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* From the ILGOP…
Morning Rich,
Take a listen to Pritzker’s interview on WTTW last night when you get a chance. “Yikes” is really the operative word after watching this.
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2017/06/15/jb-pritzker-battles-crowded-democratic-field-rauner
Pritzker comes across terribly in this, ducking basic questions. Looks like a total insider.
For instance, Pritzker was asked three times whether he thinks we should ban property tax assessors from accepting contributions from property tax appeals attorneys. He dodged every time.
He even criticized Chris Kennedy for using property tax appeals attorneys who donated to Berrios, when Pritzker’s lawyers did the same - giving six figure contributions to Berrios and his daughter.
Towards the beginning of the interview, Pritzker also said that his uninhabitable mansion was “in disrepair when we acquired it.” As interior photos from when the property was sold to the Pritzkers show, the mansion was clearly liveable.
Finally, towards the end of the interview Pritzker is given two opportunities to criticize Madigan for anything and ducks the question each time.
Not a good interview for Pritzker’s campaign at all.
Thanks,
Steven
* They also sent along three clips…
He’d only say that the question should be looked at in the broader context of campaign finance reform. I suppose we should give him a bit of credit for staying on message. He’s almost as disciplined as Gov. Rauner in that regard.
* And…
He needs a better answer than this.
* And here’s the unintentionally funny Madigan dodge…
Lots and lots and lots of words.
* On the other hand, the Pritzker folks sent along their own clips, with transcripts. Ponce asked whether Pritzker considers Chris Kennedy to be his biggest competitor right now…
* Transcript…
Ponce: By the way, do you consider Chris Kennedy to be your biggest competitor right now?
JB: My biggest competitor is Bruce Rauner. I think that us having a fight with him this Democratic primary and attacking one another is a mistake. I think that there are 8 candidates as you mentioned at the beginning of the broadcast. And the 8 candidates on the Democratic side all believe one thing, which is Bruce Rauner should not be governor and we should be focusing on the failures of this governor because he is the one who has not stepped up to the plate with a constitutionally mandated budget. I mean, a balanced budget is what is required in this state and we’ve now gone 716 days without a balanced budget, without even passing a budget. It’s longer than any other state in the United States, in the history of the United States, so that is a massive failure and as you know, one of the challenges of that is the safety net is falling through. That people aren’t able to get to a mental health facility because they’re closing, they can’t find a shelter because they’re closed, and we’ve got unfortunately middle class and people who are striving to get to the middle class who are looking for jobs and this governor hasn’t created any because he isn’t passing a budget. Who wants to invest in jobs in this state if we don’t have a budget and you don’t know what the future is going to look like? He’s created massive uncertainty.
* Ponce then asked how Pritzker would improve the state’s fiscal problems…
* Transcript…
Ponce: As we mentioned, the state’s credit worthiness is now just approaching junk status, how would you change that if you were elected governor?
JB: Well first thing that all the rating agencies have said about our state is ‘Pass a budget, balance the budget,’ so the first thing you’ve got to do is get that done. And remember the new governor doesn’t come in until January of 2019, so I hope the problems don’t get worse between now and then, but it does appear this governor really isn’t going to get to a budget. We’ll see. I hope they do get to a budget in Springfield. But in January 2019 the very first thing we are going to have to do is pass a stopgap half year balanced budget, and then we are going to have go for a full year at the same time balanced budget. And that’s going to require real leadership.
Phil: JB Pritzker, so much of you is known in the public sphere, personally what do you want people to know about you and who you are as a person and your background that maybe they don’t know?
JB: Maybe the most important thing to know is that my life I have tried to work hard for the social justice values that my parents stood for. The things that really matter to me are standing up for people who don’t have somebody standing up for them. And in the state of Illinois that unfortunately has been middle class, people who are striving to get to the middle class, and the people dependent upon the safety net in the state. No one’s really standing up for them and those are the fundamental values of the Democratic Party too. So when I become governor that’s my goal, is to stand up for them, it’s to make their lives easier, and you know we need a progressive income tax.
Frankly, I think we are going to need to get, to legalize marijuana so that we can get some tax revenue in there too, and also change the criminal justice system around that, make us safer. But there are a lot of things that need changing in the state especially expanding health care and not contracting it like the way Donald Trump and his local partner Bruce Rauner are trying to.
* Other stuff…
* Rep. Will Guzzardi endorses Sen. Daniel Biss
* Twitter coverage of Ameya Pawar’s “virtual town hall”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 1:47 pm
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To me the interviewer sounds like a Rauner shill. I would like to see him interview Rauner and question him about Trump and the Koch brothers.
Comment by Real Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:06 pm
That’s nice spin and all from the GOP, but he held his own during that grilling from Ponce. Next.
Comment by Shytown Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:07 pm
===the interviewer sounds like a Rauner shill===
C’mon. Take off your hyperpartisan hat. Phil Ponce shills for no one.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:10 pm
I’ll be waiting on him to grill Rauner.. The current governor.
Comment by Real Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:14 pm
Rauner doesn’t have the stones to sit down for an interview with a real journalist like Ponce.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:28 pm
Rauner will never accept Ponce’s invite…
JB has some issues, but Kennedy certainly helping the opposition with his haranguing of the powers that be…
Comment by Loop Lady Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:31 pm
He doesn’t have to be articulate. He just needs to start dropping his G’s stop wearing a tie and dress like the Village People. And oh yeah spend 50 million dollars
Comment by Porgy Tirebiter Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:36 pm
===C’mon. Take off your hyperpartisan hat. Phil Ponce shills for no one. ===
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/01/chicago-mayoral-debate-phil-ponce-chuy-garcia_n_6986570.html
Comment by fred Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:38 pm
Dodging answering simple questions is no way to beat Rauner.
Comment by Sic semper tyrannis Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 2:42 pm
Serious question: If Madigan was out of the picture, is there anything that the ILGOP would have to talk about? If Madigan came out tomorrow and said if a Dem is elected governor in 2018 that he will resign, what would happen? The ILGOP’s heads would explode
Comment by Rauners Carhart Costume Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:04 pm
The GOP is reaching…really reaching. I agree with Shytown. Some uncomfortable moments but he definitely held his own.
Comment by Anon0091 Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:04 pm
“…I’d say it’s a completely normal thing….”
Oh brother! No way we’re not going to see THAT unfortunate JB quote in a bunch of campaign ads.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:09 pm
Meh, Rauner hasn’t answered a question in like 3 years so Pritzker seems to be right on course
Comment by Rogue Roni Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:09 pm
Sure. He held his own….something.
He does not look prepared for what should have been well anticipated questions. Even a bit shady. This was a very bad sitdown for him. Someone better start working with him very deliberately on this.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:10 pm
Give JB some time. He’ll learn soon enough that when faced with an uncomfortable question all you have to do is laugh it off. And if the question gets repeated or followed up, all you have to do is tell the reporter to focus Over and over again. Until it finally goes away.
Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:19 pm
There’s a severe lacking in two critical areas of Comm and Comm with the candidate.
1) Stay on message
2) Be brief
There is not ONE question that was asked that the Comm Shop couldn’t have anticipated, rehearsed, or deflected from better.
Either Pritzker refuses to practice… isn’t prepared… refuses to prepare… or all just don’t fully grasp how important these interviews are, and that they will haunt or be used negatively when possible.
The rambling is Pritzker trying to find off ramps, the walking into follow ups, that a lack of preparation, practice, or both…
The stiffness in all the grilling, while the many gaffes we’re going on isn’t helping either.
Do better. Prepare. Drill. Make these questions and answers reflex type responses. Be relaxed.
It’s a “B-, C+”
The Pritzker Crew shouldn’t feel all too pleased, Pritzker himself should be upset with himself too.
Do better.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:20 pm
–Pritzker comes across terribly in this, ducking basic questions.–
Um, that’s a bad thing, in Raunerland? That’s been his bread-and-butter since Jump Street.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:34 pm
Ponce did not ask any questions which will not also be asked in a much more public and stressful debate format down the road. So JB has now been tested in in the ring, can see the video, can critique himself, and will have a chance to work to improve before then. Can he? Are there any answers he can come up with to address his biggest problems (toilets and Blago) that will work for him with voters?
I don’t know.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:35 pm
The part of the interview I saw was painful. He blew the softball and stock “Why do you want to be Governor?” question.
Easy answer, “Illinois is in a man-made crisis. We need to get rid of the man who made the crisis. I love this state and am up to the task of fixing this mess.”
Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 3:44 pm
Carhart- if MM had any intention of leaving should a Dem become our Next Govrrnor- Lisa Madigan would be running
Comment by Sue Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 4:41 pm
Ignore his serious flaws at your party’s peril. It’s a Hillary Clinton nomination all over again.
Comment by Midway Gardens Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 4:53 pm
=== his serious flaws at your party’s peril. It’s a Hillary Clinton nomination all over again.===
Yeah, it’s not. Not even close.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 16, 17 @ 4:57 pm