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Unclear on the concept

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Illinois

* OK, how could this even remotely be described as a “campaign effort” when the governor’s new running mate wasn’t in the country and Quinn refused to answer any questions about him?…

Gov. Pat Quinn flew around the state Monday to talk up the latest Illinois Lottery ticket benefiting veterans, a move he said was intended to honor those who serve but one that also illustrates the benefits of incumbency as he runs for re-election.

The Democratic governor began the day at a veterans home in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood and traveled downstate for stops in Peoria, Milan near the Quad Cities and Rockford. While the focus was pitching the scratch-off tickets, the taxpayer-funded events also get Quinn in front of the cameras and voters just days after he named former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas as his running mate.

The two have yet to appear together in public, and Quinn refused to answer questions Monday about the Vallas pick. The duo is scheduled to make its debut Tuesday at a Loop hotel. The governor also scoffed at suggestions that his tour of the state doubled as a campaign effort, saying he’s held events to promote the veterans lottery ticket for 10 years. […]

While Quinn does normally mark Veterans Day by promoting various veterans programs, it’s unusual for him to travel the state to do so. [Emphasis added.]

* The Tribune wasn’t the only outlet with questions about this fly-around. Listen to the Q&A…

Click to listen

* But here’s just one example from recent history, November 11, 2011…

Governor Pat Quinn celebrated Veterans Day by honoring Illinois Veterans and servicemembers at four memorial ceremonies across the state. Governor Quinn unveiled the Portrait of Soldier Memorial exhibit at Loyola University’s Water Tower Campus and in Moline. He also attended the City of Chicago Veterans Day event and the dedication of the Fallen Soldiers Tree Memorial at Illini State Park in Marsellies.

Long before he was lieutenant governor, when he quietly, without any fanfare whatsoever attended funeral services for Illinois’ fallen soldiers, veterans have held a special place in Quinn’s heart. Say what you want about the guy, but that was no campaign event yesterday. If it was, Vallas would’ve been with him and/or Quinn would’ve at least answered questions about the guy. He didn’t.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 9:51 am

Comments

PQ always big for the vets
Wonder why he did not pick one as a running mate?

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 9:56 am
One of Quinn’s greatest attributes is that he has fought for veterans, quietly mourned at their funerals, and honored them, for years — regardless of any political concern.

He also has a history of traveling to a lot of events on Veterans’ Day.

No matter what else the Tribbies think of him, this is to his personal credit.

Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:04 am
We all…ALL ding Pat Quinn on loads of different things; style, acumen, strategy, just to name a short few…

But I would be in huge chorus of people who know;

Pat Quinn has always supported veterans, cameras, no cameras, Holidays, and ANY day. Period.

It is, for me, one thing I 100% support Pat Quinn’s efforts and believe, unequivocally, that Pat Quinn does this because his heart is in the right place, and truly feels even what he does… is still not enough to honor our heroes.

Bad Form, especially by those who claim they “cover” Pat Quinn and then peddle this drivel about Governor Quinn and Veterans’ Day & Veterans.

Bad Form, indeed.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:04 am
Gov.Quinn is a friend of veterans.When we could not get help with the huge cost of our veterans service offices in Chicago VA bldg. he called two of us into his Lt.Gov.office and explained his idea for the first veterans scratch-off lottery ticket.It has been a great help ever since.I will always support him because of his concern for veterans.

Comment by reflector Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:05 am
Maybe Monique was honked that she had to work the holiday. Weak news hook.

Any governor can attract news cameras, anytime, just by walking out the door. Governors should travel the state a lot to see what’s going on.

If that’s “campaigning,” so be it.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:18 am
PQ has always supported veterans, period. He does it sincerely, not as a political move. He was even attacked by a negative campaign ad about it. The ad backfired and quickly vanished, but I think it actually helped PQ.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:33 am
Nothing Quinn has done is as shameful as Rutherford using I-Cash to get his name out. And, of course, Rutherford got a sound bite on the local radio station while Quinn got nothing about his support for the vets because the newsies think he’s being political. Sigh.

Comment by Do as I say... Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:35 am
Vallas is a most excellent pick.

Comment by Quiet Sage Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:37 am
As a vet, I simply observe PQ could have been a vet. He chose not to be. Most of my vet friends view his so called support of vets during his time as Lt Gov as something to fill his otherwise empty schedule.

Comment by Bogart Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:42 am
Oh come on, Monique. PQ is the king of the multi-city fly-around. You know that. Does “Portrait of a Soldier” ring any bells?

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:53 am
==As a vet, I simply observe PQ could have been a vet. He chose not to be.==

Thank you for your service, but these kind of comments irritate me. I don’t think it makes him any lesser of a person because he wasn’t in the military. I wasn’t in the military because that’s not the path I chose for my life. I have the utmost respect for those that serve, but I reject the notion that not serving somehow makes somebody less of a person. You can support veterans without having served. I’m not a big Pat Quinn supporter but I can tell you from personal observation that his support is genuine. I’m sorry if you and your fellow veterans think otherwise.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:56 am
- Bogart -,

Pat Quinn could have chosen anything to fill that “schedule”, even when Pat Quinn wasn’t LG.

Pat Quinn “chose” to support Vets, even when no one was watching or IS watching.

That is real. If you don’t “see” it, that is “on you” not Pat Quinn.

I disagree with Quinn quite often, even calling him a certain nickname on a certain issue, but Quinn and Vets, I can’t support him more in his support of the Troops and Quinn’s sincerity.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 10:56 am
The LA Times coverage of Pat Quinn has never been that good

Comment by To the link... Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:03 am
OW - at every funeral he attended, there was in fact someone there to watch. Pols attending funerals of someone or someone’s family they do not know is pandering.

Comment by Bogart Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:06 am
As a vet, I simply observe PQ could have been a vet. He chose not to be.

I too am a vet. And as one, I know that the military has as many pea-wits, jerks, phonies, bums and knobs as any other aspect of society.

And I also know that the military doesn’t have any kind of monopoly on heroes, patriots and hard-workers.

Vets or not, good Americans are good Americans.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:06 am
Bogart: “Pols attending funerals of someone or someone’s family they do not know is pandering.”

Thank you, Mr. Bogart. And for rebuttal, we have a Mr. Lincoln:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Thank you, Mr. Lincoln…

Judges?

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:14 am
Bogart, he asked for permission to attend and only spoke if they asked him to do so. He never issued a press release about it.

I was the first to report on his activities after hearing about a funeral he attended. He was very reluctant to talk about it.

But, hey, the good news is that maybe there’ll be an opening soon on the Tribune’s editorial board. You’ll fit right in.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:23 am
As a Vet I fully support Pat Quinns efforts and respect of veterans.
“Don’t Bogart that joint, my friend”

Comment by a vet Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:23 am
- MrJM -,

Nothing to add. Well done.

I am sorry - Bogart - seems bitter, and do bitter that those who sympathize with Vets in his eyes should be looked at with such a critical eye.

Thanks, - MrJM -.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:24 am
PQ’s father, PQ Sr., was the Supt. of Catholic Cemeteries for the Archdiocese. PQ worked in them and was a Vietnam era student. He’s been a huge supporter of fallen Veterans and Veterans in general since the late 60s. It was always a big deal to him and he was close to a lot of ceremonies back then. He’s completely genuine about it. I saw him at one wake in the SW burbs the very day after a heart breaking political loss. Any shot at his devotion in this area is a completely cheap one…worthy of a huge boomerang up the butt of whoever goes there.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 11:45 am
I really don’t think much of Quinn as a Governor, but I respect him for his support for our veterans. Rich, you are absolutely correct,Yesterday’s event was not a campaign stunt by any means.

Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 12:11 pm
Sorry, meant to say “sign SB10″ instead of “it”

Comment by mcb Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 6:19 pm