* If you go to about the 7:20 mark in this audio, you’ll hear a Springfield reporter (Bruce Rushton) ask Gov. Rauner today why we haven’t seen, “a solid budget proposal out of you for a year and a half.”

The reporter made the mistake of throwing in some stuff about the Turnaround Agenda, so Rauner said he disagreed with much of what the reporter said and focused solely on the “non-budget” angle.

* At the 8:45 mark, the reporter cuts Rauner off and rightly points out: “We’ve heard that before. It’s your issue now. Why have you not produced a budget that is balanced that includes realistic proposals for revenues and cuts? Why not?”

Rauner said he’d like to answer the question “if you would not interrupt.” And then he went right back to his standard lines about how “every reform we’re advocating has bipartisan support. We can’t just raise taxes and think we will solve the problem.”

* And on and on the governor went until the 11:45 mark when the reporter spoke up yet again, saying “We’ve heard this same campaign speech for a year and a half. Why have you not put forth a balanced budget?”

Rauner interrupted the reporter before he could even get his question out. “So… So… OK. Somebody else. Yes.”

And that was the end of that.

* The answer is actually pretty simple. State law prohibits governors from proposing a budget with revenues not yet in statute, so he put forth two budgets with billions of dollars in holes because he doesn’t want to wear the jacket for massive spending cuts. He also didn’t want to follow Pat Quinn’s example by proposing two budgets at the same time, a “non-recommended” budget with huge cuts and a “recommended” budget with new revenues.

It’s a politically understandable predicament. But, of course, he doesn’t want to admit to a lack of courage. And he’s apparently prepared to filibuster to the end of time to avoid answering the question.

…Adding… From a reporter pal…

The guv was redirected from Rushton by Lance, whose voice is not on the audio. Lance called, “Move on! Move on!”

The guv next called on WAND’s Ed Cross, whose question was something like, “Isn’t the Chamber of Commerce a special interest?”

Raw audio…