* Subscribers know that I asked Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign yesterday for evidence to back up this claim by the governor…

“In 2004, [Dan Hynes] opposed a graduated income tax,” Quinn said. “Maybe he’s flipped and he’s flopped over to our side, and I’m glad he has. In 2004, he wasn’t there to help us.”

I called and called and received no official response. I was told on background that Quinn was likely referring to a private request he made to Hynes during either the 2004 non-binding referendum on the graduated income tax or the subsequent push to pass a constitutional amendment based on the successful results of that referendum.

Hynes, however, denied yesterday that he ever opposed the referendum and said Quinn had never asked him to help pass the constitutional amendment through the GA.

Today, Hynes is demanding either a clarification or an apology. From a press release…

The Dan Hynes for Governor campaign is calling on Pat Quinn to clarify or apologize for his false assertion yesterday that Hynes had previously opposed the issue of a progressive income tax. Tellingly, Governor Quinn has failed to provide proof for his claim, and his office referred only to a “private conversation” in a report published this morning. The Hynes campaign categorically denies any such conversation took place.

Hynes campaign spokesman Matt McGrath issued the following statement:

“On the topic of flip-flops, Pat Quinn typically knows of what he speaks. But his bizarre claim that Dan has changed positions on a progressive income tax is patently false. It is no surprise that the Governor would rather not defend his own plan to raise taxes by 50 percent across the board on all Illinois families.

Yesterday, Dan Hynes put forward a bold plan to address our state’s fiscal crisis by modernizing the tax structure and making it more fair. Pat Quinn talked about flip-flops and fishing trips. The people of Illinois are looking for a leader with a clear vision of the future, not a hazy focus on the past. Dan Hynes is going to continue to talk about his plans to move Illinois forward.

Governor Quinn owes the people of Illinois an explanation.”

* Meanwhile, the Illinois Republican Party has posted a new video, which is essentially Hynes being asked on WLS AM’s Don & Roma Show this morning to respond to an IL GOP talking point. Watch it…

* Speaking of Don & Roma, Gawker has uncovered some e-mails sent by media types begging for an interview with Rod Blagojevich soon after his arrest. Don & Roma’s producer told Blagojevich’s press secretary “I have an an incredible offer for you!” so please call. Read it here. Read the rest of the suck-up e-mails by clicking here.

Former ABC7 political reporter Andy Shaw was no suck-up. Check out his e-mail. Heh. Way to go, Andy. [I don’t think I sent an e-mail that day because I was able to get the press secretary on the phone very early that morning.]

* And David Ormsby compares Alexa web rankings of various gubernatorial campaign sites…

Illinois 2010 Governor Candidate July 2009 Web Traffic Rank:

* Brady, Bill 5,387,593
* Dillard, Kirk 7,209,347
* Hynes, Dan 9,777,962
* Murphy, Matt 10,221637
* Proft, Dan 3,815,627
* Quinn, Pat 4,626,269

These aren’t hits, by the way. These are rankings based on the entire Intertubes.

Proft has the “highest” rank of the bunch, with Quinn in second place. But they’re way behind this blog, which, according to Ormsby, Alexa has ranked at 206,748. I’m not a fan of Alexa, but whatever. It’s a fun little comparison.