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After days of dramatic, damning headlines, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker came to their second debate Wednesday evening prepared to argue whose week was going worse.

They haggled over a report calling Pritzker’s property tax savings a “scheme to defraud” and a newly launched criminal probe into Rauner’s handling of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a Downstate veterans’ home.

And they exchanged insults about being rich men.

“He is trying to buy political office,” Rauner said of Pritzker. “He’s trying to buy the governorship to be something for the first time of his life because if he wasn’t a trust fund baby he would be nothing.”

With just 34 days before the November election, Rauner dubbed Pritzker a “fundamental part” of corruption and a tax cheat, while Pritzker repeatedly blamed the governor for the budget impasse — calling him the “biggest deficit spender in the history of Illinois because of his unwillingness to work with people.”
Gov. Bruce Rauner, left, and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker, right, before their televised debate at the ABC 7 studios, in Chicago, on Wednesday Oct. 3, 2018. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

That trust fund baby thing made it into a lot of headlines. If you missed last night’s debate, click here to watch it today.

* Pearson and Riopell…

Rauner attacked Pritzker over the accusations of sexual harassment that have been leveled against officials and operatives aligned with Speaker Madigan’s government and political organizations.

“He (Madigan) has been caught condoning sexual harassment, hiding sexual harassment and abuse of women in his administration, his power structure,” Rauner said. “Mr. Pritzker has not called out Speaker Madigan on it.”

Pritzker praised a report from three Democratic women that recommended state parties withhold funding from campaigns that don’t adopt certain anti-harassment policies.

“I have called out Speaker Madigan and said that he took too long to follow up on the stories that were told to him of sexual harassment within the organization,” Pritzker said. “I’m glad that there were some changes made but it was too long in coming.”

* Sara Burnett…

He attacked Pritzker for ripping the toilets out of a home to get a $330,000 property tax break — a move the Cook County inspector general recently called a “scheme to defraud taxpayers.” Rauner said it was corrupt and “may involve criminal behavior.”

“This is the fundamental self-dealing that’s rotted our state at its core,” Rauner said.

Pritzker said he’s repaying the money and that the confidential report was leaked for political purposes.

Rauner also worked to distinguish his wealth and background from Pritzker’s, noting several times that the Democrat inherited his fortune, while he was a “middle-class kid” who worked his way through school and built his own wealth.

* ABC 7…

Both Rauner and Pritzker found themselves on the defensive due to Pritzker’s trouble with toilets and tax breaks, and a new report showing the Rauner administration delayed releasing information about the legionnaires’ disease deaths at the Quincy Veterans home.

The governor denied a cover-up.

“The team determined the right time we needed to get all the facts, make sure that there was no panic or misappropriate information put out, and again what our focus was, was protecting or veterans, protecting our staff,” Rauner said.

“Well this was a cover-up all along, remember Governor Rauner knew about this, his administration knew about it, days went by without notifying people, people got sick as a result of that,” Prtizker rebutted.

“Mr. Pritzker, shame on you for politicizing the health challenges of our veterans,” Rauner shot back.

* WGN TV…

Taxes remain a crucial issue and the candidates have a different approach. Rauner vows to fight against raising taxes while Pritzker is proposing a graduated income tax rate, asking top income earners to pay more.

“He’s defending the most unfair tax system in the nation,” Pritzker said.

Rauner interrupted and said, “I pay my taxes and you don’t even pay yours…If Mr. Pritzker gets in office there’s going to be a giant sucking sound and it won’t be from his toilets. It will be the sound of businesses going down the drain in this state.”

* NBC 5…

Rauner blames House Speaker Mike Madigan for the two-year budget stand off. Pritzker would not answer questions as to whether he thinks Madigan should retire. As for the property tax break Pritzker received, he is in the process of returning the cash.

“I didn’t want to, in the last 34 days, this distract people,” he said. “We followed the rules here.”

Rauner warned not to make light of the toilet controversy.

“This is white collar crime,” he said. “This is not a joke. This is not funny. This is not about thrones and humor. This is serious.”

* WGEM TV…

Taxes continued to dominate part of the debate. The governor says he wants to roll back income and property taxes to grow business and keep more jobs from leaving Illinois. Pritzker wants a graduated income tax where wealthier residents pay more. He claims the middle class will get a tax break, but like in the last forum, Pritzker.. still won’t give a specific rate.

“I believe we need to work out what those rates are with the legislature, Republicans at the table too,” Pritzker said.

“It’s a green light to raise taxes on everyone,” Rauner responded. “The reason Mr. Pritzker doesn’t want to answer the question is because he knows it’s gonna crush the middle class and he doesn’t want to admit it before the election.”

* One Illinois…

“The city of Chicago has been determined to be the most corrupt city in America, and Mr. Pritzker is a fundamental part of that corruption,” Rauner said, repeatedly trying to link Pritzker to House Speaker Michael Madigan as his “puppetmaster,”

I dont’ recall Pritzker saying before that he wanted Republicans at the table for the tax negotiations.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:25 am

Comments

–“He is trying to buy political office,” Rauner said of Pritzker. “He’s trying to buy the governorship…–

So…. that’s a bad thing, according to Rauner?

Rich guy calls rich guy rich.

I doubt that moves the needle.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:34 am
The “trust fund baby” may have gotten a lot of play, but Rauner’s continued skipping over his own immediate family (mother and father) and going from his grandparent’s double wide to his own “bootstrap” story stands out just as telling. His family wasn’t exactly living in a trailer in Arizona or Deerfield.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:35 am
Someone needs to tell Rauner’s campaign manager & comms people that it isn’t about “thrones and humor”.

Comment by LoyalVirus Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:37 am
“He is trying to buy political office,”

You mean like you did four years ago and ever since?

“This is the fundamental self-dealing that’s rotted our state at its core,” Rauner said.

You mean like taking multiple home owner exemptions and clouting you daughter into Peyton Prep?

Comment by G'Kar Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:39 am
A guy who buys a public education for his trust fund child needs to review his statement.

Comment by Annoyance Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:41 am
==“This is white collar crime,” he said. “This is not a joke. This is not funny. This is not about thrones and humor. ==

Says the guy who sent Pat Brady out in the street with toilet bowls and cartoonishly photoshopped pictures. Pick a lane here, guv

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:44 am
I missed the debate due to working, but from the sounds of it I should continue to be embarrassed about our choices for Governor?

Comment by Tony Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:46 am
Rauner’s been going heavy negative all along, including last year when he attacked Madigan during budget negotiations. If it hasn’t worked for him yet, I wonder how it will work now. Rauner is so unlikeable, and his insults would seem to reinforce his unpopularity.

Rauner’s furiously trying to drag Pritzker down to his level—but so far, no dice as far as polling margins.

Rauner trashes Chicago but doesn’t it occur to people that he made his riches in Chicago and benefited for decades off of the “corrupt system” of the public sector, unions and Democrats?

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:47 am
What struck me was the difference in the way the two presented themselves. Rauner came off as very angry and indignant which certainly doesn’t help him with his likability/approval problem. Pritzker was evasive but affable. I suspect that Rauner was trying to get under his skin but it didn’t seem to work. If he could have baited Pritzker into a shouting match it might have had some effect. But given the way the two presented themselves I can’t see how the needle was moved one way or another.

Rauner’s problem continues to be a lack of accomplishments. Pritzker can continue to label him as a failure and he can’t counter the attack by pointing to any meaningful accomplishments. As it’s been said, “governors own.”

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:54 am
“I bought the governorship to be something for the first time of my life.”

Fixed it for ya.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 9:55 am
Last night was not the best time for Pritzker to be evasive and failing to ask questions.

Congrats to the ABC Channel 7 moderators and questioners for keeping control and forcing the candidates to answer the questions, or in the case of Pritzker, refusing to answer questions. They even interrupted both of them to remind them of the question and demanding answers at times.

Far better and more informative than the first free for all that included Sam the Sham that got completely out of control.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:02 am
I felt like these two guys are cut from the same cloth. No specifics, attack each other and go light on details. JB will end up just being a more liberal variation of Rauner. The bar to jump over to be more successful than Rauner is pretty low so I guess JB cant be worse?

Comment by Maximus Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:09 am
Coming from Rauner, The “trust fund baby” attack is a bit much.

Yes, Rauner is much more self-made than Pritzker, but he grew up on the North Shore and in Scottsdale as the son of a corporate exec. He acts like he grew up in Berwyn as the son of a steel worker.

How does the Beatles song go? “Baby your a rich man, too.”

Comment by BC Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:09 am
What’s Rauner going to call his kids?

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:13 am
==I suspect that Rauner was trying to get under his skin but it didn’t seem to work.==

Not sure how you get under his skin (but we’ll find out if he wins). He’s got the kind of laid-back self-assuredness that only $3 billion can provide.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:17 am
Rauner is such a liar about the progressive income tax, talkin’ about destruction and businesses circlin’ down the drain. As unhappy as Illinois voters are and down on the state, they support a progressive income tax.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:20 am
Come on down to qtown for round three where we will be introducing a new drinking game called the kavanaugh on October 11th. All participants are required to stop by a local tavern and purchase jug of beer in honor of the habits of our german immigrant forefathers. During the debate, participants must take a drink of beer every time rauner says the name madigan. We do acknowledge the high probability of this game ending 20 minutes after its start due to lack of refills available on site. However, you should be refreshed enough at that point you can avoid drinking our water.

Cheers

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:41 am
Rauner did better than i thought he’d do.

The fundamental error(s) that riddle the Pritzker Campaign did a disservice to Pritzker, with answers, still, that seem terrible when you take into account all this coulda been avoided months ago by paying the money… and then responding thereafter… “i fixed that months ago”

All that said…

Rauner won, but lost the opportunity to seem and look “in charge”, less angry, more likable, more honest.

Pritzker won, that no considerable damage to him makes Rauner any more likable, or make Rauner’s record any better.

Rauner with this debate really didn’t make a case to broaden his appeal to more voters, seemingly only going for that 27% he already has.

The “criminality” both want on the other?

The lone question to all of it… who will go back to Rauner now?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 10:59 am
== He acts like he grew up in Berwyn as the son of a steel worker. ==

As the son of an ironworker, I find Rauner’s act demeaning and insulting.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 11:26 am
Italy is looking better & better.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 11:30 am
===The fundamental error(s) that riddle the Pritzker Campaign did a disservice to Pritzker, with answers, still, that seem terrible when you take into account all this coulda been avoided months ago by paying the money… and then responding thereafter… “i fixed that months ago”===

That may not be JB or his campaign staff’s issue. That’s the kind of thing your asset manager doesn’t exactly fill you in on right away.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 11:43 am
===That may not be JB or his campaign staff’s issue. That’s the kind of thing your asset manager doesn’t exactly fill you in on right away.===

The toilets being removed… for tax assessments…no one knew?

They knew the toilets were removed.

Hmm.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 11:45 am
==That’s the kind of thing your asset manager doesn’t exactly fill you in on right away.==

It was too close to him for him not to have known. It was family members, not his asset manager who were in charge of the toilets.

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:15 pm
I wish just once J.B. would give us specifics. At recent political meetings he heehawed around, and never gave an answer to questions about taxes, the disabled, etc. etc. I guess he is waiting for Madigan to tell him what to do….gggrrrrr.

Comment by Wondering Wendy Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:21 pm
Rauner has never succeeded at appearing as anything other than a dithering Ebeneezer Scrooge. He has failed completely. Rauner is not likeable.

Pritzker is no better than Rauner, but he hasn’t failed at being governor - yet.

McCann is already a failure, so it’s nothing but up for him. He’ll be a governor who’ll hold a garage sale on the Mansion grounds before he leaves office and you’ll find state heirlooms among the beer can and beany baby collections.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:48 pm
Here’s something to ponder - Pritzker’s tax scheme netted him more money than McCann or that most Illinoisans earn in five years.

That’s nutty.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:52 pm
I really wish a debate moderator or a reporter interviewing candidates would actually ask each candidate how they personally define the middle class when they start lobbing out things like ‘cuts for the middle class’ or ‘raise taxes on the middle class’. For instance, the median household income for all of Illinois is a bit under $60k. The 40% quintile for household income in Illinois is around $46k. The 60% quintile for household income in Illinois is around $74k. The 80% quintile for household income in Illinois is around $118k. The 95% level for household income in Illinois is around $217k.

Now I know just about everybody thinks that they are middle class, but quantifiably it just isn’t true. I would really love to know who the where both billionaire gubernatorial candidates think middle class begins and ends.

Comment by benniefly2 Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:57 pm
Good to see our Governor is so concerned about crime.
Maybe he can go give those state workers their step increases.
Wage theft is a crime too innit?

Comment by btowntruthfromforgottonia Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:04 pm
==I really wish a debate moderator or a reporter interviewing candidates would actually ask each candidate how they personally define the middle class when they start lobbing out things like ‘cuts for the middle class’ or ‘raise taxes on the middle class’….==

The question of defining what he meant by “middle class” actually was asked of Pritzker in the debate last evening after he had used the term several times. He would not answer. (One of several specific items of interest that he danced around and would not answer.)

Comment by Responsa Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:19 pm