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* Take some time this afternoon and watch Gov. Pat Quinn try to answer questions from reporters about the pay raises he’s doled out to his top staff…
The man certainly likes to filibuster.
* The governor isn’t even getting props from a retailer who would directly benefit from his back to school sales tax holiday law…
The sales tax holiday on school supplies and clothing — signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Pat Quinn and set for 10 days starting Aug. 6 — should be a welcome boon for Skip Kanosky, owner of one of the area’s two education supplies stores.
But it’s not.
Despite the governor’s hope that waiving the state’s 5 percent portion of sales tax will boost consumer shopping, Kanosky — who owns The Learning Tree in Bradley — reacted to the news Thursday with a little more than a yawn.
“In Illinois?” he asked. “We can afford that?”
Yikes, man.
* If you’d like to place a small wager on your general election predictions, then by all means click here. You don’t have to plunk anything down to participate, but you can’t win any cash that way, either.
* Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. has been dodging reporters all week about revelations about how he may have participated in a discussion about funneling a million dollars to Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund in exchange for a US Senate seat appointment. He has finally put out a press release…
“My office has received many requests for comment in response to bits of evidence offered and proffered during the ongoing Blagojevich trial. As much as I would like to clear up the misstatements made by some, and clarify my role (really my non-role) in this affair, obviously it would be inappropriate for me to do so until the trial is over. It is appropriate, however, to emphasize what has long been in the public record: I have cooperated and will continue to cooperate with all government entities investigating this matter, and I have never been advised that I am a target of this investigation. Most important, I was never part of any improper scheme with Blagojevich or anyone else related to securing the vacant Illinois senate seat.”
I’d sure like to see him do a press conference.
* Speaking of press conferences, Congressman Mark Kirk’s Springfield presser apparently didn’t go too well today…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Senate candidate Mark Kirk says he is done answering questions about exaggerating his military accomplishments.
Several times this week, Kirk has refused to answer questions about specific incidents during his 21 years in the Navy Reserve. He said Friday that he’ll let his official fitness reports speak for him from now on.
Those reports include glowing evaluations but offer no details on specific incidents — such as whether he came under fire while serving in Afghanistan, as he once claimed.
*** UPDATE *** I forgot to mention Sen. Dan Rutherford’s quite solid fundraising during the first six months of the year. Check it out. The GOP treasurer nominee raised almost half a million dollars, loaned himself another $200K and had more than a million dollars cash on hand. Very strong numbers for a down-ballot statewide candidate. If you forced me to make a “Pick to Click” for November, it’d probably be Rutherford.
* Other stuff…
* Carl Officer: Racism behind challenges to his campaign, other black Senate candidates
* Kirk stands by vote against unemployment benefits
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:00 pm
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He is done answering questions. I like that.
Good luck Mark. But they are going to ask you at every stop around the State.
And if everything is in those fitness reports, and those facts aren’t in them, then the press will dutifully report that you lied to them about Afghanistan, too.
Comment by George Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:22 pm
I’m starting to think that Quinn wants to lose.
Comment by lakeview Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:30 pm
“The man certainly likes to filibuster.”
Forever, and ever and ever … Quinn is getting to be very irritating. He is just not being honest, in sharp contrast with who he says he is.
Quinn is shrinking in the role.
Comment by Vole Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:33 pm
The media should look at how many of his Lt. Gov staff are now working on agency payrolls. In addition Quinn has brought in many new hires from his Chicago base into agency slots. So pull the new hire list starting in Feb 2009. Like his DOC fiasco, Quinn just keeps digin deeper and deeper.
Comment by Louis Howe Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:38 pm
I’m sure Skip can elect to not participate in the sales tax holiday at his store if he feels so strongly about it.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:41 pm
PQ refers to “cutting the overall budget” - sounds like an across the board budget cut to me.
Filibuster is right. Drone on and on and maybe the reporter will have retired and won’t have a follow up question. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:52 pm
PQ filibusters all the time and it has really gotten tiresome–he’s the Filibuster King.
During the debates any upcoming debate I seriously hope the moderators/hosts will institute a policy that will enable microphones to be shut off when PQ or anyone else starts filibustering or avoiding the questions with a non-answer answers.
The people of Illinois deserve honest and straight answers during the debates, not grandstanding and continued foolishness!
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:52 pm
Mr Howe,
It appears having folk on agency roles while still doing work for the gov office is one way to make it seem like the payroll is smaller. I think I learned that here, smatteroffact.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:54 pm
=== Drone on and on and maybe the reporter will have retired ===
I’ve actually walked away while Quinn was answering one of my questions during an avail. I just couldn’t take the droning any more.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 2:54 pm
Much of the expenses for the Governors staff, travel and other support is being covered by agency budgets. Either Quinn is unaware of this or he is lying.
Comment by Truth monger Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:08 pm
Re: Carl Officer. Umm, shouldn’t these guys have tried to run in the Dem primary back in Feb? At least he’s just bothering the Dem party and not society as a whole.
Comment by Peggy SO-IL Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:19 pm
@Rich,
=I’ve actually walked away while Quinn was answering one of my questions during an avail. I just couldn’t take the droning any more.=
Did PQ even notice you had left?
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:19 pm
Not sure, since I walked away. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:21 pm
I’m not sure it’s filibustering. Filibustering is typically done intentionally.
Great numbers from Rutherford. Very impressive.
Comment by JonShibleyFan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:22 pm
PQ, the Perry Como of Illinois Gov’t.
(I would apologize to Perry Como fans but I wouldn’t want to disturb their slumber)
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:32 pm
Truth, I’m quite sure he’s well aware of that. He is the Quinntessential (wah, wah, wah!) micro-manager.
Kirk keeps looking like a doofus.
Rich, I remember talking to Dan Rutherford many times in 2006. He knew he was building up for something bigger, and boy, he wasn’t kidding.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:33 pm
Rich,
Did you notice that your PQ clip is partially labled “NC 17?”
Is that because PQ is not wearing a tie?
Comment by unclesam Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:33 pm
After listening to the droning of PQ I realize that I don’t have tinnitus - it’s actually PQ buzzing in my ears. What a relief. Now all I need is a white noise machine to counteract him and I’m all set. Unless, of course, PQ loses in Nov. A definite cure is within our grasp
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:36 pm
Is Pat Quinn capable of answering a question, or does he do this all the time? Everytime I’m stuck listening to him, the Governor talks and talks and bores me to death. Worse was that State of the State, remember?
How much longer are we going to hear Democrats harp over Kirk’s war stories? It is as boring as listening to Quinn speak. Wanting him to verify every single pompous war story he has spouted out over the past decade has completely turned into a bigger farce than the ones he self-perpetuated.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:37 pm
Paraphrase from Quinn: The bottom line is what the voters want.
Isn’t “that is what the voters want” getting to be a very tired and frequently used line of defense among many politicians now days?
Could they ever consider that what the voters want many times is for them to answer a reporter’s question, clearly, concisely, and honestly?
Comment by Vole Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:38 pm
=Could they ever consider that what the voters want many times is for them to answer a reporter’s question, clearly, concisely, and honestly?=
Prunella - diet pepsi came out my nose I laughed so hard reading this. Vole, you must be very young - have you ever voted before? Or does naivete run in your family.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:42 pm
The greatest line in the interview was “I’m an honest governor and I run an honest government.”
Keep drinking from the fountain of Rod, Governor.
Comment by DzNuts Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:46 pm
“How much longer are we going to hear Democrats harp over Kirk’s war stories?”
How’s November 2 work for you?
Comment by JonShibleyFan Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:53 pm
It’s the last Friday afternoon before Q2 reports are due. Time for Alexi’s lackluster Q2 numbers. Anyone heard anything?
Comment by Team America Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 3:59 pm
Carol Rutherford sure shows up a lot on Dan’s D2. Didn’t Turner get hit for paying family members during the primary?
Comment by Obamarama Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 4:26 pm
Team,
It’s 2010 which means Kirk’s been in Congress for a decade.
Time for Kirk to start being honest and actually answer questions about his record.
Comment by Rob_N Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 4:43 pm
Playing Quinn’s pathetic droning clip over and over — over loud speakers 24/7– to psychologically demoralize enemy prisoners of war would work well, I think.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 5:06 pm
the only way this knucklehead gets re-elected is if some goof like Bill Brady….. oops.. ummm.
Comment by Still Gettin Twisted Friday, Jul 9, 10 @ 5:32 pm