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Not gonna be a Rome “reset” for Rauner and Madigan

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Illinois

Republican Gov. Rauner said he is hoping a trip to the Vatican will help him push “reset” with Democratic leaders he has spent the last two years battling with over the state’s finances.

Rauner said Friday that he and his wife, Diana, accepted an invitation from Mayor Emanuel to travel to Rome later this week as Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich is elevated to the rank of cardinal.

Rauner said other members of the traveling party will include House Speaker Michael Madigan and his wife, Shirley; Senate President John Cullerton and his wife, Pam; as well as Democratic Comptroller-elect Susana Mendoza, who defeated Republican Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger in last week’s election.

“This is a big deal. I am very excited,” Rauner said. “It will be an opportunity to spend time together for, I think, four days, which will be great.”

Apparently, the governor spoke too soon. Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown told me this morning that Madigan and Shirley aren’t going on the trip. But Brown repeatedly emphasized that he didn’t want the no-show to reflect negatively on Cupich’s big event.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:31 am

Comments

“At least I told you where I was going this time!”-Fake Bruce Rauner

Comment by Romeo Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:34 am
Who’s meeting will the Speaker attend?

Comment by A guy Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:34 am
So are you saying there will be no smoke coming out of the Vatican indicating Illinois has a full year budget?

Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:35 am
Exorcisms for everybody!

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:36 am
That bunker is getting pretty deep. Might be closer to China than Illinois right now.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:36 am
Long plane ride and four days with Bruce. I think I would figure out how to avoid that trip too.

Comment by A Jack Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:47 am
It’s a long flight to Rome, here’s some suggested reading for Governor Rauner: the Catholic social doctrine, Rerum Novarum, also known as the Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rerum_novarum

Comment by Roman Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:56 am
MJM, leading from the shadows. What a guy.

Comment by Jackie Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:58 am
Darn! I was really excited at the prospect of Rauner, Madigan, and Rahm all being out of the state at once. We coulda gotten some crap DONE!

Comment by Arsenal Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:58 am
Yet another subtle win for Rauner in the PR world. The repeated short story is, Rauner is trying … while Madigan continues to hide and ignore Illinois’ issues. Madigan’s caucus is watching their strange leader; and hearing frustration about it from their constituents.

Comment by Deft Wing Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:59 am
Four days with Rauner? Are you kidding?

Good god. A great occasion, but I can’t think of a worse way to spend 96 hours.

Well, okay. Sitting in a Trump transition office with Steve Bannon. That’d be worse. But only by a smidge.

Comment by Bobby Catalpa Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 10:59 am
This “discussion” is devolving into a bad Lifetime movie.

“Gee, I was really hoping Mike and I could reconnect on a trip to Rome. I was really sad when he couldn’t make that meeting. I even reached out with some sweet talk in that collectivist Crain’s rag that has been so mean to me. Dear Oprah, what more can a fella do?”

Propose a budget, in which revenues and expenditures are in balance. That would be a good start.

AKA, do your job.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:04 am
Must be another “schedule conflict” for the Speaker. At least Rauner is in good company in terms of who the Speaker refuses meetings with.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:07 am
Attention Rauner staffers. Here’s a quote on labor unions you might want to add to the governor’s Vatican briefing book:

“And the church has never made a distinction between private and public sectors of the work,” he added.

“Work and unions are important not simply for what a worker ‘gets,’ but how they enable a worker to provide for a family and participate in the workplace and society. Unions are important not simply for helping workers get more, but helping workers be more, to have a voice, a place to make a contribution to the good of the enterprise, to fellow workers and the whole of society.”

- Bishop Cupich, National Catholic Reporter, 9/18/2015

Comment by Roman Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:17 am
Any truth to the rumor Speaker Madigan decided to just stay home and watch the proceedings on Facebook Live?

Comment by Bleugrass Boy Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:18 am
=Propose a budget, in which revenues and expenditures are in balance. That would be a good start.=

Not enough people understand or care about creating a balanced budget and who is actually supposed to propose one. That is sad.

Rauner and crew have been able to use MJM’s stubbornness against him and obfuscate the issue.

BVR “That bad ole Madigan won’t meet with me and compromise.” And people are buying it.

Actions and words. They never follow for BVR. Hard to say the same for Madigan sometimes since his words are so few.

The Democratic party needs to find a compelling voice or we will never find balance in Illinois.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:21 am
I’m thinking what’s really going on here is Madigan is given up his and Shirley’s seats on the plane. Those seats have now been given to Emily Miller and Father Pfleger who Bruce and Diana will enjoy sitting next to for the duration of the flight.

Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:22 am
===Those seats have now been given to Emily Miller and Father Pfleger===

I’d pay good money to see that.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:23 am
LP and Guy, nice that you can reduce the ceremony at the Vatican for the elevation of cardinals to the usual shallow partisan hackery.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:25 am
GMAB, I passed along your suggestion to Brownie.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:26 am
The Labor Board is supposed to hand down it’s ruling regarding the impasse with AFSCME tomorrow. I know it is a long shot but maybe a miracle will occur on this trip and Rauner will have a “come to Jesus”.

Comment by Small Town Girl Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:45 am
Sling, wish I could go in anyone’s place who didn’t wish to attend. I’d love to be there. I’d gladly pay my own way. (I don’t have a campaign account, so I’d have to! lol)

Comment by A guy Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:53 am
Good Italian food and lots of wine in a romantic location might bring them all together again.

Comment by NoGifts Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:57 am
Thanks Rich, LOL.

Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 11:58 am
Blase, throw some holy water around the capital.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 2:17 pm
Maybe Rome’s transit workers will call a strike the day Rauner gets there, just for fun.

Comment by Nick Name Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 4:46 pm
Cardinal-Elect, you bring the tank of holy water. I’ll line up a few power washers. Sanctification of the Capitol is not a small job. The job will be good practice for when you decide to take on City Hall and the County Building.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 7:22 pm
On the bright side, now the governor will have four full days to explain to future Cardinal Cupich how reneging on millions in contracts he signed with Catholic Charities is in the spirit of The Gospels and for the greater good.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 14, 16 @ 7:32 pm