, keep on message.
24/7/365
“Bruce Rauner failed”
“Bruce Rauner is hurting Illinois”
“Bruce Rauner is starving Higher Education”
Bruce Rauner refuses to pay those helping those in most need”
“Bruce Rauner hasn’t gotten a budget passed as governor”
“Bruce Rauner vetoes money for CPS hurting Chicago students now, and clouted his daughter into CPS hurting a Chicago students then too”
“Bruce Rauner never created one job.”
If you have any more questions, I’ll be around.
OW
- Seats - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:55 pm:
I donated to Kennedy already, but I’m likely to shift my support to JB if this introduction is any sign of what kind if guy he is.
- sal-says - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:58 pm:
In answer to the post’s title: YES.
An average, low ball $ person ain’t got no chance anymore. Money wins. Although our Unfit4Governor’s messaging is getting very repetitive and tiresome & I’m betting folks are and will figure that out.
So, at this point, almost ANY big buck pol that doesn’t have a ‘destruction obsession’ would be welcome. Every day more folks get hurt; more folks don’t like where our governot is heading us.
- Tom - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:00 pm:
Bring it on, JB! Great video. Great opener.
- Earnest - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:04 pm:
>it’s creating real damage every day to people across Illinois.
>arrived in Chicago penniless. He worked hard — but he had help. A social service agency
He can stake out this territory for himself. Newspapers chose not to cover the destruction, the IDP chose not to make it a messaging campaign. There are tons of potential good stories here and he can make the most of them. I find this exciting. Of course, I am biased as a big believer in effective, accountable social services.
- don the legend - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:05 pm:
Next he needs to say “I’ll call your 50 million”.
- Grandpa - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
Positive first impression…
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:09 pm:
I personally like his message/video today. Cute kids too.
Maybe the verbiage was off, but the story of Nicholas Pritzker is really about as “American Dream-y” as you can get. More than “Dad was a VP at Motorola and sent me to the Ivies, then I learned the private equity game and made a ton of money with other people’s money.”
- Ok - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:16 pm:
A progressive billionaire just like the gov of Minnesota? Sounds exciting!
- BK Bro - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:19 pm:
“Pritzker says Rauner team has proposed 33% tax increase, he says he’ll propose tax on millionaires and billionaires ”
Get those millionaires and billionaires!
- Centenial - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:27 pm:
The video is well done. More importantly, he’s likeable and “real” in it. His quips and comments made me chuckle and the kids are sweet and could be any of the neighborhood kids who ring my doorbell on any given day.
And I find the story about Nicholas, also relatable and humble.
I also really like the tough talk. He’s not afraid to call Rauner a failure and say Trump’s Exec Order was stupid.
If this is JB — deal me in.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
I think that’s a fine answer. There’s really no where else to go- if wealth is a make-or-break issue for you- and I think it’s going to be very salient for quite a few primary voters- you’re going to have to find another candidate anyway. This isn’t like a policy position that he can shade or persuade with the right wording.
- Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:32 pm:
Was that Rich Miller he was shaking hands with at 12 seconds in?
- West - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:36 pm:
Ha Ha it’s amazing how people get suckered by the image thing. How many people keep saying, “He seems down to earth” and “He seems likable” as if that’s some huge hurdle. I’m old enough to remember how downstate county chairs fell all over themselves because Rod Blagojevich came to town with his down to earth and likable personality. Careful - there’s more to this than that.
- Veil of Ignorance - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
Rauner’s team is cuing up a ad blitz w/Blago saying “J.B. can do it, couldn’t he?” on wiretap in 3, 2, 1…if Pritzker can survive the initial onslaught and build momentum, then Dems will have an interesting choice next March.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
It seems that Rauner’s act is wearing thin. More and more in the media seem to be calling him out on his “costumes” and dropped g’s. His latest commercial has been fairly widely mocked. Check out M Kinney’s tweet to the right:
Asked if he’s alter his diction a la Rauner, Pritzker says: “I’m not dropping any g’s here.”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
“Pritzker says: “I’m not dropping any g’s here.”
That was the best part of his little presser! Bring back G’s to the Governor’s mansion!!!
- illini - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 5:27 pm:
Willy is absolutely right with his bullet points - but will this messaging be seen, heard or televised South of I-80?
- cdog - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 5:28 pm:
My two-cents on what Pritzker should NOT SAY while he defends himself from being hijacked by the aggressive far-left of his party…
$.01 — Don’t buy into the sanctuary city/state nonsense.
All that does is promote the degradation of society by encouraging folks to disregard laws. There are a few laws I’d like to disregard but won’t. We should have an expectation that elected officials have the VALUE of being law-abiding and that they understand the political process to change the laws they don’t like. It’s a very slippery slope.
$.02 — Don’t pick up the fake torch that some free speech is now hate speech.
If I want to educate on the dangers of USA allowing protection for totalitarian cults, I do not want the far-left to attempt to change the values of free speech in USA which then has the effect of promoting cults. Be strong in the VALUE of FREE SPEECH in public discourse, even if the far-left and any cults demand special treatment from free speech laws due to their cult rules and thin skin.
Not your drive-by candidate platform items but very worthy of contemplation as a potential leader.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 5:32 pm:
- illini -
Thanks, and that’s the real question, will Pritzker/Kennedy/Biss try to get statewide televised messaging before State Fair?
Right now, the playing field is Rauner’s
- illini - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 7:12 pm:
@Willy - exactly correct.
I’m sorry, but I know the demographics of many previous Primary and General Elections and do agree that Rauner is dominating the downstate media with his contrived appearances and his predictable “news worthy remarks” being routinely reported as a top story in much of the media.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 8:46 pm:
- illini - Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 5:27 pm:
Willy is absolutely right with his bullet points - but will this messaging be seen, heard or televised South of I-80?”
He’s in Carbondale and other parts downstate now.