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* The most infamous moment in last night’s candidate forum was when Chris Kennedy was asked to say something positive about his opponents…
Just days after he said Gov. Bruce Rauner “should be applauded” for running attack ads and being “willing to speak truth to power,” Democrat Chris Kennedy on Tuesday declined to say anything positive about Democratic rival J.B. Pritzker.
Demonstrating the rough nature of the campaign, Kennedy — of the Kennedy political dynasty — was unable to list a “positive thing” the billionaire philanthropist and entrepreneur had contributed to the campaign.
Kennedy first paused when it was his turn to answer moderator Carol Marin’s question, then he criticized the perceived front-runner.
* What he said…
Kennedy: “I mean I’m challenged in this election because I think that as Democrats, we believe government can be our ally. And when J.B. emerges as the poster child of all that’s wrong with the corrupt system in our state, it’s difficult for me to heap praise on him. And that’s where I unfortunately need to end it.”
* Biss’ spokesman reacted…
REMINDER: Chris Kennedy just said that he couldn’t praise another candidate, but yet praised Bruce Rauner this week… #ILGovForum #TeamBiss
— Tom Elliott (@trelliott) January 24, 2018
* Pritzker campaign manager…
#1 rule of debates: when you are asked to say something nice about your opponents - say something nice. We should be bigger than a race or a campaign and remember we are humans first. #ILDemForum
— Anne Caprara (@anacaprana) January 24, 2018
* A Pritzker endorser…
Wow. When asked by @CarolMarin tonight to say something nice about his opponent @JBPritzker, Chris Kennedy refused to. Sadly that's no surprise given he's been too busy saying nice things about Gov. Rauner. #ILDemForum
— Susana A. Mendoza (@susanamendoza10) January 24, 2018
* Kennedy himself…
.@JBPritzker can twist my words however he wants. I’ll focus on winning this state’s hearts and minds, not just its commercial breaks. We won tonight, especially if my lack of praise is the only thing he can cite. https://t.co/s7kNnjFHHg
— Chris Kennedy (@KennedyforIL) January 24, 2018
* But then the candidate backtracked at the post-debate press conference…
Afterward, Kennedy was asked about his inability to say something nice about Pritzker. “I regret that. I apologized to him while I was leaving the stage,” Kennedy replied.
He tried to clean things up by praising Pritzker for “an incredible record around providing early childhood education, working towards that.”
Kennedy also later rattled off a list of what he said were Pritzker’s liabilities. And when asked what his own weaknesses were, Kennedy said, “My honesty.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:26 am
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Too little too late.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:28 am
Kennedy needs to be reminded that the first rule when you’re in a hole is to stop digging.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:31 am
It is clear that Kennedy did not get the family’s politician gene.
Comment by TominChicago Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:32 am
Kennedy only regrets that it backfired.
We are all learning a lot about the character, or lack thereof, of Chris Kennedy.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:32 am
Someone needs to tell Chris high school is over, you’re wanting to lead the 5th largest state in the US.
Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:34 am
Even Hillary said something nice about Trump. Kennedy saying something nice about Pritzker isn’t nearly that hard.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:37 am
Look at the polls on Cook County Democrats in deep blue Illinois. Huge numbers of Democrats agree
Chris Kennedy is guilty of committing a Kinsey gaffe, he accidentally told the truth
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:38 am
What could he have said?…
JB, you have nice hair.
JB, I like Hyatt hotels.
JB, your days of action are a good idea.
JB, your tv ads are really good.
JB, your FBI ads are really good. oh wait…
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:39 am
He’s reacting all out of emotion. It’s a horrible place to be in.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:42 am
– I’ll focus on winning this state’s hearts and minds,…–
Strategic Township Program?
Curious choice of phrase, given its origin and history.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:43 am
Answering that your weakness is your honesty just contributes to the bad look this whole situation gives Kennedy
Comment by S.S. Anon Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:43 am
Unfortunately for Mr. Kennedy, I believe somewhere in the great beyond Don Meredith is warming up his rendition of “Turn Out the Lights, the Party’s Over”.
Comment by GA Watcher Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:45 am
That was pathetic. It’s fine to needle each other, but even 3rd graders are expected to say nice things to other kids they feud with. Be an effing adult.
Comment by PJ Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:45 am
If his Rauner praise hadn’t already convinced me to vote for Pritzker, this would have. Chris, your words speak for themselves, and you’re losing. Try to go down with some class.
Comment by Northsider Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:47 am
==Look at the polls on Cook County Democrats in deep blue Illinois. Huge numbers of Democrats agree==
Where’s these “polls” then?
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:48 am
Chris Kennedy, on his greatest weakness:
“My honesty.”
Michael J. Scott, on his greatest weaknesses:
“I work too hard, I care too much, and sometimes I can be too invested in my job.”
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:48 am
If elections turn into the battle of the deepest pockets, Kennedy is toast. It must also be frustrating that the Kennedy name doesn’t carry the charisma it used to.
Too bad his Big Moment in the debate was a sour one.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:48 am
The fact that a “Lucky Pierre” type likes Kennedy’s remarks, it’s all you need to know that Kennedy is the Ken Dunkin candidate in this field, who praises Bruce Rauner, but can’t say a nice thing about a Democrat.
Chris Kennedy IS the Bruce Rauner candidate.
Democrats need to come to that realization before it gets to be too late.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:50 am
Kennedy had a strong debate performance throughout the night.
Kennedy talked about the need to focus on education-led economic development to pull Illinois out of its nosedive. He apologized for not coming up with a pritzker positive on the spot. The inside-baseball drama over who praises who reminds me of the old saying, “It’s important to take issues seriously, but never ourselves too seriously.”
Comment by west wing Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:52 am
It’s been an up week for Chris Kennedy
Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:54 am
===”It’s important to take issues seriously, but never ourselves too seriously.”===
“It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”
Lol.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:55 am
==“It’s important to take issues seriously, but never ourselves too seriously.”==
Said defense of the candidate who claims his biggest liability is “honesty”.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:55 am
It would behoove Democrats to take seriously someone who can so easily applaud Bruce Rauner, but can’t say something nice about a fellow Democrat.
This is the Ken Dunkin candidate, Chris Kennedy.
The only irony is that the Kennedy name, synonymous with Democratic politics, is the one trying to help Raunerism.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 10:56 am
==The only irony is that the Kennedy name, synonymous with Democratic politics, is the one trying to help Raunerism.==
The Kennedys have a long history of putting personal pique over the good of the Democratic Party.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:02 am
In an otherwise, really boring and silly exercise of a debate, Kennedy’s comments were really the only authentic moment. I kind of liked it.
JB really does not look like a Governor and sounds even less like one. I kept waiting for him to bust into a Tommy Boy “chubby guy in a little coat” routine.
Comment by Exford Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:05 am
I feel badly for Kennedy. With that name, there are such high expectations on the political front. JB has the same thing with business expectations. The difference is that JB has the momentum of ongoing businesses. Kennedy has the advantage of name, but that doesn’t always translate into political magic.
The deeper frustration must be that each time a Kennedy gets beaten it takes away a bit more glitter from the invincibility of the name.
Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:05 am
Awkward that Mendoza is piling on.
Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:11 am
==Kennedy’s comments were really the only authentic moment. ==
Apparently not, since Kennedy walked them back and apologized.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:12 am
“Kennedy had a strong debate performance throughout the night.
You were watching a different debate. Kennedy was a train wreck and it wasn’t just this one comment. He came across as angry and petulant and confused. He was downright unlikable.
Comment by Anon0091 Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:13 am
Don’t sleep on him telling people to check his LinkedIn page to see what he’s done for women.
Comment by LXB Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:17 am
==Kennedy had a strong debate performance throughout the night==
Lol. Is that you, prairiestatedem?
Kennedy’s performance last night isn’t going to matter, because no one watches these debates and all of the media coverage is going to focus on the fact that he’s happier praising Bruce Rauner than he is fellow dems. Guy is so mad about not getting anointed by that he can’t even act like an adult for two hours, ends up looking very immature and the coverage will reflect that more than anything substantive Kennedy might have offered last night.
I think OW is right when he says that Kennedy is the Bruce Rauner candidate. Much like GovJunk, he can’t go a week without falling on his face.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:20 am
Kennedy humblebrag “my honesty”. Self-righteousness doesn’t sell.
Comment by Molly Maguire Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:27 am
Take your insider hat off and think of he average voter who is dealing with the reality of significantly higher taxes. In Cook County, many have seen how much their property taxes have gone up in addition to phone and sewer and water.
Take a close look at those bills. Maria Pappas has done a great job giving an explanation of where those dollars are gong and the terrible shape the pension and health care funds are in, They are 40 percent funded in Cook County.
Toni Prekwinkle, Joe Berrios, Senator Cullerton and Speaker Madigan are all polling terribly.
No surprise JB is being crowned here, he is also not a change guy.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:35 am
–Toni Prekwinkle, Joe Berrios, Senator Cullerton and Speaker Madigan are all polling terribly.–
So where are the GOP challengers?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:51 am
Kennedy should have stuck to his word. He’s right. There’s nothing praiseworthy about a corrupt billionaire selling our state to Madigan.
Comment by Max Bayer Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 11:51 am
===Take your insider hat off and think of he average voter who is dealing with the reality of significantly higher taxes. In Cook County, many have seen how much their property taxes have gone up in addition to phone and sewer and water.===
Actual polling has Rauner at a 30/55 approval-disapproval
If you have actual polling to back up your tripe and not antidotal “I know ‘cause” … then release these numbers.
Otherwise, the worst Republican governor in America, running in Trump’s midterm in a state that polled Clinton winning by 12-17 points, and actually winning by 16 points … will need more than your yarns of “the people know”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 12:16 pm
Someday people here will realize that parroting the “worst Republican governor in America” line (stolen from a conservative publication) is actually complimenting the governor of a blue state.
Comment by Eventually Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 12:30 pm
===Someday people here will realize that parroting the “worst Republican governor in America” line (stolen from a conservative publication) is actually complimenting the governor of a blue state.===
LOL…
Then Rauner should come out and say…
“Hey. I’m the worst Republican governor in America. This is a conpliment. Thus means I’m a good governor for Illinois.”
Yeah… you get back to me when Rauner does that, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 12:33 pm
Also,
Ya can’t really steal a line that appears on a national publication flat out mocking the person the line is about.
But, if you’re a victim to a stolen line, well…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 12:37 pm
–Someday people here will realize that parroting the “worst Republican governor in America” line (stolen from a conservative publication) is actually complimenting the governor of a blue state.–
I think you’ll have to spell that one out for me.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 12:47 pm
People critical of CK have it wrong. Where is a profile in courage for being sincere. If he had trouble saying anything nice about the J.B. it was only because he was being honest
Comment by Sue Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 1:24 pm
===If he had trouble saying anything nice about the J.B. it was only because he was being honest ===
And then he retracted it.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 1:26 pm
==Where is a profile in courage for being sincere.==
It’s probably being written about someone who didn’t walk it back and apologize for it.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 1:42 pm
==Where is a profile in courage for being sincere.==
This guy won it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLbIimw3Jao
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 1:53 pm
Kennedy is a clumsy politician.
However, on the Dems side, he is the reform candidate. And the electorate does want reform.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 4:49 pm
===However, on the Dems side, he (Kennedy) is the reform candidate. And the electorate does want reform.===
“However, on the Dems side, he (Kennedy) is the Bruce Rauner candidate. And the electorate does want Rauner.”
Better.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 24, 18 @ 4:51 pm