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Attempting to define the beginning

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* For some reason, reporters lately have been trying to pinpoint when Campaign 2014 began for Gov. Quinn. From earlier this week…

The busy chief executive of the nation’s fifth-largest state probably wouldn’t be expected to set aside time to attend an initial hearing in a lawsuit filed against him, but there was Gov. Pat Quinn on the 23rd floor of the Daley Center.

The Democratic governor had made what lawmakers contended was a constitutionally dubious move to take away their paychecks until they send him a pension reform bill. While not much was decided in court that day, the scene allowed a confident Quinn to flick the switch on his populist persona as the glare from a phalanx of TV camera lights shone on him.

“You don’t get paid if you don’t do your job,” the governor declared as though he already had won the lawsuit.

The moment this month marked the unofficial launch of Quinn’s re-election effort.

That was the moment? Really? How about when he vetoed the salaries in the first place? Or how about his splashy press conference accompanying his amendatory veto of the concealed carry bill?

* The AP tries to define the start as being today…

The 2014 race for Illinois governor has entered a new phase with Gov. Pat Quinn taking time out of a work day to accept a union endorsement.

The Chicago Democrat has kept campaigning low-key so far with events such as speeches at churches and small fundraisers.

But on Thursday he stopped by the Chicago International Produce Market to pick up a re-election nod from Teamsters Joint Council 25.

The labor union endorsed him four years ago around the same time. Quinn was a member during college from 1969 to 1971.

He’s kept his campaigning low key?

This is a silly news hook.

No matter what they say, incumbents who want to run for reelection are always, in one way or another, in campaign mode.

…Adding… A good point from a commenter…

Don’t blame the reporters. Trust me, these stories are the concoction of thumb-sucking editors trying to prove they’re worth their considerable salaries.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:05 pm

Comments

Don’t blame the reporters. Trust me, these stories are the concoction of thumb-sucking editors trying to prove they’re worth their considerable salaries.

Comment by Marty Funkhouser Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:10 pm
The reelection campaigns started November 3, 2010(for all the November 2, 2010 winners of 4 year terms).

Comment by titan Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:16 pm
Marty, trust me, their salaries aren’t considerable.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:19 pm
Well, I can certainly imagine the splashy and endless press events if the legislature passes a pension bill and Quinn signs it. Quinn singlehandedly saves Illinois’ finances. Triumphant killing of Squeezy by Quinn. And so forth.

This is why I think we could be looking at 2015 for “reform.”

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 12:37 pm
I think they’ve now covered the end of the beginning, but is this now the beginning of the end?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:12 pm
A guy,

At the Trib and the AP, they are.

Comment by Marty Funkhouser Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:21 pm
Marty, I guess you’ll have to define considerable. I work this circuit pretty regularly. I can assure you that they never offer to pay for lunch…and it’s not just because they’re cheap. Print media don’t pay the big bucks. Even editors.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:53 pm
Newspapers and electronic media are always looking for stories to fill space on slow news days, particularly in the dog days of summer. This is simply a symptom of that phenomenon. Nothing more.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:57 pm
Oh, and the campaign actually began the day after Pat was sworn in in 2011.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 1:58 pm
Re: Print media. It has always stood and acted superior. “Letters to the Editor” was throwing a bone to the disheveled. Then, the Internet , Blogs,….the field has expanded incredibly and at lightening speed. The gruel is thin in many, many places, but without butt smoothing (which isn’t uncommon to Capitol Fax), CaPFax is a stellar example of why the passing aristocracy should be desperate, and why they are not much different from the National Enquirer

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 29, 13 @ 3:41 pm