* This interpretation of Gov. Pat Quinn’s comment during a debate with Dan Hynes this morning is a bit of a stretch, but it may come back to haunt Quinn…
But it was Quinn’s use of the term “missions accomplished” that was unusual for a Democrat. For years, Democrats nationally used the term to deride former Republican President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq War — a reference to the “Mission Accomplished” banner that hung behind a flight-suit wearing Bush as he addressed members of the military from an aircraft carrier.
“You’ve got to have a governor who gets things done. That’s what I’ve done. I took over at the worst time Illinois could ever have in our history, a very dark, dark hour,” Quinn said. “And we’ve, day after day, got missions accomplished whether it’s in ethics or getting things done for ordinary people in the budget or getting jobs.”
Hynes was on the attack this morning at the Union League Club…
“One of the problems with getting something done is you need to have credibility. You can’t be inconsistent. You can’t flip flop. You can’t be changing course every other week,” Hynes said. “When that happens, members of the legislature start charting their own course. We need to have strong leadership and consistency to get things done in Springfield.”
This Gitmo thing is a prime example of Quinn’s serious problems with leadership and governornance. It’s turned into a PR disaster because the governor didn’t bother to lay even a little groundwork. Instead, it’s all blown up in his face. Many have said that Quinn is in over his head, and the prison debacle certainly shows it.
More…
Hynes accused Quinn of relying on the same “gimmicks” that got the state into a financial mess in the first place.
I’ll update this post with more debate stories as they come in.