Kennedy said he would spend between $50 million and $100 million of his own fortune to defeat Rauner.
w
Whoa.
I hadn’t seen that anywhere else, so I reached out to Chris Kennedy’s campaign. The reply…
No, he didn’t say that. He said that even if Rauner put $100 million in it wouldn’t be enough to paper over his failed record.
Thomas might have take that along with what he said that he would put his money where his mouth is to suggest that he would self fund the whole race. But he never committed to an amount that he was going to put in.
Well, that kinda put a damper on my planned post about yet another wealthy self-funder. My draft headline: “Kennedy to spend up to $100 million of his own money on race.” Since I already put the rest of it together, we might as well get on with it.
* Rick Pearson has a very solid piece on the Chris Kennedy announcement, so while we’re gonna take a look at this little bit, you should read the whole thing.
[State Sen. Daniel Biss] dismissed the need for fielding a wealthy challenger to Rauner, saying Democrats need someone “who can draw a strong contrast with the governor.” […]
Given the prospect of two wealthy businessmen atop the November 2018 Illinois ballot, Kennedy sought to separate himself from Rauner’s background in acquisitions, mergers and finance.
“I’ve spent my whole career building things up. I made money by paying other people. Gov. Rauner has done just the opposite. He’s made money by tearing things down, breaking them apart. He’s made money by firing people,” Kennedy said.
“I think it’s important that people have drive and ambition and intelligence, but any coach, any board of directors, any employer, any employee will tell you the most important thing is heart. And Gov. Rauner appears to be heartless,” he said, noting reduced funding for social service safety-net programs due to the budget impasse.
Explaining why one rich guy is a good guy and another rich guy is a bad guy won’t be easy, but it can be done I suppose.
“In the history of our state, we’ve probably never had a worse governor,” said the 53-year-old former chairman of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. “We’ve gone two years without a budget and only one person is responsible for that and that’s Gov. Rauner.” […]
“I made money by employing people, by paying them. (Rauner’s) whole career was about buying things and dismantling them, taking them apart,” Kennedy said. […]
“I’ll have all of the resources I need to compete, but I don’t think the size of your wallet is what matters to voters. I think its the strength of your vision, the breadth of your ideas and the depth of your commitment,” Kennedy told ABC7 on Wednesday.
Kennedy was interviewed on WGN Morning News Thursday, and anchor Robin Baumgarten asked him,”What do you say to people who say, here’s another wealthy guy who’s just going to throw money at the office. How much different will it be than what Bruce Rauner is doing?”
Kennedy responded: “I think it’s important that people of drive and ambition and intelligence like Gov. Rauner does, but I think you also have to have a heart and a sensitivity, and I don’t think there’s any demonstration that he has a heart.”
Baumgarten followed up by saying, “That seems harsh, you’re calling him heartless.”
“Well I think he is. He’s thrown a million people of out government programs. He sat on the sidelines while 75 percent of these kids are doomed to a life of economic oppression,” Kennedy said.
The full interview is here. The interviewers repeatedly press him on why he’s blaming the Republican governor and not his fellow Democrats.
* Now, click here and go to the 1:24 mark on the CBS2 story about Kennedy’s announcement. As noted elsewhere today, Gov. Rauner talks about how he’s “very focused like a laser on getting a balanced budget.” But he also goes on to say this in a very sincere and muted tone…
“We need to compromise with each other. We need to listen to each other. And I’m very focused on that. I’m really not paying attention to politics.”
The man has some mad skills. He almost had me convinced. Seriously, watch the video. Rauner will not be easy to beat.
“Susana Mendoza this week refused to accept independent legal counsel to fight for state employee pay. Instead, she chose to work with the Madigan family as part of a blatant effort to shut down state government and cause a crisis to force even higher taxes and more unbalanced spending with no reforms. Susana Mendoza promised us she’d be an independent watchdog, but instead she’s become a Madigan minion.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
Today, the Illinois Republican Party added Comptroller Susana Mendoza to BossMadigan.com to highlight how Mendoza is working with the Madigan family to shut down state government and force a crisis.
Check out the page at BossMadigan.com/Susana-Mendoza
Susana Mendoza is bought and paid for by Boss Madigan, and now as Comptroller Mendoza is taking orders from her political patron, pledging to help him and Lisa Madigan shut down the government if allowed by the courts.
Career politician Susana Mendoza quickly became a Madigan ally in the House, voting for every unbalanced Madigan budget that became law, adding billions in debt while shortchanging Illinois schools. She even voted for the highest income tax hike in Illinois history, voted to raise her own pay, and then doubled dipped by taking two government pensions.
In exchange, Mendoza endorsed Madigan for Speaker six times, calling Madigan her “mentor”. In one speech lauding Madigan’s reign, Mendoza nominated him for Speaker and called him a “man who time and time again has demonstrated his passion and love for this state,” and proclaimed that “someday, our children will learn of his contributions.”
Knowing she was a loyal ally, Madigan provided Mendoza with money and support for her political career. When Mendoza wanted to run for higher office, Madigan cleared the Democratic field for her and funded her campaign for Comptroller.
To date Madigan has funneled millions to Mendoza. Now, she’s working with the Madigan family to shut down state government and cause a crisis to force even higher taxes.
“The Madigan family.” Expect to hear that line a couple billion more times.
* The governor sent an e-mail to state employees today…
Dear State Employees:
As you know, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is attempting to block state employee pay and force a crisis in Illinois. There are two proposals in the General Assembly, but only one is a real solution. Watch this video to know where we stand.
Thank you for your work on behalf of the people of Illinois.
As you know, Attorney General Madigan is going into court asking a judge to end state employee pay. The Attorney General now believes the state should be shut down until a budget is passed. We do not agree.
Two proposals have emerged in Springfield to address this issue. One proposal, sponsored by Rep. Avery Bourne and Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, would ensure state employees get the same treatment as legislators and constitutional officers — making it the law of Illinois to pay state employees on a continual basis regardless of the budget impasse. The other proposal is backed by Speaker Madigan — and it supports the Attorney General’s attempt to shut down government. Rather than stop paying employees and shut down government immediately, Speaker Madigan’s bill would stop employee pay and shut down government on June 30th instead.
Speaker Madigan will try to sell his June 30th government shut down proposal as a solution in case his daughter wins in court. But don’t be fooled. It’s not a solution — it’s a crisis showdown set for June 30th when the Speaker will use the leverage of a forced shut down to finally get the massive tax hike he recommended in December 2015.
There’s only one solution that makes sense: give state employees the same rights as the Speaker, rank-and-file legislators and the Attorney General herself. Give state employees permanent continuing appropriation for their pay just like legislators gave themselves. I will veto the Speaker’s June 30th government shut down proposal should it reach my desk. The General Assembly should fix this problem once and for all by sending the Bourne-Davidsmeyer state employee pay proposal to my desk immediately.
I don’t take a paycheck - never have, never will, but I believe state employees who show up to work every day for the people of Illinois should get their paychecks no matter what.
After all the hooplah over that CPS letter to parents blasting Rauner, this might be a bit much [ADDING: Click here for Greg Hinz’s take on that particular dustup.]. It’s not nearly as blatantly political, of course, but it most certainly mirrors the Rauner political attack machine messaging.
…Adding… When the governor promised to veto the Madigan bill, wasn’t he actually threatening to “create a crisis”? Isn’t that what he accuses both Speaker and AG Madigan of trying to do?
…Adding More… The governor’s people strongly disagree. They say they believe Madigan’s bill is designed to take the heat off himself and the attorney general so that he can then flip the pressure on the governor to do a stopgap budget deal by the end of June to avoid a “real” shutdown because there would be no appropriations authority to pay state workers and likely no court order, either.
Governor Rauner’s latest attempt to mislead state workers is centered on the claim that he wants state employees to be paid ‘like legislators’, but legislators are now paid six months late due to Rauner’s refusal to do his job and sign a budget.
The governor caused this crisis by holding the budget hostage to his political demands. Next week he’s due to present a spending plan for fiscal year 2018. If he introduces a budget, helps pass it and signs it into law on schedule this spring, this entire conversation is moot. Instead Rauner says he’d veto a payroll bill, an action that could shut down state government.
For our part, AFSCME and a dozen other unions representing state workers won the court order upholding payroll even without a budget, and our unions have been working with Rep. Sue Scherer to advance House Bill 1798 to ensure state employee payroll now. That bill wasn’t perfect in its initial form, but Rep. Scherer has been willing to address our concerns, and the bill is moving forward. That’s how compromise and the legislative process work.
In contrast, the governor’s threat to veto a bill not sponsored by his partisan political allies follows a familiar pattern: Rauner makes a demand, refuses to compromise, and bullies those who disagree.
If he wants to make progress, the governor should negotiate, not dictate, both in developing a fully-funded budget and reaching a fair contract for state employees.
In an interview with POLITICO, Kennedy lampooned Rauner, calling him a “petulant child” who engages in “revenge politics” and casting him as a dictator who has bought the Republican Party and silenced dissenting voices.
“I’d say the only thing worse than a one-party state is a one-man party and that’s what Rauner has done,” Kennedy said.
When asked about Madigan’s dual role as Democratic Party chair and powerful legislator, and criticism that he wields too much control in the state, Kennedy countered that it’s the Republican Party in Illinois that has grown too fearful of Rauner and his money, to speak out. […]
“Do you think Dick Durbin reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think Rahm Emanuel reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think any congressman or senator reports to Mike Madigan? Our party is a party of enormous diversity and independent voices,” Kennedy said. “The Republican Party has none of that anymore … the Republican Party has become a one-man shop, where one or two men have dominated … Where he uses his wealth to silence them. He’s an economic bully. I think that weakens them, I don’t think that makes them stronger.”
“The governor said he was going to shake up Springfield, instead he’s tried to hold up Springfield. He was sent to heal not hurt, and he’s failed in every way,” said Kennedy, son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. […]
Asked about the critique, Kennedy faulted Rauner for using his wealth to silence opposition in the GOP. “I have not heard state representatives or senators offering a second way because he bullies them with his money.”
“I think it’s an insult to me, an insult to the entire Kennedy family and an insult to the voters of Illinois to make a statement like that that anybody’s going to believe,” [Kennedy] told the Chicago Tribune [about the Republican attacks].
“I think Gov. Rauner has spent his entire time blaming others and not leading. Even now, as the state Senate tries to find a compromise on the budget, Gov. Rauner remains on the sideline. We don’t know what his intentions are. And that’s not right. He’s in the big chair. He ought to lead. Otherwise, he’s one (term) and done.”
Following an event in Normal, Rauner did not address Kennedy’s candidacy when reporters asked about it.
“I am very focused, like a laser, on getting a balanced budget with structural changes to our system, but it’s broken and been broken for a long time. And we need to compromise with each other. We need to listen to each other. And I’m very focused on that. I’m really not paying attention to politics,” the governor said.
He’s focused like a laser, alright. On the budget? Maybe not so much. On his Madigan messaging to avoid blame for the impasse and taint his opposition? Yeppers.
“Chris Kennedy spent day one of his campaign sticking with Mike Madigan, defending him in TV interviews and even going so far as to proclaim that Madigan bears no responsibility for Illinois’ problems. Kennedy is following rule one of the Chicago machine – never speak an ill word about your political boss.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
Chris Kennedy’s first day of the 2018 campaign got off to a rocky start. In multiple interviews with Chicago TV, Kennedy would not blame Madigan for any of Illinois’ problems.
Asked about his relationship with Mike Madigan by every Chicago television station, Kennedy either defended Madigan or dodged the question.
WLS reported that Kennedy doesn’t “hold Mike Madigan responsible for any of this” and Kennedy confirmed to NBC Chicago that he met with Speaker Madigan to discuss his campaign.
You can almost see the strings being pulled behind above Kennedy’s head.
But the 2012 Tribune story does not contain the phrase “On a mission to fight hunger.” Click here to see it yourself. The actual headline is “Chris Kennedy’s ambitious food project.”
You might think that the BGA said Kennedy has “vision,” but it was actually a quote by former Gov. Pat Quinn, who isn’t exactly popular…
“I thought the U of I board was the right fit,” Quinn said. “I nominated him for the board because he has the same qualities as his father. He has a passion for social justice. He is someone who can build a team and work together with people. He’s very smart. And he has vision, which you’ve got to have when you’re chairman of a $6 billion corporation, which essentially what the University of Illinois is.”
$1 billion high-rise project proposed downtown at Wolf Point
3-building plan, backed by Kennedys, would be biggest Chicago development since recession, financial crisis
Probably close enough, and that headline is accurately quoted later in the video, as is a headline about how Kennedy is on a “quest to do more.”
*** UPDATE *** From Eric Adelstein…
The piece is an amalgamation of Chris Kennedy’s record in the fight against hunger and as a businessman creating jobs.
The “mission to fight hunger” quote is from the CBS 2 news story narrated by Linda McClennan that accompanies the piece.
The visual in the video is a combination of his work for the Greater Food Depository and his creation with his wife Sheila of Top Box Food referenced in the Tribune article. We combined the Tribune article and the CBS 2 story to accurately reflect over 30 years of work to eliminate hunger.
Job Creator is a summary of the Tribune article referencing “The biggest development since recession” quoted in the article on a project that has and will create upwards of 2,000 jobs. In the video, the term is not in quotations.
Bruce Rauner is a failed Governor. He and the Republican Party should spend less time making false attacks and get to work cleaning up the mess they’ve created in Illinois. That’s what Chris Kennedy’s focus will be on as Governor.
Chris Kennedy – A Mike Madigan-First Politician
ILGOP Launches MadiganKennedy.com
To Mike Madigan’s pleasure, Chris Kennedy today announced a run for Governor.
Over the summer, Mike Madigan endorsed Kennedy’s run. After a secret meeting, Madigan lauded that Chris Kennedy would “make a very good candidate for Governor.”
“Mike Madigan has already endorsed Chris Kennedy’s run because he knows that Kennedy will never stand up to him. Chris Kennedy secretly met with Madigan this summer to kiss his ring and get Madigan’s blessing. Kennedy’s already done his part to placate his boss, giving Madigan thousands to fund his anti-reform attack ads. We need a Governor who will fight for reform, not another Mike Madigan-first politician.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
To highlight Chris Kennedy’s deep ties to the Madigan Machine, today the Illinois Republican Party has launched MadiganKennedy.com
Chris Kennedy’s already proved he will be loyal to Mike Madigan. Before announcing his campaign, Kennedy secretly met with Madigan to get his blessing to run for governor. Then, Kennedy bankrolled a $10 million Madigan-aligned political front group and gave thousands more to Madigan’s hand-picked candidates for the legislature.
Chris Kennedy is committed to the Madigan Agenda and tried to give Madigan even more power. The last thing Illinois needs is a Madigan lap dog in the governor’s office.
Illinois needs an independent reformer, but Chris Kennedy is just another Mike Madigan-first politician.
Sources: Federal Election Commission, Illinois State Board of Election, Crain’s Chicago Business 11/2/2016, Chicago Tribune, 10/11/2016
Um, Madigan didn’t endorse Kennedy. Madigan said he met with the guy and told him “he’d make a very good candidate for governor.”
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s campaign…
Today, Chris Kennedy announced his bid for Governor of Illinois.
Show your support for Team Rauner instead by contributing $5, $15, $50, or whatever you can afford today.
We’re here to tell you that Illinois deserves better. Why? Because Chris Kennedy is a pawn of Mike Madigan. Kennedy secretly met with Mike Madigan to get his seal of approval before announcing his candidacy. And now he wants to do Madigan’s bidding.
Now, more than ever, Citizens for Rauner needs your support to hold Kennedy accountable and make sure that another Madigan crony isn’t elected Governor.
We’re here to make sure that Illinois is put first. Show that you’re with us by contributing today.
An adviser says Democratic businessman Chris Kennedy plans to run for Illinois governor in 2018 against Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner.
Hanah Jubeh, a Kennedy campaign adviser, told The Associated Press Wednesday that Kennedy is running.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Kennedy just called me to confirm the report. He’s in the race.
He said something interesting about the “Because… Madigan!” angle used by the Republicans here. “We may think it’s unique,” to Illinois, he said, but the Republicans are “using it everywhere” to suppress the vote. People are told over and over that “government is broken” and there’s nothing that anyone can do. So, people choose to just tune out, basically, and stay home.
“I can battle that better than just about everybody,” he said. “I can give people reasons to vote.”
The challenge, he said, is not “simply to get more union members or [other demographics] to vote Democratic,” but to “get more people to vote,” and the Democrats will win.
As he was winding down from those remarks and trying to move on to his next call, I asked him to quickly comment on the Senate’s grand bargain. Gov. Rauner, he said, “should show some leadership.”
Anyway, it was a pleasant call and we’ll be sitting down for a more formal interview soon.
* Meanwhile, here’s his announcement video. Rate it…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Formal statement…
Today I will file my formal paperwork to the State Board of Elections, launching my campaign for Governor of Illinois.
What once made our country different from any place on earth was the notion that anyone could make it here - that America was the land of opportunity. But today, if you’re born poor in America, you will almost certainly stay poor. The American Dream is slipping away and it’s up to us to keep this fundamental promise.
I love this state, and I’m running for governor because we can do better. Together we can restore the American Dream in Illinois in a single generation. Watch the video below to learn more, then share it with your friends and family to encourage them to join our campaign.
We have a tough task ahead: taking on a governor who has put Illinois in the worst shape it’s been since I moved here thirty years ago. I feel called to serve at this moment because I know we can do better. Through my previous work at The Merchandise Mart, through Top Box Foods, the nonprofit hunger relief organization I co-founded with my wife Sheila, and through my involvement in dozens of civic and service organizations, I have brought people together to solve complicated problems for a common good.
Compromise is not surrender. We can fix the immediate budget crisis facing our state. If we are willing to work together, mothers and babies will have early access to health care and nutrition. Early childhood education for all Illinoisans can be a priority again, and K-12 education can be paid for at the state level so every child in our state receives an equal, quality education. I want to give everyone access to higher education or trade school, and prepare the next generation of Illinoisans to be productive members of a healthy economy. If we can put stubbornness aside, we can act on a shared vision for making Illinois a place where everyone can succeed.
We can restore the future and keep the promise of this state. Let’s get to work.
