* This is quite good…
Whatever else you may think of Pritzker, I cannot imagine Gov. Rauner pulling off something like that.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
In response to JB Pritzker’s “Up Close & Personal with JB” video, Daniel Biss asked a question of his own, calling out Prtizker for the continued questions swirling around his usage of offshore tax havens to avoid paying his fair share of taxes.
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I have a question—which is your favorite offshore trust fund? #twill https://t.co/Wo81zmWcmw
— Daniel Biss (@danielbiss) December 6, 2017
JB Pritzker isn’t the only billionaire candidate running for governor in Illinois who has a history of using offshore accounts to shift their tax burden to working families. During his time as a chairman of private equity firm GTCR, Bruce Rauner had a stake in several Cayman Islands-based investment pools. He’s falsely claimed to have placed his assets into a “blind trust” but it’s been repeatedly demonstrated that isn’t the case.
The only way for both Pritzker and Rauner to earn the trust of Illinois voters is to release their full tax returns as Daniel Biss did more than 8 months ago.
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Whats with the clothes these billionaires wear?
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
Dear Bruce,
That’s how you do human. Not the costumes, not the prop vehicles, not the dropping the final g.
- Gooner - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:18 pm:
I agree with others. This is very good. It definitely humanizes the guy.
- Piece of Work - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:18 pm:
So a guy who has 7 times the wealth of Rauner can pull that off, but Bruce can’t?
Pretty much anybody can pull that off.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:19 pm:
All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage
- buffalo soldier - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:19 pm:
“Favorite concert?” A good light personal question.
“Grammy or Oscar?” Another fun personal question!
“What’s it worth working with Julianna?”
Something every Illinoisan wants to know… I guess?
- A guy - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:19 pm:
Aside from Frederick Flintstone, it occurs to me Oliver Platt could stand in for him. This is an interesting and cool ad. First really good one from him.
- Dave Dahl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:19 pm:
Since he opened the door … “Ginger or Mary Ann?”
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:20 pm:
Won’t play on my gadget. Any Vin Scullys out there to give the play-by-play?
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:22 pm:
Plus for humanizing him. Not sure about that vest though.
- Anon312 - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:22 pm:
I’m going to vote for the first candidate who signs a pledge never to wear one of those ridiculous vests. Who’s with me?
- paddyrollingstone - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:23 pm:
I was impressed by that. If the election comes down to who you’d want to have a beer with, JB wins hands down.
- Christopher - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:25 pm:
I’ll give Mr. Pritzker my vote, and as others sometimes do here, I will grade that an A.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:25 pm:
Word,
It’s like an ambush interview with the reporter asking him “off-the-cuff” questions “What’s you favorite concert?” … “TV Show of all time” …, and hey, he likes the same things we do…He becomes a regular guy genuinely, without props, like the garbage van, carhartts, and the Harley.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:29 pm:
The interview finishes off with questions about his running mate, and why he’s running for governor…”because everything that I care about, everything that we care about, is under siege by Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump”.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:29 pm:
Except, my only beef is the Steve Miller Band and the Eagles was his favorite concert of all time?
Dude needs to update a bit. And, yes, that’s a Lebowski reference.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
Thanks, PS.
- Keyser Soze - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
Rich: What’s your favorite concert of all time?
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
Looks like a Brooks Brothers men’s quilted vest - $298.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
=== What’s your favorite concert of all time? ===
Probably Wilco.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
it seemed real and rather unscripted until the interviewer asked about Juliana.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:37 pm:
B. Good ad. Only seriously cringe-worthy part was the cool- uncool Juliana exchange. Waay too treacle-ly.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:37 pm:
===Brooks Brothers men’s quilted vest - $298. ===
He can afford it. lol
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:39 pm:
Gotta be the Foreigner Concert in Rockford for me.
Urgent - Best Sax Solo EVER
- Confused - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:41 pm:
Isn’t this the exact same video the House GOP has been doing all fall with reps? JS…..
- Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:44 pm:
His vest is missing some flair. I believe the minimum is 15 pieces.
- Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:45 pm:
312 - not a bad idea for a pledge. Dan Biss would look silly in a vest.
- Gruntled University Employee - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:47 pm:
Any of the Bottle Rockets living room shows I’ve been to. 50 people max, all acoustic and all requests. I gave up on Wilco when they fired Jay Bennet.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:49 pm:
Pull it off? It is obviously edited and he is wearing a life preserver.
He can’t forget to include the Trump reference, it sure beats messy policy proposals that require specifics to confuse voters with.
- Don Gerard - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:50 pm:
@Rich Miller
Which’s WILCO? 1.0?
=== What’s your favorite concert of all time? ===
Probably Wilco.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
This shows what JB really has going for him. He is a likable, personable guy. He comes across as very down to earth. I think commercials like this will really help him.
- Gooner - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:57 pm:
Lucky P, you really are upset about the Trump reference?
Wow, you need to lighten up.
Trump is an incredibly unpopular guy. Every Democrat is going to mention Trump.
The GOP voted for the guy. This is the consequence.
Next time, do a better job in the primaries.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:57 pm:
After all these years, lineup and stylistic changes, Wilco covers a lot of ground — which tour, Rich?
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 1:59 pm:
Dammit. He’s making it hard to dislike him.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
==Aside from Frederick Flintstone, it occurs to me Oliver Platt could stand in for him.==
I heard “the big guy from Modern Family” a couple weeks ago, which I don’t *entirely* see, but kinda.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:03 pm:
Best concert: Bob Dylan @U of I
Worst concert : Bob Dylan @ State Fairgrounds.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:04 pm:
===which tour, Rich? ===
October, 2002, Foellinger Auditorium, University of Illinois. Setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/wilco/2002/foellinger-auditorium-university-of-illinois-urbana-il-1bd2e968.html
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:04 pm:
No I am not upset about the Trump reference but it is telling that JB only mentions that in addition to the obvious Rauner reference.
He doesn’t want a single underutilized Chicago school to close, cut any spending, oppose the unions or trial lawyers in any way, advocate for any reforms for business or change any Madigan policy.
Voila, once the wealthy pay their fair share despite his hypocrisy, Illinois will magically be fixed.
That is what I am concerned about.
- Christopher - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:04 pm:
- Arsenal -
Eric Stonestreet? Nah, no resemblance.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:05 pm:
==He can’t forget to include the Trump reference, it sure beats messy policy proposals that require specifics to confuse voters with.==
You are pretty clearly demonstrating how much the Trump references bother Team Superstar, and should expect them to continue.
==If the election comes down to who you’d want to have a beer with, JB wins hands down.==
He’s got a good retail politics demeanor that I think will wear will over the long campaign. But I think the “Who would you rather have a beer with?” test is overrated as a predictor.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
“Pull it off? It is obviously edited and he is wearing a life preserver.
He can’t forget to include the Trump reference, it sure beats messy policy proposals that require specifics to confuse voters with.”
Are you in any way, shape, or fashion able to evaluate an ad like this objectively? Every comment doesn’t need to be another push for your candidate, you know.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:08 pm:
===Are you in any way, shape, or fashion able===
No. It’s a bot.
Notice that LP never comments on “fun” posts. Just repeats him/herself over and over and over and over.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:10 pm:
==October, 2002, Foellinger Auditorium, University of Illinois.==
Oh snap, I was at that same concert. I didn’t actually know Wilco at the time, but my friend said, “You have a messenger bag, you should like Wilco.”
- Reaganing - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:11 pm:
Am I the only one who thinks, no matter which candidate or legislator does this, that these videos are awkward and unbelievably cheese?
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:11 pm:
==He doesn’t want a single underutilized Chicago school to close==
Well, your guy can go ahead and run on schools closing and see how that works.
- JoanP - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:16 pm:
Best concert? Tough.
Probably the New Orleans Social Club & Friends at Millennium Park, two years after Katrina. Irma Thomas and Koko Taylor on the same stage at the same time. Talk about pitching a whang-dang-doodle.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:17 pm:
==Whatever else you may think of Pritzker, I cannot imagine Gov. Rauner pulling off something like that.==
As I recall, his “humanizing touches” were all about showing off how he owns some Poor Stuff.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:18 pm:
–Am I the only one who thinks, no matter which candidate or legislator does this, that these videos are awkward and unbelievably cheese?–
I think they try this stuff out on video to see if they have the makings of a decent spot. This one sure ain’t soup yet.
- Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:20 pm:
Rich - that would be a good question for Friday:
“Best concert you’ve attended”
Bonus question:
“If you’ve seen your favorite band play more than once what was there best show?”
- MacombMike - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:33 pm:
How do you do, fellow kids?
- Iggy - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
Kinda hard to watch. In that I got a little sick trying to follow the bouncing screen. But I get it, shot on the iPhone, JBs on the move heading to important meetings. I will just say that these videos are cringey regardless of who is doing them. And I am so glad that Rauner hasn’t done one of these like a few house GOP reps. I think I was happier before I knew what the one item David Olsen could not live without.
- CatAttack - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:02 pm:
Good idea…but he still doesn’t have a reason to be running? I hate Trump and Rauner too…does that make me qualified to be governor?
- dbk - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
Technically this is down in the minor leagues, but boy, does he come across like a real human being.
And that bit about the gov and the pres - well, they are against everything JB and Dems stand for, aren’t they? He’s not allowed to mention this not insignificant fact?
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:08 pm:
=== It’s like an ambush interview with the reporter asking him “off-the-cuff” questions ===
Except its not a reporter, it’s a campaign staff person or hire, asking rehearsed questions.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:11 pm:
==I hate Trump and Rauner too…does that make me qualified to be governor?==
Collect the signatures for an indy run and find out, I guess.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:14 pm:
It’s okay. Pritzker doesn’t seem to be the “hippest” person around, but then again who am I to judge?
What I would like to eventually see is Pritzker doing a video saying he’s a venture capitalist and doesn’t purposely put on phony working class costumes to fool people, like Rauner does.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
Mavis Staples at a WTTW fundraiser. She walked through the crowd singing. We sang along. It was great.
- Glengarry - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
Chris Cornell acoustic is my favorite.
- Gooner - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:44 pm:
Biss looks petty with that response. He is starting to just be an annoyance in this race.
He continues to disappoint.
I’m sure is crew worked for hours on that one, but it just doesn’t work.
J.B. looks human. Biss looks like somebody you want to avoid.
- Sigh - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
===Pull it off? It is obviously edited and he is wearing a life preserver.===
Lucky P,
Since Bruce isn’t in charge and you seem loyal, can you make sure to pack some life preserves for him? Sounds like he might need a few based on the 2018 forecast.
- Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 3:47 pm:
Dan Biss is too robotic. I’m not a J.B. fan but it’s cool hearing him answer regular questions (albeit staged). Biss just goes right over the top (as always) and takes himself way too seriously.
What does Biss listen to - podcasts of math lectures?
- TKMH - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
I have a question for Biss - how are you polling?
- FDB - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:07 pm:
I would love to see Biss try a humanizing video. Saw him speak at an education forum a few weeks ago, good god whoever engineered that man needs to get him in for an oil change.
- FDB - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:08 pm:
Also, not a huge JB fan but this is well done. He does seem to be rather personable which no doubt comes from the childhood trauma he lived through. Starting to slowly believe he could beat Rauner (that’s not much of a benchmark)
- Curl of the Burl - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:09 pm:
FDB - yes (exclamation point).
“Robot Biss”
Even when he is discussing a passionate matter on the Senate floor he sounds as though he is telling students not to forget about Friday’s algebra quiz.
- truthbetold - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
Talking Heads at Poplar Creek on the Stop Making Sense tour in ‘83. I see a lot of music every year, and that is still my favorite.
2nd - Janis Joplin at the Auditorium in 1969 or 70
3rd - Cage the Elephant at Lollapalooza in 2017
- old time golfer - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:35 pm:
-FDB- That commercial about his traumatic childhood up bringing was pulled for a purpose. I for one, would have loved it if my parents were billionaires. Somehow I think my siblings and I would have dealt with such a sad dilemma.
lets hope we all can get past the two billionaires and the tough upbringing they had.
You want to see trauma and tough up bringing, spend some time in the inner city of Chicago or down in East St Loius. Now those kids know trauma.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Dec 6, 17 @ 4:40 pm:
Daniel Biss should stop listening to the advice of whomever is telling him he ought to be barking at Pritzker every single day.
When every sunrise heralds another news release attacking your opponent as a billionaire, your outrage starts to lose any authenticity.
Pritzker currently has millions invested in early childhood education in our schools, Dan. How much have you invested in Illinois?
And here’s a question: Whatever happened to Dan the Idea Man? Didn’t you promise us you would be dazzling us every day with innovative solutions to our state’s most vexing challenges? It seems like you haven’t announced a substantive policy idea since before the face plant with Alderman Rosa.
If you want folks to take you seriously as a candidate, start acting like a serious candidate. Give people something of substance to vote for, THEN you can peck away at Pritzker’s lead. You have to atleast develop some sort of cohesive base of support to carry your negative attacks for them to be effective. You have plenty of money, hire a communications staff that knows what they are doing. Time to reboot.
- DeseDemDose - Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:40 am:
Led Zeppelin, Chicago Stadium