* Remember this post from last month?…
Chris Kennedy spoke at the Mom+Baby governors candidate meet and greet yesterday. I didn’t see anything on his Twitter page about it, but I’m told about 30 moms and 10 kids had to wait at least half an hour for him to arrive. And it went downhill from there.
* Well, Mark Maxwell at WCIA TV interviewed some of those moms the other day…
“We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.” A group of moms is setting out to change the political landscape in Illinois. We met them this week on Capitol Connection.
* The video…
* In case you can’t watch video where you work, here’s a transcript of one of the moms describing the Kennedy meet and greet…
REPORTER: Rebecca Abraham is backing state Sen. Daniel Biss for governor after a meeting with Chris Kennedy left her with a bad impression.
REBECCA: And then he was very defensive when corrected. So it was kind of disrespectful that he wasn’t prepared and I wonder if he had met with a group of men who also were an activist group, I bet he would’ve came a lot more prepared. But because we’re called Mom + Baby and we’re a bunch of women with our children, he blew us off. So I don’t think he would’ve had the same behavior with a group of men.
Ouch.
* Meanwhile…
Chris Kennedy will attend the first annual Kankakee County John F. Kennedy Dinner as the keynote speaker. In his remarks, Kennedy will address his personal history of public service, his family’s legacy and his vision for the future of our state.
- perry noya - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:00 pm:
People mistakenly thought that Kennedy, just by virtue of his name, would be a good campaigner.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:01 pm:
Kennedy comes off as very awkward. I expected him to be a force, but he seems to be in a long, slow decline. It’s early, but I can see the primary being a race between Pritzger and Biss.
- For Real - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
Couldn’t see entire video. But this is just one person. Coverage sounds a little pritzker-skewed. Come on man!
- Chicago Guy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
I remember waiting in line to get into a charity event years ago. Kennedy showed up, skipped the line and walked right in front of everyone. It always left a bad taste for me.
- PT Barnum - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Maybe he should tell them he is a former federal prosecutor…that always gets the crowd warmed up.
- hmmm - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:27 pm:
–Kennedy will address his personal history of public service, his family’s legacy and his vision–
So he is or isn’t going to discuss his Grandfather’s crooked financial dealings?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
She’s come completely undone. Poor creature. That sweaty, unkept beast of a man was late and unprepared. She expected John John and Kennedy mystique, not Chris Chris and Kennedy mistake.
She thinks it’s about her being a mom? If she was with a group of computer programmers, the’d have made fun of how he wears deodorant and a belt.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:33 pm:
Kennedy’s performance was embarrassing, and should be of real concern to his campaign. But then there’s this — who booked the event? 30 people? What is Mom + Baby exactly? Do they have sway with voters? Their website says they fight for the “rights of women and children.” Like which ones?
I’m tired of these made-up advocacy groups that have small memberships, vague missions, and self-important and entitled leaders who demand inordinate time from officials and candidates, and then receive out-sized media attention when they don’t get their way or feel slighted.
C’mon Kennedy campaign. Your candidate is (well should be) your most valuable resource. Maximize his exposure, pick smart events, and don’t put him in awkward situations where his own political defects might cost him more embarrassment.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:42 pm:
“I wonder if he had met with a group of men who also were an activist group, I bet he would’ve came a lot more prepared.”
I doubt it.
- LilLebowskiUrbanAchiever - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
- hmmm - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 1:27 pm:
So he is or isn’t going to discuss his Grandfather’s crooked financial dealings?
Read much? His grandfather took advantage of little to no regulation of the markets… then became the first Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. And was lauded for cleaning up the stock market. But ok…
- DrurysMissingClock - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:29 pm:
@LilLebowskiUrbanAchiever
Are you really defending Joe Kennedy’s financial dealings?
This is going to be a long primary..
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:31 pm:
===Are you really defending Joe Kennedy’s financial dealings?===
Are you really bringing up century-old shenanigans?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:43 pm:
The Kennedy men had many flaws and many heroic aspects to ponder. Unless Chris expects people to believe greatness is in the blood, bringing them up in campaign stops only points out his diminished stature by comparison.
- Red fish blue fish - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:44 pm:
The candidate preformed poorly— mistakes happen. There are hundreds of these events before an election.
Connecting a weak performance to an allegation of deep seated misogyny is a bit gratuitous. I smell a partisan angle— it reeks of Biss.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
I’m really liking Mark Maxwell’s work. He works hard, covers a lot of bases, and is just a bit snarky which particularly endears him to old AA. I should probably put this on the other post, but he hit Rauner & Co. hard for not knowing the AV process. Just another reason to not watch WICS.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 2:57 pm:
–Are you really bringing up century-old shenanigans?–
I agree Rich. Totally irrelevant. Except that one time he was decrying robber barons.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 3:33 pm:
Your lede for this story could have been
“Chris’ diss leads to Biss bliss”
- LilLebowskiUrbanAchiever - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
If you’re actually interested in history, read The Patriarch by David Nasaw. Considered the definitive biography of Joe Kennedy.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 2, 17 @ 6:56 pm:
Hmmm –
Oh for heaven’s sake. I hope no one ever tries to hold me accountable for my grandfather’s general awfulness.
- Slumlord millionaire - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 12:33 am:
These women make me want to vote Kennedy