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* Winners and losers in last night’s gubernatorial debate?

If you missed it, you can watch it right here…

You can also read through the 250+ CapitolFax.com comments by clicking here.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:21 am

Comments

I couldn’t watch last night. Is it available online anywhere?

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:25 am
CC, click that link. It’s there.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:28 am
None of them really stood out, so Rauner wins. It was a chance for the three (or one of the three) to point out some of Bruce’s flaws which would then be repeated by the main stream media. The attacks were pretty tepid. They tested the waters but did not go in the deep end.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:31 am
Didn’t see the debate but the winner was definitely Rauner and the loser the other three. The others had to attack him as the overwhelming frontrunner (and there was a lot to attack). This is basic political debating strategy. What’s wrong with the other three?

Comment by Quiet Sage Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:33 am
Winners:
1. Everyone who missed last night’s Blackhawks game because of this debate.
2. Everyone who missed the Illini’s 5th loss in a row because of this debate.
3. The Pointer Sisters, who surely saw an unexpected ITunes download sales spike for “I’m So Excited”

Losers:
1. WTVP for not getting as feisty a debate as the Daily Herald got (Guess it was past the candidates’ bedtimes?)
2. Those seeking Illinois GOP schadenfeude (delivered mostly zzzzz)
3. Amanda Vinicky’s right wrist. Looked on TV like she had a wrist brace. Hope everything is OK there cause she gave good questions and post-debate analysis I thought.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:34 am
Rauner comes in First, the. “3″ come in Last.

No one really “won”, and the only “loss” was the loss at a chance to TRY to get at Bruce.

The “3-1″ on regulatory shot Rauner took was cute, but with no chance to challenge that, leaves the bit out there without any rebuke.

Rauner neglected to mention “Slip and Sue”. A wise move since all the Ads only have Bruce as the “brand” being sold, but we heard the “3″ at least in passing mentioned their LG choices.

Brady gave a pass when he got dinged by Dillard and the Dopey 193 vote loss.

To both Brady and Dillard;

When you both revisit 2010, and both losing, you are getting voters to tune out to you both. Cripes, Kirk, you got beat, k? Bill, you lost, you learned, unless someone specifically asks, just respond. “(Questioner), I don’t know about you, but this is 2014, if we all keep going back, Illinois will not be able to move forward. That is what I want for Illinois, which is why I am running, for Illinois’ tomorrow”

Rutherford’s “deferring until the 2nd Half” follow-ups were fair; Good, not great. Dan, remember, that 30 seconds you gave up pales to the 30 second Ads Rauner is running over and over. Every 30 seconds you give up, is 30 seconds you are also giving up by being “dark” to the Rauner Ads. Not a “bad” idea, just hate giving up the mic when someone already owns the airwaves. Food for thought.

Rauner wore a tie! That was fun…

So, no clear “winner” or even a clear “loser”, but Rauner was 1st, the “3″ were last, because, well, after the debate, Rauner’s Ads keep rolling…and rolling.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:38 am
I think that Rauner won, because the other three passed up an opportunity to really attack him over the nursing homes. I heard a commercial on the radio this morning from a law firm that handles nursing home abuse cases. It sounded almost exactly like what happened to the woman who died in the GTCR/THI nursing home.

If I was Rauner, I would back off a bit on unions. I would consider scrapping right to work and scapegoating of union leaders. After all the stuff that came out about his firms, and the amount of government money he made from them as an individual, it’s very hypocritical in my opinion to indirectly or directly attack thousands of government workers who earn so much less per person than he did. He could say that he will be a tough negotiator with unions, that he can’t be bought by them, and leave it at that.

So if there are any “Raunerbots” today, this is my advice, back off of attacking working people and their rights. Sensible people know that the government can’t always give its employees the salaries and benefits they want. Private sector unions also made concessions and can be negotiated with (see McCorminck Place and Boeing in Washington).

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:40 am
I do think D,B & R are not showing all of their cards until a month prior so not to give Rauner a chance to use his funds and mount a counterattack. The day after the Olympics will be when I think the others will go on the offensive with their limited funds.

Comment by Darienite Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:41 am
Selective excerpts from last night’s comments …

From an insider viewpoint, Rutherford won. From the public viewpoint, they probably thought Rauner won.

Rauner came across with the best bunch of reasonable sounding responses that hit all the proper buzzwords (what an insider would call the best line of BS for public consumption).

Rutherford was also probably the biggest loser from the public perception. While he came across as knowledgeable and likeable, he didn’t have a breakout moment … and he really needed to have one on this state-wide stage.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:43 am
In the post-dabate press conference Dillard, point by point, made the case against Rauner. There was one tv camera, about 10 tape recorders and maybe 15 reporters present. Including Charles Thomas and Ray Long. Let’s see if any of that makes it out of the room. Dillard did go after the nursing home scandal. Reporters I talked to there said they are digging into that story and will have their own reports on it in the coming days. That story has legs. Big time.

Comment by Jon Zahm Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:44 am
Sorry…

Rauner talking about taking on Union Bosses via executive order, like Daniels; great for running, can’t do it in Ilinois and be an effective governor, and that pesky constitution thing too..

Rauner and ALL these other governors he ticked off a list… Bruce, you are running in Illinois, with “Illinois” issues and dynamics (The GA & Constitution). Again, great for red meat running, bug if you believe this, you will get pummeled by all angles, “See - ‘Blago Years’)

Unions, you are, again, on “Notice”. This is real. Better take it as real; real soon.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:46 am
I watched the debate last night. No one laid a glove, not so much as a pinkie-finger, on Bruce Rauner. I half expected Dan Rutherford to start singing “kum ba yah” to be quickly joined by the others. Barbershop quartet….

Allow me…..in four basic parts….

First day to file an application for absentee ballot is thirteen days away, February 6, 2014, “kum ba yah.”

Thirty-eight days from now, March 3, 2014, is the first day for early voting “kum ba yah.”

Fifty-three days until Election Day, “k…b….y.”

Where is the Bruce Rauner take down? “Oh LORD, kum ba yah!”

Comment by Why play nice? Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:47 am
Pretty clear that nothing came out of this debate that changed Rauner’s momentum. It’s not just about dinging him last night, it’s about doing so in a way that makes news the next day. Best I can tell, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I guess one question is whether anything happened that helped solidify the anti Rauner votes around one candidate. I think Dillard pretty much put himself out of the running with this performance. No money, no message, no name ID like Brady. He’s dead last now and if Rutherford or Brady can pull Dillard’s defectors, they’re helped. But I’m not sure those defectors are going to just one candidate.

Rauner one day closer to the nomination.

Comment by Undebate Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:48 am
Brady probably looked the best. 10 yrs running for gov is paying off.

But last night was kinda academic. The journalists asking the questions were uniformly awful and ignored the elephant in the room, i.e. Bruce Rauner and his Bain Capital on steroids problem.

The ice is melting under Rauner’s campaign. If Republican voters don’t wake up soon not only will Rauner be crushed in November, he’ll drag down the entire GOP ticket. Previous IL GOP disasters will look marvelous compared to 2014.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:58 am
I’m surprised the savvy commenters here are surprised.

Why should Rutherford-Brady-Dillard get their hands dirty when they know Big Labor is itching to get down and dirty on Rauner?

The Unions certainly have more $$$$ than all of the other three candidates combined.

So unions allow R-B-D to take the high road and look statesmanlike and high minded while leaving the thug work to the professionals.

I can’t believe nobody here sees that.

Comment by qcexaminer Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:04 am
I watched it and nothing stood out except Rauner looking forward to riding his Harley cycle in Springfield. Rauner looked really tall. Anybody know how tall?

Comment by Soccertease Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:04 am
1. Brady: Comes off gubernatorial, composed and knowledgeable of the issues. He actually answers questions as opposed to the others, i.e.- had three cuts, had a medicaid example, and addressed minimum wage, fracking and the income tax better than the others.
2. Rauner: He didn’t really answer questions and you cold tell he was always taking it back to the 5 talking points he had memorized but he didn’t have any fowl ups which is what I am sure he is going for. With his Money it is his to lose and he didn’t lose it here. I almost put him tied for last because he Sarah Pailined the law question. Name one law you would remove… uh uh I can’t name a single law. Oh and boy was he excited.
Tied for 4th: Dillard/ Rutherford:
Dillard was typical of this election all over the place without hammering home a message. I’ve watched him speak numerous times and I don’t know what he is running on other than that Jill Tracy will be an awesome Lt. gov.
Rutherford: He is poised and can talk buzz words about issues but he really lacks substance. Typical of him he didn’t take any stances.. doesn’t want the income tax to stay but doesn’t say what he’ll do, didn’t say whether pension reform was good or bad but punts to constitutionality. Without any position or message he gets forgotten and people only remember his closing about his LG and him yelling. This is the second debate where he left yelling and ended awkwardly so I look forward to the more heated debates.

Comment by CYR Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:09 am
Dillard came across as haughty. Rutherford came across as not very bright. Brady comes across as acting like he is entitled to the nomination. And Rauner didn’t have a glove laid on him by the three lightweights. Rauner is just running out the clock and the other three are letting him by not attacking.

Comment by Tom Joad Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:11 am
The nursing home allegations went no where. No journalist asked the question. No other candidate brought it up in any meaningful way. No emotional or compelling attack on Rauner (”Mr. Breen, I paid for this microphone.”)

A giant win for Rauner. And if anyone complains about Rauner during the General as a drag on other candidates, I will just say he is a Democrat plant, Democrat roots, contributor to Democrats, and who voted for Democrats in various primaries…..who used his own money to hijack the Republican party.

Comment by anonymoose Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:13 am
- qcexaminer -,

I hear ya. Very valid point. Very.

I come at this from the idea that if no case is made to at least shed doubt on Rauner, the Al McGuire “4 Corners” is already beginning. So, at some point, if you rely too much on others and their narratives to carry “you”, they are leaving to “chance”, probably no different than an Oberweis “short straw” winner/loser possibility.

7 weeks out, can your “powder” become too dry?

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:14 am
>>Unions, you are, again, on “Notice”

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:17 am
Rauner seemed really nervous and very much off his game. Repeating the line “I’m excited” at least half a dozen times was very odd. I think he was very worried about what the next question might be.

I almost felt sorry for Rauner last night, but then I remembered all of the elderly people who suffered as a result of the greed of he and his GTCR chums.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:18 am
I am fundamentally excited Rich asks us to comment…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:20 am
qcexaminer: Valid point, but it won’t help any of them in the primary. The unions have baked a Rauner primary win into the cake.
soccertease: Rauner’s not that tall, 6′3″ or so.

Comment by Steve Reick Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:21 am
QC said, “So unions allow R-B-D to take the high road and look statesmanlike and high minded while leaving the thug work to the professionals.”

You know, I almost wonder…with a side helping of paranoia, if Rauner may be a secret friend of the unions and the fix is in.

Comment by anonymoose Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:21 am
Sorry about my last post. The gremlin ate the rest of it. I agree that unions should be very aware of Rauner and be ready to fight back. I’d prefer negotiating with him or any other governor, but it seems that it will be Mr. Rauner’s way or the highway.

There is a boon of info for Rauner opponents that came out in the last few days. However, as the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote, one can know how to win without being able to actually win. It’s imperative that the unions do a good job in fighting back, since it’s come to this.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:21 am
This was an opportunity for Rutherford, and while he made a few of the best substantive comments, he didn’t hit hard enough. He even occasionally opted out of the contest. Is he just too nice a guy? Or does he have a better attack planned?

Bruce won on BS, and wasn’t called much on it. He also delivered the standard Republican talking points pretty well. I don’t know at all just which of them he believes in — and he really wasn’t questioned.

The other two mostly spouted normal run-of-the mill pap, with Brady at least appearing better informed on taxes and pensions.

Rank:

1. Rauner
2. Brady
3. Rutherford
4. Dillard

Comment by walker Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:24 am
Now that we have “Billionaire Bruce Rauner” where we want him - - - watch what happens!

Comment by Drallid Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:35 am
“the Al McGuire “4 Corners” is already beginning”

It was Dean Smith who invented the 4 corners. It was Al McGuire and his Marquette Warriors who solved it in the 1977 NCAA Championship game.

Comment by Original Rambler Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:36 am
Brady won the first half, he was clear and consistent the entire debate.

Rutherford started off slow, but picked it up midway and won the second half.

Rauner escaped without any attacks and seemed to stick to his talking points.

Dillard wasn’t too sharp.

Comment by Mittuns Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:36 am
based on the blandness of the stories covering the debate, rauner won. he is playing to run 0ut the clock and avoid any major mistakes.

glad to hear from a commenter that reporters are looking into stories about rauners business dealings. i look forward to it. times a wasting.

Comment by langhorne Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:37 am
The losers were the people who took the time to watch the entire ‘debate’. The winner by a nose in a photo finish for last place was Rauner. Watching the grass grow in the back yard is more exciting than this ‘debate’, I thought it very dull.

Comment by Hit or Miss Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:38 am
- Original Rambler -,

Apologies, to clarify…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:45 am
===I come at this from the idea that if no case is made to at least shed doubt on Rauner, the Al McGuire “4 Corners” is already beginning.===

Counting on others to “add air” to the ball and getting this ginned up is not “beating the stalling”.

===So, at some point, if you rely too much on others and their narratives to carry “you”, they are leaving to “chance”, probably no different than an Oberweis “short straw” winner/loser possibility.===

Sorry. Apologies to Al too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:48 am
Can you smell what the Rauner is cooking?

What a boring recitation of classic political lines:
waste, union bosses, I am excited, rebuild, work together, can’t be bought.

All of them tied for 4th place.

Comment by zatoichi Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:56 am
It’s clear that the “other three” are afraid of drawing Rauner’s media fire. But they really missed opportunities to tee up some highly negative stories for reporters who are looking for a news hook. And I don’t know why Rutherford passed. If he didn’t want to talk about the topics presented, he could have talked about whatever else he wanted to. Bad strategy, lost opportunity.

Comment by Soccermom Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 10:59 am
Rutherford showed some real passion at the end. His closing statement stood out to me about last night.

Brady’s closing statement also stood out. It’s a key moment to clench the deal, a man’s last chance in a debate to resonate… and Brady reminded us of 2010.

My wife and I looked at each other just baffled. What doesn’t Brady (and sometimes Dillard) get about that year??? Every reference to it is a reminder not that you came close, but that you lost.

Comment by In the Middle Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:03 am
Why Play Nice… And OW for weeks has pointed this out… If the wagons do not circle soon… Time is not on anyone’s side other than the front runner… If the story has legs, it needs to start running! If not, it can be drowned out as “white noise”… The evil 1% guy worked in the Presidential race, looking at POTUS numbers on handling the economy when asked by policy not personality… The numbers are dramatic. This outsider concept resonates. That should be the call to action sooner rather than later…Or is it too late?

Comment by Walter Mitty Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:13 am
1) Rauner wins, hands down. Looked and sounded confident and statesmanlike.

2) Brady, a distant second place. We get it, you already lost this race once. Close….. only counts when playing horseshoes.

3) Rutherford, bad move to take a “pass” when given the opportunity for additional air time. I expected a strong second place finish, but he blew it.

4) Dillard. Toast. “Ellinoy?” Oy.

Comment by VictorNorth Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:17 am
I agree that Rutherford should not have taken a pass when offered time to speak to the public about what his positions are. Especially the second time he did it.

Even if you grant that he is too straightforward/down-to-earth/modest a guy to use the clarification opportunity to attack the others or promote himself, are his positions so simple that they can all be explained in 90 seconds? I should hope not.

Comment by Chi Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:31 am
@ Soccermom 10:59 === It’s clear that the “other three” are afraid of drawing Rauner’s media fire. But they really missed opportunities to tee up some highly negative stories for reporters who are looking for a news hook. ===

Good point, given the tone of last night’s “debate,” but the media missed an opportunity, too. Dillard gave them all the opening they needed to break stories on the nursing home issue, but only WFMB Peoria (at least that I can find online) gave it as much play as it needed judging solely in terms of news value …

http://www.1470wmbd.com/GOP-Candidates-Square-Off-In-Forum/18244211

I hate to say it because I’m suspicious of conspiracy theories involving the “MSM” and I can understand why they’d want to be very careful reporting on someone as unscrupulous as Rauner, but it’s beginning to look like the Chicago media and the downstate metros are falling down on their basic responsibility to report the news.

Comment by olddog Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:38 am
the winner was Quinn

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:58 am
As far as who won…nobody really. I really didn’t detect any new ground broken. Nobody really lost…no one committed political suicide either. That said, I think we’re really close to having a drinking game with Rauner’s “I’m excited” and “union bosses”; Dillard references to “Edgar” “Thompson” and “I ran government” Rutherford’s “I’m the only one who won statewide” and Brady’s “98 of 102 Counties” and “Let’s finish the job”.

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 11:59 am
===I come at this from the idea that if no case is made to at least shed doubt on Rauner, the Al McGuire “4 Corners” is already beginning.===

Dean Smith’s Four Corner Offense. Al, at Marquette, beat North Carolina in the ‘77 national championship game by sagging the defense and coming up with some key steals when Dean went into the Four Corners.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 1:29 pm
That is my hope, - wordslinger -…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 1:32 pm
I’m just re-posting Jon Zahm’s comment from above. He was obviously there in person last night. Tick tock Bruce Rauner. The chickens are coming home to roost.

- Jon Zahm - Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 9:44 am:

In the post-dabate press conference Dillard, point by point, made the case against Rauner. There was one tv camera, about 10 tape recorders and maybe 15 reporters present. Including Charles Thomas and Ray Long. Let’s see if any of that makes it out of the room. Dillard did go after the nursing home scandal. Reporters I talked to there said they are digging into that story and will have their own reports on it in the coming days. That story has legs. Big time.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 2:39 pm
Rutherford probably gave the best, most prudent overall answers, but REALly comes across as MEAN sometimes, and, really in his overall tone he doesn’t FEEL likeable. Dillard was ok, but kind of comes across like the bumbling next door neighbor who MEANS well, but, you know you really wouldn’t want him as your town’s Mayor, let alone Governor. Brady is so soft-spoken at times, he almost sounds creepy, at least somewhat effeminate, and yet, albeit EVer so slightly, does actually have seemed to move more to the Center on issues (but, sadly, not enough).

Oh, and well, what can you say about that 4th Candidate who actually bothered this time to show up? Has a funny way of pronouncing some words actually, almost lispy at times, and looks FAR worse, i.e. well-aged, live in PERson as opposed to his silly, glossed-over commercials, THAT’s for sure. Oh, and he just seems fake, the kind of guy who when you’re sharing a few words with him over sips of your cocktail at some gathering–you just don’t believe a WORD he’s saying, even though he looks suave enough, but ya just keep thinking to yourself as you nod, “Yeah, right–BULL_ _ _ _, bull_ _ _ _, bull_ _ _ _! MMhmm, mmhmmm. Whoa–I could NEVer trust THIS guy…! Ya just know it when ya see it, call it intuition if you wish, or a gut feeling, but I feel it with EVery word that comes out of Brucie’s mouth…!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 2:42 pm
I ranked Brady Rut Rauner Dillard last night but conceded Rauner prolly won to the Average Joe watcher. Folks here may disagree with the first three but I’m not seeing anyone (Hello Cinci? ‘Puter working today?) argue that Dillard landed in the cellar. Ella-noy? Quincy in Southern IL?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Jan 24, 14 @ 3:38 pm