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New Quinn ad sparks Dem criticism

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Illinois

* As noted below, Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad in part touts his veto of General Assembly salaries…

And when legislators refused to fix the pension crisis,

Pat Quinn stopped their paychecks cold, and refused his own, until the job was done.

That’s the test of leadership.

* Well, there’s been some blowback…

[House Speaker Michael Madigan’s] spokesman Steve Brown questioned why Quinn would use the paycheck issue in an ad.

“I don’t think its a good example because it didn’t work,” Brown said. “It was not a well-thought-out strategy. And then it was proved to be illegal.”

The ad also raised the eyebrows of state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, who has complained before that Quinn often uses the Legislature as a whipping post.

“It’s always easy to make someone else the bad guy,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said voters should be prepared to see similar claims coming from the Rauner camp as the election moves into its final 100 days.

“I just think its part and parcel of what politics has become,” Jacobs said. “It’s become more show than go.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:34 pm

Comments

It did work, at least it worked as a PR piece for Quinn. His victory no matter what Brown or Jacob says. We all know what Quinn did was unconstitutional - like Brown’s boss knows pension reduction was unconstitutional, but it gave Quinn an opportunity to look forceful.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:41 pm
The paycheck veto was popular when it happened, and it got the Tribbies to cheer, but it’s way old news and it accomplished nothing. Long-time forgotten, waste of precious time in the spot.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:42 pm
My exact same thoughts! Quinn boasts about suspending the paychecks, but never admitted that a court decision demonstrated that he was wrong to do so.

Comment by Under Further Review Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:43 pm
Jacobs preferred his run-ins with Blagojevich.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:47 pm
Bragging about something illegal. That’s “leadership?”

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:50 pm
“I just think its part and parcel of what politics has become,” Jacobs said. “It’s become more show than go.”

Yeah, like advisory referendums about increasing the minimum wage, voter suppression, and taxing other people more..

Tell me some more about this show vs go oh member of the legislature…

Pot have I introduced you to kettle yet?

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:52 pm
It was a populist windfall, albeit unconstitutional and probably rivals “Squeezy” as on of Quinn’s Dopiest Moments, but it served a self-serving purpose, and is as much of a boon to voters and uneducated on why it was Dopey, it’s a reminder that the constitution above anything else, is the most important in governing for the people of Illinois.

“Yea!” “Boo!” …Whatever!

Ignorance reigns(?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 1:55 pm
Go through the voter rolls and see how many people loved the veto of paychecks. Even lots of people who know it didn’t really work love it just as a measure of spite.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:05 pm
I think Steve Brown just wrote the script to Rauner’s response.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:06 pm
I have a sneaky feeling someone was going to call him on this. The fact it happened so soon is a bit of a surprise. The folks who depend on that salary the most aren’t amused and didn’t forget. Spiking the ball on it is more than some of them might be able to take. They might be scarce when the Gov visits those wards and districts.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:06 pm
So the Dems in the House are all going to be talking about what a pleasure it has been to work with their beloved Gov?

Come on. There is an election. If Quinn can get re-elected by throwing generic Dems under the bus, he’s going to do so, and if Dems can get re-elected by promising to stand up to Quinn, they are going to do so.

Either of them taking it personally is sort of a joke. It is an election. Tough it out.

Comment by Gooner Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:08 pm
Interesting thing PQ did. He unconstitutionally withheld payment to legislators who then went running to the courts armed with their constitutional protections. However, these same people are challenging other Illinois citizens constitutional rights apparently because they think others shouldn’t have that protection. Funny thing, that constitution. This ad brings back to mind the reason why those affected by pension “reform”, aka repeated theft, should not reelect the one who claims to be placed on earth to hurt the people dedicated to working for him and citizens of this state. A big NO THANKS at election time will tell him what others think of his attacks on his own citizens.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:15 pm
Show of hands of everyone who believed that Pat “Populist” Quinn wouldn’t use an extremely popular tactic in his gubernatorial bid.

Also, I’d like to echo all the pot/kettle sentiments; every politician plays the “look at what I tried to do (forget how far it actually went)” game.

Comment by McDouble Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:18 pm
More show than go. It plays well on balance with the average voter.

Kinda like claiming you will freeze everyone’s property taxes.

If Rauner is watching, let this be a lesson that any Governor couldn’t push this legislature around and expect to force his agenda.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:22 pm
I’m sorry you feel that way Mike “mr. ComEd” Jacobs

Comment by foster brooks Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:23 pm
Does anyone know what the cost of the lawsuit was to the state? Bring up how much money was wasted and he may pull the ad pretty quick. Did it cost us the same as one or two new doors for the Capitol building?

Comment by Retired Contractor Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:31 pm
PQ has always favored the sizzle over the steak. He will continue to show his actions are for the little guy whether they legal or not, constitutional or not.

Comment by Bogey Golfer Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:33 pm
To add irony to irony, Quinn was trying an unconstitutional maneuver to prod the GA into passing an unconstitutional law; the first which got thrown out by the SC, and the second of which is 99.9% certain of being tossed. Meantime, what happened to the $millions per day we are losing for each day the “solution” is delayed? If time is of the essence, it sure looks like everyone is fiddling around and watching Rome burn.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:33 pm
+1 @Six Degrees…

I couldn’t believe he put that illegal withholding of legislative pay in his own campaign ad.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:44 pm
This outfit doesn’t just throw things at the wall to see what will stick.

I will assume this message was tested and focused. It must move numbers or they wouldn’t use it. I am sure they calculated the possible earned media blow back.

Earned media isn’t what it used to be.

I’ll take a paid message (as long as it is large enough) over possible earned media blow back.

Biggest worry would be creating an opportunity to bring up NRI again.

Comment by Moderate Repub Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:46 pm
Well, it’ll also be ironic and hypocritical for Rauner to wag a finger at Quinn for his “failure of leadership” when he’s been threatening to “shake up Springfield” and stop kowtowing to the GA. Not that that’ll stop him. At some point, irony becomes plain ol’ inconsistency and anything goes, and that’s the order of the day.

Comment by Commander Norton Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:47 pm
Jacobs is doing the right thing. I assume Quinn numbers in his district are as awful as they are everywhere else outside of Chicago.

Quinn = mudd

Comment by Moderate Repub Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:48 pm
===more show than go===

The perfect motto for PQ’s administration. What was he thinking?

Comment by Ken_in_Aurora Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:52 pm
Not good when Madigan’s spokesman and key Democrat rebuke their own Governor. And didn’t the legislature attempt to fix the pension crisis and Quinn signed the bill? Maybe, Quinn was for it before he was against or against it before he was for it. Only the low information voters will get it. Unfortunately, their are lots and lots of them.

Comment by Apocolypse Now Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 2:56 pm
I will say it only once week… Are PQ’S public relations folks on the Rauner payroll? Down double digits. Pick the unconstitutional action of almost a year ago? This is the best he’s got?

Comment by Walter Mitty Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 3:15 pm
This very clear evidence of Democrat-on-Democrat uproar and internal dissension must be making Rick Newton’s day! How perfect to have this happen right after Rick’s “rant”.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 3:18 pm
Has there been any word on the media buys for this ad?

Comment by JC Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 3:19 pm
==Are PQ’S public relations folks on the Rauner payroll?==
Seems to me that they are doing quite well, actually. Minimum wage, a millionaire tax, and withholding the pay of state legislators were all discussed in the last few days.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 3:53 pm
Robert the Bruce, as to your third point did you read Rich’s content introducing this thread before you commented?

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:00 pm
Quinn needs to regain his “populist/outsider” mojo with the voters … and if he can do that, it doesn’t matter who gets run over.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:01 pm
RNUG–do you see any problems in his being able to reclaim his “outsider mojo” when everybody knows he has been governor for six years? You can be an outsider for years and years until you become an insider. But once you’re already there it’s awfully hard to play the old outsider card with any believability, I think.

Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:20 pm
This ad is intended for the low information voters, which are most of the voters. The ad works and will continue to work. Objections, such as they are, will air on the news and be missed or forgotten in a MEGO haze…boring…ho, hum!

Rauner, or anyone else, can only try to rebut by repeating it, which will serve to reinforce the message.

Smart ad by the Quinn folks.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:25 pm
Graded it a C+/B-. Populist for sure. What does the average glance get you? No pension work, no pay. Message received. Success. Good first outing.

Comment by Toure's Latte Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:30 pm
Response Ad: Then they sued you Governor, and they got all their back pay…plus interest. Way to hammer ‘em.

They learned a lesson alright. Just not the one he was teaching.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:38 pm
Responsa - Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:20 pm:

Quinn will have a bit of a problem pushing that message … but remember, he managed to successfully push that message for around 30 - 35 years after having been an insider for a few years.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:48 pm
Genius by Quinn to blindside members of his own party.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:51 pm
A Guy, I suspect the Rauner crew is smart enough not to cut a spot about how Quinn got sued for withholding legislators paychecks.

No one’s that lucky.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:53 pm
The majority of voters were happy he did this no matter the legality. Also, the majority of voters have no idea that Quinn’s actions did absolutely nothing. All voters know is that Springfield is bad. So everyone this election cycle runs against Springfield, kind of stupid, but so are most voters.

Comment by The Truth Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 4:58 pm
The paycheck withholding was a stupid, illegal stunt, and I can’t believe he would use it in an ad. Pat Quinn’s condescending view of the intelligence of Illinois voters is insulting. It’s Blagoesque to brag in an ad about something you did that was found by a Court to have been illegal. Sheesh, who’s running this campaign?

Comment by orzo Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 5:07 pm
You can use almost any good story on the Illinois electorate, and if it sounds good, it will work, facts be darned. I was in the boonies of northwest Illinois yesterday talking to a seemingly intelligent local businessman. He knew who Quinn was, but thought there were 4-5 Republican candidates battling it out to oppose him in November. Incredulous, I asked him about Rauner, and was informed that Rauner was a liberal demo trying to pass himself off as a conservative repub. At that point, I decided to give it up. You guys on this site think the public knows something about what is going on in Springfield when in fact most are clueless. Pols like Quinn make careers out of this ignorance.

Comment by Skirmisher Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 5:29 pm
==- Skirmisher - Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 5:29 pm:==

And Rauner’s hundreds of thousands of contributions to the “liberal demo” crowd mean what?

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 5:34 pm
Quinn has a tough road to hoe and needs some allies. One of his traditional allies has been the Unions. I understand that Quinn received the endorsement of the AFL-CIO. I talk to AFSCME members and many of them don’t want to vote for either of the two candidates. Some will hold their noses and vote for Quinn but others will not vote for either. There are others who won’t forget how shabbily Quinn has treated them the last 6 years and want to get some payback. There is more apathy among Dems this election and some of those referendums are on the ballot for no other reason than to attract more Democratic voters. Historically I’ve seen candidates rally from double digit deficits with 2 months to go but in this case I think the headwinds are too strong and I look for Rauner to win.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 5:41 pm
Quinn is desperate. He really does count on his electorate not being thinkers and not much on gathering facts. This state is in trouble in every area. Quinn has promised and promised and even promised more and delivered nothing but more pork as he tries to buy votes using dollars that must be borrowed.

Many people know that court costs along with interest paid to all the Legislators who had their checks held. It was illegal for him to do so just as many of Quinn’s other actions are. Every check he hands out around the state is to garner votes which is one of several things that Pat Quinn is being currently investigated on. Quinn is going down so hopefully Illinois voters do not reflect the criminal only to have him put in jail while serving. One Blagojevich is too much. Besides, then Paul Vallas would become Governor then Illinois might as well throw up the white flag.

Comment by Drummer boy 1 Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 6:16 pm
=== Genius by Quinn to blindside members of his own party. ===

YDD, if you mean he didn’t give his leaders a heads up about the ad, I’m sure you’re right. Everybody who has taken a government class knew he was going to use this stunt to highlight his - cough, cough - leadership skills.

If Quinn cared about his relationship to his party’s legislative members, he wouldn’t have pulled the stunt in the first place.

By the way, genius and Quinn are not two words I’d use together.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 6:18 pm
i like quinn, made some suffer without a paycheck, tightened the belt on pension, has shown leadership and made unpopular choices on the powers that be, so ss and pension will not be taxed i will thank you with my vote after rauner gives me a ride to the polls

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 6:30 pm
Politician breaks law, brags about it. Only in Illinois.

Comment by Rufus Tuesday, Jul 29, 14 @ 6:56 pm
Sure, he’s taking shots at his fellow Dems. They got it coming. How much have they helped him? Rauner’s people love all this Democratic in-fighting.

Comment by Sometimes it hurts Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 6:30 am
i like quinn, made some suffer without a paycheck,

I on the other hand think one branch of government taking action so another branch of government would not get paid until specific action was taken strikes me as a dangerous abuse of power that could in the future be used for other issues.

When it comes down to it, that is why I could never vote for Pat Quinn. The very concept of what he did goes against the basics of a multi-branch democracy.

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 8:52 am
@OneMan, I think that is a valid point you make. There is a reason that several branches of government which is separation of powers. It is not a good thing when you have one branch in effect trying to influence another branch to do what they want them to do by withholding their pay check. To continue the court rules that it was illegal. To expand on that, what he was pushing them to accomplish, which was pension reform which reduced retirees benefits, will also be ruled illegal probably sometime next year.

Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 9:30 am