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* Dave McKinney and I talked about the back-story behind this photo the other day, so I’m glad he tweeted it out…
WBEZ’s chance encounter last week with ex-lobbyist Michael McClain was news again Tuesday when Gov Pritzker criticized the “smug grin” McClain displayed when @dmihalopoulos and I asked him if he was cooperating with federal investigators. “They’ve asked,” McClain said repeatedly.
— Dave McKinney (@davemckinney) January 15, 2020
Afterward, McClain stood in a downtown high-rise lobby as @DenverManuel captured this shot of him on the phone. Rather than turning away or becoming combative, McClain stayed put as @WBEZ’s photog stood a few feet away and shot 40 to 50 frames. Seemed oddly deliberate. pic.twitter.com/m3KbqeikJT
— Dave McKinney (@davemckinney) January 15, 2020
He just stood there, as if he was posing. Usually, folks at the center of a big media firestorm tend to lay low. But he not only dined at a popular spot for political types and then stood for a brief interview with WBEZ, he let the photographer take 40-50 shots while he talked on the phone.
“Seemed oddly deliberate” is right. Was he sending some sort of message to the feds and/or anyone else? Or was he getting a little kick out of the attention? Or… ? I just don’t know. But this is highly unusual behavior.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:06 am
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It wouldn’t surprise me if he asked a friend to tip off WBEZ.
Maybe he’s feeling out of the loop and wants to still look powerful. Maybe he wanted to signal strongly to Madigan that he’s not cooperating with the feds. Who knows.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:09 am
Perhaps he’s just a narcissist?
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:10 am
Very fascinating. I mean, most other people go into hiding like cowards - Tobolski, Sandoval, etc. But this guy carries on his business like nothing is wrong. Maybe that’s the message he is trying to send - I have nothing to hide so I have no reason to hide. We will see how this whole thing shakes out.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:15 am
I usually prefer to assume ignorance over malevolence, but this is the same mindset that leads one to put even the worst things in an e-mail, because one thinks that one is untouchable.
Comment by Boog Alou Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:16 am
Nice to see his phone was restored after the virus it had in May.
Comment by Not again Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:17 am
Maybe McClain should ask Blago how smug and arrogant behavior worked out for him.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:17 am
Mr. McClain rarely seeks attention. This was definitely deliberate.
Comment by Red ghetto in a blue state Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:19 am
So?
Comment by The 647 Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:20 am
Hey, it’s a strategy. If your major argument will end up being “I did nothing wrong, this is just business as usual,” acting “normal” in public is a way to set that tone.
Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:21 am
It’s a deliberate show of “so far, they have nothing”.
That may or may not be true, but he’s free, not indicted, and going about his day “unaffected”.
Whew.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:25 am
Some might be reading too much into this. McClain is under a lot of pressure. He probably expects to be indicted. He’s got legal problems. There’s not much he can control. The media is going to write stories about him. Whatever he’s done, he’s done. Things can’t be undone. He probably wants to attempt to stay on his normal routine as much as he can. What may appear to be weird or odd it a gone trying to survive under pressure. Pressure that most of us can really understand.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:26 am
===stay on his normal routine as much as he can===
OK, but posing for pictures is not his normal routine.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:31 am
‘Cubs - Mike McClain is many things, but he’s no Rod Blagojevich.
Comment by Not for Nothing Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:33 am
Maybe he’s simply trying to displace the use of his unflattering file photo.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:34 am
=Cubs - Mike McClain is many things, but he’s no Rod Blagojevich.=
Yeah, not even Blago used information about a rape to pressure someone.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:36 am
===OK, but posing for pictures is not his normal routine.===
No kidding. Those guys are famously camera-shy:
https://abc7chicago.com/news/i-team-tracking-down-mike-madigan/1555090/
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:36 am
We all remember the photos of Dan Rostenkowski running down the street and diving into a car.
Running just triggers a chase. Running just makes it look like you’ve got something to hide. Running and hiding is not what you should do.
Those photos of people walking into federal court with coats over their faces trying to hid themselves from the cameras make them look both ridiculous and guilty.
McClain is acting like a guy with nothing to fear and nothing to hide. Maybe he is overacting. But honestly, what did you expect him to do, say “No comment” as he jumped into a getaway car?
Comment by Charlie Brown Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:37 am
-What may appear to be weird or odd it a gone trying to survive under pressure. Pressure that most of us can really understand.-
Let me may a correction, because those 2 sentences have mistakes.
What may appear to be weird or odd is someone trying to survive under pressure. Pressure that most of us can’t really understand.
As far as the posing, it might be his way of attempting to deal with whatever pressure he’s under.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:38 am
It was smug. The fed’s don’t seem to like smug.
Comment by Rutro Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:42 am
I never met the man, but it almost seems he’s not firing on all cylinders.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:47 am
==Running just makes it look like you’ve got something to hide.== There is a difference between not running away and actively seeking attention.
Comment by SAP Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:48 am
The Herald-Whig in Quincy just doesn’t make one feel quite as important. . . . . .
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:52 am
If Mike McClain is living his normal life and the press is now following him then that’s not him seeking attention, that’s the press seeking him out. This has all died down quite fast and it seems like they just need content to keep the churn going. The feds don’t work on the same timeline as the press so the press need to fill time.
Comment by Randomly Selected Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:53 am
===This has all died down quite fast===
What world are you living in?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:53 am
=Randomly Selected=
Um, did you see the Governor’s comments from yesterday? One might argue that lighter fluid was applied . . . . .turn on the news . . . .at least Randomly.
Comment by Upon Further Review Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 9:59 am
I wonder if the rape victim saw this photo they’d think it was “courageous” - to me courageous would be answering Dave’s questions. Or if she feels sorry for all the “pressure” he is under while he dines at an upscale steakhouse.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:00 am
McClain is giving me real Roger Stone vibes with all this clamoring for attention
Comment by Chambanalyst Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:11 am
This photo might make a good “Caption Contest”
Comment by don the legend Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:11 am
@ Mister Jay M
That was my thought exactly. Rather than have that washed out and awkward file photo, give the press something that makes him look less…creepy uncle and more powerful businessman?
Comment by Just Another Anon Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:12 am
== What world are you living in?==
The world where there’s no new news on this story to report on so reporters are tweeting “remember last week” to keep this alive until something new brings this back to the forefront, if it ever does.
== Um, did you see the Governor’s comments from yesterday? One might argue that lighter fluid was applied . . . . .turn on the news . . . .at least Randomly. ==
The governor put a little sauce on it yesterday but he didn’t say anything to keep this story as hot as it was last week.
Comment by Randomly Selected Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:15 am
===didn’t say anything to keep this story as hot as it was last week. ===
Just because it isn’t white hot doesn’t mean it isn’t red hot. You need a nap.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:36 am
Total Frat Move pic.
Comment by Middle of the Roadster Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:48 am
McClain doesn’t seem to do anything without a reason or purpose, and he certainly knows better than to show worry or nerves in public. He’d just been tracked down by reporters who were still on the scene, so McClain stayed in character by nonchalanting the phone call, showing he’s still in control, staying cool. Nothing very unusual in his behavior, given the circumstances, except maybe letting himself be found in the first place.
Comment by Flapdoodle Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 10:57 am
He’s just pulling a Junior Soprano.
Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 11:27 am
== Just because it isn’t white hot doesn’t mean it isn’t red hot. You need a nap.==
You’re giving me colors to describe the heat of a story. I’ll take that nap if you leave some at the dispensary for other people.
:-)
Comment by Randomly Selected Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 11:34 am
From his appearance in the picture, he does not look like a guy who is going to make a public spectacle by sprinting away. In fact, sprinting away would have just convinced more people that he has something to hide.
Not saying he doesn’t have reason to worry. But lots of people have reason to worry right now, and this story isn’t going to either go away or be resolved in the next news cycle.
Comment by Mr. Smith Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 11:36 am
Pritzker calls on McClain to cooperate. Mike Madigan stays silent.
Comment by midway gardens Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 12:42 pm
Well we do know he wasn’t on his cell trying to get Madigan on his cell.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 1:08 pm
Has anyone stopped to consider that maybe he didn’t see the reporters clicking away? I’m mean have you seen those glasses he is wearing?
Comment by Lasik Wednesday, Jan 15, 20 @ 4:47 pm