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* When I listened to the audio of Gov. Pat Quinn’s Chicago press conference yesterday, I was a bit surprised at the number of questions he received from reporters about the situation in Ferguson, MO. He was asked what his thoughts were about the unfolding drama, he was asked whether Missouri’s governor had asked for assistance from Illinois’ National Guard and then was asked whether he would “entertain” a request from our neighboring state for National Guard deployment.

Listen…

Click to listen

* That last question was by far the weirdest. Are reporters (or editors) really that eager to find an Illinois angle to this story? Apparently so…

Speaking at a bill-signing event on Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn weighed in on the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, that has gripped the nation, saying all of America is vested in unearthing the facts behind the police-involved shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The Aug. 9 shooting of the unarmed black man by a white police officer has torn apart that St. Louis suburb, with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Monday calling in that state’s National Guard to help calm increasingly violent nightly protests.

“I know Gov. Nixon. I have not talked to him,” Quinn said at the Wesley Place, a rehab facility at 1415 W. Foster, where he signed into law two bills addressing standards and accountability at Illinois nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

“I think it’s very, very important that the people be allowed to voice their feelings. It’s part of the First Amendment of our country. I think that law enforcement has to respect that,” Quinn said. “But we also believe in order, and in making sure that everyone has a chance to be safe. I do think it’s important that the governor there did deploy his highway patrol — what we call state police in Illinois — to help local law enforcement get a handle on the situation. It was clearly well-needed.”

And…

When there’s an extreme emergency, Illinois National Guard units have gone to other states to help. Thousands of troops were sent to New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina, for example.

But Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has not requested help from Illinois’ troops to aide with the Ferguson situation, and he doesn’t expect him to.

Except we’re not talking about a major American city being destroyed, we’re talking about riots in a small St. Louis suburb.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 9:42 am

Comments

Yeah, other than the fact that a similar event could very easily happen in any number of Illinois communities, he shouldn’t be asked to deal in hypotheticals on an issue like this or be called upon to second guess a fellow Governor.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 9:49 am
I do not think that the Illinois National Guard needs to be sent to Missouri. The civil authorities in Missouri need to maintain good order and safeguard lives and property. Arrests have to be made where warranted.

I am waiting for the investigation to conclude, including the additional autopsy and toxicology reports. I am concerned that the media publicized the story without reviewing all of the available information and the repeated claims of police misconduct became the narrative that led to the riots. We may have to wait and see if there is any contrary information that supports the police officer.

Quinn is on the right track as to not intervening in a Missouri situation.

Comment by Under Further Review Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 9:51 am
Gotta have something to fill that news hole.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 9:52 am
The was a Canadian TV show called The Newsroom that WTTW used to show about a Canadian TV news program and the producer said…

We always lead with dead Canadians (in this case they were killed by lightning on a Florida golf course)

Never underestimate the local angle and desire to have one.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 9:58 am
when two reporters (MSNBC) on live tv have rocks thrown at them and make almost no comment whatsoever, it no longer surprises me that the media is begging for an angle from Quinn, a way to pull him in. the wide band of cameras, live and still, right in the violence zone (cause late at night the protestors are not really there, it is violent individuals) is an astounding sight.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:09 am
A bill signing about nursing homes, seemingly a perfect venue to get press to ask questions about Rauner…and the main story out of it is completely unrelated. Maybe Quinn’s “luck” really has run out

Comment by Anonymoiis Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:12 am
There were plenty of other items they could have asked him about. The jobs numbers, the new audit showing Illinois overdrawing its federal Medicaid account, anything election related, the new laws he signed yesterday, the Little League World Series team, the gun trafficking group meeting in Chicago and so on.

Instead they repeatedly ask about sending the Illinois National Guard to Ferguson?

“If it bleeds, it leads”, but are they really that desperate to force the story? Sheesh.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:13 am
I wish Chicago TV reporters were this interested in the war zone on the south side of their city.

Comment by grumpy Gus Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:16 am
I am of the mindset that we should help if needed/asked, but I also am offended by his hypocrisy in citing peoples rights and yet it takes a judge to order him to respect many of the rights of IL citizens. I would prefer he just answer the questions and leave the “rights” issue out of his comments unless he is willing to stand up for those of his own citizens.

Comment by CandyMan Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:17 am
Yeah, those folks watching the Chicago TV news must be wondering the same thing. All 15 of them.

Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:19 am
@grumpy gus…spot on. but that story does not have quite the racial angle that this one does and Chris Hayes would not know quite what to do with all his angst against the authorities.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:20 am
guess my comments are not welcome here?

Goodbye then.

Comment by oz Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:21 am
“Quinn declined to send the Illinoiz National Guard, but did say he offered to send Nixon eleven long-haired friends of Jesus in a chartreuse microbus, and that Nixon had said he would take that under consideration…”

Comment by Shark Sandwich Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:30 am
Rauner wants to be in charge of federal forests, the media wants Quinn to explain and possibly fix a problem in a Missouri town, is PQ the only one here that understands his role?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:37 am
Meh, some reporters are hoping to be sent to Missouri for a network star turn.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 11:15 am
Nitpick much…? Quinn stated a fact that the IL guard and state
Employees help out other states when there is a need….

Comment by LCP45 Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 12:24 pm
==- oz - Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 10:21 am:==

Good riddance.

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 19, 14 @ 12:38 pm