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Pritzker says he will participate in two debates, Bailey hedges but says he will debate

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Illinois

* Pritzker campaign…

Today the JB for Governor campaign announced that Governor Pritzker will participate in two statewide debates.

WMBD, AARP Illinois, and Illinois State University
When: October 4, 2022
Where: Normal, IL

WGN-TV
When: October 18, 2022
Where: Chicago, IL

Illinois State University and AARP will provide a unique, intergenerational forum to discuss a broad range of topics important to voters. As non-profit, non-partisan organizations, AARP and ISU are committed to encouraging informed civic participation. The debate will be free and open to the public and will be broadcast statewide.

WGN’s statewide debate will offer voters another opportunity to hear the candidates for governor articulate their vision for the state. The debate will be broadcast statewide and available online.

* NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern asked Darren Bailey if he is agreeing to the debates…

Bailey: I don’t know. Is one of those one of yours?

MAA: It is not.

Bailey: Okay, well, we’re gonna have to talk about that then. [Cross talk] I’m gonna debate the man. The people of Illinois need to know that he is responsible for the failures of safety, law enforcement, he has destroyed our schools. He’s destroyed our families. He’s destroyed our businesses. So I look forward to debating him and making him answer for that.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:52 pm

Comments

===he has destroyed our schools. He’s destroyed our families. He’s destroyed our businesses.===

His maturity level is astounding. How JB can seriously debate this guy without laughing every couple minutes will be difficult.

Comment by Baloneymous Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 2:59 pm
=he has destroyed our schools. He’s destroyed our families. He’s destroyed our businesses.=

Whew, that is a lot of destruction.

Not sure about the rest but the threat to our schools is coming from the right. Under Pritzker, we have restored many of the cuts forced by Rauner’s budget impasse.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:01 pm
On one hand, Bailey needs the debates to, I guess, have Pritzker answer for whatever Bailey thinks his micro of the micro base is pushing these days, and what 56% plus of the GOP feels a beefing should be.

The other hand?

A candidate who is on the record as being against abortion, even in the case of rape and/or incest, and who compares abortion, needlessly and haplessly in a disgusting way to the Holocaust… no place to hide on a stage. Nope.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:02 pm
“he has destroyed our schools. He’s destroyed our families.”

That’s some real strong confidence in the state there, pal. Quite an economic development message to say our families are completely destroyed somehow.

Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:08 pm
Bailey talks like a dimwit. “Destroyed” schools, families and businesses. Too much time alone on rattling around on that tractor, I guess.

Dan Brady was unwilling to tell Mark Maxwell he would vote for Bailey for governor.

And the shambolic Illinois Republican Party doesn’t even seem to have its statewide candidates listed on its website.

Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:12 pm
Bailey would have a better chance boxing Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago at the same time.

1. How is CRT currently being taught in schools?
2. What is your sex ed curriculum?
3. What abortion policies will you put in place?

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:13 pm
–Bailey: I don’t know. Is one of those one of yours?–

So, an empty chair it is then.

I think Bailey is realistically at a point right now where vanishing completely until the election would *help* his numbers. However, given his campaign budget it might be hard to tell if it was on purpose or not.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:15 pm
I’m no political strategies, but I would be leaping at the opportunity to debate Darren Bailey as often as he wants. The more he talks, the more times he steps on a rake and whaps himself in the face.

Comment by Curious citizen Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:17 pm
JB Pritztker must be worried. That trust fund kid is sticking like glue. Dem voters are cooling off.

Comment by Redneck Bill Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:23 pm
===Dem voters are cooling off.===

Cite please?

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:26 pm
==trust fund kid==
Didn’t Bailey inherit most of his farmland?

Comment by Vote Quimby Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:33 pm
Bailey will find a way to bow out…betcha.

If he doesn’t, I’ll buy the treats…and provide the smoke.

Comment by Dotnonymous Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:35 pm
===Bailey: I don’t know. Is one of those one of yours?
MAA: It is not.
Bailey: Okay, well, we’re gonna have to talk about that then.===

I’m fairly confident Bailey could get himself some NBC screen time without a debate. It would require him to sit for an interview, of course, but that shouldn’t be too scary for a future Governor. /s

Comment by vern Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:36 pm
=JB Pritztker must be worried.=

Yeah, he is quaking in his boots alright. That is why Bailey is waffling on the debates, because he is so goooood in real time. LOL.

Baileys numbers, as other have stated, are btter if he goes radio silent.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:38 pm
Oh Darren, hyperbole much?

My daughter’s high school is just fine. Great actually. My family is great too. I don’t own a business, so I can’t comment on that.

But 2 out of 3–looks like I’m voting for Pritzker.

Comment by Steve Rogers Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:41 pm
In the world of Prosperity Gospel, your level of wealth is a direct result of how much god likes you.

The Bailey campaign should latch on to that trust fund language even more. Point out that Pritzker has orders of magnitude more money than Bailey, at every opportunity.

The guy can’t even rally his own base correctly.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:41 pm
As in the primary, Bailey needs use this opportunity to convince the voters that his opponent is secretly JB Pritzker’s favorite candidate.

– MrJM

Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 3:47 pm
Listening to Bailey go off the rails for 5 minutes is cringeworthy. I can only imagine what an hour would look like. And Pritzker does really well on camera.

The big losers here are Brady and Demmer. They have to deal with the fall out from all of this.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 4:00 pm
I thought Bailey accepted a debate opportunity in September.
Not surprised that JBP would only accept two debate events, but feel that more debates would better serve the voters.

Comment by back to the Future Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 4:42 pm
=Not surprised that JBP would only accept two debate events=

I don’t think that JBP and the Dems believe that sharing a stage with Bailey is a bad thing at all. If you haven’t noticed, public speaking or simply answering questions is not Bailey’s strong suit.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 4:46 pm
Bailey right now cannot win unless something dramatically changes. Debates are at least a possibility for JB to get trapped in some disastrous moment. Would that matter long term? Probably not! But Bailey should take every debate JB offers him and demand more. Why not?

Comment by ZC Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 5:49 pm
=Not surprised that JBP would only accept two debate events,=

You need to pay a little closer attention to the information. Pritzker didn’t “accept” two debates. He scheduled two. Bailey hedged on even two because he knows he will get pantsed at the podium.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 18, 22 @ 6:48 pm
==Debates are at least a possibility for JB to get trapped in some disastrous moment. Bailey should take every debate JB offers him==I would say that is a double-edged sword. And the side facing Pritzker is full as a butter knife while the side facing Bailey is sharp as a razor.

Comment by MoralMinority Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 5:13 am
Should read dull instead of full in above. Dang Google keyboard.

Comment by MoralMinority Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 5:15 am
Will snacks and Mountain Dew be served after the debate. If so, count Darren in.

Comment by MoralMinority Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 5:34 am