* I’ve said before and I’ll repeat it again that I strongly believe Gov. Blagojevich is right that the CTA’s claims about the cause of its current budget deficit are bogus. But, this is just too funny to pass up…
Mayor Richard Daley said Monday that Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s claim the mayor and the CTA are misleading the public about transit funding problems is “cuckoo.”
Daley quickly followed up his one-word response by saying he was “not getting into an argument” with Blagojevich.
“He’s arguing with everybody in America,” Daley said of the governor.
Well, not quite everybody, even though it seems like it sometimes.
Have at it.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The Sun-Times has the crowd react…
The crowd of educators Daley was addressing broke into loud laughter.
*** UPDATE 2 *** A group of legislators and most statewides (sans Jesse White, who was preoccupied, and Gov. Blagojevich) held a press conference today about the perennially stalled ethics bill…
At a Chicago press conference, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan called on Senate President Emil Jones Jr. to reverse course and call the Senate back into session within the next few days, rather than waiting until after the November elections, as Mr. Jones has said he’s inclined to do. […]
Waiting quite likely will invite a lawsuit over whether the legislation has been unduly delayed, Ms. Madigan said, and the courts could reject any bill as improperly approved.
“There is a risk of that,” said Ms. Madigan, flanked by a bipartisan gathering of Democratic and Republican political leaders. The only way to avoid that risk is for the Senate to meet soon, she added. “The (proposed) law is in jeopardy and we know why.”
Also, reporters wanted to know if the press conference attendees thought Barack Obama might be of help. The Republicans were eager to reply…
[Sen. Kirk Dillard] suggested that what would really move Mr. Jones to fast action would be a call from his favorite protégé: Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Mr. Obama’s campaign had no response.
Yep.
But he won’t. Still, it’s a good idea.
If John McCain would just insert one sentence into a speech about this topic, it would be front-page headlines all over Illinois.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Blagojevich: I’m not cuckoo…
“Look, I have a great deal of respect for Mayor Daley, I don’t think I’m cuckoo, but I will tell you what drives me crazy and what drives me crazy is the CTA blaming years of mismanagement on senior citizens taking the bus for free,” Blagojevich told reporters after meeting with state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) to discuss school funding.
“I just think again blaming the seniors and blaming a good thing like that for the mismanagement of the CTA to lay a foundation for a fare increase is unfortunate,” Blagojevich said. “And I don’t consider myself cuckoo but that kind of stuff drives me crazy.