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* Gov. Rauner reacted quickly to this week’s storms…
Gov. Bruce Rauner surveyed the damage from Wednesday’s tornadoes in North Central Illinois.
At least one person was killed and 14 were injured in Tuesday evening’s severe storms.
76-year-old Wayne Tuntland was killed in Ottawa by a falling tree, local police confirm, and Saint Elizabeth Medical Center reports they received 14 patients as a result of the storm with injuries to the head, knee and arm areas.
Rauner talked with victims and emergency responders while looking over homes and businesses in Ottawa and Naplate.
Rauner promised to offer state assistance and urged insurance companies to move quickly to help victims.
* More…
Early Tuesday evening Gov. Rauner activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield to ensure state personnel and equipment would be ready to be quickly deployed if needed.
“Fortunately there was a good warning system and people knew that the storms were developing and they were coming,” Rauner said.
Two people were killed in Illinois and more than a dozen others were injured. Another person also died in Missouri while the violent storm system tore across many areas of the upper Midwest. […]
“It could have been a lot worse,” Gov. Rauner said Wednesday. “We have to count our blessings.”
* And his damage tour continues today…
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner planned to survey storm damage Thursday in White County, which was among the areas hit hard by Midwest storms that spawned tornadoes.
Rauner’s visit to Southern Illinois on Thursday follows a tour on Wednesday of storm damage in central Illinois including Ottawa, where an uprooted tree killed 76-year-old Wayne Tuntland. […]
Rauner was scheduled to attend a briefing with officials at 11 a.m. in Carmi, which is in southeast Illinois, then survey damage in Elkville, which is on U.S. 51 south of Du Quoin.
* The governor posted a video on his Facebook page. I made a copy so I could post it here…
Heartbreaking.
* The video got a bunch of positive comments like this one…
Thank you Governor Rauner for touring the towns that were affected by the severe storms. You’re the most compassionate governor and you actually care for downstate.
The man truly knows how to use social media. That video was very well done. But maybe it’s just a little too well done, too tightly edited and too melodramatic with that somber music. He did good work yesterday. He’s doing good work today. Do we really need something like this?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:20 am
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You’re complaining that the video quality was too nice and music too somber on a video they put out regarding storms in which people died? Good grief
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:23 am
Just like Trump and Chief Owens widow. The presence of production reveals the perfidy.
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:24 am
===You’re complaining that the video quality was too nice and music too somber on a video they put out regarding storms in which people died?===
Yep. To my eyes, it looked like an ad.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:26 am
Politics, government and show business have now merged and become indistinguishable. This is the new normal.
Comment by up2now Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:27 am
The running around the State looking at disaster areas is part of the job. However, the video comes across as being tone deaf.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:29 am
“Crisis creates opportunity.”
“Crisis creates leverage to change…and we’ve got to use that leverage of the crisis …”
Comment by Name Withheld Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:31 am
No good deed goes unpunished
Comment by Texas Red Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:31 am
I suppose taking a few polaroids (not phone camera, too fancy), scanning them in and covered with a scratchy tape recording of the speakers would’ve shown proper respect to the situation
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:32 am
Its politics.
Politics suck, but can have silver lining.
Lets not bash our elected officials when they try to do the right thing.
Lets not revictimize families who are suffering because politics prevent us from accepting that the political leader raising them to our attention, benefits from doing so.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:33 am
Promoting awareness helps immensely when mobilizing volunteers and support for the affected communities. When tornadoes went through Lee/Dekalb and surrounding areas, the community support was incredibly helpful. First responders got fed, garbage got removed, clean-up and demolition were done for free.
Governors are in a unique position to help get the word out and drive up awareness. If this particular governor is putting some extra care into that particular duty, good for him. As someone who has done (albeit very, very minor) support during such situations, don’t think this is too far at all.
I would like to see, at the end of the video, a list of how one could help. Directing aid is important; too many people try to help and can actually hinder the logistics and stress of first responders or clean-up/support crews. Directing people toward the best ways to support IEMA, etc, would be a good touch.
Comment by Liandro Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:33 am
Anything that shines a light on what these communities are facing in their rebuild should be applauded.
Comment by give em break Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:33 am
Maybe a tornado should hit a Chicago public school. Maybe then he can acts like he cares there too.
Comment by Rogue Roni Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:34 am
HELLLOOOOO!!! Touring the state after a disaster is part of his job. Capitalizing on tragedy is not. So gross.
Comment by FIREDup! Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:34 am
The quality of the video is not connected to the intensity of the Governor’s response. I would expect Rauner to have a good video team.
Mayor Daley used to have his personal photographer, his job was to photograph the Mayor at all events. The technology changes, not the desire of politicians to look good.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:36 am
I’m with Rich. This has a little too much “hey everybody, look what a great guy I am” to it.
Comment by Riley Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:36 am
This team never stops campaigning, NEVER.
Comment by Higher Ed Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:39 am
Governors own.
Governors own the sincere good they do, and when they do their job in times of real crisis.
The issue is “is this too slick”
I remember this same worry when Quinn helped another town faced with a natural disaster.
Only the town and its leaders can put into perspective is they feel it’s too much, even if it may appear to be just that, “too slick”
This is a real tough call. Difficult to say, when adding “music” and editing that it’s not “too slick”. The answer will come back to those there, on the ground and how much leeway they may give to this too.
Governors own. They own the good too. Good rarely needs slick editing and music as quickly as this, but it’s still good, and the Governor continues to do good today too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:39 am
It’s really not hard at all to produce a video of this quality nowadays. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that the Governor is trying to invoke some emotion with the music.
It’s not an ad, but I think it’s supposed to serve as a window into the grief of the communities that have been affected by the tornadoes so severely.
A video like this isn’t necessarily going to help him become more popular, but it will make you feel compassion for the families. Maybe even enough to inspire others to help.
Comment by Umbra Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:39 am
I guess when your lists of accomplishments as a governor are as short as his, you feel the need to really toot your own horn when you actually do your job.
Comment by Ole' Nelson Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:40 am
It’s a nice piece, but whenever someone dies, I would shy away from statements like “…it could’ve been worse.”
If AFSCME is smart, they might want to post “Thanks for the kind words. How about coming back to the negotiation table?” or documenting the loss of funding for emergency services under his administration.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:41 am
For me - the issue isn’t that he toured the communities. That’s exactly what a governor is supposed to do. What I don’t expect my governor to do is have slickly-edited video of the carnage, complete with oh-so-appropriate music ready to release almost immediately after such a tour. It’s smacks of unnecessarily exploiting a tragedy.
Comment by Name Withheld Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:41 am
I agree with Honeybear. Seemed too much like a page out of Tuesday’s address to Congress. Drop the music and the editing for effect. If this is anything like Fairdale, these people need help putting their lives and families back together. They won’t qualify for Federal assistance, and probably not for State (the lack of a budget may actually magnify that). I would encourage the people devastated by these storms to reach out to the residents of Fairdale for comfort and help in moving forward.
http://abc7chicago.com/weather/fairdale-marks-1-year-anniversary-of-deadly-2015-tornado/1283932/
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:42 am
Campaignin’ is easy, governin’ is hard.
Comment by Ole' Nelson Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:42 am
All hat and no cattle.
Comment by Trolling Troll Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:42 am
AA will make a nice contribution to Rich’s favorite charity if we can go one week without the use of the word “perfidy” or any of its conjugations..
Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:43 am
If Rauner were a democrat all we would hear was “Isn’t the Governor doing such a wonderful job?”
Comment by CornCob Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:45 am
Opportunistic campaign ad.
Comment by Illinoised Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:46 am
==If AFSCME is smart, they might want to post “Thanks for the kind words. How about coming back to the negotiation table?”==
“Smart” is not the word I would use if they were to post something like that with a story like this. Unless the intent is to make them even less likeable to the general public (if that’s even possible)…then yes, that would be a “smart” move
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:48 am
MrJM will make a nice contribution to Rich’s favorite charity if we can go one week without the governor demonstrating the dictionary definition of the word “perfidy”.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:49 am
=If Rauner were a democrat all we would hear was “Isn’t the Governor doing such a wonderful job?”=
You must not have been around these parts when Quinn and Blago were in office.
Comment by pundent Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:52 am
CornCob: If Rauner were a Democrat, we’d still be hearing, “Where’s your balanced budget, Governor!”
Comment by GA Watcher Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:52 am
I’ll second that, AA. It’s really tiresome, and adds zilch to the discussion.
Comment by F Parker Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:54 am
By the way, it did get worse. A second death from the Ottawa storm has been reported by the local newspaper.
Comment by Omay Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:56 am
– If Rauner were a Democrat…–
The Self-Pitying Victim Force is strong in this one.
Perhaps the public payroll arm of the governor’s propaganda machine could do a five minute video on the effects of two years of squeeze the beast on the social service infrastructure in central and southern Illinois. Lot of damage to a lot of lives.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:57 am
“we’re going to have the state resources here to help with the cleanup.” Resources? that’s why states need budgets.
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:58 am
AA - I’ll match your contribution.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:01 am
Seems like the Gov. only does this part of his job.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:02 am
Of course IL government should do everything possible for the victims, but tornado disaster photo ops used in champaign ads didn’t help Pat Quinn. Pat Quinn failed…keep that in mind Bruce.
Comment by Johnnie F. Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:02 am
Is disaster relief covered under a continuing appropriation? I looked through the compiled statutes and then the Comptroller’s site, but didn’t find anything. Of course since Munger redid the Comptroller’s site, it is a lot harder to find fund reporting.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:07 am
Not questioning the motives or sincerity. That said, Liandro’s comment is spot on. The 5 second “spot” at the end ought to be followed by (or replaced with) a 30 second slide of contact information for the various agencies coordinating care and cleanup.
Comment by Just the Facts Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:07 am
If state workers strike, who will provide resources?
Comment by Anon Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:11 am
It’s just an example of a Governor with low approval ratings using a tragedy to help prop up his numbers. This isn’t unusual for a politician though. It was Rahm Emanuel who once said “never let a good tragedy go to waste”.
Comment by The Dude Abides Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:14 am
What state resources is he promising? Or delivering? Seriously, I thought he vetoed the budget for that stuff.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:41 am
Guys, you forget, Perfidy is a fragrance as well as a conjugateawhatever.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 11:52 am
Yesterday was a reminder of the greatness that mankind can do. Neighbor after neighbor showing up in rural southern Illinois To help those affected. Yesterday was also a reminder that there are things beyond our control.
A big tip of the hat to the Egyptian Co-op linemen and support staff. Jackson Co. Hwy dept too. But major kudos to the hundreds of volunteers who helped one another. God was proud.
Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 12:03 pm
===- Texas Red - Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 10:31 am:
===No good deed goes unpunished
I think you mean “No good deed goes unpublished.”
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 12:11 pm
I’d like the Governor to take a tour of social service agencies and make a video of the damage he has wrought on these vital links in our social safety net. Then he can tell us what state resources he’ll commit to the repair.
Comment by Truthteller Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 12:29 pm
Maybe it dose not matter ,but I wonder if he is aware that the workers at The Lasalle County Nursing Home, The Lasalle County workers and the City of Ottawa employees all of which were hit hard are all AFSCME members.
At any rate I am glad he came up to see first hand the damage.
Comment by Augie Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 1:35 pm
Aerial video show devastation from a tornado in Ottawa, Illinois
http://www.accuweather.com/en/videos/aerials-show-devastation-of-illinois-tornado/ppzmw0yte6nnsyhm-xrhzqsf6kr54z2i
Comment by Mama Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 2:29 pm
Anon, we ain’t payin’ for perfume.
I don’t think there is a continuing approp for disaster relief. Back in the Dark Ages when AA was involved with that kind of thing, we would use several different pots of money from multiple agencies and if needed, get them topped off with a supplemental or transfer bill
Anonnin’ would know better than AA if he’s around..
Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 3:11 pm
==Do we really need something like this?==
I dunno, I love to find reasons to screach at Rauner, but PQ did ads touting his leadership in storms, and hell, this one only has 280 views.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 3:58 pm
Listen, this is going to be either a) part of a campaign ad for Brucey b) an even better campaign ad for his competition when the state realizes they can’t pay anybody to come help.
Comment by Dee Lay Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 4:03 pm
=and you actually care for downstate.= How soon people forget. Durbin wanted to move Guatanamo Bay inmates to Thomson prison and help Southern Illinois economy.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 4:09 pm
Reminds me of what they said about trucker boots.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 2, 17 @ 8:23 pm