* Let’s see. We had “I’m gonna pound him” in March. And then a few days later there was “We are going to blow him up and take him down.”
* Yesterday…
“This guy, he’s a target-rich environment, and we’re going to light him up in November,” said Rauner of J.B. Pritzker, his Democratic opponent in the governor’s race, during the McLean County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner. “He’s as corrupt a political insider as you can find.”
* Urban Dictionary…
light him up
infantry term to open fire on someone, by order or individually
shooting at someone
killing the enemy with small arms fire
* Meanwhile…
Rauner also took time to address Ives’ claim that Rauner signed legislation to make Illinois a “sanctuary state.” He said law enforcement in fact asked him last summer to sign the Trust Act, which stops police from arresting residents based solely on their immigration status, because they feared Democrats would pass something more restrictive in its place.
The attack was a centerpiece of Ives’ campaign for governor, which came within three percentage points of defeating the better-funded and incumbent Rauner.
“I am passionately against sanctuary states and against illegal immigration,” he said Wednesday.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:29 pm:
Unless he has something horrific on the tapes, I doubt it.
- Retired Educator - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
Can we meet those Law Enforcement officials? This is just another little old lady story. “You are our only hope” Obiwan Rauner. He lies by habit, not by plan.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:31 pm:
Speaking of corrupt political insiders, when does Stuart Levine get out?
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
“He’s a target-rich environment”??
Was the Guv wearing his GI Joe costume when he was talking like that?
I thought Mark Dayton was target rich.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:33 pm:
“…we’re going to light him up…”… in November??? Isn’t that just a tad bit late BTIA??? And, BTW Rauner, you really should lay off the violent speech. This isn’t a video game, and you aren’t a gangsta. And, just because you bought “The Godfather” does not make you one.
- Moe Berg - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:33 pm:
He’s just not right that Rauner. Mentally divorced from reality. Mass shootings across the country and daily shootings in the state and he doesn’t have any better sense than to use such language?
I know he’s not in charge, and is trying to get to be. Given those aspirations he really ought to think more about what he says in case he’s elected governor some day.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
Pritzker is already under water and leading Rauner by double digits…
Meh, ok, Bruce.
- Ole General - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Pritzker’s crew will respond, but deep down they don’t even know what else is on those tapes.
Drop it like it’s hot, Mr. Rauner.
- Nacho - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Running to the middle before the primary and to the right after the primary is a novel strategy, I’ll give him that.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
I’d be more worried about my own upside down numbers…
But… no accomplishments, no constituency… this is all he has?
- That One Guy - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
@47th Ward
BOP site says Levine was released Aug 2016.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:42 pm:
Good point, Nacho.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:43 pm:
In Woodward’s book “Bush Goes to War,” Rumsfeld is quoted on 9/12/01 encouraging Bush to bomb Iraq as a “target-rich environment,” rather than the meager fixed targets available with Al-Quada in Afghanistan.
He eventually got his wish.
- Rogue Roni - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:43 pm:
Governor Stolen Valor
- PJ - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:45 pm:
==Can we meet those Law Enforcement officials?==
It is accurate that law enforcement generally supported the TRUST act. You managed to pick on one of the rare Rauner statements that is verifiable.
- Sonny - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:45 pm:
Git goin already. Git (banned punctuation)
- Huh? - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
“I am passionately against sanctuary states and against illegal immigration,”
Did Madigan hold your hand while you signed the bill?
- Arsenal - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
==“He’s as corrupt a political insider as you can find.”==
Well, besides the guy conducting shady business deals on the back porch of the Governor’s mansion.
Hasn’t he been saying all this for months now? You can’t keep telegraphing your punches, Guv. You’re 35 points underwater.
- Anon0091 - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
Rauner doing his best Nikita Kruschev impression. “We will bury you.” Yea, umm, how’d that work out for the Soviet Union?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm0yQg1hS_w
- Huh? - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:51 pm:
“we’re going to light him up”
Practicing the script for when you play with your GI Joe with the kung du grip?
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
Mr. Popularity’s comments need bipartisan condemnation. He needs to retract them and apologize. We’re in the age of mass shootings. Ted Nugent, insignificant as he is, is calling for people to arm themselves and shoot Democrats on sight. Who’s going to step up and demand that this rhetoric stops?
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
==Can we meet those Law Enforcement officials?==
It is accurate that law enforcement generally supported the TRUST act. You managed to pick on one of the rare Rauner statements that is verifiable.
We know what law enforcement people think. We *don’t* know that anyone in law enforcement told Rauner anything.
- Pundent - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:06 pm:
The governor will keep telling this to the 26% who will listen. The real question is what’s he got for the 60% that stopped taking him seriously a long time ago?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:07 pm:
===The real question is what’s he got for the 60% that stopped taking him seriously a long time ago?===
That’s the head scratcher.
Pritzker is under water and leading… that’s not a great position to try to dig out from.
- PJ - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:12 pm:
==We *don’t* know that anyone in law enforcement told Rauner anything.==
I mean, they supported the bill. It stands to reason they would have told him to sign it.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:15 pm:
Small, unimaginative men love to fall back on the military imagery.
- City Zen - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:45 pm:
Isn’t this a Steve Bannon-ism?
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 4:53 pm:
==“This guy, he’s a target-rich environment, and we’re going to light him up in November,” said Rauner ==
Exactly the language you would expect from someone with zero military background.
- Louis Capricious - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:05 pm:
Kill, kill, kill:
SPRINGFIELD (Apr. 10, 2018) — Gov. Bruce Rauner issued the following statement on House Resolution 975, filed today to kill the progressive income tax legislation.
“I am proud to support Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, the House Republican Caucus and House Resolution 975. The Democrats’ progressive income tax is a calculated killer: it kills jobs and businesses and, ultimately, it will kill the middle class. It has been less than a year since Illinois families were forced to begin paying for the 32% income tax hike I opposed. We need to send a message that emptying our citizens’ pockets with new taxes is not the solution to our problems. Instead of forcing families to fork over more of their hard-earned money to the government through a progressive tax, let’s build our economy, grow jobs and put money into their pockets. Together, we’re saying ‘no’ to the proposed progressive income tax.”
- Ron - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:10 pm:
Signing the Trust Act is another reason I support Rauner and could never vote for Ives.
- 44th - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:10 pm:
Ah don’t talk about it, do it. Sounds like an empty threat.
- Maya A. - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:15 pm:
When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
- Huh? - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:19 pm:
“we’re going to light him up”
Gonna use a red plastic Rayovac D cell flashlight?
- Huh? - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:24 pm:
“he’s a target-rich environment”
Something about glass house and stones comes to mind.
- Lawman - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:28 pm:
Is everyone who disagrees with Rauner “corrupt”? I really do not think he knows and understands the definition of corrupt.
- Been There - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:35 pm:
If Pritzker is a “target rich environment” Rauner is a human-wave attack.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 5:59 pm:
===“I am passionately against sanctuary states and against illegal immigration,” he (Rauner) said Wednesday.===
That’ll help. Kinda ruins the goodwill (perceived) by signing the bill.
Who. Is. Rauner’s. Constituency?
- Ole' Nelson - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 6:03 pm:
-Ah don’t talk about it, do it. Sounds like an empty threat.
My granddad always said that “barking dogs seldom bite.”
- My New Handle - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 6:10 pm:
The seeming cavalier usage violent imagery in election context on a continual basis honestly frightens me. I find it serious and really a criminal assault.
- Pshaw - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 7:36 pm:
When the only tool in your box is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
Rauner has nothing to boast about as accomplishments, so it is going to be nonstop negativity.
- Huh? - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:42 pm:
“he’s a target-rich environment”
So are you and of much more recent vintage.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Apr 12, 18 @ 9:46 pm:
It’s so nice of Rauner to offer to light JB’s celebratory cigar. Such a nice man.
- Yiddishcowboy - Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 8:22 am:
You had better win governor given your playground threats. Otherwise, you’re going to look like even a bigger schmo than you already are.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 8:34 am:
–Yiddishcowboy–
Chicago-born Kinky Friedman still follows Illinois politics? Who knew?
- allknowingmasterofracoondom - Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 8:38 am:
We know what law enforcement people think. We *don’t* know that anyone in law enforcement told Rauner anything.
I do, I was there. Dozens and dozens of police chiefs and sherrifs supported the bill, and asked the gov to sign it.
This “sanctuary” crap is one of the most diabolical political night sticks in the arsenal. The actual reason local LEO don’t want to detain illegal aliens is money. They can’t afford it. Their lock ups are too small, and too crowded. It is all about money. If the orange one in Washington really wanted to put the squeeze on illegal aliens, he should simply offer the local LEO’s money to cooperate with ICE and detain illegals. Simple as that. It would happen on a large scale if money was offered. Governments could not resist taking that cash, hiring more people, expanding their girth. Government can’t resist this.
All this other garbage about immigrants, compassion, ect, is just hyperbole designed by the politicians to give us all something to gnash our teeth about.
- Yiddishcowboy - Friday, Apr 13, 18 @ 9:29 am:
@Wordslinger: Lol… Not Kinky Friedman…. Just a Jew born and raised in the countryside who (1) enunciates his words/syllables, including gerunds and (2) doesn’t use double negatives…unlike our Gov. (Yesiree, GOP IL congressional candidate, we’re everywhere…even in the sticks (banned punctuation)).