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Rauner says he’s “trying to eradicate” the Madigan machine “cancer,” but the “treatments are tough”

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Illinois

* Press release…

Tomorrow, Governor Rauner will begin a 6 day, 20 stop statewide tour to speak with voters and spread his message of cutting taxes, creating jobs, and ending corruption. The tour will focus on getting Illinoisans to the polls to vote early and make their voices heard.

To launch the tour, Rauner campaign Communications Director Will Allison released the following statement:

“Governor Rauner is fighting for Illinois families every single day. The Our Home, Our VOTE tour will get Illinoisans to the polls early to send a message to the corrupt political machine that has taken Illinois down the wrong path for decades. Governor Rauner is fighting for commonsense reforms that will cut taxes, create jobs, and end corruption in Illinois.” - Rauner campaign Communications Director Will Allison

* I suppose we’re going to hear more stuff like we heard from Gov. Rauner this morning. The governor was on “The Voice of Southern Illinois” WJPF radio and the host told him he’d come up with a new metaphor and wondered what the governor thought of it…

When you came into the governorship of Illinois, I think you tried to use chemo for corruption. And what the thing is, if anybody or any member of your family has gone through chemo, you find that very often you can’t tell the difference between the cure and the disease. And I wonder if that’s an accurate metaphor for your first four years and your attempt to do away with corruption and mismanagement in Illinois.

Nothing like hardball questions.

* The governor’s response…

Well, you’re exactly right that Illinois has basically had a cancer in it for decades and that’s the corruption of Madigan and his political machine out of Chicago. It’s been eatin’ away at our jobs and causin’ our taxes to go up and hurtin’ our families. And I am trying to eradicate that cancer on our state. And it’s difficult, it’s a very difficult operation, the treatments are tough. And you know what? We are going to succeed. We gotta keep trying. We’ve gotta stop the Pritzker/Madigan corruption and tax hikin’. Stop the domination of this political machine. And you know what? I’m the one person who can do it. And I’m standin’ strong.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:17 pm

Comments

I’d like to see him campaign without saying the word “Madigan.” I bet it’s near impossible for him.

Comment by Alex Ander Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:19 pm
===And you know what?===

No. What. You’re down double-digits and nearly 20 points under water?

That what? Or What?

Natch

#Sneedling

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:22 pm
Having recently lost a dear one to cancer in spite of brutal chemo and radiation treatments, I find his attempt at analogy offensive.

Comment by Not Funny Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:25 pm
==I’m the one person who can do it. ==

Paging Dr. Rauner. When you’re done in Quincy, come save the entire state.

New costume?

Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:26 pm
===And you know what? I’m the one person who can do it.===

How so governor? Nothing I’ve seen in the past four years would lead me to believe you’re the right person for the job. You said yourself that you’re not in charge? How can you not be in charge but be the only person for the job? But I digress. I guess all of those dropped g’s and two “you know what?”s in one statement must count for something.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:30 pm
Given the whole Sterigenics thing, I think Rauner would want to be a bit more judicious with using the word cancer too much.

Comment by JT11505 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:31 pm
I can’t watch TV with my family because every time Rauner pops up on the screen, I yell “liar.”
So many good people voted for him to clean up the state. It was seemingly impossible to make things worse and yet, here we are. He did it. He found a way to make things worse. If he said it was a sunny day, I’d grab an umbrella.

Comment by Trapped in the 'burbs Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:31 pm
He must think we’re awfully stupid.

Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:32 pm
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:33 pm
Rauner said in or around 2011 that pensions and incomes of unionized public employees are financial tumors destroyin’ America. I think it was around the same time he did an interview that ironically included Pritzker sitting next to him, in which Rauner said his business was “relatively flush” with public employee pensions.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:34 pm
Same as it ever was. Rauner in 2011 said the same thing about unions, calling union pay and pensions a “tumor”.

You what’s a cancer, Bruce? Cancer. Cancer is cancer. That’s it. Nothing else. This is not a topic to use cutesy analogies about.

Especially not when the corporation you own is causing cancer, real cancer, right here in Illinois.

Comment by Reality Check Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:35 pm
So, what? I should consider nearly 3 years without a budget as bad, yet necessary “medicine”? No. I don’t accept that. You were bad at your job, Rauner.

Comment by Terry Salad Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:38 pm
“Paging Dr. Howard, Dr. Rauner, Dr. Howard…”

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:39 pm
Not the first time the cancer metaphor has been used

John Dean:

“I began by telling the president that there was a cancer growing on the presidency and that if the cancer was not removed the president himself would be killed by it.”

Mike Madigan is the most unpopular politician in Illinois and by far the person most responsible for the state’s ranking of the most financially unstable state in America. Illinois is very sick and the illness is self inflicted.

Mike Madigan is only interested in maintaining power and raising taxes further, not restoring citizens faith in our government.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:40 pm
–And you know what? I’m the one person who can do it.–

Dr. Messiah Complex wasn’t so good on the Legionnaires disease.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:41 pm
==I’m the one person who can do it. ==

Based on what track record? He’s done nothing. He’s never negotiated a contract with the state’s workers because he never attempted to negotiate. State workers will have to wait until they have an adult as governor to get that done. He never signed a budget. It took adultsn in the GA sitting down and getting that done.

Comment by Archie Bell Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:44 pm
As Henry Francis so succinctly put it- New costume???

Almost went full T there, Rauner just comes by this doctorin’ “naturally”. And, on a much more serious note, I agree with the commenters that cancer is not something you use for a political ploy. Wonder what the real Dr. Rauner thinks about this appropriation.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:45 pm
Just another reason that I won’t listen to WJPF.

Comment by Exit 59 Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:45 pm
Cancer? Really????? I guess the civility that was promised is gone. What a terrible comparison to make. Can Rauner really believe that this helped him? Just awful. And unsettling.

Comment by Tired Teacher Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:46 pm
–Illinois is very sick and the illness is self inflicted.–

Sticking with that brilliant re-election strategy.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:50 pm
It’s more like a bacterial infection that the governor didn’t tell anyone about.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:51 pm
That’s odd the press release below I 80 reads

…and spread’n his message of cut’n taxes, creat’n jobs, and end’n corruption.”

Comment by Publius Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:52 pm
I listen to this station on my way to work in the mornings and this is most likely Tom Miller who interviewed him. Miller is a softball questioner to everyone and very soft with Rauner. Miller always finds some way to take a dig at the pension situation and he interviews IPI yappers a lot too.

Comment by WJPF morning listener Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:55 pm
So, when do we get to sue for medical malpractice?

Comment by Roadrager Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:56 pm
Tired Teacher:
Civility left a long time ago.
Our Governor is running on “Madigan’ because that is all he has to run on.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 2:58 pm
Dr. Rauner happens to be a quack who can’t diagnose a bunion. Time for a second opinion.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:01 pm
Using cancer to describe a non medical issue. jerk.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:03 pm
Agree with Not Funny and others on this. I’m also annoyed by the IPI comic likening a progressive income tax to cancer for a punchline. Nobody likes paying taxes. But watch a loved one die of cancer, and I guarantee you would gladly pay any tax instead. Of course, their judgment on material for political comics is obviously not stellar.

Comment by Moira Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:03 pm
Obviously the Rauner campaign is in hospice care at this point.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:03 pm
Well, since the governor is so focused on eradicating cancer, it would be great to have him come testify at the joint House Environment & Energy committees hearing regarding Sterigenics on 10/26. I’m sure the people in eastern DuPage and Western Cook will be glad to learn more about his efforts in their area.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:04 pm
Rauner’s arguments seems to be: the treatment is not working, so let’s increase the dose. Easier for people to believe, “let’s try a different treatment.”

Comment by DarkHorse Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:04 pm
Going on a six day creating tour, and on the seventh day he rested

Comment by Rabid Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:04 pm
Rauner does lying not civility. Wait for next weeks insult.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:05 pm
“and by far the person most responsible for the state’s ranking” Objection your Honor. Arguing points not in evidence.

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:08 pm
And yet in all of this no indication of what Rauner would do if given four more years. Does he really think that his constant criticism of Madigan would make him more likely to work with Rauner in a second term?

Comment by Pundent Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:09 pm
“I’m the one person who can do it.”

Trumpian.

The cancer metaphor is Naziesque. Not good.

Rauner no doubt thinks public employee unions are cancers too, but the worst is his horrific hypocrisy, having profited with and off of unions for decades. But some give Rauner a pass for getting rich off of the “corrupt system” but eagerly want to extract big sacrifices from the pensioners who don’t get rich.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:17 pm
==And you know what? I’m the one person who can do it. And I’m standin’ strong.==

You failed. You couldn’t do it. Worse, you made Madigan look good. You weakened ILGOP. Now we’re on the verge of doubling down on the same party we threw out 4 years ago, because you single-handedly showed us that there are worse things than a single-party liberal government.

Bruce your failure hurt us all.
Get out.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:18 pm
Dr. Rauner, Civil War medicine re-enactor.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:40 pm
====And you know what? I’m the one person who can do it.==

Apparently not. See the last 4 years. You failed.

==Mike Madigan is the most unpopular politician in Illinois==

Lol. Does that make you feel better to say that? Because it doesn’t matter one lick when it comes to the election of the Governor. If it did Rauner would be winning. But since he (and you) can’t seem to grasp that the anti-Madigan argument isn’t moving the polls, he will continue to flounder and be double digits down in the polls.

But go ahead. Keep spouting those talking points and see where it gets you.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 3:59 pm
Actually the GovJunk interview first Thursday…Tom Miller(no relation) ran it again today.
What happened to kinder GovJunk?

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:02 pm
Love the g droppin

Comment by Red Dog Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:02 pm
After my chemo, I had radiation. Is Rauner suggesting that he is radioactive? Because I could agree with him on that.

Comment by JoanP Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:04 pm
In my view, the question is since Illinois is a blue state, and because the house and senate are likely to be Democratic majorities, what are you going to change in your leadership approach Governor?

Comment by Maestro Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:14 pm
Forget Madigan do your self a favor when you lose you’ll will always remember him

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:28 pm
1.4% - I’m not a doctor but I played one on tv.

“Governor Rauner is fighting for Illinois families every single day.”

Please stop fighting for Illinois families. The collateral damage has been too great.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:49 pm
“And I’m standin’ strong.”

A legend in his own mind.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 4:51 pm
Might we hope that, if / when he loses, Rauner will be leavin’ our cancerous, corrupt state and movin’ to some right to work state where the chemo has already done enough killing of union cells to suit him?

Comment by sisyphus down Friday, Oct 19, 18 @ 5:08 pm