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Republicans pile on Rauner over Rahm

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* Yesterday’s Republican Day speeches were all about unity and positivity. Not so much during the media availabilities afterwards, however…

The two Republicans who dueled for the governorship in the photo-finish 2010 primary used Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair Thursday to deliver a one-two punch against 2014 rival Bruce Rauner, zeroing in on the billionaire venture capitalist’s close ties to Mayor Rahm Emanuel. […]

[Sen. Bill Brady] called that association a “non-starter” for Republican primary voters and, in a dig at the state Senate colleague he defeated by 193 votes in 2010, likened it to Dillard’s decision to film a 2008 campaign commercial for Barack Obama when the Democrat was running for president.

“People are tired of this one-city, one-party rule and the connections to Rahm,” Brady told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s a huge liability for a Republican, just as the Obama connection to Dillard is a huge liability.”

Dillard, who defended himself by noting he spoke out against Obama’s push for universal health care in Illinois when the president was a state senator, jumped on Rauner, as well.

“It’s incredibly troubling that a man who is constantly referred to as a member of Rahm Emanuel’s inner circle, who vacations with the mayor, according to the Chicago Sun Times columnist Mike Sneed, and [who] also is another city of Chicago resident is running for governor,” Dillard said.

* Rauner refused to apologize for his association with Emanuel in his response…

“For somebody to try to say, ‘Well, you touched Rahm or worked with them. … Y ou know what? If we’re going to get stuff done, if the Democrats control [things], we’ve got to do something to work with them. I won’t apologize, and I won’t back down,” he said.

Rauner, who has pledged to spend millions of dollars from his fortune on his campaign, also chalked up the criticism to “desperate” rivals.

“You know what? In politics, when you’re desperate to win, you say stuff,” he said.

* Jon Zahm, who is no Rauner fan, also piled on…

Rahner sponsored the hot dog lunches for all the attendees. But this became a real “fail” for the campaign. Just over a half hour into the event the hot dogs ran out leaving hungry folks to have a hot dog bun only with their beans and Oberweis ice cream. Poor planning and hiring the wrong people to estimate the food needed are two errors that need rectifying.

The other three serious candidates for Governor landed good zings on Rauner:

Brady: “People are tired of this one-city, one-party rule and the connections to Rahm,”

Dillard: “I have experience that money can’t buy.”

Rutherford: “I don’t have to go on a ‘listening tour.’ I have been to all 102 counties and received important feedback and support.”

* A brief video of a little Rauner rally around his motorcycle before the speeches…

* Related…

* Illinois GOP’s governor candidates make pitches at state fair: “I’d like to put them all in a blender, and we’d have a great recipe for success,” said Jack Dorgan, the Illinois Republican Party’s new chairman.

* Time for change, GOP speakers at Illinois State Fair say

* Four governor candidates test their messages at state fair

* Republicans Show Unity at State Fair

* Gubernatorial candidates talk politics on “Republican Day” at the state fair

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:19 am

Comments

Rauner on the motorcycle reminds me of Dukakis driving the tank.

Comment by John A Logan Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:29 am
OMG!!!

Comment by votecounter Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:31 am
No meat huh? At least it’s consistent with Rauner’s campaign to date…

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:32 am
That is the key for Brady, Dillard, and Rutherford;

Stay away from being a divider of My Party, and at every turn, whenever, and wherever you can, use the utter hypocrisy of Payton Prep Clouter Bruce Rauner to define who you are as a Republican, and use the Dopiness of Bruce Rauner’s own words to strengthen your own GOP credentials, while reminding all the Democrat-Connected Clouter Bruce Rauner is quite unapologetic about Clouting his Daughter through Democrats, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars… to Democrats, and not understanding Illinois or government, unlike a Brady, or a Dillard, or a Rutherford.

Use….Use Payton Prep Clouter, Democrat Donor, unapologetic Rauner, against Carhartt-wearing Rauner, to run.

Bruce Rauner is a gift to the other 3, use him.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:32 am
=== Rauner on the motorcycle reminds me of Dukakis driving the tank.===

JAL wins.

Comment by TwoFeetThick Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:34 am
What do you mean that the hot dog lunch was a fail? The elite got their hot dogs while the ordinary people got bread and beans as it will be for Illinoisans during the Rauner administration. Besides, I gave these people Oberweis ice cream.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:41 am
Nice one-two combo from Brady: linking Rauner to Rahm, Dillard to Obama.

That’s has the makings for an applause line in a stump speech.

From Dilard on Rauner:

–and [who] also is another city of Chicago resident is running for governor,” Dillard said.–

I guess Dillard forgot Thompson gave him his start. I understand GOP primary red meat, but writing off all citizens of Chicago? Weak.

From Rauner:

“For somebody to try to say, ‘Well, you touched Rahm…”

Whoa, Farmer Bruce, whatever goes on behind the barn doors between two consenting investment bankers is nobody’s business….

Rutherford apparently wisely above the fray, for now.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:42 am
Not enough food?

@FakeBruceRauner - let them eat cake! #Hypocrite #PhonyOrdinaryMan #DidYouSeeMyHarley? #WhatDoSimpleFolkDo?

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:54 am
And you definitely don’t want to be piled on by the Lard man.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:58 am
Rauner: The free hot dog lunch was not sustainable, so I ended it. If those takers are still hungry maybe they can get jobs and buy their own hot dogs!

Dillard: I have experience that money can’t buy, but I’m more than willing to have you all try.

Brady: Housing is coming back, and so am I. We’re both just like a bad rash…

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 10:59 am
I think once people realize that the so called “touching” of Rahm was less like a handshake and more like a Bro-mance Movie then Rauner’s going to have to come up with a better response.

As for Rutherford well done let the other 2 throw the mud. Then you can reap the benefits and appear above the fray.

Comment by Mason born Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:03 am
The anti-Chicago candidate and Rahm references appeal to Republicans in the primary, but in a general election it isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:16 am
When did Bruce Rauner stop being a Democrat??? What was the month and year????? Few citizens in Illinois have given more money to Democrats, so Rauner is going to have to come up with a better excuse.

Comment by Steve Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:19 am
Remember, Rahm isn’t polling that great. Do not mention Chicago, (I don’t), mention Rahm. Rahm ain’t Obama, and the suburbs and downstate aren’t fans, and there are more than a few in Chicago that won’t support Rahm.

Whoever makes it about the Geography, and not about Rahm and the “insider hypocrisy”, they will miss the huge target that is Payton Prep Clouter Bruce Rauner.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:22 am
Demo, I don’t think knocking Rahm in a general election is necessarily a bad strategy. He was elected, certainly, but against a very weak field, and it’s not like his popularity is rising.

I think knocking Chicago is a dumb general election tactic. Many people who live in suburban Cook and the collars consider themselves Chicagoans through work and other ties.

There are better ways to make your point than through mindless Chicago bashing. And a lot of voters lives there, to boot.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:28 am
This isn’t just about Rahm or geography. Bruce Rauner has been a big funder of Illinois Democrats. His wife is a loyal Democrat. These issues aren’t going to go away. Rauner can claim anything he wants but he helped Rahm Emanuel and many other Democrats’ careers. Who knows, without Rauner’s financial support Rahm Emanuel may never have made it to Chief of Staff -pushing through ObamaCare. Thanks Bruce!

Comment by Steve Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:31 am
- we’ve got to do something to work with them -

So, Rauner’s explanation, to Republican primary voters, is that he essentially has just been bribing Democratic leaders since they’re in power. Somehow I don’t think that’s going to play well.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:44 am
What does it spell? Egomaniac! One more time! Egomaniac! Louder! Egomaniac!

Comment by William j Kelly Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:46 am
If you stress “Chicago Democrat” too much, that is quite a bit to walk back.

You make it about “insider dealings with Rich Daley and Rahm Emanuel” and “Clouting a denied Daughter through a Rich Daley appointee”, why do you need to alienate Chicago/Cook voters, and further, it’s less to walk back in the General Election, keeping Geography and the forced stress not needed when mentioning Daley or Rahm.

Impact with limited collateral damage if/when you beat Rauner and the others and head into a General Election, that may paint the GOP nominee as extreme. Why add to that call with Geography and stress not needed.

Rahm. Daley. Donations. Clout. Insider.

That is pretty good with what Payton Prep Clouter Bruce Rauner gives to the other 3…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 11:58 am
Say again: Giving money to Rahm, Daley, Sachowski, Rendell et al Democrats is simply the way to get things done, but the way to get things done in Springfield is by shutting the government down?? Running out of meat at the luncheon is a metaphor for his campaign - it ran out of “meat” soon after it began.

Comment by Voice of Reason Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 12:23 pm
Oh no did Bill B sponsor a bill to get rid of all the hot dogs too?

(Sorry I couldn’t resist.)

But just curious about the ice cream. Did Oberweis endorse Rauner and I just forgot?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 1:10 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf2j-YzZRAA

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 1:22 pm
Something about that Rauner Rally footage irks me. Maybe it’s a GWB in a flight suit, Dukakis on a tank kinda thing. It’s almost a parody of a campaign. Like if SNL did a skit that had Bill Gates running for office and trying to be a man of the people, it would look a lot like this.

Comment by Chi Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 1:30 pm
Anybody else notice that almost all of Rauner’s supporters were children??

Comment by Voice of Reason Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 1:56 pm
Dorgan = Awesome

Comment by Juvenal Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 2:15 pm
VoR,

Yup, except for his wife, and his paid campaign staff. No wonder there was high school cheering…

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 2:23 pm
Cin
Thats not his wife it is a supporter, his wife would never be caught in Springfield and never with Republicans

Comment by votecounter Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 2:30 pm
The kiss fooled me!

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 2:32 pm
- Juvenal -,

Agreed. Caught the hour of the speeches on the Internet, and read the blurbs. Dorgan did well, I am very encouraged.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 16, 13 @ 2:34 pm