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Gov. Pat Quinn today flatly refused to apologize for his testimonials to the honesty of his now-indicted predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, when the two ran for re-election as a team in 2006.
“No, I don’t think apologies are necessary,” Quinn said after an Earth Day event at the Executive Mansion. “I think, what we want to do is, if people find out things that aren’t right, you roll up your sleeves and you correct them. That’s what I have believe in all my life.”
Quinn defended Blagojevich as they sought re-election in October 2006–just weeks before voters went the ballot box and five months after federal investigators revealed they were investigating “endemic hiring fraud” in the Blagojevich administration.
Discuss.
*** Raw audio of Q&A ***
…Context… From my weekly newspaper column…
…the governor has spent a whole lot of time pointing fingers at everyone else for their ethical lapses, but has yet to issue any sort of mea culpa for his own role in Blagojevich’s rise to power. Quinn was blatantly used by Blagojevich in 2002 and in 2006 to help boost his own reformer bona fides and Quinn seemed always happy to comply.
Quinn repeatedly defended Blagojevich against charges of corruption and happily went along with the program in both the 2002 and 2006 campaigns. When it was evident to just about everyone that Blagojevich was a criminal, Quinn cheered almost every move.
He’s been able to get away with it because people (myself included) are so happy to finally be rid of the criminal ogre that we’ve been willing to cut Quinn extra slack.
That may not last forever.
…Adding… Apparently, the guv charmed some protesters today…
Gov. Pat Quinn spoke to hundreds of protesters Wednesday as he tried to charm participants in a rally against his proposed budget.
Quinn didn’t back away from the proposed spending cuts that have angered unions and social-service groups. But in a surprise appearance on the state Capitol steps, Quinn sang the praises of grass-roots democracy.
He revved the group up and applauded its efforts to influence state policy.
As Quinn left, protesters began chanting in support of his comments.
The cuts…
* $40 million to Department on Aging’s Community Care Program
* $50 million to Child Care Assistance Program
* $7.7 million to Department of Human Services Home Service Program
And they cheered him? Oy.
*** To Clarify ***
SEIU called to say that ralliers were cheering Governor Quinn for showing up and for expressing his willingness to work together on the budget. The union disputes the AP story’s characterization of the crowd’s reaction.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:23 pm
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Had your chance, Pat. What’s so hard about saying I made a mistake and was wrong? It’s good for the soul.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:27 pm
Quinn is full of it. He’d say anything to get elected. He just hung around long enough and lightning finally struck. Even he knows he would never get elected governor on his own. I wish Joyce Washington would have won. She would have made a good governor.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:32 pm
Apologizing is easy to discuss, but hard to do if you fail to see why you should.
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:35 pm
Bill, please focus your energies on your Senate campaign and leave the Governor alone.
Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:35 pm
Quinn sounds like a man that doesn’t look back and only looks forward. If you always second guess your decisions you will get no where fast.
Comment by Boscobud Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:39 pm
He was at the Thompson Center downtown Chicago yesterday, how much time is he really spending at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield?
Please folks, he wanted to get re-elected, because he knew he was next in line to be Governor, and he knew Rod had problems and it would be a short move down the hall of the Capital for him.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:42 pm
Thanks for nothing, Gov. Double Standard.
For those of you who keep wondering why Filan and others haven’t been fumigated-there’s your sign.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:44 pm
-Bill-
“…He just hung around long enough and lightning finally struck. …”
I guess sometimes it pays to Go Fly A Kite - just don’t forget the key.
Comment by A Citizen Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 3:52 pm
The Lt. Governor is forced to run with the Governor in the general election and any derogatory word he says of his running mate costs him votes. It would be pretty stupid and not very fair to Quinn’s supporters to basically tell voters not to vote for himself.
Besides, everyone knew Quinn couldn’t stand Blago and Quinn knew there was a pretty fair chance he would be needed to fix the state when Blago was thrown out of office. If some of you guys would cut him 1/100 of the slack you cut Blago, I might buy into this goofy criticism.
Or maybe Quinn should make some disingenuous apology for being a smart politician but that won’t help solve any of the states problems any quicker.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:02 pm
“Quinn: No apologies”
WOW. What a guy.
He wants to take over 50% of my wife’s take home State retirement money to pay for his ‘new’ health insurance plan. I’ll agree just as soon as HE takes the same permanent cut in HIS take home pay.
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:03 pm
Third Gen has it right. He was looking to be re-elected. He maintained adequate distance from Blago to retain plausible deniability on being involved in any of past administration’s lapses. And he has been in politics long enough to know you don’t apologize until the handcuffs are on you (with one exception).
I liken it to what Obama did. Politicians can be used by the system in IL, or they can use it to their benefit. Quinn and Obama nailed it, and now the system is asking them for stuff.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:05 pm
“Illinois is a leader in wind.”
No kidding, Pat
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:07 pm
===If some of you guys would cut him 1/100 of the slack you cut Blago, I might buy into this goofy criticism===
Only a relative handful of commenters ever cut RRB any slack at all.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:12 pm
===I liken it to what Obama did. ===
Obama called the home/lot purchase a “boneheaded” move. Quinn doesn’t want to look back at all.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:13 pm
As you may have surmised, my comment was directed at the captain of team Blago who fired a pretty good shot, however, he raised an interesting point. I wonder how many voters came out for Blago simply because it was the only way Quinn could be Governor?
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:27 pm
==I wonder how many voters came out for Blago simply because it was the only way Quinn could be Governor?==
16. No, 17.
Comment by Obamarama Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:32 pm
==I wonder how many voters came out for Blago simply because it was the only way Quinn could be Governor?==
==16. No, 17. ===
Actually more people than you could imagine, many people I know voted for Blago because they were voting for Quinn. The writing was on the wall already and it looked inevitable, most people thought it would occur in the first year.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:37 pm
Gov Quinn may not be able to fend off the inquiries when the campaign season gets into full swing. He will likely be branded in much the same way Gov candidate Jim Ryan was when he ran after George Ryan declined to run.
What Quinn did prior to the re-election of RodB seems to be akin to the pandering of Roland Burris. Anything to get into office - then we’ll try to burnish the image a bit. Too bad for Quinn/democrats. An opportunity for the hapless GOP. Let’s watch them snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:39 pm
Actually Quinn was on the campaign trail all the time, constantly taking interviews on local news radio, local TV, also saying how he does not cost the state money on security because he does not use body guards, he was always on local news passing out Turkey’s at Thanksgiving, giving the family who had 5 kids a new home and van, etc
By the way he was on WGN radio on the morning drive again this morning, and is a frequent guest to all the local news radio on prime time. He is still campaigning, this morning he was asked by John Williams about Lisa Madigan’s campaign chest, and his, and he still thinks there should be reform even if the funds were revered (he had more than Lisa)
He has been on local news more than Blagojevich, Ryan etc. He knows what he is doing, he is still campaigning, get free air time.
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 4:43 pm
==I wonder how many voters came out for Blago simply because it was the only way Quinn could be Governor?==
==16. No, 17. ===
You mean u never heard the saying “Blago in 06 for Quinn in 08″? That was the progressive motto that election. And who’d-a-thunk it, we were only off by a month!
Comment by SweetLou Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 5:21 pm
My 16-17 comment was obviously in jest.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have had a progressive along the ideological lines of Quinn in office over Blago. However I have always found Quinn to be long on ideals and short on talent.
I know there are PQ faithful about and do not mean to be derogatory, but will we ever have a progressive governor that is a little less, umm… goofy?
Comment by Obamarama Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 6:01 pm
I was not at the rally, but I think the AP probably got it right and SEIU is spinning. I’ve been to enough grassroots, progressive rallies to know that the majority of participants react to certain catch phrases and to well-delivered rhetoric rather than the substance of the speeches.
I remember a particular speech by JJJ Jr. to a union crowd where he blatantly criticized the union’s position and the crowd responded enthusiastically.
As a result, Quinn may have won the day at the rally; but it doesn’t mean much. Whoever organized the rally (SEIU, it sounds like) will continue to work the same crowd and issue, with success. All that happened was that Quinn was not embarassed that day.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 6:52 pm
Anybody in Springfield could tell you that Blago kept Quinn at a distance and that was by Blago’s own choice. There is no dark connection, only the forced coincidence of having to run on the same ticket together. Quinn politely did what any of you would do, which is not to diss family in front of outsiders. A classy move since Blago and his minions did nothing but run Quinn down and try to marginalize him at every opportunity. They took away from Quinn anything they thought could make PR out of, left him with only with stuff they didn’t understand or care about. Like Veterans and the environment. And Quinn quietly took on those things Blago would not and made something out of them. Then Blago would always try to horn in at the last minute and take credit.
Quinn did better at controlling what he *could* have said than anybody I know. But this asking him to recant those weak compliments he made back before the election, that’s just a waste of everybody’s time.
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 7:18 pm
Pat Quinn says a lot things.He meets with a lot of people.My guess is he will make mistakes now and then but he doesn’t engender the bad will that Blago brought on.Are people happy about an income tax increase? No.I suspect Pat Quinn will get a lot more slack than Blago.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 7:52 pm
Big mistake, IMHO. Get the mea culpa (and tie it to personal lessons learned) out of the way now, as it will surely have to come eventually. Better now then in campaign season.
Comment by been there before Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 9:02 pm
I’m not really seeing a need for an apology in his role when campaigning. After all it’s been established that he wasn’t in the loop and had he offered suggestions to turn things around I dont think Blago would have listened because, as I understand, he listened to very few voices other than the ones in his head. What I do think he needs to do is rationalize why he is making some of these social service cuts. The child care one throws me the most, because his chief of staff was with Voices for Children. That’s one of their major program areas and when they announced him, I thought good, some of these programs may stay off the cutting block. To me, childcare assistance isn’t just a handout, it’s a hand up, to pick parents up and enable them to keep a steady income. I have a child in a good daycare, for which I am very grateful, but there are parents whose only recourse is substandard care, and that’s clearly not the early childhood learning opportunities that they need.
Comment by pensive Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 9:37 pm
“What I do think he needs to do is rationalize why he is making some of these social service cuts.”
Umm. There’s no money.
Comment by hmm Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 9:44 pm
Reporters missed SEIU leader’s praise of Quinn’s budget.Kelliher did well by sucking up to Blago and is obviously pursuing same strategy with Quinn.If you’re organizing a rally to protest cuts, why would you let the guy making the cuts make a speech?
Ronald Reagan once famously remarked that he had paid for the microphone. Why give it to the guy whose program you are opposing?
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 10:47 pm
Well, up to this point, the G hasn’t shown proof of ‘endemic’ hiring fraud across state government, so why should Quinn apologize? These are allegations that haven’t been fully substantiated.
Comment by FlackrBackr Wednesday, Apr 22, 09 @ 11:39 pm