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This just in… Quinn’s media firm fired, fires shots

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* 10:30 am - More really bad campaign news for Gov. Pat Quinn. His media firm, AKPD, has just exited the campaign [it was fired]. And check out this harsh goodbye statement…

“We and the Quinn campaign agreed that our divergent approaches to disciplined, professional communications are incompatible. We wish Pat well.”

Oh, man, what a shot that was. When was the last time you saw a national media firm issue a statement like that? Yikes.

AKPD produced the last two ads of the primary which most believe helped keep Quinn in office. Here’s my favorite of the two. It really was an excellent spot…

* 10:52 am - The Quinn campaign has reportedly hired Joe Slade White as a replacement.

* Quinn apparently fired AKPD after hiring White.

* One of White’s more recent ad campaigns was that 2008 ad blitz by T. Boone Pickens…

I’m getting mixed reviews on White. He’s a “big concept” guy who clicks with Quinn, but he’s not a top tier consultant who can also be hired more cheaply than others.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:31 am

Comments

Is some kid from Wisconsin still running his campaign? If so, maybe someone needs to look internally for changes. Soon.

Comment by Corey Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:38 am
What is that old saying: I’m not a member of an organized political party, I’m a Democrat. PQ, unfortunately, personifies that.

Comment by Anon Sequitor Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:38 am
If you hear that sound it is the toilet being flushed at the Mansion.

I think the last time was When Pollster Allen Secrest called out a candidate he was working for in the closing weeks of the campaign. But i can’t remember teh year or state.

Comment by WOW Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:39 am
Oof. Quinn’s problem is that he’s never been a disciplined campaigner and yet he ended up as Governor. Now he believes his approach is what got him there and he sees no reason to change.

He’s an old dog who isn’t interested in learning any new tricks.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:41 am
What do you think AKPD was trying to say, lol?

Quinn won’t have trouble finding a firm where they will nod their heads and cash the checks. Just make sure you get some money upfront.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:42 am
So is AKPD really that PO’d? Or do they just not want their platinum name recognition associated with such a lost campaign on their future resume?

Or, is this a strategic and cynical political calulation from on high that the state is so broken it is no longer in the party’s interest to have a Dem Governor at the helm for the next 4-8 years?

Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:44 am
When is Quinn going to start listening to the professionals. He has no political instinct of his own WHATSOEVER!

Go ahead and keep shooting yourself in the foot. Enjoy your short stint as Governor.

Comment by Dumb Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:44 am
“Man overboard! — Hey, that’s me!”

“Ow, who’s pullin’ my tail! — Hey, that’s me!”

–PQ

Comment by Surely Not Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:46 am
Thats a shot, wow. This is a bad sign for the Quinn campaign. I can not remember a firm quitting the campaign in the middle.

Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:48 am
Looks like quinn has adopted the mccain/palin motto-going rogue or getting mavericky

Comment by shore Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:49 am
Of course I don’t know what happened, but it seems to be very unprofessional of AKPD to issue a statement like that.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:49 am
Quinn neither listens nor wants to listen. He has been a loner his entire political career and never made the transition to a team leader when he became Governor. Surrounded by young, inexperienced staff he has thoroughly bungled whatever chance he had of turning state government operations around and developing a reason for his election.

Comment by Louis Howe Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:50 am
I got news for you folks - THEY DIDN’T QUIT - they were fired and the campaign already hired someone else - according to my sources. So get your facts straight

Comment by The Shadow Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:51 am
I heard their parting statement sent to Quinn was wrapped around a fork.

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:52 am
- When was the last time you saw a national media firm issue a statement like that? -

Some people get a little emotional when they get fired, which is really what happened. And the campaign already has another firm, AKPD just wasn’t working out.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:52 am
TS, yes, I know.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:54 am
===AKPD just wasn’t working out. ===

And neither is this candidate.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:54 am
Well then Mr. Miller why would you say “AKPD, has just exited the campaign.” That’s not what happened.

Comment by The Shadow Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:55 am
Yes because firing the firm that helped get that guy from the south side elected to some big office is not the folks you want to have around…

Perhaps they hired the firm that SLC used to run for Lt. Governor.

Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:55 am
Is the new firm headed by Sam Adam Sr. and Jr.? Fresh off their successes in the Blago trial?

Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 10:56 am
AKPD — formerly known as Axelrod and Associates, has been Quinns media firm since his first statewide campaign in 1990.

They have stuck with this goofball through thick and thin, and frankly, Kupper’s closing ad in January saved Quinn’s primary. I’d issue a statement like that too, given the circumstances.

Quinn’s campaign is in free-fall because Quinn has no message discipline. In the past week, he’s done pressers on Blago and the NYC mosque in a campaign where the only issue is the economy.

I suspect this is just another example of Quinn recognizing he is in a bad spot, and lashing out at the competent people around him who are explaining he needs to change his approach.

Comment by ILPundit Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:03 am
Quinn’s campaign is in a bubble, with lots of young people wearing rose-colored glasses, and the candidate will never let AKPD or any other firm direct the message and media. I wish Pat Quinn well, but his campaign operation is incomplete.

Comment by downstater Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:05 am
So I am guessing that Quinn thinks that going after Brady’s money is going to be the answer…

That’s a guess after looking at clips from the new firm’s web site.

Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:09 am
Is it possible that there are some new internal polling numbers for Quinn that are even worse than what we’ve seen so far?

Seems pretty dramatic with only 72 days left until election.

Comment by Downstater Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:15 am
The campaign and state government are equally well managed.

Comment by Aldyth Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:18 am
I was thinking all along this sounded like a firing scenario, not a quitting scenario. That’s the only reason AKPD would be so salty.

Comment by George Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:19 am
I thought until about a week ago that Quinn would win a squeaker in November. But now I am convinced that he will lose by a rather embarrassing margin to a guy who could only get 22 percent of the primary vote.

I believe Brady will be a disaster. He won’t be able to cooperate effectively with Madigan or Cullerton. He has no plan to manage the state budget- only a slogan. He’s shown no capacity for hard work or management skills.

In other words, he will be the new Pat Quinn.

Comment by DuPage Dave Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:25 am
AKPD’s statement just shows that they were more prepared for how to manage the media fallout of this Quinn decision than Quinn himself was.

Which in its own way, speaks volumes.

Comment by ILPundit Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:34 am
Quinn has always seemed to be all over the board to me. There has never really been a cohesive theme. He is easily distracted, and much like Brady, was easy to trap in something that wasn’t a core issue.

He’s sounds honest and sincere but his actions speak volumes about him, in particular his failure to rid the state of the Blagojevich minions.

the ad agency did a great job with T Boone Pickens, but then they were working with a pretty strong leader with a solid message.

Brady is improving and Quinn is still bouncing around.

Comment by Justice Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:36 am
rich, I know that you dont usually respond to QOTD suggestions, but wouldnt it be fun to speculate on what a Governor Brady administration might look like?

Comment by anon Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:37 am
Didn’t Joe Slade White work with Rosen on Wesley Clark’s campaign? Looks like Rosen is the real campaign manager over there.

Comment by dupage dame Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:39 am
==I was thinking all along this sounded like a firing scenario, not a quitting scenario==

You are familiar with the time honored scenario where the guy is tired of his flighty girlfriend and her friends and family, and wants the relationship to end, but manufactures a situation which causes the girl to call it quits so he doesn’t have to do the breaking up and explaining?

Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:39 am
They saw the polls we haven’t yet seen.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:41 am
I had a dream last night. In years past it would have been a nightmare, not so last night. It’s November, I am in a voting booth, and I have to choose between Quinn and Brady. I choose Brady! Maybe my dreams will change as we move closer to election night, but one thing is for certain - I am not voting for a party. I am voting for a leader. Someone who is willing to placate, not to the political elite, but to a moral indignation of the past 12 years. Quinn suffes a leadership deficit the size of our national debt.

Comment by GetOverIt Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:43 am
Looks like PQ will be a 2 year governor. How could it have gotten so bad for him? FUBAR!

Comment by Sinister Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:43 am
Thw Quinn administration and his campaign have become a sad tragedy. Many of the top staff in the agencies are well into preparing thier exit plans. Only the Quinn children are still working to try to win. Unfortunately they are like thier boss—in over their heads.

Comment by Sad Democrat Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:50 am
What a miserable campaign. November 2nd can’t come soon enough!

Comment by eastsider Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 11:59 am
is AKPD handling the Claypool media?

Comment by Amalia Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:11 pm
@ Sad Democrat

–Only the Quinn children are still working to try to win. Unfortunately they are like thier boss—in over their heads. –

Don’t worry. Tom Quinn has got this all figured out. Any day now the master plan will be unleashed and will all be blown back in total “shock and awe” fashion.

Comment by The Enforcer Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:15 pm
I would caution all top tier Dem staffers in the administration to be prepared to be fired by Quinn after the election. After all, he did it to his top Treasurer’s office staff in 1994 after he lost…

Comment by ILPundit Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:18 pm
Yes, AKPD handles our media.

Comment by Tom B. Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:19 pm
Nobody wins political campaigns while publicizing detailed plans on how to deal with problems.

Candidates win who present a vision and evoke positive feelings in potential voters. Those here who insist that Brady somehow must make his plans specific and public are either naive or engage in wishful thinking.

It is common that a campaign in crisis will go thru these kinds of paroxysms while scrambling for a strategy to (re)gain momentum. Quinn has shown that he can’t work with others even in his own campaign.

Whether Brady can work across the aisle in the GA remains to be seen. It is also unknown if Madigan and/or Cullerton will be in leadership roles that would require Brady to cooperate with them.

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:22 pm
And yet many elected Dems decided to rally around Pat Quinn. He was disorganized and a weak leader, easy for other Dems to deal with perhaps? But now they are facing Governor Brady and the real possibility of a GOP-drawn map in 2012. This isn’t just Quinn’s fault.

Comment by ZC Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:26 pm
It is also unknown if Madigan and/or Cullerton will be in leadership roles that would require Brady to cooperate with them.

Ha… please show me the roadmap that would lead to Cullerton losing control in the Senate. The House? At least it could be possible, though unlikely.

Comment by dave Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:27 pm
Roadmap? Roadmap? We don’t need no stinkin’ roadmap!

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:42 pm
Rich, your information on Joe Slad White is beyond bad. He is very well respected and highly sought after. He only does very select races nowadays. He did Gov. Granholm’s first campaign in Michigan and is doing Congressman Chet Edwards race in Texas (which happens to be one of the top national targets of the Republican Party this year). This “shake-up” is very good news for the Quinn campaign. Joe Slade White is known for producing very creative ads and for winning extremely tough races. AKPD is not much of a firm without Axelrod, just look at their primary performance in Illinois this year. AKPD is only concerned $ these days. The Quinn campaign is better off without them.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:50 pm
I am having a hard time understanding the animus toward Quinn. He seems like a truly decent guy with good policy instincts surrounded in Springfield by some self-serving and even duplicitous legislators on both sides of the aisle. His one act of political courage and common sense seem to be the thing that has hurt him most — he said from the beginning that state income taxes have to be raised. Isn’t that the ONLY real issue in this campaign? Why can’t all the bloggers here recognize this?

Comment by queequeg Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 12:52 pm
CookDem

Look at which past performance? That they got Quinn to win a narrow victory or that they got Hoffman to surge from 6% to 34% in less than 5 weeks??? Its never a good thing to lose your team 72 days before an election. Be it media or camp manager.

Comment by irisheyesrsmilin' Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:05 pm
== He did Gov. Granholm’s first campaign in Michigan ==

Yeah real hard to write attack ads in Michigan against a guy who let people go in Michigan and moved operations to China…

As for the congressional campaign, I can’t find any pro-Edwards ads on youtube for this cycle so I can’t judge.

Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:06 pm
- Its never a good thing to lose your team 72 days before an election. -

Quinn didn’t lose them, he fired them.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:07 pm
AKPD media should have been sued for malpractice in the Gov Primary. They went nearly two weeks without responding to the Hynes attack ad on prisoner early release. And in the Primary they lost two statewide races and nearly a third. Not a very good win % wouldn’t you agree?

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:12 pm
Quinn wom the primary DESPITE AKPD’s involvement not becuz of it. I should know. I was there.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:14 pm
STL,

Whether fired or quit, it is never a good sign when a campaign team is shaken up this close to an election. Quinn will lose a couple of news cycles as the talking heads make a bigger deal of this firing than its worth. The new media team will need to come up to speed and integrate with whatever remains of the staff, loss of at least a week. Production of some ads, a few days. There are 70 days left.

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:32 pm
Cook Dem
So was I…………….

Comment by irisheyesrsmilin' Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:45 pm
CookDem, I think AKPD will be fine with or without Quinn. Its a shame the campaign is taking out their lack of message on AKPD when you guys should look at the candidate.

Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:48 pm
Irisheyes

Then you would also know that AKPD lost two out of three statewide races and can’t exactly take credit for Quinn’s narrow 7,000 vote Primary victory. And 15% of the buy plus a monthly retainer. Unheard of in the business anymore. You know that is true also.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 1:58 pm
Cook Dem
So was I. AKPD provided strong, professional support and wise advice on a variety of issues. If the campaign had listened to them more often, the winning margin would have been much, much higher. John Kupper is brilliant.

Comment by soccermom Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:00 pm
Soccermom

That just proves that you were not involved in the campaign in any serious way. John Kupper is awful. AKPD had to pull Kupper out of the race and replace him w another partner at the firm. I have worked w most of the top consultants in the business and John Kupper is definately second rate. I won’t go into it any further but you assertio n is quite laughable.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:04 pm
up to 15% of the buy plus a monthly retainer? wow.

but, ditto soccer mom.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:04 pm
When do pols, Dems, etc. start bailing on Quinn en masse? The statewide ticket is in disarray, not to mention VERY inexperienced and he has not provided one iota of leadership. It’s not looking good.

Comment by Pioneer P. Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:05 pm
CookDem

“That just proves that you were not involved in the campaign in any serious way”

I am laughing myself sick. Adios.

Comment by soccermom Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:08 pm
===can’t exactly take credit for Quinn’s narrow 7,000 vote Primary victory===

That’s a laugh.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:08 pm
John Kupper advised the campaign not to respnd to the prisoner early release ad. They waited nearly two weeks….a disgrace. They should give their fees back to the campaign.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:08 pm
Anon Sequitor and SadDem are right on the money.

while he was LG, I thought Quinn was making real progress in becoming, how shall I say, “normal”? So what happened? He got some real power, and it was back to goofy. Unreal.

Oh, what I would do for Mike Kelleher right now–or even Joyce Washington for that matter. Or Bill. Or Mickey Mouse-because that’s what we have.

Brady’s record is completely indefensible in the Chicago Metro Area–wrong on guns, choice, minimum wage, the environment, compassion for animals…and yet the guy can’t get out of these ratings.

CookDem-I wasn’t working for anyone during the primary (thank God), so I can’t judge AKPD’s performance, but it is difficult for me to believe what you say. AKPD has done media in very tough contests around the country.

Quinn is being Quinn again. Wisconsin mamanger dude, fire some the pros, goofy AVs of good bills, Dept of Corrections disaster, etc. etc. etc. Very depressing.

Comment by some former legislative intern Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:10 pm
–Many of the top staff in the agencies are well into preparing thier exit plans.–

Not to worry, all the ex Blago folks who landed sweet lobbyist gigs will be looking to help their “friends.” That was the slogan wasn’t it: Helping People!

Comment by AliceChains Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:21 pm
some former legislative intern,

If the Quinn campaign spends several million on Brady’s so-called extremism on so-called social issues, it’s money straight down the drain in this election cycle, with the current mood of the voters.

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:21 pm
Cook Dem
And so you all kept them since Feb BECAUSE….? How’s that war chest coming along???

Comment by irisheyesrsmilin' Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:27 pm
I was not involved in the Gov race in any way, other than
commenting and voting, but I must defend John Kupper. generous, on top of things, appreciative, creative,
and a great writer. I would work with him in a heartbeat.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:31 pm
Did we ever pass that law for a voter recall of a governor? I have a feeling we are going to be needing it.

Comment by girllawyer Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:32 pm
I advised firing AKPD last December. I don’t know why it took so long. Better late than never in my opinion.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:36 pm
Amalia

Unfortunately you didn’t say the most important quality in a media consultant….smart strategist.

Comment by CookDem Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:38 pm
Roadmap? Roadmap? We don’t need no stinkin’ roadmap!

How does Brady tell you what his budgetis, when Quinn doesn’t even know what his Budget is, Quinn changes every other day?

Comment by BradyBythe#'s Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:40 pm
John Kupper — Brilliant strategist. And a lovely human being. Unlike some of the “political consultants” Quinn has hired.

Comment by soccermom Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 2:43 pm
Cook Dem, creative covers a lot of things. and ditto Soccermom
once agin.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 3:03 pm
Jeepers, how did people running for office ever manage to win elections before the advent of paid political strategists and consultants? Oh yeah. They used their own words and personality traits, individual smarts, political savvy, and a personal connection with their constituents. Maybe voters in those days got a better handle on who the real candidate was, and how they would be represented, than we often do now–after it is too late.

Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 3:30 pm
[i]I advised firing AKPD last December. I don’t know why it took so long. Better late than never in my opinion. [/i]

My God are you going to look stupid in November.

Comment by ILPundit Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 3:58 pm
ILPundit

What you said.

Comment by soccermom Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 4:15 pm
right on the money, soccermom and ILPundit. This CookDem guy–maybe he is Wisconsin campaign manager? at any rate, a lot of hubris for a campagin so far down now!

Comment by some former legislative intern Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 4:30 pm
==I advised firing AKPD last December. I don’t know why it took so long. ==

That’s the best evidence I’ve seen so far that firing AKPD is the smart thing to do — that it took PQ the better part of a year to do it. And, given PQ’s track record, I’m officially on record that the change is too late. PQ couldn’t have screwed up his administration of the State and his campaign more if he was doing it deliberately.

Comment by Justme Friday, Aug 20, 10 @ 8:33 pm
Have you ever dealt with any of Quinn’s staff? Forget about it. They are all unprofessional and do not know how to communicate.
The only reason Quinn is there is because of Blago. What does that tell you?

Comment by runonemptyIL Saturday, Aug 21, 10 @ 12:34 am
Quinn obviously has his problems. But he has no chance without creative ads and Joe White can produce creative ads like almost nobody else. My guess is Quinn didn’t like the scripts AKPD was providing him as they were getting ready to produce the ads. Unfortunately, AKPD without David Axelrod is like the Bulls without Michael Jordan.

Comment by bluesy Monday, Aug 23, 10 @ 3:14 pm