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Dillard slams Rauner over Levine

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[Sen. Kirk Dillard] says he has to laugh when he hears his opponent Rauner call himself an outsider. While taping “Connected to Chicago” for Sunday morning at six, Dillard connected Rauner to a now imprisoned insider.

“He had Stuart Levine on his payroll for $25,000 a month while he was hawking business from the Illinois teachers retirement system,” Dillard said. “That’s an insider to me. There are different kinds of insiders. Mr. Rauner is the worst kind of insider. He’s the one doing the buying.”

* Listen to the full Dillard response. It’s quite brutal…

Click to listen

* Rauner’s response via Greg Hinz…

Team Rauner shot back that Mr. Dillard “hasn’t learned from his last failed campaign that he’s better off promoting himself than attacking fellow Republicans.” The statement went on to remind voters that Mr. Dillard, who ran for governor four years ago, has accepted political contributions from some labor unions and once — in 2008 — appeared in a TV ad for a former state Senate colleague, Barack Obama, who was running for president for the first time.

The turn-the-tables response is fair politics, I guess. But it certainly doesn’t respond to the Levine matter

No, it doesn’t.

* But…

Mr. Dillard said the entire episode needs further review to determine whether Mr. Rauner engaged in “pay-to-play” politics in some way.

That’s pretty strong stuff — which would work awfully well in a TV ad, if Mr. Dillard had the money to buy lots of TV ads. He doesn’t, at least so far, but now he’s started raising the issue of the Rauner-Levine connection publicly. We’ll see if it sticks.

A well-played shot at 6 o’clock on a Sunday morning that gets almost no media coverage ain’t gonna move the needle at all.

* Related…

* ADDED: Bill Daley donors to get back 83% of their campaign cash

* Rauner and Sanguinetti in Danger of Echoing McCain and Palin

* Tracy: Illinois needs change: She touched on the standard Republican talking points about the need for tort reform and changes to the Illinois’ workman compensation and unemployment insurance systems as well as reducing the minimum wage in favor of business interests… She additionally advocated passing previously rejected legislation to place photo identification on food assistance cards or requiring drug testing for recipients of other benefits.

* Rauner pushes pensions, education reform during stop in Bloomington

* Candidate Dillard Stops by for Session at Homer Founders Club

* Rutherford, Kim host Pontiac fundraiser

* Quinn, Democrats drum up support in suburbs

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 10:42 am

Comments

===A well-played shot at 6 o’clock on a Sunday morning that gets almost no media coverage ain’t gonna move the needle at all. ===

Attention. Attention.

If you have no money to get out a message, then “when” sling an arrow towards someone, is just as important as “what” the arror is trying to do.

If you are trying to maximize the Free Media, then lay out what “things” you want to say “fresh”, when it can be maximized, and when you are asked something at Friday at 4 pm. or a 7 am radio sound snipet, have those reinforce the current narrative.

You are shooting the arrows a midnight, blindfolded, towards the first sound you are hearing.

Please get a better Free Media strategy that does not include whatever comes to my head at the moment, or rolling out a narrative when people are the most like to care less.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 10:53 am
O.W. — well said! Why didn’t Dillard have a press conf. or something to press this message? It’s a good hit, but like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, if it’s on the radio at 6am on a Sunday, does anyone hear it??

Comment by Whatever Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 10:57 am
Now that Dillard has taken off the gloves, he might as well keep swinging.

Levine and pay-to-play are fair game for Rauner. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

(Unless, of course, you can’t. Levine was quite popular in GOP circles, until he wasn’t, lol).

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:02 am
I tend to agree with you Willie. Free media is a good tool to use at the proper time. Preferably, much later in the cycle. It’s almost a waste now, no matter what time a day or week it’s aired. These kinds of things should come in a barrage, one after the other if you have them, at the peak of decision making time, not 5 months before the election. The lack of money is really on display here and the tendency to lack any patience and shoot early and even overreact is a weakness. Dillard should be still harping on “his” plan, “his” attributes, “his” positions now. People aren’t really that clear on what “his” plans are. Brady and Rutherford just might see this as a chance to help pummel him without a great deal of spending. Everything I read says 1 vs. 3 at the moment. DuPage is not all sewn up for any of them now, not even Kirk. No matter how despicable Stuart Levine is, he ain’t a household name to most voters. Blago sucked up all of the ink. There are other things on people’s minds. Using the free media for salvos now seems like a waste. They won’t keep covering this for 5 months. It might be old news before November 1.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:10 am
- Whatever -,

It’s Rich’s point, I can’t take any credit. I just amplified.

To the Post,

The McCain-Palin comparison, is not fair.

Sarah palin was a twice elected Mayor, was a trustee before being… Mayor, and was an elected Governor before becoming the Nominee for VP.

Evelyn, has been a …Trustee…. of a town for 30 months. Never faced the voters again based on her job performance, and never been the Executive of the City … but is ready to handle a budget in the Billions…and thousands of employees,… and the agencies, that the state has, just like the City of Wheaton, from the Trustee chair, still warm from an election 30 months ago…

Yikes!

That Evelyn, she would love to have the experience of a Sarah Palin.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:11 am
Rauner wants to break the unions and Dillard is mostly funded by the unions.

What a magic time we live in.

Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:12 am
Is this new stuff from Rauner?

“We need to protect the benefits that have accrued and been paid in so far and not change any of that historical deal because I don’t think that’s right - and they are talking about that idea in Springfield,” he said. “I think we should protect what is earned but we should freeze it today and move everyone into a second plan in addition to what they have already.”

He would move the state toward a more defined contribution 401K-style plan similar to what most Illinois voters have. According to Rauner, it’s the most fair option for a government facing a nearly 100-billion dollar pension liability.

I know he’s still calling for a 401K-style plan, but have I been in a hole that he is calling for no changes to benefits already earned?

Even though it sounds good, I wonder how he will pay for the pension benefits in the future if we are pushed to a 401k…

Comment by Mr. B.A. Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:13 am
It seems like the only thing that has been well thought out by the Dillard campaign has been his tack to the far right. And, that was a bad decision.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:16 am
Willie, I can obviously see what point you’re trying to make, but please concede that being the VP of the USA is more than marginally bigger than being the LG of Illinois. I love my state, but it’s one state, albeit a large one, it doesn’t compare to being the VP of 50 states and other territories. Evelyn stacks up fine with the current LG and the candidates mentioned. Wheaton isn’t a puny town. Her resume isn’t that of a knave. She’s well thought of where she represents. In municipalities, you don’t just get judged on election day, you get judged regularly. Her Mayor and fellow council members have found her to be an excellent colleague. Your bar for LG sometimes looks higher than your bar for G. Respectfully, always.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:46 am
===Free media is a good tool to use at the proper time.===

Um, when you have NO money, and you need a message to start to begin a narrative, the perfect time is whnever you can manipulate the Free Media to do it.

There is no luxury of waiting… when you are broke.

===The lack of money is really on display here and the tendency to lack any patience and shoot early and even overreact is a weakness.===

No, the way Dillard is shooting the spit wads without a plan to use the Free Media needed because of a lack of a plan show weakness.

If there is a “plan”, to continue a Free Media narrative based on when the Free Media is available, when you do your Press Announcements to either reinfoce a message, or begin a new prong in the message, then it looks like a calculated use of the Free Media, and building upon blocks in place from a consistant rolling of a narrative needed through the Free Media, since Paid Media is not on the menu.

There is no time to wait, there is time to plan and execute the immediate, but no time to wait on any of it… when broke.

The Prism of a Payton Prep Clouter who vacations with Rahm Emanuel and gave tens of thousands of dollars to Rich Daley, while working on making even more money with Stu Levine, while paying thousands for access through Stu Levine is the Candidate that needs to be the Prism.

Starting yesterday, thoughtfully, carefully, methodically, and continually.

Period.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:46 am
Free media is more fickle than that. If that’s all you have, there is no plan.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:49 am
- A guy…-,

lol, I never said it was a “good” plan, but it is better than just saying something without factoring in impact, audience, big picture narrative, and result.

These broke candidates have to start getting a message out there somehow, and inbetween Rauner media buys…lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:52 am
Touche.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:53 am
===Your bar for LG sometimes looks higher than your bar for G.===

My Bar … is that “If something were to happen to ‘Governor Rauer’ can his ‘Lt. Governor’ take the reigns of a Billion dollar budget, and BE the Executive of the 5th largest state in America?”

…Ask Jason Plummer. Ask Scott Lee Cohen.

The job is to BE governor, ask LG Quinn.

I hammered him, as I have hammered Evelyn, and Steve, and Maria.

It is … what it is.

The more Jason tried to prove he could be the #2, the more the facts seem to say no.

Evelyn is getting the “Jason Plummer” treatment and she does not pass muster.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 11:59 am
Is anyone attending the DuPage GOP event tonight? All 4 candidates for gov were invited. Might be interesting.

Comment by Darienite Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:00 pm
Any significant connection to Stu Levine at 25K per month as a “consultant” is worth hitting early and often.
Regarding Evelyn, her background, though devoid of meaningful experience for the position of Lt. Governor, does allow the Rauner team to spin a compelling media story; daughter of parents from Cuba and Ecuador embraces the American dream. And Rauner has loads of money to finance the message. Regrettably, the vast majority of voters will not scratch below the superficial and false story of the “outsider” with the young, attractive and successful running mate.

Comment by Samurai Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:03 pm
Dillard doesn’t have the money for ads.

But Pat Quinn sure will.

Comment by Angel's Sword Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:07 pm
===Evelyn stacks up fine with the current LG and the candidates mentioned.===

In regards to the state of Illinois, its budgets, how the state itself runs, for better or worse, and in experiecne with those statewide actively involved in the governing of Illinois.

Evelyn is not even close to Jil Tracy.

Evelyn and Steve and Maria … they are those who seek a Jil Tracy out … to find out what is going on and how to do things.

Right now, the “Lites” … it’s Jil Tracy, a space, and then maybe the “other three”.

It is.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:07 pm
Evelyn, when running for city council, came in second place to Jeanne Ives, the most disliked legistlature in Springfield….just some food for thought…

Comment by The Guy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:18 pm
==”the guy”==
Cute move on the screen name. Good thing I don’t use the name “legislator” since you can’t seem to spell it. The race was “at large” for the two leading vote getters. Both won. She’s got a record now, having served 3 years. Look at that. Then return to your job in the lab. You’re obviously a very smart guy.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:40 pm
When Rauner’s out of state team of consultants finally stumble upon the fact the Saint Edgar first appointed Stu Levine, it might put the chill into Dillard’s attacks. I don’t imagine Edgar is going to like the blowback from this and will tell his COS to stop it.

Comment by Cornwall Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:42 pm
Cornwall, no Republican has a higher favorability rating in this state than Jim Edgar. Attacking him over Levine likely wouldn’t work.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:45 pm
I don’t doubt you Rich, but is Edgar’s faves better than JBT?

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 12:52 pm
“Unless, of course, you can’t. Levine was quite popular in GOP circles, until he wasn’t, lol”

Stuart Levine was quite popular in BOTH political parties, until he wasn’t.

Spent way too much time a few years ago getting very knowledgeable with some of Stuart Levine’s machinations and behind the scene dealings.

If Stuart Levine ever writes a ‘tell all’ book, there will be lots and lots and lots of interesting names.

Comment by Judgment Day (Road Trip) Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 1:13 pm
===Spent way too much time a few years ago getting very knowledgeable with some of Stuart Levine’s machinations and behind the scene dealings.===

Yeah, you really did. Fascinating stuff.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 1:15 pm
RICH,
You are missing the point. If Levine was so bad, how could Edgar appoint him?
Rauner, if he’s smart, smacks Dillard right back with the Edgar appointment, which, by the way, Dillard voted for. Or he could add in a Bill Cellini chaser.
Edgar ain’t going to like it. He’ll tell Dillard to stop it.

Comment by Cornwall Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 1:17 pm
JD, you’re correct. Like the Outfit guys, Levine wasn’t a partisan, but just gravitated to the fixers in both parties.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 1:18 pm
How in the world does Edgar have such a favorability rating?

Comment by flea Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 1:46 pm
===How in the world does Edgar have such a favorability rating? ===

People still like him, despite what you might believe.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 2:26 pm
–How in the world does Edgar have such a favorability rating? –

Believe it or not, much of the Illinois population wasn’t born yesterday. Watching the current national scene, I can understand your confusion.

Some way, some how, for decades, we in Illinois managed to get through our lives without going apey at every bump in the road.

A reasonable Downstate Republican who understands the diversity of the state and its issues, and the seriousness of governing, was quite attractive to the electorate back in the day — Republicans, Democrats and Independents.

That’s why he got so many votes, and that’s why he is still popular.

For crying out loud, can you imagine if a guy like Edgar was U.S. Speaker of the House right now? He’d smack down the whackjobs in the Tea Party like he did Steve Baer and Jack Roeser (Rauner’s guy).

And he’d do it without raising his voice. Or breaking a sweat. With a smile on his face. And every hair in place (lot of product, lol).

With Kirk, JBT and hopefully Rutherford, perhaps Illinois can lead the way in bringing the GOP back home to the Midwest. God knows we need it.

These old Dixiecrats/Tea Partiers are long past their expiration date. They’re bad news.

The new ones are an incomprehensible mix of nihilists and narcissists that clearly have no interest in governing, but just wallowing in their sense of victimization.

As someone said the other day, they warn of imminent Armageddon and promise eternal Utopia. Save it for the Other Side. Work to be done in the Here and Now.

It’s up to the grownups — Dems, Republicans, Independents, whatever — to swat them aside and just do the real business for the folks.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 3:31 pm
===Or breaking a sweat. With a smile on his face. And every hair in place (lot of product, lol).===

A friend of mine used to live near him when he had a place by Lake Spfld. He said Edgar would mow his lawn in the sweltering summer heat, but every hair was in place and he wouldn’t sweat.

He’s just naturally that way.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 4:26 pm
We would be having only half of the problems we have in My Party had another “Edgar” emerged to take the reigns of the Party.

We got George, who was likeable enough, but, with the good came the bad, encluding “Scotty”

We got “Jack!” Ryan, who begat Alan Keyes…

The ILDems have had Madigan as the one Herding the Cats, for good or for Bad, even for Lisa.

The ILGOP, after CFE became CFR and CFR became a RICO organization, My Party just had no one take it, and make it their own, as Edgar did.

Now we have “Rauners” instead of “Koppies”, and narrowing instead of inclusion.

Somoeone get Dorgan some Tums… about a year’s worth, for the next 6 months.

If we all keep trying, the “Rauners” should go back to the Dems, and the “Koppies” should go back to the 1950’s and somewhere South of the Mason-Dixon.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 15, 13 @ 5:05 pm