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* After telling Mark Maxwell yesterday that he wouldn’t be endorsing Gov. Bruce Rauner, former Gov. Jim Edgar talked to students at Millikin University and other reporters. You don’t have to read too far between the lines here…
“That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree,” said Edgar, who also spoke to students during a political studies class earlier in the day. “But we don’t call people names. We don’t question someone’s integrity because they have another point of view. We don’t call someone a crook because they don’t agree with us.” […]
“I never questioned [Speaker Madigan’s] integrity, because I knew I would have to sit down and work with him,” Edgar said. […]
While the message can sometimes get lost, Edgar said it is important to remember that government is meant to help those who are in need. During the recent budget impasse, or the 793 days when Illinois did not have a complete state budget, politicians and the wealthy were not the ones most affected, he said. Rather, it was the students who depend on MAP grant funding for college and those who relied on social service agencies who felt the pain.
“We have to remember to help people, and if we do not do that, then we’re failing and a lot of people are going to get hurt,” Edgar said.
There’s that “fail” word that Pritzker is so fond of using.
Raw video is here.
* Related…
* Fmr. Gov. Edgar visit inspires students: “Civility. Compromise. Compassion. We need to keep all three of those words in mind,” Edgar said. “We need to be more civil in our dealings. We can disagree with people in an agreeable manner.”
* Barickman On Rauner’s ‘Unorthodox’ Speech, Higher Ed Funding Rewrite: “He does need to reset,” Barickman said. “You look at the polls—what’s clear is that Republicans by and large are going to have a tough time this November. (Rauner) is in a very difficult re-election. Part of the reality of where he is at probably led to his kind of unorthodox speech.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:33 am
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Previous Post: Ives claims Diana Rauner is in charge, not the governor
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===“We have to remember to help people, and if we do not do that, then we’re failing and a lot of people are going to get hurt,” Edgar said.===
*Even* Jim Edgar…
Skyhook, in reverse.
It was always the play, because Rauner has failed Illinois.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:35 am
Edgar said he never questioned Madigans integrity because he knew he had to work with him. Would he have questioned his integrity if he DIDN’T have to work with him?
Comment by Matts Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:41 am
Why would Jim Edgar endorse a failed governor?
Edgar gave solid advice four years ago, three years ago… and so on.
Nope. Bruce Rauner’s governing is a failure. Fundamentally.
From budgets to 60/30 to vetoes to Ken Dunkin…. to Quincy… Bruce Rauner failed Illinois. Jim Edgar is just calling Rauner on it too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:43 am
Jim Edgar is as responsible as anyone else for our fiscal mess. His famous ramp was kick the can down the road. I have 3 letters for Big Jim. MSI. Be happy you resigned from poktics
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:44 am
===Jim Edgar is as responsible as anyone else for our fiscal mess.===
… including Rauner’s own term.
Aw, you’re welcome.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:45 am
People take it personally when you intentionally throw them under a bus and damage their state. Anger is non-partisan. He gave Rauner a road map to effective governing in good faith and Rauner dismissed it with the same arrogance as he dismisses most everything that doesn’t come from the 1%. Things are really bad when not even a former republican governor is part of your constituency.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:47 am
Look, Edgar told him a million times to work with the Speaker and the legislature. Rauner ignored that advice, and only recently has realized that was a mistake. Rauner wasted four years of productivity due to being stubborn. Time to move on.
Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 10:52 am
Jim is old school, for sure, but he knows what he’s talking about. Rauner wrecked Illinois and with it, ILGOP. It stinks that Illinois is a single party liberal enclave like Chicago. It’s a bad thing and Rauner is to blame.
Edgar is correct. If you are a governor, you are to govern. Rauner blew up his own mandate even while he had both Linda Lingle and Jim Edgar by his side to show Bruce what to do. Rauner blew it. He went off on an anti-union tangent like Ahab going after Moby Dick.
Rauner did a Stalingrad on the budget until his own legislators got tired of the lunacy.
Edgar always supported government and valued a conservative approach to governing. Waste not, want not. Rauner wrecked it all.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:00 am
Rauner’s problem isn’t Madigan and Democrats.
It’s the Republican lawmakers and political types across the spectrum who he alienated with his lyin’, back-stabbin’ and bullyin.’
It’s a long list: McCann, Ives, Uiehlien, IPI, Superstars, Radogno….
Heck, Rauner just threw Durkin under the bus on the tollway. And he’s doing nothing for the GOP Senate.
They were all on board with him at the beginning. Rauner was definitely in charge of losing their support.
But he’ll always have the tronc edit board.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:02 am
Wow Jumpin’ Jason bailin’on GovJunk. But we remember he was part of the 2 NoTaxBill crusades so not surprisin’ to see him throwin’ GovJunk.
Weekend Champaign News Gazette — GovJunk’s most dependable news letter was a little sour too.
Exit Interview Tour Continues
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:04 am
==and only recently has realized that was a mistake===
He might have said those words, but his manner, tone, and the rest of his speech did not suggest that he believes it. Just a different sales job to do, still believing us suckers will buy it.
Comment by jibba Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:07 am
What Just Me said.
I miss Edgar, and I didn’t follow state politics back in his days. He reminds me of Republicans of yesteryear, the kind my folks supported.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:08 am
Trash Edgar all you want, but the message is clear and accepted by a clear majority of people. Rauner failed. Had Rauner listened to Edgar’s advice, he may be in an entirely different situation.
I’ll be glad to see Rauner off to Italy.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:10 am
I’m not sure any of these people should be offering advice. Dick Ogilvy might be the only person in a position to do so in my memory. Thompson to a lesser extent. The rest of them have underperformed by plenty.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:10 am
===Jim Edgar is as responsible as anyone else for our fiscal mess.===
Edgar left office twenty years ago. We’ve had two decades to clean up any “messes”, you think he caused. Four governors later, you still want to blame him?
Just how addled are you?
Do you still blame our economy on Clinton?
Sheesh
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:11 am
Bruce Rauner failed. That’s it nothing more.
Edgar knows it. Bruce knows it, that’s why he delivered his speech last week. JB knows it and is finally pushing it out there. Jeanne knew it and she came within 4 points of him. Diana knows it, that’s why she’s doing the radio circuit (why wouldn’t Evelyn be doing that instead),
I could go on and on
Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:12 am
The Republican party needs more like Jim Edgar but sadly, he’s very much a dinosaur for them at this point. The party of Trump and Rauner has no time or place for Jim Edgar.
Comment by slow down Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:13 am
===(why wouldn’t Evelyn be doing that instead)===
Slip and Sue is doing some sort of magic and trying not to get into any Personal Injury cases until Election Day.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:15 am
No, I don’t believe he recently realized a mistake. No such epiphany. He would be the same arrogant, immoral car salesman if he can pull off another bamboozle.
Comment by wondering Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:16 am
Civility, Compromise and Compassion. Rauner did not exhibit any of those qualities in these past 4 years and he’s about to be shown the door because he was to arrogant and stubborn to take good advice. He came in looking for a fight, got a fight and lost.
Rauner didn’t run for Governor because he wanted to improve the quality of life for our citizens. That’s not why the super wealthy like Griffin gave Rauner millions of dollars. To sum up why he ran in one brief sentence Rauner wanted to bring cheap labor to Illinois. Destroying Unions would make that job easier.
Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:23 am
–“We have to remember to help people, and if we do not do that, then we’re failing and a lot of people are going to get hurt,” Edgar said.
There’s that “fail” word that Pritzker is so fond of using.–
Not a coincidence.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:28 am
You can call Bruce Rauner a failed Governor but.. Jim Edgar is also one. His big spending and taxing ways helped make Illinois an uncompetitive state.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:33 am
===You can call Bruce Rauner a failed Governor but.. Jim Edgar is also one.===
(Sigh)
Then why in the world would you want to re-elect a failed governor?
“You can call Bruce Rauner a failed Governor but.. Jim Edgar is also one.”
You may want to rethink before you hit “say it” again.
Yikes, man.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:38 am
“No, I don’t believe he recently realized a mistake. No such epiphany. He would be the same arrogant, immoral car salesman if he can pull off another bamboozle.”
I have to agree. It’s too convenient to apologize so late. To me it seems like a response to bad polling. I just don’t see Rauner apologizing on his own.
The unions/AFSCME urged Rauner: Don’t Dictate, Negotiate. If the right number of Republicans hadn’t had enough of the budget crisis, would we’ve had a budget at all? Here we are, over three years without an AFSCME contract. Still Rauner fights this war. Why would it be any different if fed up Republicans didn’t break from Rauner on the budget?
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:39 am
===You may want to rethink before you hit “say it” again.===
LOL
Yep
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:39 am
“Jim Edgar is as responsible as anyone else for our fiscal mess.”
Between Gov. Jim Edgar and Gov. Bruce Rauner, who bears responsibility for Illinois’ 793-day-long budget crisis?
(Hint: The budget crisis lasted from July 1, 2015 to August 31, 2017.)
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:42 am
===Four governors later, you still want to blame him?===
Exactly. The hostility of the Raunerites whenever Edgar’s name is mentioned is ridic. You’ve had four years to clean up whatever mess you claim he created. What have you done? That’s not rhetorical, either. Focus on that. As Willy always says, “Governor’s own.”
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:44 am
Pretty please?
Comment by BlueDogDem Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:45 am
=His big spending and taxing ways helped make Illinois an uncompetitive state.=
He left office almost 20 years ago. Did you want to go after Frank Lowden too?
If anything, it was the lack of taxation- at a level that would pay the bills- that was the issue.
But whatevs. Rauner has had almost four years to make things better and his answer was to make them worse.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:45 am
A lack of taxation….i think JB ought stay away from that campaign slogan.
Comment by BlueDogDem Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:49 am
–Dick Ogilvy might be the only person in a position to do so in my memory. –
Ogilvie is in a position to offer advice? Let us know what he says.
Man, you are wired, on this side and the other.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:51 am
You can’t go in the “Wayback Machine” and blame a governor for their term(s) and ignore Rauner is an incumbent governor. It never worked that way.
(Tips my cap, very humbly, thanking Rich)
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 11:57 am
“His big spending and taxing ways helped make Illinois an uncompetitive state.”
Why do I think you really don’t know much about the Edgar years. If you think he was big spending you don’t have a clue. He was known as Governor No when it comes to spending. Ask a human service provider about his spending.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 12:03 pm
Anyone heard from another fan of can kicking problems down the road- mayor Rich Daley lecturing a successor in the past 8 years?
Didn’t think so
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 12:14 pm
===Anyone heard from another fan of can kicking problems down the road- mayor Rich Daley lecturing a successor in the past 8 years?===
Daley has stayed away from lots of things… including depositions.
You follow, or…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 12:21 pm
–Anyone heard from another fan of can kicking problems down the road- mayor Rich Daley lecturing a successor in the past 8 years?–
No, he lets his brother do that.
As the spokesman for the Land of Misfit Raunerbots, what do you call running up the backlog of bills to $16 billion? Kickin’ your own tukkus?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 12:21 pm
Rauner could have made madigan look bad after the tax increase had he directed his agencies to spend inlynat the pre tax increase level to prove that cuts could fix it.
Of course reality is cuts can’t fix it so he didn’t want to prove that
Comment by Publius Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 12:28 pm
==A lack of taxation….i think JB ought stay away from that campaign slogan.==
He’s riding it like Falcor in “Neverending Story”
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:12 pm
=A lack of taxation….i think JB ought stay away from that campaign slogan.=
I know, you think stiffing people is good governance…
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:15 pm
===You can call Bruce Rauner a failed Governor but.. Jim Edgar is also one.===
OK, but only Bruce is going to be on my ballot in November.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:16 pm
==Anyone heard from another fan of can kicking problems down the road==
Well, I hear a public statement from Bruce Rauner every day, so there’s one.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:17 pm
The Illinois (Rauner) Party has ruined the Illinois (Republican) Party. I will not vote for J.B. or Bruce Rauner. I will vote for McCann. If McCann doesn’t win, J.B. will be beatable in 4 years. Democrats will be fed up with the Madigan/JB team. We just need to find a good candidate to run on the Republican ticket…No more Billionaires, please.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:17 pm
===“His big spending and taxing ways helped make Illinois an uncompetitive state.”===
Jim Edgar cut expenses right down the line, starting with his own office. The governor’s state helicopter was downsized. It had been very large with the jet engines, it could fly as fast as some fixed wing aircraft. Edgar changed it to a much smaller, much less expensive standard sized copter. He led by example to cut expenses. Unfortunately, local governments did the opposite.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:29 pm
==Ogilvie is in a position to offer advice? Let us know what he says.==
Based on performance, not on his ability to be able to see the grass from the green side…
…but you knew that.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:32 pm
The “what about?/you’re one too” arguement is so tiresome and irrelevant to the present. That was yesterday and yesterday’s gone.
Comment by wondering Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:36 pm
Edgar knew how to govern. Rauner doesn’t.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:49 pm
In response to the anonymous critics of Jim Edgar, let’s just remember a few facts. When Edgar walked out the door, the state had $1.5 billion in the bank - which has never been higher. The state’s pension systems were funded at their highest levels (both total dollars and percent) in history; and the numbers continued to rise for two more years until 9/11 happened. Our public schools were doing very well due to a new, well-funded school formula and an historic school construction program. Higher Education was being properly funded and Illinois was ranked the Number One state in the nation for financial accessibility to a college education. Illinois business was booming and our unemployment rate was lower than the national average. Finally, credit agencies were giving Illinois very high bond ratings, something we have not seen for a very long time. Rich, if some of your commentators want to stay anonymous and call Jim Edgar names, so be it, but I suspect most Illinois voters would welcome Edgar-like leadership again.
Comment by Al Grosboll Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 1:59 pm
Preach it, Al, preach it.
The Raunerbots can’t point to any achievements of their own, especially on the fiscal/budget side, so they want to drag Edgar down, facts notwithstanding. Does anyone remember that one of the State pension systems reached a 100% funding level in FY 2000, shortly after Edgar’s departure? Boy that ramp was terrible, eh?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 2:38 pm
==When Edgar walked out the door…==
Third Eye Blind was popular.
==I suspect most Illinois voters would welcome Edgar-like leadership again.==
Indeed. We welcome Edgar-like income tax rates. Make it so.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 2:44 pm
What Democrats don’t realize its that their anti business policies are the reason the Illinois economy and tax receipts have not grown.
If we just kept up with average growth so we could have easily made the higher pension payments and have had a balanced budget
Maybe the Governor could point that out and the fact that the budget impasse was not all Governor Rsuner’s fall and criticize Democrats for once.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 2:49 pm
Al and AA, the Chronic Whiners among us are unmoved by history, facts and numbers.
They just want to join together in unaccountable spasms of grievance.
Lucky Pierre’s handle should have tipped you off.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 3:26 pm
–I’m not sure any of these people should be offering advice. Dick Ogilvy might be the only person in a position to do so in my memory. –
He left office in Jan. 1973, 45 years ago.
Yet, supposedly, you’ve been walking the World’s Largest Precinct for Republican governors all your adult life, and none of them have any advice worth listening to?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 3:41 pm
Though Madigan would not meet with Edgar for four months after he was elected, Edgar said he made sure not to speak ill of the speaker or criticize him publicly.
Hare to believe all these years later, Republican Governor Edgar is giving speeches scolding Governor Rauner but not a peep about the “cooperative and professional” Speaker who he jokingly claims gave him a heart attack. Sounds like Stockholm syndrome
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 3:55 pm
—Though Madigan would not meet with Edgar for four months after he was elected, Edgar said he made sure not to speak ill of the speaker or criticize him publicly.—
Because Madigan and Edgar eventually sat side-by-side at a legislative hearing to push jointly a tax-swap reform plan that Pate tubed. Edgar was playing professional, long ball w/ MJM.
Comment by King Louis XVI Tuesday, Sep 18, 18 @ 6:18 pm