Rich has Dan Hynes’ response to Governor Quinn and it’s decidedly un-Hynes like:
Statement from Dan Hynes’ Campaign Spokesman Mike Rendina on Governor Quinn’s Negative Attack
“Governor Quinn is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. After Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn spent 6 years in silence watching Rod Blagojevich drive our state into a ditch it is puzzling that he describes a 50% income tax increase on Illinois families as leadership. Comptroller Hynes sent Governor Quinn two letters this past year laying out $1.2 billion in cuts along with alternative revenue sources and urged the Governor not to incite panic in order to pass a 50% tax increase on the backs of working families. While Quinn flip-flopped on his own plans for the last six months, he couldn’t find the time to read either letter.”
Usually Hynes says something strong and by the end of the paragraph backs out of it. It’s still possible that he’ll back down from this one, but ultimately, I hope this is a new tougher Dan Hynes. It’s safe to say he’s in the Governor’s race and while I don’t dislike Quinn and appreciate the job he’s done given the circumstances, I’m quite happy to have Hynes as an alternative and fully plan on supporting him.
Unless he starts backing down from this…
I have watched Pat Quinn for over 30 years and the last 6 months have convinced me of a sad fact, a fact that is supported by most of his public service career. Pat is kind of like Mel Kiper—he knows everything there is to know about politics and government and he can talk about it all. But, sadly, talk is all he can do, he cannot play the real game, the game of governing, worth squat.
I think if you look back on his career in government that is what you will find, a lot of talk, a lot of small-time meaningless feel good legislation that no one really opposes but nothing really ever accomplished.
A series of incredible events got him to the top but he is precisely as the character in the Robert Redford movie, The Candidate. Once elected he had no idea what to do.
What do we do now?