The debate over debates begins
Thursday, May 24, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From April 26th…
REPORTER 1: “Should McCann be included in the debates? Would you attend debates in which McCann is invited with Pritzker?”
RAUNER: [Laughs]
REPORTER 2: “Will you attend any debates? I don’t know if you’ve committed to any.”
RAUNER: [Laughs] “We’ll talk about the process of the election.”
REPORTER 2: “You can’t say now whether you’ll commit to being in-“
RAUNER: “Debates haven’t even come up yet, we’re barely getting started with the election.”
REPORTER 1: “We’ve reached out, we’ve reached out to you.”
RAUNER: “I’m sorry?”
REPORTER 2: “You haven’t-“
REPORTER 1: “We’ve reached out to your campaign.”
RAUNER: “Okay great, well you know what? There’s debates-”
REPORTER 2: “And we have not gotten any responses.
REPORTER 1: “No. No responses.”
REPORTER 2: “Collectively. So will you comment here, will you join debates?
RAUNER: “You guys sound like you’re as patient as me.”
REPORTER 1: The Pritzker campaign said yes.
RAUNER: “Of course we’re gonna – of course we’re gonna have debates, of course we’re gonna have debates.”
REPORTER 1: “Should – will Sam – Are you okay with Sam McCann being included in the debates?”
RAUNER: [Laughs]
Sounds like some media outlets have been trying to get something scheduled for a while now.
* Pritzker campaign today…
After participating in over 50 forums and several debates in the primary election, today JB Pritzker is announcing that he will participate in three media sponsored debates ahead of the November 6th general election. This includes a downstate debate that will be broadcast statewide and reflects the same number of televised debates as the last gubernatorial election.
“This is a critical election for our state and it is important for all voters in Illinois to hear from the gubernatorial candidates about their plans to fight for working families,” said JB Pritzker. “I look forward to sharing my vision for creating jobs, expanding healthcare, and investing in education and comparing it to Bruce Rauner’s failed record of causing a 736-day budget crisis, attacking public education, and driving the state economy into the ground. It’s time for a governor who will fight for all communities and bring people together to put Springfield back on the side of working families. I’m ready to move Illinois forward.”
September 20th: Debate Sponsored by NBC 5, Telemundo, Union League of Chicago, and Chicago Urban League – Chicago, IL
October 3rd: Debate Sponsored by ABC 7, Univision, and League of Women Voters – Chicago, IL
October 11th: Debate Sponsored by WGEM and the Illinois Broadcasters Association – Quincy, IL
I’m told there were no negotiations between the candidates in advance of this announcement. The Pritzker people didn’t even reach out to the Rauner organization before distributing this press release.
* From the Rauner campaign’s Will Allison…
Governor Rauner looks forward to participating in debates to talk about how JB Pritzker is wrong on taxes, corruption, and Mike Madigan.
…Adding… Response…
- CharlieKratos - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 9:58 am:
There’s that laugh again. Rauner’s “tell”.
- Macbeth - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:05 am:
Someone should tell the smug Rauner that there’s nothing funny — at all — about that question.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:05 am:
===Governor Rauner looks forward to participating in debates to talk about how JB Pritzker is wrong on taxes, corruption, and Mike Madigan.===
“JB Pritzker looks forward to participating in debates to talk about how Bruce Rauner failed Illinois and is wrong on social services, higher education and fiscal responsibility.”
Bruce Rauner failed works.
Ask candidate Rauner and how it worked on Pat Quinn.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:07 am:
Rauner looks forward to debates like baloney looks forward to the grinder
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:10 am:
That’s good tactics on JB’s part; put out a firm commitment while Rauner hems and haws.
But I don’t understand why Rauner would hem and haw. He was fine in the debates in ‘14, JB hasn’t proven himself to be a world beater at debates, and Rauner’s the one trailing. He should want to mix it up.
- Dee Lay - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:14 am:
[Laughs]
Can’t wait for him to take up poker in Italy….
- Jocko - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:14 am:
==taxes, corruption, and Mike Madigan==
This reminds me of The Simpsons episode when Homer/Marge have dinner with Apu/Manjula. The meal consists of various combinations of chickpeas, lentils, and rice.
- Cindy Lou - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:21 am:
I’d like to see at least one debate be scheduled for the Lt. Gov.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:30 am:
Talk about putting the cart before the horse
Has Tim Mapes secured enough signatures to get Sam Mc Cann on the ballot?
I am sure JB is chomping at the bit to explain how he is dying to pay more taxes except on his spare mansion with no toilets and Cayman accounts.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:40 am:
===I am sure JB is chomping at the bit to explain how he is dying to pay more taxes except on his spare mansion with no toilets and Cayman accounts.===
“I am sure Rauner is chomping at the bit to explain how he can have a homeowner exemption in Winnetka and a denied daughter who was clouted into CPS with that homeowner exemption and tax returns not listing a Chicago address as the residency… while having multiple homeowner exemptions too…. and the blind trust, broken trust, back porch dealings. That might get awkward.
- Arsenal - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:48 am:
==I am sure JB is chomping at the bit==
I mean, he confirmed his participation in 3 debates, while Rauner was the one who flopsweated through the question.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 10:56 am:
I find it strange that the Guv is so afraid to say anything definitive here. Why doesn’t he just say what he thinks they want to hear? If he misspeaks or changes his mind later, he can just reverse course. What does he have to lose?
He has proven for some time now that he lies so easily and naturally and doesn’t seem to care about it, so why stop here?
- ChrisB - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 11:46 am:
Rauner reminds me of Allen Iverson.
“We talkin bout debates? Not about governing. DEBATES? We talking ’bout Debates, man.”
In all seriousness, if Rauner wants to punt the question, he really should just point out that McCann has to get his sigs before he’s considered a serious candidate. That buys him time to see if McCann can actually put his money where his mouth is.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 12:23 pm:
–I find it strange that the Guv is so afraid to say anything definitive here. –
He can’t think on his feet, go off-script. When he’s tried, it’s usually ended up badly. Hence, the nervous tic.
- Uncle Joe - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
Great….Bruce will be channelling Joe Biden from the 2012 campaign when he laugh tracked his way through the debate with Ryan.
- TominChicago - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 1:50 pm:
Great….Bruce will be channelling Joe Biden from the 2012 campaign when he laugh tracked his way through the debate with Ryan.
Worked for Biden. He destroyed Ryan.
- Rabid - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 2:17 pm:
When Rauner starts laughing, can’t reporters join in without pointing
- NorthsideNoMore - Thursday, May 24, 18 @ 2:43 pm:
BR next time give them this “Side show Sam….does anyone know if he is even going to be on the ballot ?”
- Rabid - Friday, May 25, 18 @ 7:43 am:
JB is wrong on corruption, does Rauner favor corruption, team Rauner