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Rauner continues attacks, Trib wants everyone to chill

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* A guy who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates compares his Republican primary opponents to the Democratic governor. Wonder if anybody else will pick up on this irony. Illinois Review…

The Rauner campaign took on ILGOP gubernatorial opponents in his response to Governor Pat Quinn’s State of the State address Wednesday, dubbing them “Pat Quinn-Lite.”

“As Pat Quinn spends the afternoon attempting to deflect from his abysmal record on jobs, taxes and pensions at today’s State of the State address, Illinoisans may begin to recognize that his record looks a lot like those of the career politicians running to replace him,” Rauner said.

“Based on their record of raising taxes, increasing spending and enabling our pension problems, Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard, and Dan Rutherford might as well be nicknamed Pat Quinn-Lite,” said Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for Bruce Rauner’s campaign. “The fact is all three candidates have spent more than twenty years in Springfield pushing a jobs-killing agenda with more taxes and increased spending.”

* Meanwhile, the Tribune editorial board wants the sniping to stop…

For several months now, the four Republican candidates who want Gov. Pat Quinn’s job have campaigned across Illinois. Here’s the message that, as a group, they have projected and voters have absorbed: With the primary election less than seven weeks off, we absolutely delight in trashing one another. If we didn’t have each other to talk about, we wouldn’t have much of anything to talk about. Oh, and Illinois is still in bad shape.

Quinn, no doubt bemused by the Republicans’ intramural spitting match, isn’t waiting for them to stop: On Wednesday he wielded the considerable power of his incumbency, employing the governor’s annual State of the State address to make his case for re-election. […]

On Monday the Republicans are scheduled to meet as a foursome with the Tribune Editorial Board. That will be an important step in our endorsement process as the primary election approaches. Maybe the Republicans will explain exactly how they will make Illinois competitive in the hunt for jobs. Or maybe they’ll stick to their group obsession and keep criticizing one another.

We’ll see. This much we know now:

Pat Quinn is a formidable candidate for re-election. And unless the Republicans drive home to voters how Illinois can rebuild the competitiveness that long ago made this state great, he’ll be inaugurated next January for four more years as governor.

The back and forth is just natural politics. But they do need to start fleshing out their platitudes with some real ideas.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:29 am

Comments

It’s a shame the Tribune was actually a respectable paper, but with cutbacks and layoffs the Tribune is a shell of the paper it used to be in the 80’s and 90’s. It is now a group of inexperienced journalists who don’t have mentors or valuable sources in Springfield or City Hall in Chicago.

I still can’t get over the fact the Tribune let Rauner write an op-ed piece on his minimum wage gaffe the day after it went public. Is it really going to be a shock that Rauner wins this endorsement.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:34 am
Translation of the Trib piece: Leave Rauner alone, guys.

Comment by John Wood Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:35 am
“Based on Rauner’s record of Campaign Donations, increasing the coffers of the DNC, and enabling our pension problems to make Bruce Rauner and his company Billions, Winnetka or Chicago living Bruce Rauner might as well be nicknamed Pat Quinn-Lite,” said Bruce Rauner’s life, donations and bank account.

“The fact is, Bruce Rauner’s millions is pushing a farse, with $18 Watches and a Carhartt Coat, and Rauner’s Campaign increases spending of the millions towards Ads to continue this farse on television weekly.”

Better.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:36 am
===It is now a group of inexperienced journalists … [withouut] valuable resources in Springfield.===

The Trib’s resources and capabilities are shrinking, but Rick Pearson’s still around, and he knows what’s what.

In fact the story on Rauner’s latest million was his today.

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:44 am
Dear Tribbie Edit Board,
Push for real ideas and solutions on Monday

Burn them for empty rhetoric.
Investigate their solutions.
Praise the ones that actually have legs.

Signed,
Illinois

Comment by Dee Lay Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:52 am
== this will be an important step in our endorsement process. ==

Read: This is merely a formality prior to reaching our foregone conclusion.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:53 am
What was Rauner doing while Brady, Dillard & Rutherford were involved in the legislative process - what was HIS record?? Oh yeah: Lason, Security Link, Nursing Homes, Stuart Levine & the TRS, Pay-to-play with Ed Rendell, contributing hundreds of thousands to democratic candidates, voting in a democratic primary and amassing NINE multi-million dollar estates, mansions & penthouses!! Well - at least that;s not “Quinn Lite” I guess.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:56 am
After the Op-Ed Bruce Rauner got to “insert”, you have to wonder if the two headlines for the Primary are already written;

“Rauner wins Primary!!”

or …

“Fraud at the Polls!!”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 11:58 am
Pointing out the facts,

Rauner pointed to Quinn-like political histories of his opponents, who’ve all been in the Illinois legislature for two decades or more:

Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford supported legislation that called for hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending and pork.

Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford supported increasing taxes and/or fees by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford voted for pension legislation that has been cited as the primary driver behind Illinois’ record level of unfunded pension liabilities.

Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford are career politicians who have spent the last two decades in Springfield.

Can you dispute them???

Or do you want to continue to talk about his watch and jacket, I know that is more fun to do).

Comment by Beat up Bruce Time--Cant get enough of it!! Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:04 pm
The Trib’s assertions are not even true. Sure, Dillard has been bashing Rauner, who has replied in-kind. But Brady and especially Rutherford have taken a more restrained approach. And Schrimpf’s latest release is just a simplistic cut-and-paste from his Republican Governors Association days. Frankly, it is the Trib’s reluctance to cover this race in a substantive and fulsome manner that causes candidates to have to throw bombs to be noticed. When the Times comes up with its full-blown Chicago section we will not really notice the Trib’s passing. Bruce Dold should be ashamed.

Comment by chad Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:04 pm
Beat Up Bruce Time: Do you want to continue to talk about Brady, Dillard & Rutherford or do you want to tell us what Rauner was doing during that time??

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:06 pm
=== “Pat Quinn-Lite.” ===

Does this mean Mr. Rauner is “Rahm Emanuel-lite”?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:06 pm
Rich nails it. the three musketeers would have something to complain about if any of them was actually presenting some substantive ideas beyond “I can beat Pat Quinn.”

Comment by NoIdeas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:08 pm
@veritas…..

Education, Eduction Education

Comment by Beat up Bruce Time--Cant get enough of it!! Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:11 pm
Pointing out the facts,

Bruce Rauner denied a Worthy Child to attend Payton Prep over his own Daughter.

Bruce Rauner has given tens of thousands of Dollars to the likes of Rich Daley, Ed Rendell, Rahm Emaunel.

Bruce Rauner vacationed with Rahm Emanuel at least once, and calls that “nothing”

Bruce Rauner took a $600K loss on farming, and no explanation?

Bruce Rauner’s company paid money to Stu Levine.

Can you dispute them???

Or do you want us to continue to talk about his watch and jacket, so you don;t have to answer these facts?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:13 pm
@Beat-Up Bruce Time–Cant Get Enough of It!! - did you seriously just copy and paste a Rauner campaign press release from a few days ago?

90% of which was literally word-for-word?

SMH

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:16 pm
Interesting the Trib doesn’t want to hear any criticism. I guess they believe that’s their purview; they’ll dish it out, but won’t listen to anyone else’s critical evidence or judgement.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:18 pm
To the post - it’s like some of these guys completely missed the 2012 presidential primary.

Draw enough blood from each other and all it will get you is a nice seat at Pat Quinn’s swearing-in ceremony.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:18 pm
@==Beat up Bruce Time–Cant get enough of it!!Pointing out the facts==

Bruce Rauner … Pay to play Pension Clouter…Stuart Levine benefactor … placing Nursing Home profits before senior care… Payton Prep Clouter…Lason, Inc. pumper and dumper….Vote for me….

Comment by Samurai Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:21 pm
with the Trib defending him again why not just call him Hearst-lite?

Comment by PoolGuy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:23 pm
It is not only not going to stop, it is going to get much worse, especially from Rauner. I coni use to point out that outside of Mike Z, Rauner’s top people are from out of state. He can fade into the money if he loses, and being rich he his a political chooser not a beggar. None of them will have to face anyone in the Illinois GOP in future years over what they do now. The Tribune is making an appeal against the thunderstorm.

Comment by Percival Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:40 pm
There was a time when the Tribune I remember would have broken the stories that we have read from bloggers, instead of playing cath-up to them.

I am not sure why the group is appearing before the editorial board en masse. The decision was made last year. Since none of the other three are going to get the endorsement anyway, I hope they ignore Mother Tribune’s admonishments and do NOT let Rauner hide behind her skirt tails.

Coordinate the attacks with verified facts, make him defend the “I’m very involved ’til there’s trouble and then I know nuttin’” flip flops. And for God’s sake, Danny needs to join in. Enough of the Eddie Haskell stuff.

Comment by LincolnLounger Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:45 pm
Just tear off the band aid and endorse the guy and stop pretending to be impartial.

Comment by Obama's Puppy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:45 pm
When I think of Bruce Rauner’s bid for Governor, I can’t help but recall Sir Thomas More’s famous quote to Richard Rich, “But for Wales, Rich - but for Wales!!” When Rauner came upon the scene, the Illinois GOP was lacking a party leader and resources with which to wage campaigns against the most unpopular Governor in the country and his fellow Dems who contributed to the economic demise of the State. The Dems owned it. They had veto-proof majorities in both chambers. The GOP had credible candidates in Dillard, Brady & Rutherford and rising stars like Aaron Schock, Adam Kinziger & Rodney Davis. Rauner could have provided both the leadership and the resources needed to revitalize the party and ensure victory in 2014. Doing so would have put him on the national map. But as John Belushi would say, “Noooooooooooo,” Rauner decided that if he dried up the resources and divided the party by attacking its most credible candidates that he could win the primary and perhaps the general election. He began by funding attacks on Schock - of all people, as he feared him most as a rival for Governor. He eschewed any attempts at party unity. Ergo: If he wins - what was the real cost to the party?? It is very doubtful he can win the general election. The message to any current and future GOP candidates will be that money, not ideas and principals will rule the day. Roeser, Gidwitz, Uihlien, Griffin et al is neither grass roots support, nor is it diversity. It is the brand that has hampered the party in the past - most recently in the 2014 Presidential Election. If Rauner wins - it will be his fellow gazillionaires who deserted the party to jump on his bandwagon. That will be the brand of the Illinois GOP and it isn’t the new brand everyone seemed to agree was needed after 2014. Have we become more inclusive?? Have we demonstrated an empathy for the working classes?? Can Independent and Democratic voters needed for general election victory identify with our candidate?? But for the Governor’s Mansion Rauner - But for the Governor’s Mansion!!

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:49 pm
@Beat Up Bruce Time

I think if Rauner had been in Springfield the last two decades, he would have done less harm to society overall than he has.

Certainly those folks in the nursing home would not have died when they did.

Comment by CollegeStudent Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 12:50 pm
- veritas -,

I have a barstool open next to me, anytime.

If you are a Republican, I’ll split a precinct with you too.

To - veritas -,

I guess, as the “3″ gave up their lone comodity, time, since State Fair, the very abily case laid out by - veritas - should sound the alarm and maybe wake up those thinking the 2014 John Kass is helping, when all Kass is doing is destroying the idea of building again.

Good on you, - veritas -, very well explained where My Party is, was, failing, and failed.

Can My Party survive is going to be the question.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:02 pm
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:02 pm:

- veritas -,

I have a barstool open next to me, anytime.

++++++++

Me, too, although it is probably a less desirable seat.

Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:10 pm
O.W. Thanks & it is our party, by the way. Can it survive?? They say you have to hit bottom before you can recover and we all assumed that we had hit bottom in 2014. You know what they say about spelling assume. Only Lewis Carroll could have written the script whereby people like Roeser, Gidwitz, Griffin et al thought that what we needed was a gazillionaire candidate with NINE homes to help us make the party more inclusive. I guess Romney’s shortcoming was he only had 3!! Basic math says that we need Independents and Dems. to cross over for any statewide victory. The pundits seem to confuse $$ with votes. $200,000 for Dan Rutherford likely means 10,000 votes - or more. $1 million from Rauner = 1. IF he became Governor, where is any coalition to lead going to come from?? He will have destroyed his own party and alienated everyone else. It will be 4 years of incredible gridlock - 4 MORE years and voters will recover from their Rauner hangovers and say, “What the %&$# was I thinking about??” Keep up the good fight. We need you.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:13 pm
Cincinnatus:

It will be an honor indeed. I’ve yet to find an undesirable bar seat. The worst one was - wonderful!!

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:15 pm
- veritas -,

The “My” is possessive; I own even the Dopey things the ILGOP does and says. I can’t and won’t shrink away, even when the ILGOP makes decisions that make little sense, or defeat the purpose of trying to govern. No distrespct intended. I would rather just “own” it, instead of it being thrown at me.

- Cincinnatus -, my friend, we are almost at a corssroads. Unless somethng changes, I may have to go Smilin’ Jack Ross…

“The ‘3′ are going down, Cinci. I can’t stop it anymore.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:21 pm
O.W.: Rauner has “lived by the sword” with his attacks thus far. Let’s see how he fares as the swords turn on him. Methinks there is a LOT more dirty laundry to be aired. It is deeply regrettable that there are no party elders who can get the “3″ in a smoke filled room. My humble opinion is that Brady should drop out. If he did, I believe that Dillard & Tracy (emphasis upon AND) would carry the day. Dan is a nice guy - almost terminally nice, but I’m not sure he will know what to do when he finally stops campaigning - which is all that he has done for the past 4 years. Rauner can only win if the vote is divided 4 ways. Ergo: We could have a Gazillionaire candidate who got only 30% of the GOP primary vote against “Everyman” Quinn in the general. The reason incumbency is so powerful is simply “The Devil you know….” Advantage Quinn in that fight.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:35 pm
I still have optimism. The ground game is crucial, as you say. But there are new ways to skin a cat, and identify those plusses. Once the barstool opens up…

Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:38 pm
- Cincinnatus -,

Keep plugging. Run a good GOTV, and any of the “3″ can do it, but you can’t talk about doing it… You never know who could be sittng next to you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:41 pm
If Trib can’t get GOP hopefuls for governor to listen to their editorials, it kinda proves nobody cares what the Trib ed board says, doesn’t it?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:43 pm
Maybe the Trib should ask all 4 what will you do to bolster the nominee if you lose the primary. Normally i’d be a jerk question to ask but man would i like to see Rauners answer. I suspect his answer would be “write big check to PQ”

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:57 pm
I’d should be it’d

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 1:58 pm
Well, I’d say OW hits. their only resource is time. No ideas.

Seriously, I don’t know who to vote for because I don’t believe any of these guys has presented a coherent plan. Rich’s statement is correct. Platitudes only. I’d feel a little more sympathy for those guys if they were fighting for some idea beyond I’m not Bruce Rauner.

Maybe that doesn’t matter to people.

Comment by NoIdeas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 2:05 pm
No Ideas: Here’s the point: Any Republican Governor is going to confront a Senate & House controlled by a Democratic majority. Maybe not super-majorities, but majorities. Mike Madigan is going to be Speaker and John Cullerton will be President of the Senate. The ONLY way anything will get done is for the Governor to be able to forge bi-partisan coalitions. The times dictate the leaders. Fire and brimstone, hammering and shaking won’t work. They may sound good on the campaign trail, but they are non-starters in the real light of day. In Dillard, Rutherford and Brady we have 3 of the most well-liked and respected politicians in Springfield - on both sides of the aisle. Any one of them would be a great “man for the times” and a great candidate to defeat Quinn. The problem is that if one of them, at least, doesn’t drop out - all 3 could lose and we would be left with Rauner who is just the antithesis of what the next Governor should be. He wants to hammer and shake up Springfield. The Illinois voters have been hammered and shaken enough. They want someone to tell them when the hammering and the shaking is going to stop!!!

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 2:23 pm
it isnt just the three musketeers spending time sniping at each other. the baron has been using exaggerated language against everyone in sight.

the three musketeers have been sniping at baron von brucey, bec the established media have not held him accountable for his platitudes and shortcomings. show me where he has fleshed out in some detail, and defended, even one of his proposals. dont just lump them in w Q, prove your charges. they have records that go back 20 years of more. back it up. dont just call them names. make your case.

meanwhile, rauner sounds like: mommy, mommy, they are being mean to me. make them stop. now. dont they know i am impenetrable?

Comment by langhorne Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:02 pm
=Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for Bruce Rauner’s campaign. “The fact is all three candidates have spent more than twenty years in Springfield pushing a jobs-killing agenda with more taxes and increased spending.” =

This is the kind of “messaging” that millions buys you today? (Not surprised with the standards that have been set.) I’d imagine that even those who’d admit they do not have a clue re: economics, finances, math, etc. would intuitively know there’s something wrong with this statement.

Exactly what is a “jobs-killing agenda,” Mr. Schrimpf? To those whose jobs were “killed” for good, it seems to look an awful lot like companies being rewarded for off-shoring–which increases the US workforces’ need for additional spending while eliminating their ability to contribute to the taxes that are collected.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:13 pm
Anon: You’ll have to give Bruce a pass for not understanding how government works - or the concept of one Senator and one Rep. = one vote. In his business, the Golden rule is “He who has the gold makes the rules!” Until Illinois reverts back to the bi-partisan state it was nothing will get done unless Mike Madigan - not Bombastic Brucey - dictates it. Brucey obviously isn’t good at math.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:23 pm
And if that could even possibly be the case, Mr. Schrimpf, WHO is responsible for killing off those jobs, how, and why?

To ask the question another way, just how much of a “reformer” and what type of a “reformer” is Mr. Rauner claiming to be?

I think you’re going to have to come up with something a bit more solid than cute little catch phrases like “job killing agendas” (cue the scary music) to convince some.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:32 pm
=You’ll have to give Bruce a pass for not understanding how government works….=

I’m under the impression that Mr. Rauner is quite familiar with how “government works” and that he now wants to be on the other side of it.

As a Republican, I used to believe that that was a good thing; that we should jump at the opportunities where people like Mr. Rauner kindly sacrifice…whatever to run for office.

That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore for me. The “extremes” in wealthy contributors’ roles in making “government work” have just become too extreme lately for my tastes. And in some cases, way too prevalent and obvious on the R side, too.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:39 pm
Boys pay no attention at all to Tribune editorials, get out there and bash Rauner. Its all good for lucky Pat!

Comment by Rod Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:42 pm
Anon: That was said tongue firmly in cheek.

Comment by veritas Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:43 pm
Rod

Right so the 3 should meekly accept Rauner bashing them at every oppurtunity because? Maybe just maybe they think PQ is going to mop the floor with Brucey. (not hard to see look up 2012) Or maybe they just think that they are better candidates for Gov than Rauner (also not hard to see). All anyone of them needs is 1% point more than the rest to win.

Old Brucey is whining because he is afraid. It’s better his negatives are aired now then in the General the others are stupid not to paint him. After all Quinn will have all the cannons loaded to sink the Rauner campaign.

Comment by Mason born Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 3:55 pm
Perhaps the Tribune could focus on trying to determine whether there’s any connection between all of the violence they report in their articles to job loss, it’s effect on our society, and whether the long-term results will be reversible once the new industry or profession that returns overall “affluence” to our Nation is identified and “implemented.”

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:05 pm
I might honestly read them again if they were to do that because I couldn’t care less about their opinions pertaining to for whom I should vote.

They lost that credibility long ago when their slip started to show as well.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 4:07 pm
The Raunerbots remind me of the Cam Brady office when the campaign director resigned out of disgust and Cam Brady picked a college intern to be his next campaign manager. Idealistic parrots with zero, zero comprehension of the reality of governing. Rauner wants to be a Governor but he doesn’t want to govern. What ticked me off about the Trib editorial is that it’s maliciously untrue. Not all of the “3″ have been sniping at each other. Show me where Rutherford has gone negative on Rauner, other than calling him out in a debate for saying something untrue? That’s not an attack, it’s a rebuttal. Sure, Dillard (God bless him for doing it) has been on the attack and Brady has attacked a little, but appears more statesman than 4 years ago. What my state needs is to heal, not to keep bleeding. To accomplish that, we need a Governor who is calm under pressure, a Governor who understands that hard working people who happen to be in a union are not evil and doesn’t insult them, doesn’t wave hammers around like their a belt ready to whip a disobedient child. Poll tested buzz words are cute, but we need someone who KNOWS how to work with a democratic-majority legislature, who is a realist and knows how to restore credibility to the office itself. In short, it needs not someone who has sucked off the trough and made millions, but someone who genuinely wants to improve the lives of people, of seniors, of children, of those in nursing homes, and has a strategic plan on how to manage the state. Rauner doesn’t have a plan other than his poll-tested buzz words. Dillard and Rutherford would probably be the best but only Rutherford has the best chance in reality. He is someone that has a good message and is incredibly smart and honest and hard working. But that doesn’t sell newspapers…

Comment by woodchuck Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 7:34 pm
Oh, yes, yes, yes, woodchuck. We all know. Rutherford is suuuuuuuuuuuuuch a nice guy. *rolls eyes*

By those standards alone he’s going to make a great governor and OMG deserves it.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 8:53 pm
Yeah Schrimpf, that Edgar fella was a real job-killer, all right. Not.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Jan 30, 14 @ 9:25 pm