Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Doom and the embarrassment of desperation
Next Post: Strange happenings in Cook County
Posted in:
* I wasn’t able to go to the Rockford Democratic gubernatorial debate yesterday because of a previously scheduled engagement, but it appears I missed a hot one…
Gov. Pat Quinn accused Comptroller Dan Hynes of crying “crocodile tears” over billions of dollars in unpaid state bills, while Hynes called Quinn the “lead cheerleader” for Rod Blagojevich during a combative debate Sunday between two of the major rivals for the Democratic nomination for governor. […]
But Quinn said Hynes could have helped push for an income-tax increase last spring in the legislature. “You know, all this crocodile tears about health care costs–when it really counted in April, May and June, he wasn’t there,” Quinn said of the comptroller. […]
After repeated shots by Quinn that Hynes was AWOL on fiscal issues—“He wanted to politic and I don’t think we should allow that to take place when we have a crisis”—the comptroller said he was not sitting on the sidelines.
“You talk about the sidelines,” Hynes said. “Well, one of us was taking on Rod Blagojevich. The other was not only on the sidelines but was his lead cheerleader. I think that’s going to be relevant in this election.”
Here comes the Blagojevich card, campers. More on that from the AP…
Hynes said he spent years criticizing Blagojevich’s budget plans while Quinn was serving as Blagojevich’s lieutenant governor.
“One of us was taking on Rod Blagojevich. The other was not only on the sidelines but was his lead cheerleader,” Hynes said.
Quinn countered that he spoke out against a major Blagojevich tax plan in the governor’s second term and that he fought to give voters the power to recall corrupt officials, an idea that Hynes opposed.
And there were more zingers on policy issues…
The candidates were asked how they would make sure the Chrysler automotive plant in Belvidere remains in operation after 2012 when the company discontinues production of the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot. Those models will be replaced by products under development that would use Fiat — not Chrysler — architecture, and company officials haven’t said whether those vehicles will be built in Belvidere.
Quinn said he wrote an auto manufacturing bill approved by the General Assembly that would give incentives to remain in Illinois and that he may sign it in Belvidere.
“My opponent wants to be the governor, but I am the governor and I am getting the job done right now for our auto manufacturers,” Quinn said.
* Some of the Democratic US Senate candidates debated as well. Giannoulias was a no-show. The AP has the story here.
* My latest syndicated newspaper column takes a look at a recent Pat Quinn TV ad, which we’ve already discussed here several times…
I f you ever wondered whether Gov. Pat Quinn would do whatever it takes to win re-election, all you need to do is look at his latest TV ad.
The spot is perhaps the most misleading TV advertisement of the season so far, but it packs quite a wallop. Quinn cannily “accuses” his Democratic primary opponent, Comptroller Dan Hynes, of having “signed off on every single state check.”
“Now Hynes claims he’ll cut the budget line by line, but as comptroller for 12 years he signed off on every single state check,” the Quinn ad alleges.
The Quinn campaign claimed after the ad aired that they were trying to say that Hynes’ statutory check-signing duties meant he ought to know what the budget is all about already and that Hynes shouldn’t need to go over the budget line by line after he’s elected to figure out where to cut waste and over-spending.
While the Quinn campaign’s explanation for why they worded the attack ad the way they did is an interesting after-thought, if you watch the spot carefully you’ll see that what it’s really trying to say is Hynes is somehow responsible for the mess the state is in.
Effective advertising is all about the message received, not the message sent. So when you pick apart a TV ad, you have to try to understand what the advertiser wants viewers to take away from it. And what the Quinn campaign is partially trying to do here is say that Hynes was somehow responsible for the budget meltdown under disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich.
The Hynes campaign quickly launched a counter-attack via press release. “(T)he Quinn campaign has opened the door to a discussion of who really stood for fiscal responsibility during the Blagojevich Administration. While Dan Hynes repeatedly warned of overspending and pending fiscal catastrophe, Quinn stood silent. As recently as September, 2006, Quinn said of his two-time running mate: ‘He’s always been a person who’s honest and one of integrity. I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time.’ ”
It was probably only a matter of time before the Blagojevich card was played. And we can probably expect that to continue throughout the rest of the campaign. Blagojevich is the ultimate in political radioactivity. Combine “His Hairness” with the state’s horrific budget deficit and Quinn’s resulting push to raise income taxes on the middle class and it’s easy to see why Quinn would want to begin laying the groundwork to take Hynes down with him.
By the way, that new Quinn ad is entitled “Spa.”
The title refers to a claim within the ad that while Quinn was hard at work on the state’s budget, “Hynes skipped town, flying to Washington, taking a vacation, hitting a spa in Chicago.”
Hynes claims the “spa” is a place just down the street from his home where he got a haircut. His longtime barber had temporarily moved to that location, so Hynes followed him over there. Speaking as someone who has had my hair cut by the same person for almost a decade, I can relate. By the way, she cuts hair at a “salon,” just in case anybody ever thought about doing an attack ad on me.
Hynes’ Washington, D.C., trip was for an Obama campaign event attended by President Barack Obama, Hynes’ campaign claims. Ironically enough, shortly after the ad began airing, Quinn left Illinois for a Washington fundraising trip and skipped an important meeting with mass transit officials.
The vacation mentioned in the Quinn ad was a family break with Hynes’ three sons and his wife. Yes, it was taken while the General Assembly and the governor had not yet wrapped up the state budget, but Hynes didn’t leave town when the Legislature was in session.
Whatever the actual truth is, the Quinn ad’s subtle connection of Hynes to Blagojevich and the overt taunting of Hynes for lolly-gagging in a spa while the state burns makes this a very effective advertisement. And like I said above, it shows that Quinn is no “high road” campaigner. He’ll get right down there in the dirt and the mud and the blood if that’s what it takes to win.
And he’ll definitely need every trick in the book if he wants to survive what’s sure to be the toughest campaign of his life.
* Related…
* Press release: Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool today endorsed former Deputy Illinois Treasurer Raja (RAH-jah) Krishnamoorthi (krish-nuh-MOOR-thee) for Illinois State Comptroller. “In this time of economic challenge and large budget deficits, we need officials who will serve as the taxpayers’ watchdog,” Claypool said. “I am convinced that Raja can be the kind of comptroller we need to cut the waste and fraud from state government while protecting the vital services it must provide.”
* Quinn determined not to rouse black voters
* Death row: Now what?
* Ryan’s sorry excuse for an actual apology
* The disparate imposition of the death sentence
* Illinois Democrats worry about losing Senate seat.
* Ill. Senate candidates question Afghanistan war
* Illinois candidates weigh in on troop levels
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 7:55 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Doom and the embarrassment of desperation
Next Post: Strange happenings in Cook County
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Will a true leader in the Governor’s race please stand above the crowd?
Comment by tubbfan Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 8:04 am
Quin could survive this lead cheerleader for Blago charge if he had followed up on just one promise he made - fumigate. Instead he decided to perpetuate.
His own DNR is providing a good template on what Quinn should have done. See the story in morning shorts about getting rid of Asian carp in Chicago ship canal. First you pluck out the few good fish in the canal and save them then you poison the rest.
Comment by Leave a Light on George Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 8:33 am
The main negative themes, at least, are clear.
Quinn on Hynes: AWOL ankle-biter.
Hynes on Quinn: Blago’s main guy.
Both have positive themes that anyone who ever met them think they’re the bee’s knees.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 8:40 am
So - not only was Quinn Blagojevich’s partner during the worse years in Illinois’ history, Quinn is using the Blagojevich campaign theme on Hynes, that Blagojevich used on Topinka.
Nice going Pat. What a way to separate you from the King Weasel.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 9:11 am
rich, quinn and hynes will be debating at the union league club nov. 18th, this coming thursday. maybe you will be able to make it?
it’s good that raja k. is getting some support.
Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 9:38 am
So why can’t the IL-SEN frontrunner even bother to show up at a debate?
Scared of Hoffman. He will run rings around him once they get on the dais together.
Comment by ScaredAlexi? Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 10:07 am
Most of the time, these Quinn jabs are the type of thing that won’t stick.
But, in this case, there is an awareness among the reporters/politicos that Hynes was not part of the budget process this year, and that he stayed on the sidelines so as not to get any mud on him. So, this line of attack may leave a lasting impression in news stories and on the stump.
Comment by George Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 10:08 am
[…] Rich Miller finds fault with Gov. Pat Quinn’s advertising in this post (scroll down): The spot is perhaps the most misleading TV advertisement of the season so far, but it packs quite a wallop. Quinn cannily “accuses” his Democratic primary opponent, Comptroller Dan Hynes, of having “signed off on every single state check.” […]
Pingback by Peoria Pundit » Former reformer Quinn isn’t taking the high road Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 10:16 am
Alexi isn’t afraid of just Hoffman he’s afraid of everything. The Sun-Times asked him about the Gitmo/prison issue — Alexi responded with ***crickets***. His cancelation in Rockford just more ***crickets***. He thinks that he can avoid telling the voters anything while he rides his endorsements, name recognition, and base community to the finish line. Sad strategy and real sad for IL.
Comment by Anon Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 10:36 am
Pat Quinn should take the gloves when it comes to this Blago talk. If you think back to the impeachment trial, Quinn was in favor of a voter recall that would give the power to the people to remove Blago, instead of waiting for the stooges in the State Legislature to do it. Hynes wanted to be Governor or AG and spoke against the recall petition because he didn’t want to see Quinn move up. Once Blago was impeached, Hynes went off all over the state trying to line up support from dem party power brokers and donors. That is common knowledge inside dem circles. Quinn shouldn’t put up with this and make it known what Hynes has spent the last year is straight campaign mode.
Comment by Burrito Bandit Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 10:56 am
What did you expect from Quinn? He still has the Blagojevich people in place. Those folks know how to distort the truth. Quinn is now a full-blown Chicago Democrat machinist and will do and say anything the machine masters demand. And then he will oh-so-graciously extend his hand to accept the check.
No thanks, Pat.
Comment by Joe from Joliet Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 11:04 am
burrito b., you’re right in some ways, but just so that you are aware, because quinn is aware…
(republican) critics of quinn will suggest that he waited until it was safe to speak out publicly against blago. but, prior to that he was a “cheerleader.” the illinois republicans have a web site up with some pretty incriminating quinn statements in which he praises blago from 2002-2007.
it’s true that quinn opposed blago’s gross tax receipts scheme and pushed for recall. if memory serves based on the infomation posted on the illinois repubs website, recall and gross tax came to the fore in 2007.
Comment by Will County Woman Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 11:05 am
Is there a video file from the Rockford event posted any where. I would like to watch it.
Comment by John Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 1:09 pm
I think Hynes campaign dropped the ball here. I would have hit the airways with an add with news clips of quinn demenading Hynes sign the checks for the chicago tourism stuff; with Quinn saying Hynes has no choice butis legaly required to sign em. Then blurb the current add, and end with the quote from quinn supporting blago and some cathcy tag line about the need to get rid of blago style of governing through deception.
Comment by Ghost Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 1:54 pm
Hynes used to appear boring; now he seems more steady and focused, in contrast to Quinn. Of course he may have that luxury as comptroller without having to deal with the day-to-day that Quinn does.
It will be interesting to see if this Doc Walls ballot thing has any traction, since it clearly contradicts Quinn’s views throughout most of his career.
Should be a more interesting contest than many expected.
Comment by Rambler Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 3:23 pm
John,
I found this video clip of yesterdays debate from Quinn.
Comment by The Shadow Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 4:51 pm
Sorry, here is the link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88hkxlWFkfs
Comment by The Shadow Monday, Nov 16, 09 @ 4:52 pm
Thank you Shadow
Comment by John Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:55 am