A return to a semblance of normalcy
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Normally, this would barely be newsworthy…
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) hosted Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) and 16 members of congress for a reception and dinner on Monday, Feb. 27.
The dinner was held to discuss the state’s priorities in the 116th Congress.
* But this sort of thing never happened under the previous governor…
Former GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner never once, as governor, met with the Illinois delegation. And they noticed.
On Monday night, at Pritzker’s request, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., hosted a dinner for Pritzker and delegation members in his Capitol office, signaling a new era in Springfield-Washington cooperation. The office of Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., the dean of the Illinois House Republicans, said he was co-hosting.
You don’t get a medal for just doing your job, but it’s nice that somebody is finally doing at least part of their job.
The last four years were so bizarre on so many levels.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:42 pm:
Which 2 members missed out on the dinner? I would assume Kinzinger since he was activated but who else?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:45 pm:
=== but who else?===
Bobby Rush. He may have been campaigning for Daley.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:46 pm:
@2:42 article lists all except Kinzinger and Rush
- Anon 62704 - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:48 pm:
@2:46 Also, no Danny Davis.
- Terry Salad - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
“Monday Feb. 27.” Is that 2019?
- Anon217 - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
Durbin often mentions on the campaign trail how he enjoyed working with Edgar and Ryan and how Rauner never bothered to call him, not even once. Not surprising to be honest.
- Anonish - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:51 pm:
I generally agree about not giving medals, but given all the bizarre in the last 4 years here and 2 years in DC broadcasting the old normal isn’t the worst idea.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:52 pm:
I have never heard of a politician who isolated himself the way Rauner did: never meeting with the Illinois congressional delegation, never even acknowledging the President of the United States; making everything “me vs. the world,” even with his own party.
I don’t know what he thought he’d gain from it, or if that was just has management style/personality. Either way, it was just odd. Creepy.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:53 pm:
–Former GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner never once, as governor, met with the Illinois delegation. And they noticed.–
Funny, I recall Rauner saying all the time how he was burnin’ up the phones to DC, workin’ on thins’.
Of course, I never believed him, cuz his lips were movin’.
The dude was bizarre.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:57 pm:
Not sure many R’s would want to call Durbin
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 2:58 pm:
===Not sure many R’s would want to call Durbin===
Bruce? Is that you?
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:00 pm:
==Not sure many R’s would want to call Durbin==
You aren’t sure why the Governor of the State of Illinois might want to have at least a little contact with one of the state’s sitting Senators? Why it matters in your mind what the party of either of those individuals is, is beyond me. I guess in your mind the Governor should only work with members of Congress on federal issues if they belong to the same party? Were you advising Rauner when he was Governor?
- 19th ward guy - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:01 pm:
Durbin is the voice of reason in all this craziness from the President to the Green New Deal Socialism, Durbin has called it correctly all along.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:01 pm:
I always assumed GovJunk was looking for his lost g’s.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
The trauma Rauner left behind is palpable…similar to an abusive spouse.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
May want to check Durbin’s vote about saving babies born alive after botched abortions.
Fine Catholic guy. Voice of reason on this one 19Th?
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:04 pm:
I am thankful for this. Congeniality should be maintained.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:07 pm:
So much of the issues Rauner had and the isolating himself, IMO, was brought on my the staff he brought in from the DC world.
They had little understanding or value of the “Springfield way” they just wanted what they wanted and were ready to burn everything down to get it.
Will never forget them going after lawmakers in committee about what salary they made. They were outsiders who never bothered to attempt to learn.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:08 pm:
Rauner wasn’t normal.
One look into those empty eyes was all I needed to know that. He always looked surprised, didn’t he?
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:11 pm:
Durbin could be a ham sandwich, he’s one of our US senators. Governors have to work with them.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:15 pm:
Apparently we have some anonymous trolls on here today still smarting from the November election.
Contemplate for a minute how hard it is for an Incumbant Governor to lose by 16%.
Rauner might have met with the Illinois delegation if they would have offered to help give him what he wanted most, which was ending Unions in Illinois. He is one odd duck and I doubt if we’ll ever see another one like him.
- Liandro - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
“Not sure many R’s would want to call Durbin ”
Because he is a sitting US Senator representing Illinois?
- JoanP - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
@anonymous 3:04:
Read: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/opinion/born-alive-abortion.html
- Al - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 3:54 pm:
If Durbin were Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, rather than ranking minority leader you can bet after election day astute Republicans would do bidness with Durbin for the good of their districts. Senate Appropriation Chair is up there with Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Very important work done there. Illinois is fortunate to have representation on that committee, although currently minority party.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 4:00 pm:
JoanP thanks for the link. The decision is so personal it is understandable that choice is the law of the land.
With 77,711 abortions just in Illinois in 2015 and 2016 according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, many rightly wonder how Senator Durbin still proclaims his Catholic faith.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 4:02 pm:
===May want to check Durbin’s vote about saving babies born alive after botched abortions.
Fine Catholic guy. Voice of reason on this one 19Th?===
And that’s relevant to this discussion how? But ok, I’ll play. That bill was a setup. It was never meant to pass. It was loaded with poison pills to guarantee it would never pass. And federal law already guarantees full legal rights to any infant born at any stage of development.
Durbin is too smart to let himself be played like that.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
–If Durbin were Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, rather than ranking minority leader you can bet after election day astute Republicans would do bidness with Durbin for the good of their districts. Senate Appropriation Chair is up there with Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.–
Committees and committee chairs are shadows of they used to be, especially in the House. The explosion in campaign spending has focused power in leadership.
Nowadays, leadership is more likely to dictate to committees on big issues.
Rosty was the last big dog at Ways and Means. That was real power.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 4:42 pm:
–..many rightly wonder how Senator Durbin still proclaims his Catholic faith.–
Many wonder a number of things about the Catholic Church these days.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 4:51 pm:
In this Trumpian era, some “semblance of normalcy” is a welcome sight. Not deserving a medal, but a little whiff of effective governing so needed.
- M - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 7:21 pm:
I hope the Congressmen/women from IL does the same.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 9:38 pm:
If I were JB I would be cozying up to Stava-Murray. She’s building momentum.
- Traumatized - Tuesday, Feb 26, 19 @ 11:51 pm:
“So much of the issues Rauner had and the isolating himself, IMO, was brought on my the staff he brought in from the DC world.”
That’s exactly right. Remember when they locked the door to 1M? Or when his staff - all the way down into the agencies had to seek permission before talking to lobbyist or outside organizations? Or how his staff wasn’t allowed to go to the After Session Party - and was ‘heavily encouraged’ to only socialize with each other. I bet there are some traumatized former staff that will tell you all about the chaos of that middle management ran office.
- BigGuyfromtheEast - Wednesday, Feb 27, 19 @ 8:34 am:
Hopefully this is a step toward how it used to be with the Illinois delegation and their working relationship with the Governor (as well as the Mayor of Chicago and President of the University of Illinois). A great book on this subject is Jack Van der Slik’s “One for All and All for Illinois: Representing the Land of Lincoln in Congress”
(ISBN-13: 978-0938943082, ISBN-10: 0938943081). Partisanship aside for the good of the State.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Feb 27, 19 @ 8:52 am:
BBD- Stava-Murray is a showboat. Building momentum? Hardly
- Rasselas - Wednesday, Feb 27, 19 @ 1:01 pm:
You know, when you think about, the last three Illinois governors - Blagojevich, Quinn and Rauner - have all been downright weird at the personal level, setting aside whatever other skills or flaws they had in public.