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Durbin praises Lisa Madigan, says Quinn “needs to show leadership and produce results”

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Illinois

* Sen. Durbin said today that he believes Attorney General Lisa Madigan will make up her mind soon about whether she’s running for governor. He also didn’t have the kindest of words for Gov. Pat Quinn…

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) pointedly declined Wednesday to endorse Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and said Attorney General Lisa Madigan could be the only Democratic challenger if she chooses to run against the embattled governor next year. […]

“There’s a feeling that the governor needs to show leadership and produce results in order to merit renomination and reelection.” […]

Asked after the breakfast whether he would offer an endorsement in the race, the veteran senator said he was not likely to. As for whether Quinn was seeking his support, Durbin said: “It hasn’t happened yet, and I don’t expect it to.”

Durbin demurred, however, when asked the question that is on the mind of many politicos in Illinois: Can Madigan run and serve as governor if her powerful father remains in his post as speaker of the House?

While acknowledging Speaker Mike Madigan is the most powerful political figure in Illinois, Durbin noted that Lisa Madigan “has really earned her stripes as an individual, not as his daughter” and has “one of the highest approval ratings of any state official.”

Sounds like Durbin has his mind pretty much made up.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 3:42 pm

Comments

Senator Durbin could be sending a messasge to those 53 downstate county chairs who just endorsed Quinn .. ;0 ..

Comment by NW Illinois Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 3:54 pm
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-03-10/news/9603100336_1_senate-primary-race-special-interests-dick-durbin

Comment by seems like only yesterday Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 3:54 pm
There’s a history between Speaker Madigan and Durbin, but it’s still not surprising he didn’t want to grab onto that loaded weapon and pull the trigger.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 3:59 pm
Would he be saying this if Lisa wasn’t seriously interested in running for governor? I think not, looks like she’s made up her mind, too. Waiting for Quinn’s reaction..

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:03 pm
I wonder how many of those 53 chairs who “endorsed” Quinn will be jumping ship when Lisa announces she’s in. I’d also love to know how many of those 53 chairs are employed by the Governor or who have a spouse or child employed. And that chairman letter only had electronic signatures. I wonder if any of the chairmen listed on that letter didn’t know they had signed it or will now deny having “signed” it. And what about the almost 50% of other chairmen whose names are not on the letter. Where do they stand? Inquiring minds want to know.

Comment by Hey There Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:07 pm
For anyone on the fence, Durbin just gave funders and activists the cover to bail on Quinn.

Really, really bad day for Quinn.

You have to wonder if there is a follow-up face-saving out for Quinn. Something with the VA or in Pentagon working with vets, perhaps.

You know what? He’d be a hammer at a job like that. And it’s good work.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:13 pm
Pat Quinn should be looking at pension issues for personal reasons.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:15 pm
how is this for a conspiracy theory? Durbin’s words give Cullerton and Madigan one more reason not to do pension reform. that way, people like Durbin can argue Quinn hasn’t shown leadership and does not deserve re-nomination.

Comment by Jim Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:18 pm
I always thought at some point Quinn was headed to being a Dep. Secretary of Veterans Affairs - “X” and handle hospitals or benefits. Quinn needs to find a landing spot and a campaign for re-election seems more like a crash landing.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:32 pm
I always thought at some point Quinn was headed to being a Dep. Secretary of Veterans Affairs - “X” and handle hospitals or benefits. Quinn needs to find a landing spot and a campaign for re-election seems more like a crash landing.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:36 pm
@Jim

You mean Cullerton’s pension bill the Senate just passed?

Comment by Red Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:41 pm
Don’t forget, Quinn ran against Durbin back in 1996. And Durbin has to run at the top of the ticket in 2014. If you were in his shoes, who would you want running for Governor, Pat Quinn or Lisa Madigan?

Yep. I thought so. Me too.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:51 pm
Red, do you mean the truncated bill that deals only with a small part of the pension issue?

BTW, the “sweeping bill” Cullerton was hoping to pass…..didn’t.

Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 4:59 pm
What would you rather have at Wrigley: the Cubs or a summer of music festivals?

Take the candidate who get IL on single payer/medicare for all then goes all out for treating cannabis like alcohol in the state of IL.

Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 5:13 pm
….and how much would it cost to update the comments section with editing capability for the posters?

Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 5:30 pm
- follow-up face-saving out for Quinn. -

I doubt he’s interested. He started a job, he wants to finish it.

At his age with his list of accomplishments, I’m pretty sure he’s not worried about losing.

If others in the party want to challenge his nomination a second time, that’s their prerogative, but don’t expect him to lay down.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 5:38 pm
I’d like to see Quinn go do something he’s actually good at, like work at the VA.

I like Pat Quinn, I just think he’s better at things that don’t involve governing.

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 5:47 pm
Brown County Democratic Chair Ed Teffey’s son just hired as junior lawyer at Department of Agriculture. Teffey’s girlfriend high paid assistant to the Director of Ag. Any wonder he supports Quinn?

Comment by When in Rome Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 5:59 pm
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for the conversations during LM’s trip to DC.

Curious to see the choreography of who will speak next.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 6:07 pm
Rome, you should probably check your facts on who the chairman is from Brown County.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 6:08 pm
Quinn ought to tell Durbin to “exercise some leadership and show results” by passing a budget in the Senate.

Comment by Fair Share Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 6:51 pm
If I was Pat Q I would just retire and let Lisa M have it. Who in their right mind would want the job?

Comment by WOW Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 7:42 pm
Sen. Durbin and Gov. Quinn the Webster’s Dictionary poster children for the Illusion of Power !!

Comment by railrat Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 7:47 pm
Brown County, population 6,900, east of Quincy, is named after Gen. Jacob Brown, who gave the Brits a bloody good smack at Sacketts Harbor on Lake Ontario in 1813.

Love that stuff.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 8:14 pm
Good one Fair Share. Durbin ought to know the limiations of the Executive Branch - especially when certain power brokers have a different agenda.

Comment by Susan Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 8:20 pm
I will be voting for anyone who brings back Mystic Spiral for a fundraiser. (Gotta love the Daria marathons…)

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:16 pm
Costly, bloody Democratic primaries are bad for Durbin, Quinn and their party.

Comment by chubs mahoney Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:16 pm
This is the same Sen. Durbin who allowed the reactionary minority Senate GOP to run roughshod over the majority Dems by voting to continue the rediculous 60 vote filibuster rule. Never underestimate Quinn. That’s a mistake Hynes & Brady lived to regret!

Comment by Johnny Justice Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:17 pm
“You crack me up, Quinn.” (An extremely pertinent quote from Daria…)

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:18 pm
I don’t understand the Daria references.

Comment by chubs mahoney Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:23 pm
Chubs — I am checking Capfax while watching a Daria marathon. The two are becoming conflated in my mind - or more properly, even more conflated, as a lead character on Daria is her sister Quinn, the president of the Fashion Club. My children often pretend to confuse the two Quinns. Hilarity ensues…

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Mar 20, 13 @ 11:38 pm
Brown County? An endorsement from one of the 19th Ward’s precinct captains means more…about twice as many votes in five square blocks there than all of Brown County.

Comment by Joe Thursday, Mar 21, 13 @ 12:46 am
Many of my good friends are downstate county chairman, and most in private conversations admit they would be hard pressed to find more than a handful of precinct committeemen to walk precincts. One recently told me that he signed onto the Quinn letter personally, and was not speaking for his county democratic central committee. I bet that most County chairman feel the same way and would be hard pressed to get their central committees to vote for a Quinn endorsement over Lisa Madigan.

Comment by Louis Howe Thursday, Mar 21, 13 @ 8:12 am