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…
