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Do ya think I’m cuckoo?

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Illinois

* If you want to hear how Mayor Daley said “cuckoo” yesterday when asked about Gov. Blagojevich’s contention that his free rides for seniors program was not primarily responsible for the CTA’s budget woes, just click here. The video is here.

I’ve trimmed the audio file and converted it to a ringtone which you can download by clicking here.

* More of the story…

The mayor’s one-word dismissal of Blagojevich’s allegations set the tone for what would be a rough day for the governor, who also was publicly attacked for his recent rewrite of a state ethics bill and his failure to come up with a long-term solution for funding public education.

But, late Monday afternoon, the governor came back swinging on the CTA and ethics questions. And he seemed to soothe state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago), a South Side pastor who earlier in the day railed at Blagojevich for failing to deliver on education-funding promises.

“I don’t think I’m cuckoo, but I will tell you what drives me crazy,” Blagojevich said after a school-funding meeting with Meeks and other ministers. “And what drives me crazy is the CTA blaming years of mismanagement on senior citizens taking the bus for free.”

Daley’s “cuckoo” comment came earlier in the day when a reporter asked the mayor about remarks Blagojevich made last week charging that the mayor and CTA chief Ron Huberman were overstating the CTA’s financial problems, caused in part by the governor’s free rides for seniors initiative.

After the meeting with Meeks, Blagojevich reiterated his disbelief that the CTA is threatening fare increases less than a year after the General Assembly approved a sales-tax increase to bail out mass transit. “The CTA got the Legislature to raise taxes on people, and, as a result of that, the CTA was able to get another $250 million they didn’t have before that,” the governor said. “When I decided to write in free rides for seniors, the net result for the CTA is still $220 million.”

“I don’t think I’m cuckoo” has forced a song into my head which has the same “beat” as the refrain to this little gem.

Ha! Now you have the same awful problem that I do. I haven’t been able to get that tune outta my head since last night. Maybe now I can just pass it along and it will somehow disappear.

* But we also heard this yesterday…

Soaring diesel fuel prices will cost the transit agencies $50 million more next year than expected, while increased maintenance costs resulting from the lack of a statewide public works measure will drain another $50 million, officials said.

The transit agencies have not speculated on the amount of any fare increase.

Providing free rides to senior citizens—Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s surprise add-on to the mass-transit sales-tax increase approved in January—will cost the CTA, Metra and Pace $30 million next year, officials estimated.

Um, weren’t we told before that the cost of free rides to just the CTA would be $34.5 million next year? Now it’s $30 mil for everyone?

Whatever. When the mayor of the state’s largest city essentially calls the governor “cuckoo” you know we’ve crossed into entirely new territory no matter what the merits of the arguments happen to be.

* Related…

* A Cuckoo Catch 22

* Blagojevich: ‘I don’t think I’m cuckoo’

* Picture To Get Clearer On Possible CTA, Metra, Pace Fare Hikes

* Suburban bus fare hikes might be on the horizon, money would make up for lower sales tax, free rides for seniors

* RTA has the money, if you know how to spend it

* Poor economy hasn’t hurt Illinois Lottery’s profits

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 9:54 am

Comments

Rich, I go Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

And I thought they were saying the cost was going to be $66 million just for CTA next year.

Comment by GoBearsss Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:01 am
===When the mayor of the state’s largest city essentially calls the governor “cuckoo” you know we’ve crossed into entirely new territory===

The Land of Loony Tunes.

Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:04 am
===And I thought they were saying the cost was going to be $66 million just for CTA next year.===

That included the guv’s veto of subsidies.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:05 am
The sad part is an issue so important can be trivialized by Mayor Daley with one word. The only way this is possible is because the word rings true causing the Governor’s arguments to be invalid.

I would recommend to the Governor to employ a Jimmy Piersall strategy, whereby, he commits himself to a rehabilitation center, gets treatment and is declared sane. Then when confronted with accusations of instability he can say he has papers saying he is sane and then ask the mayor if he can prove he is not a crook.

Just trying to help.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:06 am
Where’s the (Danger: Rod Stewart) warning label? Unnecessary.

Comment by Scooby Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:06 am
Famous lies in history.
Nixon: I am not a crook.
O.J.: I was taking a nap.
Madigan: I’m for capital.
Blagojevich: I am not cuckoo.

Comment by Truth Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:32 am
Rich, that was perhaps the best laugh I have had in a week!

I would love to see a “jib jab” style reworking of that music video with the governors head on Rod Stewarts body! Now that would be comedy gold!

Comment by Speaking At Will Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:34 am
Rich-
That would make a great ringtone for when the governor’s office calls.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:35 am
My bad. Just noticed you already did.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:40 am
When state officials personally meddle into policy in order to score political points with voters, they should suffer the consequences of those policies if they go bad.

This is the risk of personal meddling for political gain. Blagojevich blew it. He opened himself up to these charges and he needed to consider the situation he was getting into when he started meddling. Just because he is technically right, doesn’t mean he can escape finger pointing. As the best finger pointer I’ve seen in the governor’s office in a generation - Blagojevich should understand.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:47 am
“Cuckoo” is classic. Very un-Daley-like to score with one-word pith, rather than red-faced incoherent, tirades. Well done.

Just as hilarious was Linda Yu’s self-consciously serious, impeccably enunciated lead-in. Lighten up, Linda.

Poor Rod. Even when he’s right he’s wrong. The only money they lost was what seniors were previously contributing to the system. Was it $30 million? I doubt it. Higher fuel costs and 200,000 new riders due to those costs are driving the problem. But Rod wears the jacket.

How lucky is Daley? He’s got Rod. He’s got Todd. And when perhaps the most dangerous potential challenger to his regime emerged — Obama — the dude decided he didn’t want to be mayor, but instead wanted a cup of coffee in the Senate dining room before moving into the White House.

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 10:50 am
The song I like to describe our governor is “They’re Coming To Take Me Away.”

First verse (could refer to Jones’ retirement) & chorus from: Dr. Demento’s Delights

Remember when you ran away and I got on my knees and begged you not to leave because I’d go berserk?? Well… You left me anyhow and then the days got worse and worse and now you see I’ve gone completely out of my mind.. And..

They’re coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!
They’re coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time and I’ll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they’re coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!!!!

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 1:12 pm
having first hand employment experience with CTA and the Gov’s State of Illinois, he is cuckoo. The State was so screwed up that I couldn’t stand working there and left in eight months. He knows mismanagement when he sees it- daily in the mirror.

Comment by Stacker of Wheat Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 2:18 pm
Rich:

I think there’s a T-shirt to be made with Rod saying “I don’t think I’m cuckoo.

Maybe somebody could photoshop his head and birdlike hair onto the CoCo Puffs bird, or other nonlicensed cuckoo bird, for the shirt.

Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 7:34 pm
Rod Stewart is wasted on Rod Blagojevich.

I do appreciate the tune, Rich, as it removed the cuckoo song that had been stuck in my head since yesterday. I wouldn’t wish this “earwig” on anyone, but will just say it came from a classic Broadway musical from the 60’s.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 8:06 pm
Mayor Daley called it the way he saw it. Blagojevich is a nut case. I loved the way he said it, too, just like a cuckoo in a cuckoo clock.

Comment by Emily Booth Tuesday, Sep 16, 08 @ 9:20 pm