Yesterday’s back and forth
Monday, Apr 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pritzker yesterday…
I really believe that governors that haven’t taken the kind of action that we did, or took it much later than we did, are unfortunately, they have been listening to President Trump and his advice. And his advice has been, first it was this is a hoax. Then it was this is just like the flu. This will go away in a few days. I think many of them were listening to all of that while the President was not taking this very seriously. I think now that he has taken it seriously, many of them have moved toward more stringent orders.
* President Trump yesterday…
There’s a governor, I hear him complaining all the time. Pritzker. I hear him, he’s always complaining and yet, I just said ‘give me a list of a couple of the things we’ve done in Illinois.’ And we’re building a 2500 bed hospital in McCormick Place, that’s a big Convention Center in Chicago.
And we’re helping to staff it, and probably will end up staffing it because he’s not able to do what you’re supposed to be able to do as a governor. He has not performed well.
It’s being locally staffed so far, but we’ll see.
* Vice President Pence yesterday…
Later during the briefing, Vice President Mike Pence said he had spoken to Pritzker, and the governor did “express great appreciation for the fact that our Army Corps of Engineers had constructed 500 beds at McCormick Place [convention center], and before the end of this week would construct another 2,500 beds for an overflow health facility in Chicago.” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the Army Corps was “outstanding,” Pence noted.
“We have sent 600 ventilators to the state of Illinois, but I assured the governor, and I assured the mayor, that while the principle focus that we have in the next several days is the rising cases in the greater New York City area and Louisiana, that Michigan and Illinois are in the forefront of our thinking,” Pence said. “At the president’s direction, we’re gonna make sure that the people of Illinois and the people of Michigan have the resources, equipment and support that they need.”
* Gov. Pritzker yesterday…
I think sometimes people mistake when I am being critical of the White House or the president, they mistake that for me being critical of the people are helping at the federal level.
The Army Corps of Engineers has done a superb job for the state of Illinois. The Army has come in and they’ve met with me, a number of times, they are putting their personnel forward, they’re working with our Illinois National Guard. We’re the best in the nation to make sure that we’re building out the facilities that we need to.
And FEMA, the FEMA officials that we deal with here in our region, and the HHS officials, all are working very hard. They live here in Illinois, most of them. And so they want this to succeed for them and for their families as well as for all of us.
So I am grateful for all of the help that we get from those federal employees who work day and night really to protect the people of Illinois. And so my criticism has been the lateness of the policies decisions that have been made by the leaders, and therefore the lateness of any help that we have gotten, which has been due to the people who are above the people that I just described, and their unwillingness to make good decisions that work to the to the betterment of everybody in Illinois.
* Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell…
Deep breaths before commenting, please.
- Crying Shame - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:26 am:
Deep breath before commenting… I hope Dep. Gov. Mitchell takes your advice.
- Tawk - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:26 am:
Utterly unhelpful. And I mean from both of them.
- Pyrman - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:29 am:
JB has the facts on his side, for those of us who care about facts
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:34 am:
It seems insane that we have states leading the way in a national health crisis, so the anger and frustration from state leaders is understandable. WGN TV news did a great segment yesterday, on the Trump administration’s failure to act early.
- Birdseed - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:38 am:
JB keeps harping about the fact Illinois isn’t getting what they request. Does he think any states are getting everything they request? People see through this.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:39 am:
I don’t know who has the facts on their side. I doubt many people do as regards the process of handling a nationwide epidemic. What I observe is our governor almost daily ripping into the president in a public manner. It’s been my experience that if you want something from someone, and I mean really want something, the last action you take is to shame them in public. That’s true with the average person and more so with a personality like Trump’s. Also, just because you ask for some amount that doesn’t mean that is the amount you need. Everyone, even people buying TP over buy when they can. So just because JB hasn’t gotten what he asked for doesn’t mean he hasn’t received a significant amount. Which leads me to my primary gripe and response. Pritzker just sounds like he is engaging in politic bashing for November rather than working as hard as he can to cooperate with Washington. That’s just my opinion from the trenches in IL.
- Froganon - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:41 am:
If we don’t talk about the shortages, they won’t be real. Must re-direct attention from the bodies that are stackng up to my next scheme to make America great.
- Almost retired - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:42 am:
J.B. from my perception is concern about saving lives and is concerned about doing what is necessary to save lives. The Federal Executive Branch Leadership has cost lives and will cause thousands to die who did not need to die. The Federal leadership lied about tests, about supplies,about medicine about seriousness. Unfortunately,the deaths will be tens of thousands. You stand up to a bully you tell the truth. This isn’t reality TV. This is real life with people dieing. I am proud that JB is our governor. I applaud him speaking up. JB cares about our lives.
- Back to the Future - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:46 am:
Although I think this “back and forth” is not helping anyone, I do believe we should be generally supporting the Governor in his approach to this virus problems.
He seems committed, focused and determined to keep as safe as he can.
- ChicagoVinny - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:46 am:
Trump always talks like he’s doing everyone a huge favor doling out federal resources that our collective tax dollars bought and paid for.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:46 am:
The Chicago media has been totally focused on Chicago and to a lesser degree the remainder of the state.
But pandemics do not follow city, county, state or national boundaries.
Pandemics follow populations, and Chicago, Southeast Wisconsin, and Northwest Indiana are a community, and the virus is moving back and forth.
Indiana is half the size of Illinois. They have about half as many reported cases and have reported about half as many deaths. Things are every bit as bad in Indiana as Illinois, and things are not going to get better in VP Pence’s home state until they get better in Illinois.
- Squints - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:55 am:
I’m glad Governor Pritzker is fighting this fight. It seems IL is in a place to do so because of sheltering place orders coming earlier than most other states. That being said, its governor Pritzker’s fight not his appointees. Deputy Governor Mitchell’s veiled threats are certainly not helpful and only throw fuel on a fire when he should be focused on serving Illinois, not serving his own self interests by scoring cheap political points.
- supplied_demand - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:00 am:
==Pritzker just sounds like he is engaging in politic bashing for November rather than working as hard as he can to cooperate with Washington. That’s just my opinion from the trenches in IL.==
I don’t get how this criticism can be made of Pritzker and not Trump. He frames everything politically. He literally said the concern of this virus was a hoax created by the Democrats. He goes after Govs. Inslee, Cuomo, Whitmer and Pritzker pretty much every day. If your going to “call it straight” let’s get real.
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:00 am:
One person’s complaining is another man’s advocating. Trump clearly has trouble handling criticism of any kind. Instead of addressing those criticisms head on, he deflects or attacks with his own.
Here, Trump deflects criticisms about his lack of timeliness and decisiveness with ‘but look what I’ve done for them’. It reminds me of how Rauner would deflect the damage being done to social service organizations by saying he donated “millions” to social services as if that was supposed to somehow excuse the other things.
- Roman - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:02 am:
Less tweeting and more governing, please.
That applies to both Trump and the governor’s staff.
- illinifan - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:04 am:
Praise and thanks for what is right, criticize what is wrong so improvement can be made. JB is doing what he needs to.
- Steve Rogers - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:05 am:
Deep inhale–long exhale. I have no reason to dispute JB, who has handled this pandemic in a proactive and supportive way. I have no reason to believe the president, who has handled this in the petulant, childish manner in which he has handled everything else.
- frustrated GOP - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:09 am:
Did he just say mean, I could have sent ventilators to Illinois but because your governor is mean to me I’m sending them to Mass? Is that what he just meant? really?
I get the Gov. maybe needs to tone down a bit the frustration, but come on dude.
I keep saying, Trump is not going to get reelected simply on math, he one because he won in a few states. those people in those states are listening to him, and I hate to say it, many of them won’t be voting in November because they listen to Trump and not to his experts.
At the end of the day it’s simple math. you can’t kill your voters with dumb advice.
- PJ - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:10 am:
- I don’t know who has the facts on their side. -
You don’t? You think it might be the thin-skinned casino mogul who keeps publicly stepping on the advice of his own public health experts, and appointed his dilettante son in law to help manage a national pandemic?
The right’s official line is now evidently “these governors should shut up about the national clown-car mismanagement costing their citizen’s lives and bootlick our thin-skinned president to ensure he’s willing to do the minimum required by his position as head of the *federal government*.
I truly, truly cannot fathom how you folks have gotten your heads to this place. I wish you the best in de-fogging your brains.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:16 am:
JB is trying to deflect any blame for Illinois not being as well prepared as other states with an emergency fund or extra state resources for health care to the Federal Government.
JB cannot even in a crisis, leave politics out of it.
Independent voters can see this from a mile away.
Democratic Governors in New York, New Jersey and California, who have far bigger problems than Illinois have been much less partisan and been much more appreciative of the Federal governments response.
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:21 am:
So Trump is doing a bad job, but the resources he controls and directs are doing a good job. Got it Jay Bob. Thanks for the update.
- simple mind - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:24 am:
“You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar” Cuts both ways I believe.
- efudd - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:26 am:
“JB keeps harping”
Wonder if you would consider it harping if you or a loved one needed a ventilator and there wasn’t one.
Probably not.
We do see once again, though, the tough-guy act of a Republican is just that, an act.
The slightest bit of criticism tossed his way, and Trump replies like a child.
Just look at anyone who has left his administration without genuflecting on his behalf on their way out.
- Pundent - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:27 am:
=Democratic Governors in New York, New Jersey and California, who have far bigger problems than Illinois have been much less partisan and been much more appreciative of the Federal governments response.=
“There is continuing friction, because they say we have things available, but things are not available. They say, ‘Get on the phone; governors can get all these things.’ I just go of the phone; no governors have these things.” Larry Hogan (R), Governor of Maryland.
This idea that we have to continue to pretend that everything is “perfect” while 10’s of thousands die in order to protect one person is cruel and callous.
- walker - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:29 am:
Looking at when and where the first cases hit, our size, and what has happened since, it appears that Illinois has been among the best performing states on limiting the growth and damage of this outbreak. Many of Governor Pritzker’s impactful actions were among the first in the nation.
And most of the public should be proud of their own sacrifices for our common health.
- NorthWoods - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:35 am:
Throughout this crisis there have been balls dropped at all levels of Government and the finger pointing will continue for decades. However, for JB & Lightfoot to take jabs at Trump & the federal Govt. everyday is just getting old and he is starting to look like a whiner. What more could IL. have done to be ready & what can we do to be ready for the next emergency? Take a page out of Coumo’s playbook and look more like a leader.
- Telly - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:36 am:
== JB is trying to deflect any blame ==
Don’t think it it’s that. Hope I’m wrong, but my fear is Team JB felt like they weren’t getting enough national attention. So they kept poking the bear, knowing he would eventually lash out. It worked.
- lakeside - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:43 am:
Birdseed- some states have gotten all or more than what they requested, esp Florida and Oklahoma. This is the most fair version of the story I can find, which takes fed officials statements at face value, but it’s hard to deny that some states, which seem to have “being red or swing states” in common, are getting both the materials they’ve requested, as well as a lot less negative feedback from the white house.
https://www.propublica.org/article/heres-why-florida-got-all-the-emergency-medical-supplies-it-requested-while-other-states-did-not
- Joliet gram - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:44 am:
Sadly, to me, BOTH are wrong. Coming together as AMERICANS rather than partisans seems a more positive way forward. We KNOW how our president communicates. Now we also know that our Gov. has chosen partisan attacks rather than productive conversations with the Administration during this pandemic. Both need a healthy dose of maturity. I expected MUCH MORE from JB.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:45 am:
== bootlick our thin-skinned president to ensure he’s willing to do the minimum required by his position as head of the *federal government*.==
This is what drives me nuts. Not even in the depths of their Rauner sycophancy did conservatives here all demand that Illinois dems praise baron von carhardt constantly in order for him to do his job. Yet with this clown, they want JB and Whitmer and Cuomo to only ever say nice things. They could say anything they wanted about Obama, but now it’s “Oh, you can’t possibly criticize trump for anything”
- Skeptic - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:49 am:
“the last action you take is to shame them in public” What evidence do you have that he hasn’t already tried everything available?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:52 am:
== JB cannot even in a crisis, leave politics out of it.==
Where does Lucky Pierre fall on Larry Hogan and Charlie Baker and Phil Scott? Are they also unable to “leave politics out of it”, or do they get a pass on their criticisms of the federal government because they have an “(R)” after their names?
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:53 am:
===our Gov. has chosen partisan attacks rather than productive conversations with the Administration during this pandemic.===
So you’re privy to the private conversations between Pritzker and Trump?
- Vote Quimby - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 10:54 am:
I watched this live yesterday, and still love the Navy camouflage.. does that help hide from the virus? /s
- SSL - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:03 am:
I think JB has done a good job, but the daily bashing of Trump isn’t a positive. JB has his own issues, such as people unable to file for unemployment in a timely manner. Should that be publicly pointed out as his failure every day? I don’t think so.
Trump needs to handle the hotspots of the moment. There is no way to address all needs simultaneously in a situation such as this one. Would like to see more collaberation, less bickering.
- Pundent - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:10 am:
==our Gov. has chosen partisan attacks rather than productive conversations with the Administration during this pandemic.=
This seems premised on the belief that the federal government is willing and able to step up and confront the crisis but for the “tone” of the Governor. There’s nothing to lead us to believe that this is the case. Don’t believe me, ask the new guy in charge - Jared Kushner.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:18 am:
For crying out loud, Trump is letting his completely unqualified son in law go on national television to string together an incoherent series of buzz words and untruths during the most serious health crisis any of us have ever seen, and some of you manage to consider him the adult in the room?
Only complete sycophants like LP can twist themselves into that kind of unfettered support.
Thanks JB for demanding action instead of nonsense.
- Honeybear - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:19 am:
So much Perfidy on the part of Trump
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:24 am:
If you *think* this is the time to measure “independent voters”, like - Lucky Pierre -, and choose to even consider the federal response has been responsive…
A state like Kentucky… FEMA… is out bidding Kentucky… then Kentucky finds itself lacking by its own resources and the FEMA response too.
Gov. Pritzker has done a yeoman’s job, his staff, his crew, and where there are serious problems… like DOC, like DCFS, real serious problems… not once have I felt that the Governor not understanding the seriousness, or deflected away from where things need to get better.
Oh… explain FEMA… and not other explanations that needed website changes to “agree” with the President’s son in law.
- Shemp - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:25 am:
It feels like JB is stooping down. If anything should take politics out of a time, this should be it. They both need to elevate, but only one is capable. He should go ahead and rise above it.
- Flapdoodle - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:49 am:
Some of JP’s criticisms have been ill-timed, probably unproductive and unnecessarily political. That needs to stop. Yet his complaints have always been well-grounded in facts: Performance at senior levels of the Federal government has been spotty at best and POTUS’s leadership more damaging than helpful. Except for a benighted few still dragging their feet, governors across the country have become increasingly vocal about frustrations with the Federal response, including the MD GOP governor who is president of the national governor’s association. So it isn’t just JP who’s complaining. But it may be distracting people — at least those without ideologically befogged minds and hyper-partisan agendas — from acknowledging that Illinois senior leadership has done a generally good job.
- DataGuy - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:49 am:
Pritzker and his staff need to be more like California Gov Newsom. Right or wrong on the facts, Pritzker is coming across as severely partisan. And Trump needs to not attack back. Here is an example of a good message from Newsom that Pritzker should model:
“Our relationship began earlier than most and so from that perspective, all I can say is from my perspective, the relationship has been strong. And I’m not doing it to kiss the ring, I’m not doing it in a way that … I’ve just been forthright with the president. He returns calls, he reaches out, he’s been proactive,” Newsom said.
“We got that Mercy ship in down here in Los Angeles. That was directly because he sent it down here — 2,000 medical units came to the state of California … these field medical stations and that’s been very, very helpful.”
- Demoralized - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:53 am:
LP
You’re criticizing someone for bringing politics into this while at the same time making a political comment. lol.
==much more appreciative of the Federal governments response==
The Governor has never not been appreciative. I’ve heard him compliment the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Vice President Pence. But apparently you have the same criteria as our Dear Leader (er . . President) when deciding whether someone has been complimentary enough.
Now go away again please.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 11:56 am:
=== JB keeps harping about the fact Illinois isn’t getting what they request. Does he think any states are getting everything they request? People see through this.===
Yep. The federal government run by the Trump Administration is failing through its FEMA response and it’s lacking of leadership by the President.
People see through all kinds of things.
——————————————————
Also… I’m grateful to the IL Republicans that have first gone out of their way to support the governor to keep us all safe… and the IL Republicans that have decided that the cult is NOT more important than our safety too and decided that Illinois is bigger to support than partisanship.
Can’t express how deeply I feel about those words. Grateful.
- filmmaker prof - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 12:46 pm:
Thankful to have JB as our Gov during this crisis and not that last guy … what was his name again? You know, the one that lives in Italy and Montana?
- High Socks - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 12:52 pm:
Mitchell’s tough guy routine probably isn’t helpful to anyone.
- Scott - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:13 pm:
“So Trump is doing a bad job, but the resources he controls and directs are doing a good job. Got it Jay Bob. Thanks for the update.” - Captain Obvious
The “resources”…the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, etc…are doing a good job. Trump is not because he should have deployed said resources a month or two earlier. When he was saying “we’ve got it under control” and “the 15 cases…in a couple of days…going to be down to close to zero” (late January to late February), he should have been saying things like “this could get serious, but if we work together, we can prevent a large number of deaths”. January and early February is when he should have been sending out resources to early outbreak places and high-population centers and issuing nationwide stay-at-home orders….not late March and April.
- Simply anon - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:17 pm:
Gov. Pritzker should focus on governing, not get into a back and forth with the President or federal authorities. Whether it is correct or not, it does not help Illinois.
- Simply anon - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:19 pm:
Also, a true federalization of the response would have been to take PPE and ventilators from states’ stockpiles to use in states where the need was critical. Would Pritzker have been willing to lose PPE and ventilators from Illinois to aid New York and Louisiana over the past 2 weeks, with the hope the resources would turn back to Illinois when Illinois peaked?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:24 pm:
Simply anon, you’re living up to your screen name, or perhaps it should be simpleton anon. Enough with the red herrings.
- fedup - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:29 pm:
- Would Pritzker have been willing to lose PPE and ventilators from Illinois to aid New York and Louisiana over the past 2 weeks, with the hope the resources would turn back to Illinois when Illinois peaked?-
Insinuating JB would have had a problem with that approach? Says more about you than it does about anyone else.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
== true federalization of the response==
Yeah, the US government never federalizes a response. We should all remember the words of President George W. Bush on September 14, 2001: “I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear from the New York State Police soon”
- illinifan - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
Listening to news story about Assistant Comptroller driving $3 million dollar check to supplier to ensure N95 masks are delivered to us. Met in a McDonald’s parking lot to make the exchange. Crazy. But this is the level of effort being taken to ensure PPE is obtained.
- Help - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 2:11 pm:
I am not a Trump fan. I did not vote for him.
JB should stop poking him. The Army Corps is part of the Federal government. Therefore Trump can claim the Feds helped. It would not have happened without JB pushing it.
JB needs some non partisans around him to help.
Trump needs too much to go into here.
- LakeCo - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
I literally thank God every morning when I wake up that JB is at the helm. In the utter absence of federal leadership, it’s good to know we have a Governor in charge who is committed to saving the lives and safeguarding the health of his people, and who has genuine compassion for the people he leads. The same can not be said of the President.
- cc - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 4:11 pm:
They both have a case of Rich Man Syndrome. Sad.
- Elliott Ness - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 4:47 pm:
Both men need to knock off the junior high king of the mountain stuff and show leadership- JB appears to always complain and very seldom is showing any signs of being thankful and Trump is, well, Trump- JB does not need to stoop to that level and Mitchell needs to stay out of it, his comments on Twitter are silly at best
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 4:52 pm:
===signs of being thankful===
This isn’t a kingdom, showing “His Grace” such warmth to curry His favor.
For the love of Pete, FEMA and the White House shouldn’t decide support by the size of flattery.
Buying into *any* of that is pathetic.
“Be nice to get needed supplies”…
- Dr. Pepper - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 5:10 pm:
Does anyone (anyone besides the President) think its logical for each state to compete against each other, other countries and our own federal government to acquire PPE and ventilators? A failing that will go down in history.
- theCardinal - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 5:14 pm:
Both guys could turn down the rhetoric and ramp up the results. We are all in this thing together and IMHO I really don’t think anyone has this thing figured out. The blame game can be played when the fatlity count goes to zero.
- Pundent - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 6:40 pm:
= Does anyone (anyone besides the President) think its logical for each state to compete against each other, other countries and our own federal government to acquire PPE and ventilators?=
If you can put your thumb on the scale to increase the odds of red states being winners and blue states losers, it’s an effective and incredibly callous strategy.
- Dr. Pepper - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 7:19 pm:
Prudent - callous (or worse) indeed
- ArchPundit - Monday, Apr 6, 20 @ 9:59 pm:
====Both guys could turn down the rhetoric and ramp up the results.
How does that work? Federal government is turning PPE and tests (See Abbott) over to the market to allocated causing bidding wars. How should Pritzker respond to this? I’m baffled what other strategy should be followed at this point.