Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: A complicated answer to a simple question
Next Post: Chicago paid $32 million last year to settle police misconduct lawsuits and $20 million on attorneys
Posted in:
* Chris Kennedy was at DePaul, the nation’s largest Catholic university, yesterday…
Thanks @KennedyforIL for speaking to us today. Despite it being finals week, 60 people came to hear Chris. Great way to end the year. pic.twitter.com/omONeRJ9yL
— DePaul Democrats (@DePaulDems) June 9, 2017
* This audio came in over the transom. It was recorded yesterday at that DePaul University event…
Question: I’m a Catholic as well… I wanted to know how you reconciled being a Democrat and the abortion thing and also being Catholic and being such a public figure while being Catholic?
Kennedy: Um, on the abortion thing, I think you know we have laws in our country and the laws are the laws. And if if, and I think we ought to protect them. I’m a big believer in science and medicine and I think a relationship should be between a woman and her doctor. I’ve had four kids, my, my wife’s OB, I was in all of those meetings, the woman never even looked at me. Never even looked at me. She was like, I was over there and she talked to her and those were her relationships. I learned a lot from that and I don’t think I have a role in all of that. And I don’t think I should tell other people what we should do either.
Lots of words.
* There was also this exchange…
Question: You’re not worried about being excommunicated? [Laughter]
Kennedy: I actually like the Cardinal in Chicago. I like the Pope. But if the last guy did it to me I wouldn’t have minded. [Laughter]
* Listen…
* Related…
* J.B. Pritzker: At times, ‘your faith has to overcome maybe logic’: [Pritzker said he won’t] “analyze” Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “morality.” But, referring to his budget battle with Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan that’s cost nonprofits and social programs dearly, points to Rauner, his potential opponent in the general election, and says, “I would say that the effect of his actions has caused so much devastation, and it’s hard for me to understand how he wakes up every day and says this is OK.”
* Ald. Ameya Pawar: ‘There’s always the opportunity for redemption’
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:00 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: A complicated answer to a simple question
Next Post: Chicago paid $32 million last year to settle police misconduct lawsuits and $20 million on attorneys
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
===…on the abortion thing…===
Dear Lord, please stop.
“…on the abortion thing…”
It’s like Kennedy is searching the Rolodex of topics in his mind… and narrating that searching.
Somebody tell Kennedy that silence is better than… “…on the abortion thing… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:06 pm
Also… Saying you have no role in that particular example does not show anything politically or ethically, morally, or religiously, in regards to… “… on the abortion thing… ”
Yikes, was that awful.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:09 pm
Kennedy is an amateur.
He needs to rethink his campaign and quit.
Comment by MOON Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:12 pm
I was waiting for this one. I knew it was going to be just like his marijuana answer. I wish he would have said, “My religion is extremely important to me. But it is not my place to legislate my religious beliefs onto everybody else. That’s how I can be devoutly Catholic and pro choice. And that is what religious freedom means.
Comment by sideline watcher Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:16 pm
How do you not have a concise abortion answer ready to go when you’re running for governor. Or Senator. Or State Rep. Or Village Trustee. Or any freakin’ office. Geez man, get it together.
Comment by Anon0091 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:21 pm
Terrible response on many levels
Comment by Mockingjay Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:22 pm
“But if the last guy did it to me I wouldn’t have minded.”
As a Catholic, I believe that only someone who is unserious about their faith would make such a quip. Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI share the same views on abortion. As did Cardinal Cupich and the late Cardinal George. Not sure what Chris was getting at in that exchange.
Comment by Chairman McBroom Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:22 pm
Has Kennedy answered a single question competently this entire campaign?
Comment by WSJ Paywall Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:24 pm
I have some sympathy for him here, but it’d be a lot more if there weren’t tons of Catholic Democrats who’ve already navigated this question. He can’t just remember how Durbin handles it?
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:31 pm
From what I gather his position is, it’s in alignment with a large segment of the public and even a surprisingly large segment of American Catholics. It’s the delivery and coherence of it though, yeesh.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:34 pm
Wow. That was quite a painful response.
Comment by Shytown Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:35 pm
== the laws are the laws. ==
Kind of reminds me of Blago’s The law is the law comment….
Speaking at a Catholic school and abortion came up, how are you not prepared for that?
Comment by OneMan Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:40 pm
While the main attack I hear from Kennedy’s camp on JB is “he only speaks in broad, overarching themes” I understand his positions on legalizing weed, abortion, and a number of other issues a hell of a lot better than I do Chris’.
As far as not minding being excommunicated by Pope Benedict: even if he wasn’t as well liked by liberal American Catholics (I’m definitely on that list personally), I don’t know if DePaul is the setting in which you criticize his Holiness..
Comment by LiberalinTheQC Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:52 pm
“I like the Cardinal in Chicago”
Sounds like he couldn’t even come up with his name, even though he’s lived here almost all of his adult life.
Comment by 39th Ward Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:53 pm
he’s not into short answers. that’s problematic. but he’s showing you why he has a position and how he got to it. It’s nice to hear that he learned from being ignored by his wife’s doctor because that’s the right thing!
Comment by Amalia Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:59 pm
=I’m a big believer in science and medicine…==
That’s a lot of words for “homina, homina homina”
Comment by Jocko Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:08 pm
Interesting that the Pritzker Campaign says Democrats should play nice with each other and then sends it’s assistant associate press sec to track Kennedy at the DePaul University event …
Comment by Downstate Dem Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:16 pm
For the past few weeks, the messaging from Pritzker’s campaign team / supporters has been: Biss & Kennedy are hurting the party by damaging Pritzker’s reputation.
Last night, it appears that the Pritzker campaign sent a staffer or volunteer to a college dems event with the purpose of recording Kennedy and embarrassing him. Their hypocrisy is stunning, if not surprising.
Comment by Troubled Dem Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:16 pm
===Interesting that the Pritzker Campaign says Democrats should play nice with each other and then sends it’s assistant associate press sec to track Kennedy at the DePaul University event…===
And how does that explain that ridiculously awful answer by Kennedy?
“because… Pritzker Crew”?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:21 pm
===with the purpose of recording Kennedy and embarrassing him===
Meh. All he had to do was answer the question in a coherent way.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:22 pm
===Meh. All he had to do was answer the question in a coherent way.===
Sure. Not really disputing that. Point was to emphasize that Pritzker campaign is also actively trying to damage Democratic candidates, despite claiming to be focused only on beating Rauner. Everything is fair game, but it’s dishonest for them to lie about only going after Rauner.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:27 pm
JFK nailed ‘the Catholic thing’ in very Protestant West Virginia when running in 1960. This Kennedy has only two things the more famous Kennedy’s had: the name and the money.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:37 pm
===Point was to emphasize that Pritzker campaign is also actively trying to damage Democratic candidates, despite claiming to be focused only on beating Rauner.===
“Politics ain’t beanbag…”
If sending a tracker to an event like this and disseminating a mealy-mouthed answer about an important Democratic issue is dirty politics, where does that leave… everything else that happens in Illinois politics?
To me, it seems like a pretty logical way for JB to differentiate himself from his opponent in a way that matters to voters.
Comment by Dick Butka Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:42 pm
Bill Clinton is Baptist, but he answered this question superbly back in 1996. He almost made me forget how the law repeatedly failed to recognize modern science, claiming that black Americans, Indigenous Americans, Asian Americans and today, pre-natal Americans, as human life at some points in our history.
The law is often flawed regarding respect for human life.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:46 pm
@Dick Butka - talk about taking out of context… Would like to repeat what I said directly following what you pulled:
“Everything is fair game, but it’s dishonest for them to lie about only going after Rauner.”
Comment by Troubled Dem / Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 1:56 pm
These remarks are just bad, and it looks like he’s going to lose the flint tool makers and barber-surgeons vote based on his favoring of science and medicine. Plus, I don’t see the leech farm industry coming on board with the campaign.
The good news is that he’ll get the emasculated male vote with his reflections on his visits to his wife’s OB/GYN.
I also think someone on his staff should remind him that a big part of the governor job is to tell people what to do. This includes taking kids from homes, sending the National Guard into danger, firing people, denying medical/disability benefits, and negotiating and enforcing contracts. I’m no poly-sci major, but I think our American form of government is based on electing someone to tell other people what to do.
Comment by Swift Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:00 pm
Is this really “going after” Kennedy? How are Dems supposed to differentiate themselves from one another?
Let’s be honest: when they say they’re not “going after” their fellow Democrats, that’s code for “not throwing all of the money they have” at their fellow democrats, which is what really matters IMO.
Publicly questioning Chris Kennedy’s commitment to the Church of Peter and the Party of Madigan just doesn’t strike me as much of an attack.
Comment by Dick Butka Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:01 pm
Kennedy isn’t a cookie cutter candidate - he gives thoughtful responses, yes. His response on this issue parallels folks like Joe Biden, Tim Kaine and other pro-choice Catholics. Tape recording private conversations, as was done here, is a troubling issue. Tracking a speech is one thing, private conversations another. Shame on Team Pritzker.
Comment by Downstate Dem Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:01 pm
===Tape recording private conversations, as was done here, is a troubling issue.===
How was this a private conversation? He spoke to a group of college Democrats, who advertised this on Facebook. The audience was limited to DePaul College Democrats, but that isn’t the same as a private conversation.
Try again, and try harder next time.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:17 pm
===Kennedy isn’t a cookie cutter candidate - he gives thoughtful responses, yes.===
Like this?
===…on the abortion thing…===
I’m constantly bewildered that you think you help. Honestly. Seriously.
===His response on this issue parallels folks like Joe Biden, Tim Kaine and other pro-choice Catholics===
===… on the abortion thing… ===
Hmm.
===Tape recording private conversations, as was done here, is a troubling issue.===
He spoke at an event that DePaul Dems tweeted about, and later tweeted about.
You again aren’t helping.
===Shame on Team Pritzker===
Welp, Kennedy said what he said, that you your as good as Biden, et al, and are also upset it was recorded?
If it’s so good, why not tout that everyone should hear…
“… on that abortion thing…”
It’s nice outside, you should think about enjoying the day.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:23 pm
I’m befuddled by Team Kennedy’s excuses here for their candidate, almost a year into running for Governor, still not having a decent answer for what may be THE most obvious question ever. What is your stance on abortion? You’re whining about having a tracker? Umm, my guess is you’ve been tracking Pritzker for some time. And if you haven’t then your entire team should be fired because we’re talking politics 101.
Pro tip: everything your candidate says between now and the election can and will be used against him in the court of public opinion. Time to put on the big boy pants.
Comment by Anon0091 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 2:41 pm
Is any major politician that understands issues, speaks with conviction and brevity, and willing/able to support their position? It seems they all work so hard to mince, parse, and weasel around an issue, they don’t understand their just might be an electorate that would respect, and perhaps reward such a person. (Imaginary figure, at this point)
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:02 pm
I love that Kennedy is thoughtful and considers all aspects of an issue before answering. We need more thinking in campaigns today not illegal tape recording!
Comment by honestly1 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:08 pm
Regardless of whether state or federal law governs the situation, it is almost always illegal to record a phone call or private conversation to which you are not a party, do not have consent from at least one party,
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:10 pm
Using college “moles” to record sets a back example. What is the Pritzker campaign thinking? Didn’t he have some problems with taping??
Comment by honestly1 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:12 pm
===I love that Kennedy is thoughtful and considers all aspects of an issue before answering.===
LOL
“… on that abortion thing…”
Please. Stop typing!
Also, no one worried about the response and more worried about the taping … Yikes, campaigns may not be for you.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:17 pm
== I’ve had four kids, my, my wife’s OB==
How many of those kids with the wife’s OB?
==I was in all of those meetings, the woman never even looked at me.==
Hello, OB, tell me what’s my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
Comment by City Zen Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:47 pm
Kennedy crew on this blog, stop. Just stop with this nonsense about illegal taping. It was Q&A at a public event. Even if the official speech was over it was still a public event. You are grasping at straws to justify your candidate’s incoherence. As Willy keeps saying, you’re not helping.
Comment by Anon0091 Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:55 pm
===nonsense about illegal taping===
If I thought it was illegally obtained, I don’t know if I would’ve posted it, but if I did I probably would’ve pointed out the problem, as I’ve done with the Tribune’s possession of the Blagojevich tapes.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 3:59 pm
Clarification needed on legality of taping in this issue. This was not during the Q-and-A, this was a one-on-one conversation after the candidate’s speech. My understanding is that you need to have at least one of the person’s approval in that situation, so the tracker needed to have Kennedy’s OK or the woman asking the question.
Comment by anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 4:15 pm
If the Kennedy Crew wants to sue on this…
… that means more people care going to hear this ridiculous answer…
Just stop, and get a better answer to swamp this… and move on.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 4:17 pm
===Clarification needed===
Nope.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 4:17 pm
You better point out the problem then, Rich…this was recorded ILLEGALLY! Neither Kennedy nor the woman who asked the question knew the “mole” was recording. The “mole” needs a lesson.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 4:20 pm