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C’mon, governor, pay up already

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* Wisconsin columnist Jim Stingl is peeved that Gov. Pat Quinn hasn’t yet paid up on his January NFC Championship bet with Gov. Scott Walker. Quinn was supposed to volunteer at a food pantry wearing a Packers jersey if the Bears lost. Football season is but a distant memory, college basketball is over and baseball season is in full swing, but Quinn is still a no-show…

So is Quinn going to weasel out of this and hope we all forgot about it? Dude, don’t make the bet if you can’t pay the debt.

“No, no, no, absolutely not,” said his spokesman, Grant Klinzman. “He fully intends to live up to the terms of the bet.”

OK, but when? Quinn’s office promised a while back that it will be sometime in the next few months. Klinzman was not able to be more specific than that.

“He’s a very, very busy guy. I think you guys have been pretty busy, as well,” Klinzman said. […]

I asked Walker’s office if they’d like to publicly condemn Quinn for his foot-dragging and perhaps throw him under the Packers team bus. They didn’t seem too upset. “We’ll hold off on that yet,” said press aide Cullen Werwie.

* NBC5 blogger Ted McClelland opines…

The problem is that Quinn didn’t realize Wisconsin’s newly elected governor, Scott Walker, would turn out to be such a … cheesehead. Quinn was scheduled to work a food bank on Feb. 21 but canceled because he didn’t want to step into the turmoil created by Walker’s attempt to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights. Walker might have demanded Quinn return the senators hiding out in McHenry County. Plus, Walker was inviting Illinois businesses to “Escape to Wisconsin” to avoid Quinn’s income tax increase. […]

The governor could just wait a year, until Walker loses a recall election. The only problem with that is, the Packers might win another Super Bowl, which would require Quinn to spend two days at a Wisconsin food bank.

Unfortunately, there’s no way Quinn can propose changing the terms of the bet. As a governor, he’s a public employee, and Walker has made it clear he won’t bargain with public employees. The lesson here is, Democrats shouldn’t make deals with Scott Walker.

Other possible lessons: Pat Quinn has trouble keeping promises and is always late paying bills - just ask any social service provider.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 12:52 pm

Comments

If I were Quinn, I’d organize a fundraiser for the DGA in Milwaukee or Madison the same day as his soup kitchen appearance. That way he can honor his bet and stick it to Walker at the same time.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 12:57 pm
“He’s a very, very busy guy. I think you guys have been pretty busy, as well,” Klinzman said

Nice in-your-face, there. Though I would have thrown in a reference to Scott Walker breaking Wisconsin’s promises to the workers of their state, just for good measure.

Comment by George Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:00 pm
The Guv lies?? I am shocked.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:00 pm
The important question is what Packers jersey will Quinn wear? I suggest a throwback #66 of Ray Nitschke, pride of old Proviso High in Maywood and the University of Illinois.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:07 pm
Just one more lie that pat Quinn has told. Maybe blago was the more ethical member of blago/Quinn team.

Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:08 pm
Also:

A. Be accused of lying by some luny Wisconsin columnist with much bigger issues going on around him.

VS.

B. Actually having to wear a Packers jersey.

I’d go with A, too.

Comment by George Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:11 pm
I’m aware that seething, righteous outrage over anything and everything politicians do is the fashionable thing these days, but getting mad at Quinn for not following through with a football bet is a bit much.

Comment by Emanuel Collective Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:18 pm
===seething, righteous outrage===

And you saw that where in the post?

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:19 pm
Rich-in the comments I’ve seen here and around the web, not the post itself.

Comment by Emanuel Collective Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:20 pm
This is so stupid. Not everything in life is political. Sometimes a sports bet is just a sports bet. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Quinn, you’re an embarrassment. The Bears lost. Just pay up, get it over with, and lets move on.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:22 pm
PQ is among other things, a serial welcher. Please note the seething righteous undercurrent of this comment.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:24 pm
He should wear a Lynn Dickey jersey.

Comment by piling on Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:26 pm
What promise did Walker break? Wisconsin residents knew what they were getting when they voted for him. Likewise, Illinois residents knew what they were getting when they voted for Quinn.

Time for our Governor to get up there, put on the jacket and pay off the bet. Lesson learned for our Governor? Other governors/mayors usually bet pizza or something that could be shipped in the event of a loss.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:29 pm
How about wearing a Favre jersey? Maybe a Vikings hat just to rub a bit of salt in that wound. Though, the wound probably feels a lot better since they won the darn trophy with the new guy.

Comment by jerry 101 Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:31 pm
Favre would be a fitting jersey choice given PQ’s similar inability to make final decisions.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:33 pm
He should man up and honour his bet.

Comment by Palatine Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:35 pm
===How about wearing a Favre jersey?===

That wouldn’t be very classy.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:36 pm
Soup kitchen would be a good place to get signatures on recall petitions.

Comment by Rudy Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:37 pm
Come on Governor…time to pay up! It’s for charity for pete’s sake!

Comment by Stones Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:47 pm
Jake, you probably don’t know this, but to ‘welch’ or ‘welsh’ on a bet is really insulting to the Welsh.

FYI

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:48 pm
I’m told Quinn has a legal ruling from Eden Martin and Sidley & Austin that says he doesn’t have to honor this promise.

Comment by piling on Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 1:54 pm
I am pretty sure that the same commenters outraged that the Gov hasn’t paid up, would be equally outraged if they were reading a post about the Gov spending time in a WI soup kitchen during a fiscal crisis.

Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:10 pm
Another instance of Quinn’s lack of character. Or perhaps he is just waiting until he receives permission to go from the state workers’ unions…

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:17 pm
Breaking a promise because he doesn’t want to anger unions? I hope the Catepillar CEO doesn’t see this story…

Comment by phocion Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:18 pm
–Another instance of Quinn’s lack of character. Or perhaps he is just waiting until he receives permission to go from the state workers’ unions…

Or perhaps some lack any sense of humor or perspective…

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:27 pm
Gov Walker should ask the vendors and service providers of Illinois how soon PQ will pay up.

Besides Walker doesn’t deserve payment.

Comment by Irish Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:31 pm
Wordslinger, you mean Quinn? You’re right.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:36 pm
- Irish - Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:31 pm:

“Besides Walker doesn’t deserve payment.”

Our Petulant Pat is the one that doesn’t deserve anything but scorn over this issue. I consider his cowardice the same as those Democrat WI legislators that didn’t have the courage to face their responsibilities to their constituents.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:40 pm
Quinn should go to Wisconsin but due it with Senate Dems, not Scott Walker. If Walker complains then it just shows he is trying to milk it.

Comment by wndycty Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:44 pm
wndycity,

That only would reinforce the meme that Quinn is a coward. He should stand tall, go to WI and work the kitchen with Walker and walk away with his head held high. Instead, he tucks his tail between his legs and waits for the unions to okay his trip.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:52 pm
Quinn should go and work with Walker but wear an AFSCME t-Shirt and get as many media shots as possible with him shaking hands with Walker, arm around Walker, etc. Lots of nice shots of Walker with some guy in an AFSCME shirt working together.
That’ll tick off Walker’s base and organized labor in Wisc.
Win-Win.

Comment by piling on Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:55 pm
–Our Petulant Pat is the one that doesn’t deserve anything but scorn over this issue.–

Yeah, your sense of humor and perspective on this big “issue” are quite healthy.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 2:55 pm
Based on my experience with this administration, I would put this down to incompetence. Keeping track of bets lost, debts owed, statements or promises made earlier today, and the other nuts and bolts issues of actually governing your life or the state are of no interest to him.

Comment by Pat Robertson Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:00 pm
Quinn should just claim that he is being a good Democrat and therefore hiding out in Illinois and will not go Wisconsin.

Comment by Nuance Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:07 pm
Sense of humor? Whose got their undies in a bunch…..

It was a silly sports bet, expanded by PQ’s injection of politics.

Time to be a man, show up, wear the jersey presented, don’t try to grandstand and make something more of this than it really is.
Its only a few hours, just get it done.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:12 pm
Wordslinger,

You know as well as I that I am always willing to engage in a little humor, especially self deprecation. What frosts my cake here is how willing many people here are to let Quinn skate on most issues. I think it is apparent, and I may be wrong, that the reason that Quinn hasn’t gone up there is that he is afraid to upset his union supporters.

Look at the people willing to rationalize Quinn’s behavior, especially Emanuel Collective, and especially Jimmy CrackCorn. The bottom line is that Quinn lost the bet. He is reneging on an agreement (not that we’ve ever seen that before), he is a sop to the unions, he has a politically deaf ear, and he is the guy that can’t see that he could go up there with an “aw shucks” attitude and look good.

Yet out commenters here just say it’s okay. No problem. Nothing to see here. These are the same folks who said that when Quinn participated in union pay-to-play concerning no cut union contracts for campaign cash. Wanna bet that Walker would have come down here if he lost the bet?

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:13 pm
Next time, just bet a couple of deep-dish pizzas and call it a day.

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:14 pm
For crying out loud Cinci, he’ll get up there, I’m sure. He should have done it by now, but this is hardly the end all be all testament to his character that you apparently think it is. The man has done more public service than most of us combined will ever do, whether you agree with his politics or not. Relax a bit, for your sake.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:19 pm
Send Sheila to play the banjo.

Comment by Old Milwaukee Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 3:19 pm
Considering how long it took Quinn to sign abolition of the death penalty, a very serious issue, is the time he’s taking on this ‘bet’ follow through really so big a deal? I don’t think so.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 4:36 pm
Let’s just say that if PQ told me the sun would rise tomorrow, I’d still set my alarm clock.

Comment by Louis Howe Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 4:42 pm
Louis,

He’d be unable to tell you if the sun rose tomorrow until about the middle of May.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 4:47 pm
I really don’t understand what all the fuss is about; standard operating procedure in Illinois is to let debt roll over from year to year. Scott Walker shouldn’t expect payment until some time in 2031.

Comment by Angry Republican Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 5:03 pm
It’s actually not Quinn’s fault. The state just can’t afford to buy a Packers jersey for him to wear right now.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 5:12 pm
Hasn’t been 9 - 10 months yet … that seems to be the typical time for the state to pay a debt.

Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 7:03 pm
Classless Pat shows up again. Go Pack!

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 7:23 pm
chump him, walker’s a tool

Comment by foster brooks Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 8:18 pm
The governor’s office extended the lapse period for promises to four years. Wisconsin can simply get in line with everyone else.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Apr 13, 11 @ 8:58 pm
I really want to bash Quinn here, but the way Gov. Walker has tried to ’steal’ businesses and publicly humiliate Illinois and Quinn, I don’t really blame him for not wanting to appear with Walker.

I do think Quinn SHOULD wear the jersey (chills) and volunteer, but I think he should arrange the event without Gov. Walker being present.

Comment by late to the party Thursday, Apr 14, 11 @ 11:36 am