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It has begun

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* There’s no doubt in my mind that Gov. Pat Quinn is planning a blistering, populist campaign against Bill Daley. If nothing else, it’ll be a good tuneup for Bruce Rauner, if he manages to win the GOP primary. From a press conference today…

“I think I’m a lot different than Bill Daley,” Mr. Quinn finally allowed. “He has a better tailor. But I know how to work with ordinary people.”

Mr. Quinn returned to that theme more than once, suggesting that Mr. Daley’s resume as a former presidential chief of staff, national political operative and banker lacks resonance with ordinary Democratic voters.

“I’m a people person,” Mr. Quinn said. “I get along with ordinary people. I’m not gong to go and hang out with millionaires.”

Quinn’s best hope for victory is a full-on “class warfare” attack. It’s begun.

* Raw audio…

Click to listen

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:26 pm

Comments

if the shoe fits…

Comment by Abe the Babe Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:35 pm
These statements remind me of this scene — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAY27NU1Jog

Comment by Come on man! Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:36 pm
It’s funny that everyone thinks this is the playbook from Obama 2012, but in reality it was Obama who borrowed this strategy from Quinn in 2010 (and others who successfully employed it in 2010).

Define your opponent as an out-of-touch millionaire early, before he gets an opportunity to define himself with voters. With Brady it was guns. With Romney it was the 47%. With Daley, it may be SBC or “the Banks.”

It’s a successful strategy and Daley should be scared, especially with the numbers he already has.

Comment by Sneezy Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:42 pm
QUACK QUACK QUACK said the lame duck.

Comment by Nickypiii Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:43 pm
No surprise.

What else would Quinn possibly run on? His long list of accomplishments?

Hard to imagine anyone at a Quinn rally chanting “Four more year!!”

Comment by BleugrassBoy Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:44 pm
All that comes to mind is the old Saturday Night Live routine with the presidential candidates and one says “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy!”

Comment by Empty Suit Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:44 pm
===but in reality it was Obama who borrowed this strategy from Quinn in 2010 (and others who successfully employed it in 2010). ===

It’s something I’ve written in the past, so obviously I fully agree.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:46 pm
Nickypiii, don’t be too sure.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:46 pm
Well it’s not like he’s going to run on his record.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:47 pm
“Ordinary People” don’t call press conferences on Saturdays or Sundays just so they can get their mug on TV. They also participate in meetings when the issues of the day are being discussed and solutions are forged. They also honor contracts that they sign.

I’m so tired of PQ’s rhetoric….

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:48 pm
===not like he’s going to run on his record===

If you had subscribed, you’d already know what he believes his record is. He’ll run on that stuff.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:49 pm
I like the mantra, he better land it thick before anyone points out, he’s the one who stuck the income tax and then handed out the loop holes to the companies.

Comment by is he fredo or michael? Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:54 pm
This is the fear of all who have to face Pat Quinni n a campaign;

If Quinn gets to hit a stride, and gets to hammer a Populist message that can resonate to the masses, he is tough to out-manuver.

Quinn is settling into a comfort zone, and the 4 GOP Candidate and Bill Daley better find the angles to get Quinn out of this groove before this train can’t be stopped.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:55 pm
This is his last run, I have no doubt he’s going to leave it all on the field. Count him out at your own peril.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:55 pm
“Ordinary People” don’t call press conferences on Saturdays or Sundays just so they can get their mug on TV.– ACTUALLY THEY DO.
They also participate in meetings when the issues of the day are being discussed and solutions are forged. WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DO IS FRAME THE PARAMETERS OF AN AGREEMENT BEFORE THE MEETINGS SO THE “MEETERS” KNOW WHAT HE EXPECTS AND WILL SIGN. HE CAN WORK A LOT HARDER ON THIS.
They also honor contracts that they sign. AND KEEP A COVENANT WITH EVERY RESIDENT OF THE STATE WHO PAYS TAXES. SOMETIMES THOSE WORLDS COLLIDE. PJQ has a lot to learn about leader ship and organization, but he does have the populist thing down cold. Hell, he darn near invented it.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 3:56 pm
Can somebody else run? Please? If its these two only I might leave that race blank. One is lacking in leadership and the other is a super rich guy who blew it in 2000. Yuck.

Comment by kingfish Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:03 pm
===he darn near invented it. ===

Not quite, but good point.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:04 pm
===he darn near invented it. ===
Yeah, I remember when he wore a kerchief and walked all over the state to sell the voters with a populist message — oh, wait. That was the guy for whom Quinn was patronage chief.

Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:09 pm
You know that Mike Madigan is going to do all He can to re-elect Quinn, since it will likely be his last term… that way Losa can run for an open seat.

Just kidding. However, I echo the comments painting Quinn as the CLEAR favorite right now.

Comment by Snucka Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:10 pm
You know that Mike Madigan is going to do all He can to re-elect Quinn, since it will likely be his last term… that way Lisa can run for an open seat.

Just kidding. However, I echo the comments painting Quinn as the CLEAR favorite right now.

Comment by Snucka Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:11 pm
The angle is easy. Incompetence.

Comment by Downstate Illinois Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:13 pm
Quinn can do populist in his sleep; after all, he’s had 40 years to perfect that approach. When he’s motivated and on message, he’s almost impossible to beat. His populiast message resonates with a lot of Illinois; the only question this time is what the unions do.

IMO, his opponents will have to drastically outspend him just to get heard.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:14 pm
Response to Quinns populism:

Governor Quinn that single mother of three you claim to fight for now has less money in her pocket to feed her children because of your tax hike. Gov. Quinn that factory worker you claim to fight for now has no job because we continue to have a jobless recovery under your watch. Gov. Quinn I think the people of this state would have appreciated you taking your anger and turning it into results for folks struggling. You didnt, now i will.

Your welcome to gubernatorial candidates taking notes.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:15 pm
BleugrassBoy @ 3:44pm,

I’m no fan of Quinn, but for all his bumbling public persona, he does have a halfway decent list of accomplishments as Gov. People have been re-elected on a lot less …

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:19 pm
Basically, out populist the populist. But not in angry way - use your populism to make his populism look silly. Being angry and trying to stick it to the powers that be start to look silly when its produced nothing over YEARS.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:20 pm
@J. Nolan:

Quinn’s response to your points would be:

1) He expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor, and he’s a STRONG proponent of a progressive income tax, which would reduce taxes for single parents and the working poor even more.

2) Quinn passed the first capital bill in 10 years, which helped bring jobs to a state that was hit very very hard by the crash (before he got here). The Legislature’s inaction on pensions has done as much to damage our state’s job climate as anything he could have done.

Please make your talking points a little less difficult to rebut next time.

Comment by Sneezy Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:21 pm
I’m not sure it’s class warfare. They’re both a couple of nice Irish Catholic school Chicago boys.

The difference is, Bill Daley is the guy who said “we don’t want nobody nobody sent,” and Pat Quinn is the guy that “nobody sent.”

One got it on a silver platter. One hustled for it.

Bill Daley has dined out at Gene and Georgetti’s on his old man’s and brother’s names for years. Quinn dines out at Gene and Jude’s on his own dime.

Bill Daley takes a job here for a little while in the public sector, he takes a job there for a little while in the private sector.

He cashes a lot of checks, builds a great Rolodex, and is a multi-millionaire for banking on his daddy’s and brother’s name and doing a whole lot of nothing.

Quinn is a legendary screwball, but everyone knows he he means well and doesn’t have two nickels to rub together after a lifetime of politics.

In Illinois, that’s something.

If Quinn can raise any money, and I think he can, he’ll bury Daley as a sellout poser with negative spots in a Democratic primary.

What are Daley’s claims to fame?:

–NAFTA?

–screwing up the Gore campaign (how’d W and his Supremes work out for you)?

– greasing Blago with big money to hose SBC customers?

– being a worse White House chief of staff to Obama than Emanuel (and that’s saying a lot)?

– being Jamie Dimon’s pal and the friendly face of Morgan Stanley, the crew who wiped out everyone’s home equity and 401K?

Try running on Daley’s record in an Illinois Democratic primary. For crying out loud, try running on that anywhere.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:24 pm
Doesn’t Quinn have a law degree from Northwestern? That can probably buy you some nice suits.

Comment by mowatcher Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:24 pm
J Nolan, he might be the Gov who signs a pension reform bill. The people you’re aiming your message at are the ones who love him and won’t listen. I’m pretty sure every smart candidate didn’t pick up his pen for your lesson. The “your welcome” thing is a bit arrogant. Thank you.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:27 pm
I think Quinn is definitely a likable guy and probably is a “people person.” I wish he was a “governing person” though. He needs to find that guy soon.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:28 pm
Sorry, ill try harder next time Sneezy…anyways…

He doesnt need to win poor folks, already has them. Middlecass folks vote in higher numbers and guess what - 85% of tax payers would pay higher in progressive tax system even after the initial hike - oops. If u think Quinn wins on taxes we.. “you serious, boy?” Lastly, its laughable u think he has a record on jobs to run on. The unemplment rate is STILL above 9%! There is a reason je only has the populist thing to run on…

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:28 pm
A guy.. i know, im being humorous. I know they dont care. Lighten up.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:30 pm
Also, sorry for the typos. Small phone keyboard.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:32 pm
Key will be voter turnout in Cook county for both candidates. Will voter apathy play a role?

Comment by Sinister Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:36 pm
J Nolan, I’ll lighten up if you promise to just delete the last sentence of each of your posts. You’ll be far more likable.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:42 pm
PQ has a tailor?

Comment by Steamer Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:47 pm
Is this a politics/policy blog or Dr. Phil. Sheesh A guy.. get off my back.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:52 pm
Pat Quinn: “I’m a people person. I get along with ordinary people. I’m not going to go and hang out with millionaires.”

And it has the benefit of being true.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 4:56 pm
==I get along with ordinary people. ==

Apparently there are none in the GA.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:00 pm
I really don’t understand the “Quinn has no accomplishments” argument. He has played a significant role in accomplishing:

- Massive reduction in Medicaid liability through the SMART Act
- Creating the Tier 2 pension system
- Having a balanced budget for the past few years
- Expanding healthcare to hundreds of thousands of low-income adults through the Medicaid expansion
- Significant nursing home reforms
- Expanding EITC
- Passing civil unions (and possible marriage equality by next years elections)
- Abolishing the death penalty

There are a bunch of other things, but this is a pretty significant list of big accomplishments.

Comment by dave Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:02 pm
If Daley cannot beat Quinn then this state is done. If you had a candidate who was a nationally known democratic strategist with acces to a large warchest, a successful executive and chief of staff when they got Bin Laden and had a different name would the race lean differently?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:04 pm
I would argue that Dave’s list of accomplishments belong to members of the legislature who worked tirelessly for them. You know, those people that PQ decided don’t deserve a paycheck anymore.

Comment by Centennial Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:10 pm
**I would argue that Dave’s list of accomplishments belong to members of the legislature who worked tirelessly for them. You know, those people that PQ decided don’t deserve a paycheck anymore.**

First, I don’t disagree with you that legislators led on most/all of those things.

But… many of those things were also helped by Quinn, and they were all signed by Quinn. And in turn he can legitimately claim them as accomplishments.

Comment by dave Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:14 pm
Basically, out populist the populist.

Daley? How’s he going to do that?

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:17 pm
==There are a bunch of other things==

Like closing down state institutions for the developmentally disabled and reducing options for the mentally ill.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:17 pm
It’s remarkable to me how averse professional politicos are to populism. When folks mention populism on this site, from some commenters you get a reaction like someone just put ketchup on their hot dog. There’s a reason why populism has been around for so long: it works! It works because it reflects the views of those doggone voters. That sounds so crass to those sophisticated “pros” out there. Just remember that you, in the end, are a politician like eveyone else.

Comment by Kwark Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:24 pm
“Populism” is so offensive because it doesn’t accomplish anything other than winning a few elections. Populism is a band-aid for failure. Enough with populism. Gimme a leader. I just want to see one before I die.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:27 pm
Hard to imagine anyone at a Quinn rally chanting “Four more years!!”

People actually did chant that when Quinn was marching in the Glen Ellyn Forth of July parade.

You’re welcome to disagree with the sentiment, but it happened nevertheless.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:28 pm
Chavez, anybody can be something if they do it believably (i.e. John Edwards two americas stuff). But alas, that was really a line more for the GOP guy in the primary.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:30 pm
Also, daves list is so small ball. Blago had a list like that and every gov does because those are little things that everyone agrees on. How bout JOBS, BETTER EDUCATION, AND PENSION REFORM. Thats a real list.

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:34 pm
GOP guy in the GENERAL** …Lord help me type lol

Comment by J. Nolan Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:35 pm
Wensicia @ 5:17 pm: wrote == Like closing down state institutions for the developmentally disabled and reducing options for the mentally ill. ==

Some would argue Quinn brought the State’s mental health system into more modern approaches instead of old fashioned institutionalization and expanded their options.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 5:55 pm
I am a Democrat and I voted for Quinn last year but I will vote for Mr. Daley in a heartbeat next election in case you would like to take a survey of democrats that voted for Quinn last election.

Comment by Coach Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 7:00 pm
The problem w Daley is that he is rahm’s buddy. Wonder if mayor and da boys will trot out CMB to help Daley. After all, she is who gave the mayor’s office to rahm. Her, plus those who met at rainbow push coalition to “elect” her the “consensus” candidate of the as community.

Comment by dang Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 7:11 pm
I’m very disappointed that Lisa Madigan is not running for governor. I’m certain she would have won. Oh well.

Quinn versus Daley in the Democratic primary ends up with Quinn winning narrowly. No one outside Chicago wants to vote for any Daley, ever. Bloomberg money will end up hurting Daley more than helping him. Quinn the Populist will eat that up.

In the fall, who knows? Rauner comes across as a disconnected Wall Streeter who knows nothing about state government, but we have elected worse. If Dillard can get the nomination I think he beats Quinn. He’s a retread with no imagination but he’s not Quinn, which helps him a lot.

Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 7:17 pm
I know a number of south-central “ordinary people” are terrified about what further destruction a likely Quinn victory will mean for their communities.

Comment by transplant Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 9:48 pm
I don’t think that Quinn deserves the “populist” label. He is a demagogue whose rhetorical theme is populism. The difference is that a genuine populist actually works to effect change on behalf of the people he claims to be championing. See, for example, the late Senator Paul Wellstone. Quinn doesn’t work–he just has press conferences. He has two sources of support. One is people who want something from him or owe him, because he has power. The second is people who naively mistake his demagoguery for leadership.

Comment by jake Tuesday, Jul 16, 13 @ 10:15 pm
I just want to say that I spit on the ground when I read that a “class warfare” campaign is coming. Not that I’m surprised, but it is really the lowest form of campaign, aimed at the dumbest guy in the room. Luckily for Quinn and Obama, in America, there is an ever increasing amount of the dumbest guys in the room.

Comment by So. ILL Wednesday, Jul 17, 13 @ 7:44 am
Although I think Quinn is not the best leader, an average public speaker, and a bit of a wet blanket, he is the first governor we have had in years that I feel has actual interest in helping the people of Illinois.

As for Daley, it seems to me he has his own agenda that does not include cleaning up this state. Doesn’t anyone else feel like this is just another short stop on his quest to hold every position known to man?

Comment by Statey McGrady Wednesday, Jul 17, 13 @ 9:45 am