* Tina Sfondeles on what sure looks like the governor’s hastily arranged campaign schedule in order to avoid President Trump’s Granite City appearance…
Brent Johnson, the president and owner of Midwest Aero Support wrote in a Facebook post that he was notified on Wednesday that Rauner would visit his company.
“I feel honored he selected MAS [Midwest Aero Support] for this occasion. What is even more humbling is that President Trump will be in Illinois the same time tomorrow in a different city,” Johnson wrote. “The governor declined the president’s invitation to join him in Granite City to visit MAS instead. How we were selected is a mystery, but I feel it is an opportunity / experience of a lifetime.”
Rauner’s campaign spokesman Will Allison said both campaign events “had been in the works for weeks.” Allison said the events were planned on Jan. 26. He said there was talk of visiting a different company in Rockford, however.
“If someone is trying to imply that we had nothing on our schedule at then Trump shows up, and we added events, that’s not true,” Allison said. “Both have been in the works for awhile.”
Schuh said the Johnson post appears to be a businessman boasting about the governors’ visit.
Oh, this should be a pleasant event.
Johnson also wrote on Facebook that he hoped to post photos of the visit. Can’t wait.
Also, the governor’s office denied to Tina that Rauner had declined a formal invitation to President Trump’s event and told her that they’d reached out to the White House and the president’s people knew he couldn’t make it.
*** UPDATE *** Mary Ann Ahern gave the governor what-for today when he refused to take reporters’ questions…
Like I said… tense.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:03 am:
In the works since January 26 but they only notified him yesterday? Uh huh. You go with that “explanation.”
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:05 am:
===Allison said the events were planned on Jan. 26===
It may be that all politicians lie, but these guys lie about the dumbest things. Do Republicans get special training on obfuscation or does it just come naturally?
I am officially calling BS on the whole January 26 planning thing.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:06 am:
They may not be together, but the Governor has long been following Trump’s lead in mendacity. Cmon Will Allison - that doesn’t come close to passing the laugh test.
- Sir Reel - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:07 am:
Ah yes. Just a coincidence.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:08 am:
Illinois is blessed today with two of the most prolific political prevaricators in history.
- LINK - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:10 am:
The sad part is how the media will report on these “scheduling” differences.
- Cognitive Dissonance - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:10 am:
Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today would be twice as upset had the Governor gone to the President’s event.
- Iggy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:10 am:
Just another day in the life of the Rauner C team. The transparency of your failures brings endless laughs to us all.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:11 am:
===Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today===
I think it’s more like they’re needling him. Works with whatever he does because he’s in a trick bag.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:12 am:
Its a tossup as to which should make us more angry: Rauner and his (feeble) teams outright lies, or that they expect the lies to work for them. No, you’re right. It’s both.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:13 am:
I would never vote for anyone who would tell that whopper and expect me to fall for it.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:13 am:
Those Rauner campaigners sure are big planners. They plan out visits like this 6 months in advance. (exclamation point).
Looking at the calendar today, they must be planning the Guv’s move into his Italian villa.
- Cognitive Dissonance - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:14 am:
===I think it’s more like they’re needling him. Works with whatever he does because he’s in a trick bag.===
Not easy to escape that ol’ Madigan trick bag… think he chose wisely
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:15 am:
===Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today would be twice as upset had the Governor gone to the President’s event.===
(Sigh)
Here’s the rub.
Allison is choosing to have a narrative based on phony.
Rauner choosing to align or not align with POTUS is the comedy, not the way others react to the phony reaction Rauner has to POTUS.
If Rauner isn’t with POTUS, fine.
If Rauner is with POTUS, fine.
That’s the comedy bit.
But please, make it about how we find it comical Rauner can’t decide, and the lengths others will go to make Rauner ambiguous.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:16 am:
===Madigan trick bag===
MJM didn’t put him into it. The president did.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:18 am:
–Schuh said the Johnson post appears to be a businessman boasting about the governors’ visit.–
LOL, I took it a wee bit differently.
BTIA(TM) on a roll, like Butter Team in America.
Out of countless possibilities across the state to hide and duck Trump, you chose a company whose owner unleashes epic snark on you for it on social media?
I don’t know how you do it, but you did. Mad props.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:18 am:
===Allison said the events were planned on Jan. 26===
Wow, I’m impressed that they knew President Trump was going to be in Illinois today way back then. Maybe I misunderestimated Team Rauner. That was really good planning on their part.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:18 am:
Brent Johnson was quoted in the Rockford Register Star article last year with a quote that really fits Rauner and BTIA(TM):
“My philosophy is the more you manufacture today the more that there’s going to be out there for you to repair tomorrow,” he said.
https://tinyurl.com/yc4sjaoz
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:20 am:
–Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today would be twice as upset had the Governor gone to the President’s event.–
Who’s upset? It’s a laugh riot.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:23 am:
==Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today would be twice as upset had the Governor gone to the President’s event.==
You’re missing the point. The point is to elevate his absence so that the Republican base notices it and then he has to explain it. And hopefully his explanation is a little pathetic.
Mission accomplished.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:24 am:
** What is even more humbling is that President Trump will be in Illinois the same time tomorrow in a different city,” Johnson wrote. **
Sure, okay.
How does anyone generate feelings of loyalty with Rauner, who is so calculating as to make politicians blush?
- Norseman - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:28 am:
Give it to him Mary Ann Ahern. Need more like this. Rauner gets away with too much.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:35 am:
A good ol fashioned media chase for a gov who won’t answer questions. Throw in a “what about the subpoenas” and it could be a Blago years flashback.
- Real - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:38 am:
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:43 am:
Out of countless possibilities for Rauner to duck and hide from Trump, how did BTIA(TM) find a business owner who would unleash epic, hilarious snark on them for it?
Must not have been easy. Well done.
- BlueDogDem - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:47 am:
Don’t feel so bad Bruce, you’re not the only one who apparently got left off the list.
- lakeside - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:53 am:
Ahern has absolutely found her top gear with Rauner in office. She’s so clearly sick of being lied to (as are we all, gov!) and is doing her best work/living her best life.
- Henry Francis - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:56 am:
Takin’ all the arrows like a modern day St. Sebastian.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:59 am:
==you’re not the only one who apparently got left off the list.==
What are you talking about? You think the Governor got left off the list? Please.
- A guy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:14 pm:
Guess Mary Ann doesn’t have anything to lose. lol
He should answer at least a few questions everywhere, even if it’s while walking to and fro.
But, Mary Ann acts as if driving from Chicago to Itasca (in a statewide race) is onerous. I’m rather certain she’s getting paid no matter where she goes.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:22 pm:
Focus, Mary Ann. Focus.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:23 pm:
Very Trumpian of Rauner. Report on my puffery, No questions, la, la, la, I can’t hear you, baloney anyone?
- RNUG - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:37 pm:
I can see this video showing up in one of JB’s ads with a voice over of What is the Governor hiding? Why won’t Rauner answer questions?
- Flynn's Mom - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:48 pm:
Very Trumpian. Sad.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 12:52 pm:
What’s with the Rauner run? BTIA(TM) couldn’t draft some anodyne comments for him to feed the media elephant?
Not a heavy lift. The run is the worst possible visual and outcome.
- BlueDogDem - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:00 pm:
If I am polling a whopping 26% approval rating , I think I might try some new tactic.
- GA Watcher - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
Todd Ricketts wouldn’t have run from the reporters like that.
- Pundent - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:20 pm:
=But, Mary Ann acts as if driving from Chicago to Itasca (in a statewide race) is onerous. I’m rather certain she’s getting paid no matter where she goes.=
I don’t think that’s what she’s saying at all. But go ahead and deflect if it helps you justify this.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:22 pm:
===But, Mary Ann acts as if driving from Chicago to Itasca (in a statewide race) is onerous. I’m rather certain she’s getting paid no matter where she goes.===
BTIA(tm) put out the press, agitate them, make life difficult, that’ll help get good play.
lol
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:26 pm:
Truly Blagoeque. The only saving grace for the BTIA(TM) is that Mary Ann didn’t get him in the deer in the headlights pose.
- Anoniphone - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
Well, Ahern is doing her job. Rauner is not. This is why Hess been a disaster.
Next time, she’ll be ‘dis-invited’.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:50 pm:
==Truly Blagoeque.==
Did Rauner go hide in the bathroom? That’s some true Blagoesque
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
Typhoid Rauner is unwelcomed wherever he goes.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:03 pm:
The date in Jan. was a decision to dodge Trump if he ever came to IL. The biz stops usually get picked if some GOP fatcat will commit to a fundraiser.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:23 pm:
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:11 am:
===Interesting that everyone who is criticizing Rauner for not being in Granite City today===
I think it’s more like they’re needling him. Works with whatever he does because he’s in a trick bag.
One he put himself into.
#ThankDonald
- BlueDogDem - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
potus has landed.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
- Real - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 11:38 am:
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion
x2
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:38 pm:
PBS NewsHour is carrying it live:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-talks-trade-in-granite-city-illinois
In IA Kim Reynolds got a great big thankee and sat right next to T at that event earlier today (also on the NewsHour site starting at the 22.27 mark).
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
“potus has landed.”
Rauner should be there instead of turning tail.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
The “rally” is starting…
- Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:20 pm:
Evidently T can’t speak R’s name either
Never came up- only Bost, Davis, and Shimkus.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 4:44 pm:
If POTUS ignored Rauner, that helps in the short term, but McCann is going to be the candidate pivoting Right of Rauner all day… and Rauner has no, and apparently wants no, cover from the Trumpkins.
Rauner’s take on ICE, signing the letter for Th Supreme Court pick… Rauner still, here in Illinois, signed HB40, and Afsirly or not, McCann will say Rauner signed the “sanctuary state” bill, a bill Rauner knows he can’t explain, because it would be losing to conservatives.
Hmm.
- DuPage Bard - Thursday, Jul 26, 18 @ 7:11 pm:
The base is gone.
Where to go Bruce, where to go?
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jul 27, 18 @ 9:22 am:
What a double-edged sword a Pritzker ad could be using this footage. Rauner running away from Trump and the media as part of the “not in charge” narrative. Rauner’s running away from his Republican president. Not a sign of strength, for conservatives.