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Pritzker blames “you guys in the press” for covering the real acrimony between himself and Durbin

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Illinois

* C’mon, man…

At a shortened rally later on the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Pritzker, standing alongside Hernandez and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, once again downplayed the intraparty tension, especially around Durbin.

“Oh, that’s something that you guys in the press are doing,” Pritzker said. “Dick Durbin and I are friends. We’ve worked together on many issues. Tammy Duckworth, Dick Durbin, [Lt. Gov.] Juliana Stratton, our statewide elected officials all work together for the good of Illinois.”

The media isn’t making anything up. The vitriol is real.

* Scroll down in that Tina Sfondeles story…

Asked about her absence, [ousted state party chair Robin] Kelly vowed to work with Democrats “whether or not we are unified.”

“Whether or not we are unified, I will work with leaders I trust and respect to ensure that Democrats win in my district, this state and our country on November 8th. The stakes are too high,” Kelly said, calling it “the most important election of our lifetime.”

At least she’s kinda honest about it.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 9:34 am

Comments

A Democrat complaining about unfair treatment in the press.

You can’t make that up.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 9:39 am
Pritzkers might be an “aw shucks” fellow at the chicken dinner, but he’s just as ruthless and power hungry as Mike Madigan ever was. It really says something about a person’s personality when they are worth 3 billion but also have to have political office. So it’s no surprise that Pritzker has no respect for the old guard democrats, after all, he doesn’t need their influence, because he’s got a lot of money.

Comment by Needs Deleted Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 9:47 am
I was at a meeting with Durbin and Kelly a week ago. Any topic that touched on the Governor’s office was noticeably sensitive and temp dropped in the room for sure.

Comment by High Socks Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 9:59 am
===The vitriol is real===

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t recall Durbin having a lot of IL-based conflicts like this historically. If anything, he’s too even-tempered for my taste, and he’s much more of a DC guy. He was never a main character in the Rauner-Madigan wars, for example.

I believe that there’s vitriol, but I’m still skeptical it’s shared equally by both sides. My suspicion is that Pritzker overestimates Durbin’s influence, blaming Durbin for setbacks that he really had nothing to do with. Really hard to tell though with no one willing to talk about it.

Comment by vern Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:00 am
Isn’t mrs Durbin a Springfield lobbyist?

Comment by Early Wynn Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:01 am
===can’t recall Durbin having a lot of IL-based conflicts like this historically===

Um, did you miss the MJM years?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:02 am
===did you miss the MJM years?===

While I am crotchety, I’m not especially old. If there was something before 2008 or so I probably wouldn’t have followed it. I could see that Durbin and Madigan weren’t especially close the last 10 years, but don’t recall it ever becoming open war.

Again, open to being wrong, I’m not dying on this hill. Was genuinely curious

Comment by vern Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:07 am
“The stakes are too high,” Kelly said, calling it “the most important election of our lifetime.”

I must have been reincarnated a dozen times in the last 20 years and didn’t realize it, with all these “most important election of our lifetime” claims.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:07 am
While the IL Dems may not be ‘united,’ Robin Kelly knows not to utter any complaints as she wants to hang on to her congressional seat. After all, Mr. Pritzker holds the ‘keys’ and money with MJM out of the way.

Sen. Durbin?….just whistling on the sidelines…’ nope, nada, I’m quiet too, gov.’

Comment by Pizza Man Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:11 am
Institutional knowledge versus a prisoner of the moment.

Context to this chapter of Democratic Party “discontent” is a reminder of the functionally dysfunctional party that withstood and rallied after 1995 still needs to keep the eye on the prize, winning elections, and staving off, at least in Illinois… that Red Wave, even trying to help that national push too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:15 am
Have to give JB a rating of four Pinocchios on this one.

Comment by TheDudeAbides Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:17 am
ok, I know you lost, but “whether or not we are unified” is ridiculous. you are either a Democrat or you are not. I was happy that you became the party chair but you lost. Unified be.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:20 am
cue the “fuhgedaboutit” pleas for the next several weeks…

Comment by CentralILCentrist Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:32 am
===I must have been reincarnated a dozen times in the last 20 years and didn’t realize it, with all these “most important election of our lifetime” claims.===

This is most certainly the “most important election.” For Democrats like myself and so many others, every future “election” will be the “most important” until Trumpism is completely stamped out and obliterated. The future of our democracy, as we know, it is at stake.

Comment by MrGrassroots Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 10:54 am
As they say ” governors own”, time to town this one jb, you started it by demanding kelly leave for your candidate.

Comment by Must win Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:06 am
Well seeing this is almost like following the wrestling dirt sheets. The reality is right in front of you if you know where to look. Of course the “work” might well let’s keep up appearances and show there is no acrimony.

Comment by Levois J Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:14 am
I thought that JB didn’t care about unity? I thought that was the reason why he trampled all the grassroots and bought everything lock, stock, and barrel? I thought that JB going it alone and paying for everything was part of his plan? He does have a plan? Right?

Comment by Wise Guy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:18 am
=== he trampled all the grassroots and bought everything lock, stock, and barrel?===

That’s untrue.

===thought that JB going it alone and paying for everything was part of his plan? He does have a plan? Right?===

The voters decided. Elections have results that others may not like.

Any plan is better than a figurehead chairman put in for elite and entitled insider(s) bent on controlling things that couldn’t be controlled without unnecessary changes. “Right?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:23 am
This is a pretty minor problem compared with Republicans and their authoritarian conversion, pushing out those who dare to hold TFG to account. Wyoming is such a stark example. Illinois is also a big example of where the GOP base is at.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:39 am
Just sitting back here with my popcorn. Blaming the press is a page right out of our GOP playbook. Spending millions to choose his opponents and his party allies is not really something the press has harped on too much at this point in time.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:41 am
This is more of an ego clash than an ideological one. I don’t see it having any lasting consequences for the party particularly since they do seem united in seizing upon the disarray that is the ILGOP today.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:46 am
Sorry what is JB supposed to say? He’s the adult in the room. And the adult in the room puts a smile on their face and says polite things even when that might not be how they feel. I’ve seen him and Durbin at dozens of events together and despite what I’m sure is some personal acrimony they are always cordial in public.

The bellyaching over the Governor of the state wanting a say in the state party - and the folks who vote on that agreeing with him - is absurd.

Robin’s comment reads as petty and ridiculous. You lost. And then paid your friends out of money that was supposed to go to Dems who need it.

Comment by Playing in Peoria Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:55 am
Truly Orwellian to accuse Republicans as having had an authoritarian conversion.

Which party’s Governors implemented emergency orders for the past two years to control people and businesses in the name of public health. Two years later it is obvious states that did not lock down did not have worse health outcomes.

The CDC has admitted their response to COVID was botched. Of course we will get no Mea Culpa from JB for the damage his unilateral policies have done to students and small businesses.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 11:56 am
@LP and Needs Deleted…you guys have no shame. The GOP standard bearer complains more in a day about his press than any ten people do in their life unless is is Darren “out of context” Bailey. Then it is a draw.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:00 pm
===So it’s no surprise that Pritzker has no respect for the old guard democrats, after all, he doesn’t need their influence, because he’s got a lot of money.===

Narrator: There was an election. The voters decided. The winners, then they made their choices.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:10 pm
–Isn’t mrs Durbin a Springfield lobbyist? –

Oh stop it. She retired years ago….before JB came to Springfield. Try some other way to stir things up. What a joke.

Comment by McGuppin Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:18 pm
I guess now piling it on fakery and trying to blame “the press” for what is factual; instead of initially actually seeking commonsense common ground, tendering intelligent adult exchanges, not behaving arrogantly and dismissively by “ the true “entitled” ones by not treating is a lesson not yet learned. Two out of every ten would be a hard lesson.

Comment by Patricia Watson Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:31 pm
Durbin has Washington seniority that he believes makes him entitled to have outsized influence on state party issues. He and Madigan definitely did not get along because of that.
Like most things with Illinois Dems, this issue gets solved for most people by answering the question: How many jobs does he control?

Comment by Chili Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:43 pm
=== “Whether or not we are unified … ===

When have Dems ever been “unified?” I’m not in the trenches, but this seems to have been a typical battle over political egos - the Governor v. a senior Senator. From afar, I don’t see that Durbin’s chair was a great savior for the IL Dems.

With respect to the media, they do what they always do. Hype the controversial, conflict or criticism angle on every story ad infinitum. All politicians get frustrated.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 12:49 pm
== It really says something about a person’s personality when they are worth 3 billion but also have to have political office.==

You mean like appreciating that they have been blessed in life and want to give back?

Comment by Big Dipper Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 1:02 pm
Truth be told,

Pritzker is governor of the 5th largest state in America and should find zero reason at any time to utter “you guys in the press” ever.

Any governor, even in the political framing, sits in the big chair, and can drive his/her own messaging and should be able to handle any press about intra-party squabbling without “blaming” press

While Kelly gave a more… unhelpful… answer, it was an answer, and unifying around winning is the goal of any party, squabbling or not.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 1:18 pm
Not Presidential, Governor.

Comment by Radical Candor Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 1:36 pm
Pritzker is the Governor of the sixth largest state in America that just lost a congressional seat.

Pennsylvania is now # 5 at 13,062,764
Illinois is at 12,808,884

https://worldpopulationreview.com/states

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 1:56 pm
===Pritzker is the Governor of the sixth largest state===

The revised numbers disagree with you.

Further, Illinois has over 13 million

https://www.usapopulation.org/illinois-population/

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:39 pm
Here’s your 13 million number too.

Here’s merely one reported source…

https://www.kwqc.com/2022/05/20/illinois-sets-new-record-high-population-over-13-million-residents/?outputType=amp

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:41 pm
==The revised numbers disagree with you.==

I have no idea why we even argue with him? I can’t even tell what his point is 99% of the time.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:44 pm
Kelly’s statement all else being is just… fine. She’s allowed to feel burned by what happened, but neither is she dragging it out.

Comment by Nick Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:59 pm
“Truly Orwellian to accuse Republicans as having had an authoritarian conversion.”

They sure are. They have “canceled” their own members who impeached an insurrectionist and refused to overturn an election. Look at Wyoming, Illinois, Arizona and elsewhere, where Trump supporters and election deniers are winning.

Illinois Democrats should absolutely make a play for those GOP voters who stand for democracy and are not welcome in today’s ILGOP. Judging from TFG’s electoral performances here, there might be a good number of them.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:20 pm
=Spending millions to choose his opponents=

I believe 56% of the ILGOP voters made that choice. Obviously you didn’t. I think your party has a name for that.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 4:38 pm
===Spending millions to choose his opponents ===

Oh - Louis G Atsaves -

I know you don’t wanna align yourself with racist thinkers, conspiracy theorists and insurrection apologists, but them, and 56% of folks voting… in the Republican primary… want Bailey.

It’s who the base is.

You don’t like it.

That’s too bad.

It’s not the Dems fault the GOP nominated, overwhelmingly, a terrible candidate and all that Bailey embraces.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 4:43 pm
I’m not a member of an organized political party. I’m a Democrat.

Comment by SAP Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 12:22 am