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* As I indicated yesterday, this is probably no surprise…
Embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich likely will not be among the 15 to 20 governors talking about the economy with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama Friday morning in Chicago.
An Obama spokesman confirmed Thursday afternoon that Blagojevich was invited along with all Democratic governors to the Friday event. A Blagojevich spokeswoman, however, said the governor likely will be heading to the downstate Metro East area to monitor rising flood waters.
Blagojevich did attend a dinner function on Thursday night with Obama and the governors, the spokeswoman said.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The Democratic governors met with Obama earlier this morning. Blagojevich wasn’t there. The Tribsters took note of the governor’s schedule…
One Democratic governor not present was Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Obama’s campaign said Blagojevich had been invited to the event, but the governor’s staff said he needed to monitor Downstate flooding.
A public schedule released by Blagojevich’s office showed his first public event of the day to be at 11:45 a.m. Central Time in Alton, Ill. Blagojevich’s approval ratings continue to sag in Illinois and he and Obama have not appeared together in public for months.
* Our quote of the week goes to Cindi Canary, regarding that poll I told you about yesterday which had the governor’s approval rating at 13 percent, and the General Assembly’s approval numbers at 17 percent…
“If any of us only had a 17 percent approval rating, we’d lose our jobs,” said Cynthia Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and a spokeswoman for Midwest Democracy Network.
* This is what happens when a real Statehouse reporter writes a story about the capital plan…
State transportation officials and a handful of Illinois lawmakers continued their push Thursday to get a statewide construction plan in place.
But without any new talks on the $34 billion measure, it appears that press conferences being held around the state in recent days are having no effect on breaking the stalemate.
* More from the article, which was about yet another press conference to boost the capital plan…
State Rep. Jay Hoffman, a Collinsville Democrat who is a key ally of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, said Madigan is playing “petty politics” with the measure by blocking it from coming up for a vote.
“He needs to put aside his personal vindictiveness,” Hoffman said. “Let’s stop this inter-party bickering.”
At the press conference, however, Hoffman offered up no alternatives that would address Madigan’s concerns.
“If the bill is called for a vote … I’m convinced we’ll be able to pass that bill,” Hoffman said.
But the bill is flawed for numerous reasons. And since it’s a House bill amended in the Senate, it cannot be amended again in the House.
* Yesterday, we took a playful little shot at Mother Tribune because one of the company’s vendors was hawking free Obama t-shirts in exchange for buying a subscription. Eric Zorn posted this in comments…
…without even checking with anyone I can pretty well assure you that if this story is true (unless I’m missing something there is one source, one witness, “Leo” and a partial image of a shirt that looks like it might spell out “Obama”) it was not a company authorized promotion. There is no history or tradition at the Tribune or any American newspaper that I’m aware of of using partisan political souvenirs as subscription incentives, and if you thought about it for five seconds you’d realize why.
But even if somehow I’m wrong about that and this WAS an official promotion, sanctioned from on high, that wouldn’t have anything to do with the reporters, editors and columnists who are writing about the campaign. Nor would it influence the Tribune’s editorial positions or endorsements which, as some have noted, tend to run Republican.
* But this Chicago Sun-Times publicity stunt is most definitely sanctioned from on-high…
[Gov Blagojevich said] “I am proud of All Kids, a program that has covered more than 200,000 uninsured children since we started it in 2006. I would like to thank the Sun-Times and Resurrection Health Care for helping us get the word out about All Kids. I hope they far surpass their goal of signing up more than 1,000 children on Saturday.”
* Related…
* Jack Franks: “Not Yet”
* Righter’s no friend of Blagojevich, but he opposes impeachment
*** UPDATE 2 *** Statement by Michael Dizon, communications manager, Chicago Tribune…
“Recently, several websites have reported that a Chicago Tribune contractor had been offering Obama and McCain T-Shirts as an incentive to purchase a newspaper subscription. This was not a company-authorized promotion and was inappropriate. All subscription premiums must be approved by the Tribune in advance, and these weren’t. The newspaper maintains a non-partisan position in its reporting as well as promotions. Chicago Tribune have reprimanded the contractors and regrets any confusion this might have caused for readers.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 9:36 am
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Tend to run Republican? Yeah and the Cubs tend to suck.
Comment by Silly Rabbit Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 9:48 am
People don’t like the General Assembly, but they love their Legislator. Did the poll mention anything about Cindi Canary’s job approval rating? I for one would love to see her “approval rating” in the General Assembly. How low can you go?
Comment by MouthofBabes.. Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 9:55 am
Nice of the Obama campaign to cover for Blago.
But it’s a humiliating rebuke to the governor; Democratic governors, in your own state, basking in the glow of Obama. By all rights, Blago should be at Obama’s right hand for the cameras. Instead, he and Emil are snuck in the back door for a no-media-allowed dinner. Some consolation prize.
What a kick in the testicular virility.
I think Rep. Hoffman means intra-party bickering.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 9:58 am
Utter humiliation for Blagojevich. The levee breaks in Missouri are abating the flood…Alton has already crested. Stay in Chicago and try to bask in the reflected glory. Wow. How is Abby spinning this one on the way out the door?
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:06 am
Wordslinger beat me to it,
“He needs to put aside his personal vindictiveness,” Hoffman said. “Let’s stop this inter-party bickering.”
I wonder, though, whether Hoffman’s error (it should be intra-party) is not a Freudian slip of sorts? After all, he and the Governor tend to treat Madigan as a member of an opposition party — even calling him a Republican once.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:17 am
It could also be a typo. Let’s move along.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:18 am
I’ll move on but I noticed it too…. it could also be the reporter missing it.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:20 am
It’s the reporter’s fault for incorrectly transcribing the spoken word, but it will still show up in the Speaker’s “impeach Hoffman” memo.
Comment by Silly Rabbit Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:27 am
Rep Hoffman might want to tone down his retoric if he is serious about getting anything done. Saying the Speaker is being petty and vindictive is probably not the best way of mending fences. Then again, these guys never had any desire to govern with anyone else so this is typical. MJM should tell them to stick it.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 10:44 am
“Obama’s campaign said Blagojevich had been invited to the event, but the governor’s staff said he….. ”
Is this like Rev Wright being disinvited the night before delivering the invocation at Obama’s presidential announcement?
Comment by North of I-80 Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 11:09 am
Maybe our own US Senate delegation ought to join Blago on his trip south? I understand the rigor of the campaign season, however, Obama is still our Senator and he should try to help out his own every now and then! Has Durbin even gone down for a tour? Until the Capfax and others called Blago out for not scheduling a tour of the area there were no plans by his office to do this. Crazy stuff….or not
Comment by Democrat4life Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 11:48 am
Democrat4life, Obama has already been to Quincy, and Durbin was there as well.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 11:49 am
Obama: “Here’s how it’s gonna be, Rod: You are invited to everything, as far as the public knows. But I don’t want to be seen in the same room as you, not until after November. And keep your overworked press release machine the heck away from my campaign and any mention of me.
When you get your butt out of the briar patch with the feds, we’ll re-assess.”
Comment by Nelson Muntz Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 11:55 am
So Blagoof flies round trip to the flood zone so he can drag The President to some tavern for dinner with Obama and flies round trip Friday back to the flood zone.
Obama misses a bad media event
(PS looks like Capt. Fax’s spam blocker is keep comments sent via AOL in the trash can)
Comment by DumberThanUThink Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 12:04 pm
Given that Blago practically defines the term “politically radioactive,” Obama is wise to stay as far away from him as possible.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 1:01 pm
Bottom line, we have a governor who is mired in issues which render him unable to continue to perform in the job. The Rezko trial, various investigations, fight with JCAR, upcoming Kelly trial etc have rendered him unable to effectivly be a leader. The honorable thing to do would be for him to step aside so that he is not the distraction and impediment, the fly in the ointment if you will.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 1:34 pm
Hi guys,
First the shot was the best I could do. I was concentrating on getting cash out of the ATM and then running off to my Saloon night — not shopping around for subscriptions to the Chicago Tribune.
Anyway, I find it kind of funny that Eric is distancing himself from the Obama sales job. I mean, the person giving away those teeshirts was showing more sense about local conditions than oftentimes the Tribune Editorial Board.
She and people like her ought to be congratulated!
Comment by leo Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 2:16 pm
I wish Rep. Jay Hoffman would not talk anymore. He is very predictable in blaming everyone but Blagojevich for any situation. Jay needs to turn that mirror towards himself and (and the mess he has created at IDOT in his District) maybe he can understand why his ratings in his own district are falling, falling, falling.
Comment by This voter will remember Friday, Jun 20, 08 @ 3:09 pm
“…we have a governor who is mired in issues which render him unable to continue to perform in the job. The Rezko trial, various investigations, fight with JCAR, upcoming Kelly trial etc have rendered him unable to effectively be a leader. The honorable thing to do would be for him to step aside …”
Truer words never spoken!
Comment by MouthofBabes.. Saturday, Jun 21, 08 @ 3:14 pm