* Kennedy campaign…
Today, the Chicago Tribune joined the Daily Herald in endorsing Chris Kennedy for Governor because he is an independent voice willing to stand up to the political insiders in Springfield. He is the progressive, anti-establishment choice to bring change to Springfield.
The Tribune endorsement comes on the same day that JB Pritzker’s campaign released polling information showing Chris Kennedy is surging in the polls, while Pritzker and Biss are dropping.
The momentum behind Chris Kennedy’s campaign continues to build, as voters realize he’s the only candidate with the courage and the vision to bring radical change to our state government.
* Rauner campaign…
Chicago Tribune Slams Pritzker as ‘Yes Man’ and Blagojevich Groveler
In their endorsement of Chris Kennedy for governor in the Democratic primary, the Chicago Tribune clearly articulated JB Pritzker’s complacency with the Democratic status quo. The Tribune labels Pritzker as a ‘yes man,’ dependent on the Madigan Machine for his political success.
* The RGA’s take…
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board has declined to endorse Illinois Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner J.B. Pritzker, citing Pritzker’s extensive moral failings and ties to the state’s crooked Democrat establishment. It’s just the latest piece of evidence that Illinois Democrats are on the verge of nominating a weak general election candidate with extensive baggage ranging from his conduct on the Rod Blagojevich FBI wiretaps to being a “yes man” to House Speaker Mike Madigan.
* And the actual endorsement…
Democratic primary voters on March 20 will choose from six candidates running for governor: a philanthropist, a state senator, an educator, a physician, a businessman and an anti-violence activist. Any candidate merits another title, “politician.” But some carry it better than others.
Today we endorse the Democrat who has stumbled in that role and, in so doing, demonstrated his authentic and independent character. Chris Kennedy, chairman of a family investment firm and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy, hit the campaign trail without a prepared script. He answers questions bluntly. He can be awkward. To satisfy angry voices within his party, he backtracked after acknowledging that Democrats’ sworn enemy, Gov. Bruce Rauner, should be applauded for speaking truth to power in taking on entrenched Democratic interests (hello there, House Speaker Michael Madigan). We did our own scolding of Kennedy for his over-the-top assertion that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to drive minorities out of the city through gentrification.
So if you’re choosing a nominee for governor based on conventional campaigning, style points and fealty to party poobahs, Kennedy isn’t your candidate.
But if you want an anti-establishment governor who’ll pursue a progressive agenda yet not bow to the Democratic machine, well, Kennedy has done both. He was first to call out Cook County Assessor and county Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Berrios for his clouted, discriminatory property assessment system, and Speaker Madigan for profiting from it. Kennedy rocked the cozy world of valuations and appeals by declaring that, if elected, he’ll seek a ban on elected officials serving as tax appeals lawyers. That’s a dart tossed at Madigan, whose law firm wins assessment reductions for many of Chicago’s most expensive properties.
- Real - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:58 am:
Tribune = corrupt
If Kennedy was smart he would not accept that endorsement but use it as an opportunity to expose the Tribune.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:00 am:
Hilarious, they endorse the weakest candidate to help their pal Bruce.
- Real - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:00 am:
Tribune only further confirms that Kennedy is Rauner’s fav candidate in the dem primary.
- Ole' Nelson - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:05 am:
They forgot to give the reason that Kennedy’s lack of fundraising success makes him vulnerable to their hero Bruce’s onslaught of negative tv ads in the general. How deceptive.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:06 am:
If Democrats were smart and wanted to win everything they’d nominate Kennedy. Chris is definately boring enough to win in November.
If the Trib likes him, that’s proof that everyone would have no trouble voting for the stability, dependability and boring normalcy offered by a Governor Kennedy.
After Rauner, I don’t want a spoiled trust fund kid. No more Billionaires.
I like Biss, but Rauner could still make it a race.
I agree with the Tribune.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:07 am:
As @StatehouseChick says… “Simple”
Chris Kennedy applauds Bruce Rauner
Chris Kennedy uses Rauner talking points against his other candidates and Madigan.
Chris Kennedy and the Rauner Campaign seemingly like to double team opponents.
Rauner and those like @StatehouseChick and that Editorial Board have made carrying Bruce Rauner their sole mission these past 3 years.
Kennedy applauded Rauner. The Trib endorses Kennedy.
“Simple”
- tgk - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:07 am:
Ah yes “anti-establishment” the term I always think of when talking about a Kennedy.
- Stand Tall - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:08 am:
No, they see the honest fact that the rest of the candidates will follow the same broken course navigated by Madigan and his worshipers that have led the State to near financial doom. That JB truly is a tool with only money to prop him up. Biss is a tax them to oblivion and spend it all and more.
- Ole' Nelson - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:08 am:
Tribune editorial board: ” Who do you want to face in the general election, Governor sir?”
Rauner: “Kennedy”
Tribune editorial board: “Yes, sir.”
- Grand Avenue - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:09 am:
Sun Times might be tougher get for Kennedy because of CFL ownership, but this & Daily Herald are great shots in arm for Kennedy.
Being Madigan’s candidate is not a good look for Pritzker.
- Ole' Nelson - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:12 am:
I highly respect VanillaMan’s comments, but that sounds like more of a reason to buy a Camry to me, not a reason to elect a governor.
I am definitely not thrilled with JB, but at this point would prefer going with the candidate who has the best chance of sending our current governor back to one of his nine homes.
- So_Ill - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:15 am:
If only Kennedy could have raised money and ran a decent campaign for most of 2017, he would be a legitimate candidate.
Too little, too late, IMO.
- Sugar Corn - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:17 am:
The Chicago Tribune editorial board can’t be taken seriously.
For 3+ years they turn a blind eye to the devastating incompetence and failure of Bruce Rauner.
When they express their pious rage - it’s always transparently partisan. Often they’re dead wrong, and malicious to boot.
No thinking person should follow their advice, on anything. Especially politics.
Kennedy should be wary of the Tribune’s support.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:17 am:
so is the Daily Herald in on the fix too for Rauner? Cause they also endorsed Kennedy. Here’s what is really happening with endorsements….JB is judged as a shameful Berrios/Madigan hack and Kennedy was first out of the gate strongly attacking those party drones. This is the chief reason Kennedy is getting endorsements, his strong independence. Biss for all his general independence and brain power stood on the sidelines and waited and waffled on pensions. Kennedy has also always been strongly supportive of the Black community and made the attack on Berrios a feature that showed how the Black community, and people of modest means, were hurt by Berrios. So when the JB tapes on “crass” gate came out, people can see who actually gives agency to the Black community. The Berrios study affirms that Kennedy was months in advance of the truth. Papers know a change agent, a candidate with vision and edge when they see it.
I have no involvement in the campaign….not even money…but the Kennedy campaign is starting to heat up big time. A clear choice.
- Sugar Corn - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:21 am:
==Papers know a change agent, a candidate with vision and edge when they see it.==
Not buying that.
“Papers” overwhelmingly endorsed Bruce Rauner.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:26 am:
Shorter Trib: “Chris Kennedy is the Republicans’ Democrat.”
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:34 am:
JB is the Madigan candidate who refuses to call him out for his role in Illinois decline and political dysfunction.
72% of Illinois residents don’t approve of Mike Madigan and Illinois leads the nation in distrust of state government, largely because of Speaker Madigan’s 35 year record as Speaker and Chairman of the Illinois Democratic party.
No amount of spin and distortion will change these undeniable facts.
- A guy - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Anyone else find it peculiar that they used Ethel Kennedy’s maiden name in this? That’s odd to me, since she’s been Ethel Kennedy to everyone for over a half century. The name “Skakel” is a bit of a touchstone for some family issues. Odd.
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Papers overwhelmingly endorsed Bruce Rauner over Pat Quinn. If Kennedy won, I would not be shocked to see the Trib endorse him over Rauner. (I wouldn’t be shocked if they didn’t)
Regardless, where are they wrong, substantively? If you are a Democrat who thinks Madigan, Berrios and his ilk are bad for the state, who are you voting for? Are they wrong that Pritzker is Madigan’s “guy”? Do you truly believe that Biss, who has reform issues at the bottom of his web page and never talks about them, wouldn’t cut a deal with Madigan?
Labor’s picking up the Sun-Times was smart, else Kennedy would get to run ads like Rauner did touting how he’s getting ALL the major endorsements.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:58 am:
===The name “Skakel”===
Her father made his money in Chicago.
- Baloneymous - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:20 pm:
So Pritzker is “Madigan’s guy”. Ok fine. And Madigan’s latest issues and statewide unpopularity is bad. And I think he should step down as party chair.
But what’s more messed: Madigan, a Dem, backing Pritzker in a Dem primary, or Rauner, a Repub, all but backing Kennedy in a Dem primary with pretty much the Trib’s cherry on top?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:28 pm:
The Tribune has, until very recently, been an adjunct of Bruce Rauner’s communications team. Call me goofy, but I suspect they’d prefer Chris Kennedy for many of the same reasons Bruce Rauner apparently prefers to face anyone not named JB Pritzker.
Given how desperately Biss was trying to please the Tribune editorial board with his sponsorship of the pension theft bill, this is a double whammy for him. Not only does he have to wear the jacket for trying to strip public employees of their pensions, he doesn’t even get credit for among the investor class.
I expect the Tribune ad will feature prominently in Kennedy’s closing ads. And if he needs some cash to get it on the air, Bruce Rauner might step up with a big check too. Lol.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:38 pm:
Can anyone recall another time when an incumbent governor and his party apparatus weighed in so heavily on a newspaper endorsement for candidates of the other party?
Regardless of who you might support, it’s absolutely clear that Rauner fears Pritzker the most. They’re not even trying to hide it.
- Steve - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:45 pm:
Chris Kennedy gets the coveted Chicago Tribune endorsement . The very same endorsement that helped Gary Johnson finish a little behind Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Illinois.
- low level - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 1:03 pm:
Nothing about Rauner’s moral failings… forcing social service agencies to close while refusing to negotiate on a budget.
Backlog of unpaid bills … now paid (thank you Speaker Madigan and courageous Repubs who voted to enact a budget)
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
Another very positive endorsement for Chris Kennedy.
- TKMH - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 1:26 pm:
==Another very positive endorsement for Chris Kennedy.==
One of the very few.
- Sugar Corn - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 2:57 pm:
==Rauner fears Pritzker the most==
Can’t dispute this
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 3:00 pm:
===72% of Illinois residents don’t approve of Mike Madigan and Illinois leads the nation in distrust of state government, largely because of Speaker Madigan’s 35 year record as Speaker and Chairman of the Illinois Democratic party.===
lol
“59% of Illinois residents don’t approve of Bruce Rauner and Illinois leads the nation in distrust of state government, largely because of Bruce Rauner’s 3 year record as Governor and Chairman of the ILGOP.”
===No amount of spin and distortion will change these undeniable facts.===
True.
Rauner is a failed governor, by nearly every measure, according to Crain’s and Rauner is the Worst Republican Governor in America, polling worse in Illinois than Trump, who lost Illinois by 16 points…
“No amount of spin and distortion will change these undeniable facts.”
LOL
- Rabid - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
RGA applauds Chris
- Scott Norwood's Leg - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 7:27 pm:
Do you guys/girls (mostly) all really believe that JB is a stronger candidate than Kennedy? JB is the billionaire insider. He has his blago problem. He has the African American issue. He has that toilet issue. I’m sure more are to crop up…
Yeah, I guess he has the ground game stuff, but that doesn’t make up for this…
To me, JB is as much as a slam dunk as, well, for lack of a better term, Scott Norwood’s leg in the Super Bowl…