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Four leaders meet in Chicago, plan another sitdown on Tuesday

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Illinois

* The four legislative leaders met in Speaker Madigan’s Chicago ward office today to see if they could work out an education funding reform compromise. The meeting was scheduled to start at 1 o’clock.

I called Senate President Cullerton’s spokesman John Patterson late this afternoon to ask how the meeting went. “It was a good meeting,” he said.

OK, but did they get anything accomplished? “It was a good meeting.”

Alright, but a good meeting could mean that tasty pizza was served, right? Did they find common ground? “It was a good meeting.”

How long did the meeting last? “A long time.”

I asked Patterson if he realized that I was quoting everything he said.

“I am accurately relaying to you the message out of this meeting. It was a long meeting, met for a long time. It was a good meeting. How long did they meet? A long time.”

I laughed through most of that and then called Patty Schuh. No answer. Left a message.

* So, I called Steve Brown and told him what Patterson had said. His response: “I was going to use the word ‘productive’ and they’re going to meet again Tuesday in Springfield.” They started at about ten minutes after 1 and finished about 3:30, Brown said.

Patty then called me back. “The four leaders believe it was a productive meeting. They reviewed all the issues and will meet again Tuesday. OK? That’s all I got.” Then we chatted a bit and I finished writing this post.

…Adding… A text from House GOP Leader Durkin’s new spokesperson…

Wanted to provide an update now that the leaders mtg has finished. The leaders felt it was a productive meeting, and will be meeting again on Tuesday. Have a great weekend!

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:06 pm

Comments

But we need to know - HOW WAS THE PIZZA?!

Come on guys.

Comment by Bruce Please Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:10 pm
Everyone being in agreement that they will share the same, detail-free, safe message seems like a good sign to me.

Comment by Montrose Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:11 pm
=== Alright, but a good meeting could mean that tasty pizza was served, right? ===

Palermo’s on 63rd and its sweet sauce… MMMMM!

Comment by Too Much to Handle Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:14 pm
===seems like a good sign to me===

In the past, I’d agree with you. But we thought the same thing after the budget leaders’ meetings in early July, remember? Those didn’t end well.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:14 pm
Pizza, yummy! I hope it was from Vito and Nicks!

Comment by Flynn's mom Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:14 pm
Does it really matter what they do? The Governor should have had his top person in there to express his yes or no points in their entirety. He’s been incredibly back and forth on this issue with multiple news outlets. So while the 4 leaders may come to an agreement, the Governor could just say No.

Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:17 pm
I’ve have grown to appreciate the sheer genius that is John Patterson.

He’s like an inside joke wrapped in a messaging that is both snarky and telling.

===“I am accurately relaying to you the message out of this meeting. It was a long meeting, met for a long time. It was a good meeting. How long did they meet? A long time”===

“Accurately”… how delicious is that.

It’s not… Inaccurate…

It’s just at a level of blissful trolling.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:17 pm
== In the past, I’d agree with you. ==

My thoughts also. The question is how will it play on the 2nd floor?

Comment by RNUG Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:18 pm
Rauner still plays games after these type of meetings. They pretend that everything went well in the meeting and that they are close to a compromise then next week they will say Madigan tanked the deal. Just watch

Comment by Real Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:19 pm
I’m not sure how productive these can be without Governor Rauner. He’s shown us in the past that neither Republican Leader speaks for him and that he won’t be bound by their agreements. So yay, glad they are meeting, but until the Governor puts his cards on the table, I won’t get my hopes up.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:19 pm
Harsh as it sounds, until Brady and Durkin are anything but Rauner’s puppets, negotiating with them seems pretty worthless.

Comment by Earnest Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:20 pm
OW, I’ve always liked Patterson. Always did his best to make an interview not seem like a root canal.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:21 pm
All four “tops” meeting is a good sign. Better than them planning it and one of them bailing at the last minute.

Comment by Curl of the Burl Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:25 pm
the meeting? it was pretty…..pretty….pretty…good.

Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:26 pm
To the update…

===Wanted to provide an update now that the leaders mtg has finished. The leaders felt it was a productive meeting, and will be meeting again on Tuesday. Have a great weekend===

We’re back with the exclamation marks.

So, I guess John Patterson was indeed “accurate”.

I mean, Patterson has this stuff wired now, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:26 pm
Was there ever a good meeting when Rauner participated? Until he gets on board with whatever decisions are made, good meetings aren’t worth much.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:28 pm
At least they knew it wasn’t in Rockford or Aurora.

Comment by Keyrock Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:28 pm
Did they spend the entire time agreeing in that joint statement?

“Article I, Section I, we, the undersigned legislative leaders, having met this 18th day of August, do hereby agree and declare that it was a productive meeting.

Article II, Section I, we further declare that it is our intention to reconvene on the 22nd of August (assuming the total eclipse is not a harbinger of the apocalypse).”

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:29 pm
Senate Democrats: “good”
Senate Republicans: “productive”
House Democrats: “productive”
House Republicans: “productive”
Governor: “outrageous”

Comment by The Captain Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:31 pm
- Flynn’s Mom -

I prefer Palermo’s.

Comment by Roman Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:36 pm
At least no one said anything was broken

Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:38 pm
In all honesty, how much productivity could have happened in two hours, twenty minutes? Obviously, not enough to take back to the caucuses. So they will meet on Tuesday for what? Another 2-3 hours?If these four can solve the crisis they created in 4-5 hours of meeting, and convince the legislature to get behind it overwhelmingly, and the governor to boot, well how about that leadership team.

Comment by H-W (formerly, Robert J. Hironimus-Wendt Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 4:38 pm
I have heard Rauner say on more than a few occasions these past few years that “we’re very close”. Not long after, he pulls the plug on GOP votes and blames Madigan. The man loves a crisis.

Comment by The Dude Abides Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 5:57 pm
It’s a scientific fact that Vito and Nick’s is the best pizza in the universe.

Comment by Lefty Lefty Friday, Aug 18, 17 @ 6:31 pm