AND ILLINOIS AIN’T READY YET, EITHER

2/4/10

One more thing that is notable about the recently completed (Dan Hynes just conceded as I write this.) primary for the Democratic gubernatorial nod is the complete and utter transformation of Pat Quinn (no relation) from noble outsider, burr under the saddle of the political Machine, and all around man on a white horse to comfy insider, water carrier for the political Machine, and all around man on the horse pulling the plow for the guys who matter in Chicago. It’s almost to the point at which if we put a bowler on Quinn’s (no relation) head and a cigar in his mouth, he’d bear a striking resemblance to Alderman Paddy “Chicago Ain’t Ready for Reform Yet” Bauler.

We already knew, long before the primary, that Quinn (no relation) rolled over on campaign reform legislation, tailoring the legislation to the wishes primarily of Mike Madigan but also to those of John Cullerton, if such wishes were distinguishable. (Note: Your truly is no fan of campaign “reform” legislation, but find such legislation especially contemptible when it serves only to provide political cover for those who are at least as equally opposed as I am to such legislation but lack the guts to admit it.) We also, as discussed in the Pontificator this week, knew of the $250,000 in contributions to Quinn’s (no relation) campaign from Ed Burke and the $100,000 contribution from former Senate President Emil Jones, two of Paddy Bauler’s spiritual (The term used very broadly here.) heirs. We also knew that Quinn (no relation) was the slated gubernatorial candidate of the Cook County Regular Democratic Organization, the Organization he built his career railing against, and that Quinn (no relation) supported the Chairman of that Organization, Joe Berrios, in his successful run for the Democratic nomination for Cook County Assessor.

What was especially indicative of Pat Quinn’s (no relation) complete metamorphosis from irritating gadfly to one of the boys was the composition of the crowd surrounding him at his concession speech. The media and the Quinn (no relation) campaign wanted us to focus on the appearance of his 92 year old mother. This was a great touch; Mrs. Quinn appears to be a wonderful woman, and she must be, given what Pat Quinn (no relation) said his mother and father told him: “Service to others is the rent we pay for living on God’s good earth.” What a great quote and wonderful sentiment, and I mean that in all sincerity and will strive to remember it the rest of my life. Seeing the apparently very hearty and healthy Mrs. Quinn on the podium, supporting her son in the moment of his greatest victory, was an inspiration to me and should have been to all of us. But while I was genuinely moved by Mrs. Quinn’s appearance on the podium, I was more interested in the others on the platform, including:

The aforementioned Emil Jones
Secretary of State Jesse White
Lobbyist, and former State Senator, Bill Marovitz
Congressman Bobby Rush
State Representative Lou Lang
Congressman Danny Davis

The only thing that could have made the above crowd more establishment, or insider, would have been the appearance of Ed Burke, Mike Madigan, and Rich Daley on the platform.

Pat Quinn (no relation) has learned, in his short tenure as governor, who is in charge in Springfield, and it isn’t he. We have learned, in Mr. Quinn’s (no relation) short tenure as governor, that genuine reformers do not come from the ranks of career politicians, even from the ranks of career “reform” politicians.