TRIBUNE: “So Governor, my next-door neighbor just lost his job because of continuing fallout of the budget impasse. So how do you talk to Illinois voters who are still feeling the effects of that impasse?”
RAUNER: “I say every day what I said yesterday, and I’ll say tomorrow, that budget impasse was deeply disruptive, caused suffering. We should never let that happen again but we also can’t stop the struggle for reform. We cannot just think that deficit spending and higher tax rates will solve the problem. They won’t. That in and of itself causes even more suffering for longer periods of time, we cannot give up the struggle because of frustrations during that particular round of the struggle. One battle does not define the whole effort. My request of your friend, you neighbor, is to recognize that it’s a failure of all of us as a system. It’s a, we let the people down when we don’t get balanced budgets and we don’t change our system that has been failing us for decades. We have to keep trying and hopefully we don’t have any more disruptions while we struggle for the reforms. I hope we don’t ever have that. I will be willing to compromise on every possible way to find common ground and get incremental changes so we can keep making progress and not have major disruptions.”
TRIBUNE: “The tragic budget shortfall standoff was solved by Republicans coming and overriding your veto. So, I think the question is, how should voters think that we’re not going to see another standoff? Do you regret not signing that budget?”
TRIBUNE: “Given your speech yesterday, can you give us more of a window into why you said what you said, and why it took you so long for you to say it.”
RAUNER: “Yesterday, I felt it was very important to speak directly to the people of Illinois at this critical juncture in our state’s history. I believe that this election is the most important election of my lifetime. I was born in Chicago and lived in Illinois for most of my 62 years. I don’t know of a more important election. This election will determine the future for our state for decades to come and two very different potential paths. The voters of this state will have a crystal-clear, stark choice to make in this election. It’s essential that we choose to support my efforts with Evelyn Sanguinetti to get our state reformed and turned in a better direction. In my first term, we’ve made important progress but also have had some important frustrations. We’ve learned some lessons from those frustrations. And I’d like to build on the successes we’ve had, progress we made, and lessons learned, and try to get even more done in my 2nd term. And I felt it was critically important now with basically less than 60 days to go until the election that the people of Illinois heard directly from me about that. About what’s at stake in this election. And that we can together, Democrats as well as Republicans, reform minded people, independent voters, everyone, we come together to get done what has to get done to create a better future. We cannot tax our way to a better future. We cannot give more power to the same insiders that have created the problems in our state for the past 35 years. We need to get reforms. And these are reforms that are not partisan reforms. They are not Republican reforms. They are reforms that Democrats in other states have done.”
“I am cautiously optimistic that the dynamic in the General Assembly is different. I do not believe that the speaker is as powerful and dominant and domineering as he was four years ago and as he has been for much of the last 35 years. I think there’s more willingness within his caucus to stand up and challenge him on issues,” said Rauner, who has spent millions of dollars attacking Madigan, who also is state Democratic chairman. […]
He said, in retrospect, he would have accepted smaller changes in such issues as workers’ compensation, local mandate relief, property tax controls and state pensions. During his first term, Rauner pulled back from Senate Republican-led efforts to fashion a “grand bargain” aimed at trying to resolve differences between the governor’s agenda and the Democratic-led General Assembly because it didn’t go far enough.
“The simple fact is I’ve learned. I’ve learned a lot. I was highly successful in business by being very aggressive, very dynamic, very quick to act, innovative in thinking. I’ve tried to be the same in government and what I’ve learned is that doesn’t work very well in a political process where we are in the super-minority and now the minority,” Rauner said.
“We just have to take wins where we can get them. We have to change the system slowly. It takes time. We have to gradually convince not only the legislators but also the voters — and communicating about these issues with 12.8 million people is hard and takes time and we’ve just got to stay persistent,” he said. “What we can’t do is let our frustrations, let our frustrations stop us from continuing to work and continuing to try to make progress.”
* AP: Humbled Illinois governor admits errors, pleads for 2nd term: A humbled Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, one of the most endangered state executives in the country, promised Thursday to be less confrontational and more understanding of his political opponents’ views if voters give him a second chance in the November election. Fighting an uphill battle for re-election in a Democratic-leaning state, the first-term Republican delivered an unorthodox address that was part apology, part State of the State address, and part stump speech. Gone was the brash talk of the private-equity investor who once suggested a government shutdown might be necessary to reform the state. Rauner acknowledged that he misjudged the difficulty of government change, and that his stubbornness helped enable a painful, two-year budget standoff with majority Democrats in the Legislature.
* WSIL TV: Gov. Rauner reflects on time as governor, reveals plan for future: Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner made his case to voters with less than two months to go until election day. In a 30-minute-long speech Thursday, Rauner reflected on his four years as governor and the lesson’s he’s learned as head of state. “I’ve grown in office, I’ve changed,” Rauner said “We’ve made progress. I know we can work together to get even more done.”
* ABC 7: Rauner slams Pritzker in speech: Pritzker’s character was the target for the last half of Rauner’s speech, as he accused the Democrat of having off shore bank accounts and avoiding property taxes. “His behavior shows him to be a person utterly lacking in the integrity and character we need in public office,” Rauner said. “Well, Bruce Rauner has no character when he doesn’t get a budget passed and cost working families jobs,” Pritzker said
* Politico: Will voters buy Rauner’s apology speech?: Bruce Rauner isn’t the first governor to stand, hat-in-hand, in the homestretch of an election. After a combative three-and-a-half years, the embattled GOP incumbent — trailing badly in the polls — wants voters to know that a second term would be different. … It’s a tough speech for the usually brazen private-equity-investor-turned pol who allowed the state to go two years without a budget. Rauner was remorseful talking about the toll the budget stalemate had on regular folks. “It kept me up at night worrying about the disruption that many families experienced,” he said.
* Sun-Times: Rauner, Pritzker agree character key to race, but each says other has none: Rauner delivered his speech at the Hilton, which is one of 26 hotels where workers are on strike in Chicago. Thousands of workers are fighting for better healthcare and higher wages. Pritzker’s campaign sought to make light of the location, asking reporters — many of whom are union members — whether they’d attend the governor’s speech. Several television cameramen opted out. But two of the hotels on strike are Hyatts, which are owned by the Pritzker family.
* Tribune: In mea culpa to voters, Rauner pleads for second term by saying he’s not perfect but has grown: “Admittedly I may have overdone it on the courage part at times. I’ve done things that cost me politically, because I was more focused on doing what was right,” he said. “I stand before you today a man of no less courage, but perhaps greater understanding.” Rauner’s admissions were reminiscent of the 2015 Chicago mayoral run-off campaign, when a re-election seeking Rahm Emanuel ran ads in which he donned a sweater and acknowledged he can “rub people the wrong way or talk when I should listen” and said he could do better. Still, Rauner defended the disruption and dysfunction created in a politically divisive first term that pitted a rookie Republican governor against a Democratic legislature along ideological lines.
* Illinois Public Radio: Gov. Rauner Tries to Reset Campaign: Rauner acknowledged problems with his time in office — like the two-year budget stalemate. But he framed that as a fight for HIS ideas about reform, which he said required “courage.” “I may have overdone it on the courage part at times — politically — because I was more focused on doin’ what was right.”
* WGN TV: Rauner: Pritzker ‘lacking in the integrity and character’ to be Illinois governor: “A man caught on FBI wiretap trying to buy political office from a criminally corrupt politician is not worthy of the highest office in our state,” he said. Rauner is warning voters that if elected, Pritzker will raise taxes and allow a culture of corruption. But Rauner was introspective. “I’m a better governor now than when I took office because of what I’ve learned,” Rauner said. … Rauner accused Pritzker of dodging the press. The governor did not take questions from reporters before or after Thursday’s speech.
…Adding… Heh…
.@WCIA3Mark@capitolfax In Rauner's speech yesterday he dropped 15 g's out of 88 opportunities, a paltry 17% score on the FolksyMeter, which is why I have formally retired the device. Must I do all the serious work around here?
Sneed is told former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley, who was once President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, is planning a bid for mayor.
Word is Daley will make an announcement Monday, a source told Sneed.
It was unclear whether Daley plans to announce that he is forming an exploratory committee or a formal run for a seat once held by his brother, former Mayor Richard M. Daley, and his father, Richard J. Daley.
Many county commissioners think it likely that if Preckwinkle moves to City Hall, County Board Finance Chairman John P. Daley would emerge as the acting board president — assuming this son of one Chicago mayor and brother to another wants the job.
A dozen years ago, five financially strapped city of Chicago pension funds invested $68 million in a shaky real estate deal put together by a former boss of President Barack Obama and a nephew of Mayor Richard M. Daley. […]
And not only did the pension funds not make a profit, records show they will end up losing a combined $54.2 million for the retirement plans, which cover Chicago teachers, police officers, municipal workers, garbage collectors and bus drivers.
On top of that, they spent $2.6 million on lawyers to fight DV Urban in court, litigation that finally came to an end last month when the retirement plans also agreed to pay $14,400 in copying fees that the company incurred during the court battles.
While I can see Bill Daley deciding to run for mayor, he has a bad habit of not following through on stuff. Also, I just can’t see his path after so much Daley fiscal wreckage. Then again, I haven’t seen any polling data.
* Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator) made a big mistake yesterday when he tried to downplay the harassment accusations against him. The House Republicans had to keep their press release vague because the alleged victim in the case wanted to remain anonymous and didn’t want any details shared, so Long deliberately took advantage of that and it apparently didn’t go over well with the victim.
From the House GOP…
Statement attributed to the complainant:
“Representative Long’s denial of his actions and behavior are troubling and disappointing.
“While there was an incident of physical harassment, the verbal abuse and abuse of power on a daily basis resulted in a hostile work environment that put anyone around him at risk.
“It is my sincere hope that Rep. Long resigns from his position and gets the help that he needs.”
Long said Friday he plans to run a grassroots campaign and that his district office in Streator is still open to assist residents of his district. […]
Travis Sterling, executive director of the Illinois Republican Party, said the state organization will also pull support from Long’s campaign.
“We support their decision,” he said. “They’ve done their investigation.”
Campaign flyers and ads that were authorized prior to the results of the investigation will continue for a short while, but after that, Long will have to fund any further literature.
This morning, JB Pritzker delivered a speech on mental health, a speech that yet again highlights Pritzker’s agenda of more government spending.
Rauner campaign spokesman Alex Browning issued the following statement:
“JB Pritzker continues to talk about his ’specific plans’ that lack specifics. He touts more and more government programs, more than $10 billion in additional spending with no reform whatsoever while keeping taxpayers in the dark about how high their taxes will go. This speech is more of the same from Pritzker: higher taxes, more spending, NO reforms.”
