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The governor was at his cagey best this week when talking to reporters about where he stood on casino gaming. Aaron Chambers at the Rockford Register-Star filed this must-read report.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, at the center of continuing debate about whether Illinois should have more casinos, said Tuesday that he stands behind a campaign pledge not to approve more gambling.At the same time, the Chicago Democrat said he is open-minded about gambling expansion — and that he has been since he took office as governor in January 2003.
“I’m trying to be as consistent as I’ve been for the past two years,” Blagojevich said. “I have said repeatedly since I became governor that I’ll have an open mind on some of the ideas that the men and women here in the General Assembly may have when it comes to more gaming options.”
When Chambers asked the governor about House Speaker Michael Madigan’s comments that the House won’t do anything on gaming expansion until the governor tells the world where he really stands, Blagojevich had this to say:
“They don’t talk to me about a variety of different things that they do,” he said. “If their position is that they won’t do anything on this issue and they’re gonna accede to me the right to be able to decide all the other issues, I might take them up on it.”
Fat chance of that happening.
The governor was also asked about a questionnaire his campaign submitted to an anti-gambling group during the 2002 campaign. Blagojevich told the group he was against every form of gaming expansion that the group asked him about. But when he was asked if he was now poised to violate his pledges, Blagojevich had this to say.
“I’m where I’ve always been since I’ve been governor.”
In other words, he was absolutely opposed to all gaming expansion before he was elected governor, and nobody knows where he has stood since his inauguration, and that’s exactly where he stands today. Clear?
Definitely presidential material.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 18, 04 @ 4:44 pm
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Clearly, the episode demonstrates how weak his deal making skills really are. The constant telling someone what they want to hear and then denying to the public is very reminescent of his former legal mentor/elder GOP statesman/Cicero guru Eddie V. Being this tongue tied on gaming should make everyone understand how extremely remote any national opportunity might be for this guy.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 18, 04 @ 8:56 pm