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* From the Belleville News-Democrat’s police blotter…

Governor Quinn, 34, of East St. Louis, arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass to land and warrant arrest by East St. Louis police.

Some parents were apparently quite prescient back in 1979.

…Adding… I’m told by a local criminal justice type that Governor Quinn’s full name is Governor Quinn IV. So, some parents were uncannily prescient 100 years ago or so. Wow.

* From DNAInfo…

For the first time in years, Republican candidates for governor are honing in on the city of Chicago and some say the GOP’s Chicago “clubhouse” in Lincoln Park is now a must-stop for any campaign.

The 43rd Ward Republicans already hosted state Sen. Kirk Dillard in mid-September, and this Saturday, the group will host State Treasurer Dan Rutherford for a meeting at 2768 N. Lincoln Ave. […]

Dillard was the first of the candidates to stop by the office on Sept. 14 and had coffee and doughnuts with about 40 attendees before giving an hourlong speech and opening up to unlimited questions, Cleveland said.

Um… He gave an hour-long speech?

Is he Fidel Castro now?

* From an article in the Southern Illinoisan about Bruce Rauner’s new running mate…

Sanguinetti, who moved to Chicago to attend The John Marshall Law School after graduating from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance,

Rep. Dan Burke, the Statehouse’s resident piano player, may have some competition on the horizon.

* And from a Tribune article about the proposed Illiana Corridor…

At one point, [Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Chairman Gerald Bennett] referred to the Illiana as a “highway in nowhereland,” but he later apologized for that comment, saying he meant to say “farmland.”

Arrogant regionalism much?

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:01 am

Comments

===…Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance,…===

No one will out “Billy Joel” Evelyn in this Primary …

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:04 am
Given the state of Illinois government at the moment, I think we’d be better served by electing a violinist or a sad trombone player.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:07 am
And there CMAP gives away the game of exactly what the opposition to the Illiana is about.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:09 am
If he was Castro, it would have been a nine hour speech.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:10 am
Hour long speech?!?? How many times can you say, “Gov. Edgar’s former Chief of Staff”?

Comment by Whatever Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:12 am
–At one point, [Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Chairman Gerald Bennett] referred to the Illiana as a “highway in nowhereland,” but he later apologized for that comment, saying he meant to say “farmland.”–

Yeah, it’s easy to say “nowhereland” when you meant to say “farmland.”

If you want to be a jerk, just own it. Don’t “apologize” for it when you’re called on it.

Regional bashing is a boil on the public posterior, no matter where it originates.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:17 am
Good point, Whatever.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:18 am
If he gets his life straightened out, maybe East St. Louis’ Governor Quinn can run–for Governor–in 2018 (if PQ doesn’t run). Maybe he can pick Scott Lee Cohen as his Lite Gov running mate! And then somehow get Jason Plummer involved in an ‘18 race too.

I also wonder if that police blotter item might actually make it to Jay Leno’s “Headlines” segment on the Tonight Show.

Comment by Leatherneck Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:21 am
“This one goes out to my ‘favorite Piano Performance Degree’ Lt. Governor Candidate, ‘We’ hope you like it too …” (’hits the Post’)

It’s eight AM on the Filing Day
The regular crowd shuffles in
There’s a staffer sitting next to me
Hoping that ‘Bruce and Evelyn win’

He says, “Ev, can you play me a memory
I’m not really sure how it goes
But it’s sad and it’s sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man’s clothes”

Sing us a song you’re the piano “Pick”
Sing us a song today
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling OK

Now Bruce in the car is the “Number One”
He pays for my Bills with glee
And he’s not quite a joke or blown up in smoke
But there’s someplace that he’d rather be

He says, “Ev, I believe this is killing me”
As a smile ran away from his face
“Well, I’m sure that I could be a Democrat
If I could get out of this race”

Now Bruce speaks as though he’s a novelist
Who makes up his storybook life
And he’s talking with Davy, who’s still a bit hazy
And probably will be for life

And the Filers are practicing politics
As the Petitions slowly get stamped
Yes they’re sharing a step they call tedious
But it’s better than Primaries Cramped

Sing us a song you’re the piano “Pick”
Sing us a song in Line
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us killing this Time

It’s a pretty good crowd for a Filing Day
And the Counter Guy gives me a smile
‘Cause he knows that it’s He they’ve been coming to see
To finally get through this tough Mile

And the piano sounds like a carnival
And the Petitons smells like a beer
And they sit on the Stack and some try to retract
And say “You might get a challenge this year”

Sing us a song you’re the piano “Pick”
Sing us a song today
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling OK.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:30 am
“Pack a Lunch!

Sen. Kirk Dillard is speaking tonight, and we recommend ‘Long Term Parking’ be your choice as the Valet Parking company might not be outside by the time Sen. Dillard is done.

No warm “food” will be served, frankly, we just don’t know if we can keep it warm through entire speech, so please, pack a lunch, wear comfy clothes, settle in …

Sen. Dillard will begin at 8.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:36 am
The new bomb sniffing dog in the capitol is named Quinn. Insert joke about Quinn finally showing up and working or some-such.

Comment by Rail Sitter Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:38 am
We think we recall Corky Wood hitting the ivories and of course JBT is like a piano turned sideways
Having a tough time with a nickname for CousineBrucey’s litester
Thinking Sa ga naki….but it lacks zip
Maybe 88?
Still struggling to absorb the “outsider” from someone who cites her ability to run the govt come her jimRYAN patronage job
Very complex

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:45 am
Little known fact Governor Quinn had a minor in “improvisational speaking” his capstone project on using various metaphors and adjectives to describe people of Illinois has served him well..

Comment by OneMan Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:46 am
Bennett’s snide comment and CMAP staff’s behind the scenes shenanigans will come back and bite that agency big time.

Comment by Emanuel Can't Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:47 am
The party’s national brand is at its lowest point in the 25 years the wall street journal has polled people on it and my guess is that will only go down if the party gives in on this deal they’re talking about and those conservatives who like the party because of the shutdown vent. So going to lincoln park and chicago and talking opennness in light of the dc charade seems empty to me. Every 4 years we see this from republicans. Topinka in 06 went to an african american church in the fall, they have a chicago republicans youth group, and virtually all of it flops.

The party has completely wasted its decade plus in the wilderness. It should have spent the last 4 years building on initiatives like the Kirk suburban strategy of 2005 which helped him stave off defeat in 06 and 08. Instead it’s done nothing other than to sit around and shout chicago. You can mock the tea party and I don’t care for them very much, but at least in 2009 they got up, got a message together and went out and worked. I’ve seen nothing thus far in this cycle from any Republican resembling that kind of thing.

Comment by Shore Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:52 am
Quinn needs to add Elton John as his running mate immediately in order to out-Rauner Rauner!

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 10:54 am
Shore,

I generally agree with this with one huge caveat. George Ryan beat Poshard in 98 BECAUSE he reached out to Chicago. But for that outreach, Poshard would have been governor.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 11:05 am
“One of these HAVE to take … Grampa, heck Great Grand-Pappy, Me … Please, just one of us …’Governor’ …Gotta try one more time …”

“What, should we have named the 4th one, ‘Felon Quinn’?”

“We thought about ‘Mayor Quinn for the 4th one, but really, until we get a ‘Governor Quinn’ what will it hurt to try again?”

“These are my siblings, ‘Senator, the Third’, ‘Justice, Jr.’, and my baby brother, ‘V.P.’, he’s not named for no one, neither.”

“My Great Grandfather was ‘Governor’, my ‘Paw’ was ‘Governor’, my Daddy was ‘Governor’, and I’m ‘Governor’, but our last name is not ‘Daley’, they live ’bout ‘4 mile’ down river, and you geuessed it, they’re all named … ‘Alderman’ … Fooled ya!”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 11:06 am
==coffee and doughnuts with about 40 attendees before giving an hourlong speech==
Well, at least the coffee and doughnuts were before the speech. I can’t imagine sitting around politely while doughnuts and coffee sit nearby.

I imagine he staked out a few policy positions in an hour. I wish someone from his campaign would get some of them up on his web site. We make fun of Rauner (deservedly so) for his lack of specifics, but I can’t find anything useful on http://www.dillard4governor.org/ , except for an overuse of alliteration that will cost him Elmer Fudd’s vote: “We need strong leadership to renew our faith, re-imagine our possibilities and repurpose our resolve in returning Illinois to its rightful place as the Capital of the Midwest.”

Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 11:48 am
In that hour, Dillard dropped Edgar’s name 79 times.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 11:50 am
“Asked of Bruce Rauner what he thinks about his running mate having a ‘Piano Performance’ Undergrad degree, the Dartmouth alum quipped, ‘Well, Evelyn can read music and should be singing from the same songbook as me pretty easily.’…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 11:57 am
Another quick take on Gov. Quinn from the Fred Klonsky column;

“Squeezy continues to describe his birth as being a result of God’s determination to cut teacher pensions.
If Squeezy was doing this on the corner of Randolph and State Street, people would be dropping coins into his bucket.

Comment by Anon Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 12:10 pm
We already have a highway to nowhere up in Waukegan, the Amstutz Expressway that spans a whopping 2.9 miles of controlled access. Currently, it is so infrequently used, the grass grows up between the lanes.

Now since there is no traffic on it, it is being used a a film location for the upcoming movie “Contagion”.

Odd that the movie name, according to the dictionary means “a harmful, corrupting influence”, kind like wasting taxpayers money building highways to nowhere.

Tale the money and PAY DOWN THE PENSION DEBT!

Comment by OLD BRASS Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 12:48 pm
===Tale the money and PAY DOWN THE PENSION DEBT! ===

First, don’t use caps. Makes you look insane.

Second, this is planned as a privately financed toll road. You gonna get those investors to pay down the pension debt?

Search for a clue.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 12:50 pm
=== Governor Quinn, 34, of East St. Louis, arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass ===

I knew I saw him roaming the streets last night.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 1:04 pm
=== referred to the Illiana as a “highway in nowhereland,” but he later apologized for that comment, saying he meant to say “farmland.” ===

Looks like you let your true thoughts slip through there for a second, Mr. Chairman.

Ugly.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 1:05 pm
==Hour long speech?!?? How many times can you say, “Gov. Edgar’s former Chief of Staff”?==

About 1,200 according to how long it took me to say it.

==Quinn needs to add Elton John as his running mate immediately in order to out-Rauner Rauner!==

Quinn always seems to have magic comebacks in his elections, so I say he should go with Dr. John as his running mate. The Nite Tripper can work a little of that hoodoo and voodoo for a Quinn win.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 1:18 pm
That first story is TOO funny…! (I mean, I DO hope it gets resolved in a just way)….but on a lighter note, do you think if “Governor Quinn” loses the case that he’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court?! (Although it IS his prerogative, might be kind of risky and draggin’ things out more than needed, do ya think)…!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 2:05 pm
Just saw “Quinn vows to manage without pay” to which I say, you get what you pay for.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 2:08 pm
In the CMAP meeting, Bennett also apologized for calling Will County a “wasteland” which he didn’t originally say.

Here’s a local take on it. And maybe Rich could take us into the weekend with the lede as the soundtrack.

http://www.buglenewspapers.com/niles/article_fc68325e-31df-11e3-a33a-001a4bcf6878.html

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 3:31 pm
My apologies Rich..

…”First, don’t use caps. Makes you look insane”….
Sorry, my little pinky finger always hits that thing. I am quite sane.

…”Second, this is planned as a privately financed toll road. You gonna get those investors to pay down the pension debt?”…
Only in as much as the Governor it attempting to recruit ADM (private company) to join in the pension fight to get his approval for tax breaks.

…”Search for a clue.”…
We are past searching for clues, we already have the answer.

Comment by OLD BRASS Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 3:42 pm
–In the CMAP meeting, Bennett also apologized for calling Will County a “wasteland” which he didn’t originally say.–

Perhaps this d-bags sponsors could reconsider his commitment to public service?

Seriously,

What is the problem with these small men who try to build themselves up by knocking down others?

Get him out of there. And the horse he rode in on.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 11, 13 @ 4:15 pm