* 11:25 am - Gov. Quinn has scheduled a press conference for 11:30. Fox Chicago has live video, so click here. or here.
If you’d rather listen to audio, check WBBM Radio’s stream. UPDATE: BETTER AUDIO LINK.
You may have to hit refresh on that Fox stream if you’re not getting reception.
* 11:42 am - Still waiting.
* 11:47 am - In walks the guv. Help with live-blogging in comments if you can, please.
“Now that the primary is over, I want to salute Dan for his career and public service.” … “Very gracious” phone call. … Said he knows that Hynes’ heart is and has always been for “reform.” …
Here come the questions.
“The man who won the primary for lt. governor has some explaining to do.” … Said he must “fully and completely answer all questions.” … Must speak “quickly and completely about very serious matters that we’re all concerned about.” … Asked about Terry Link’s claim that he briefed the campaign. “First I heard about it was yesterday.” Said nobody in his campaign had heard about it either. [We now have to ask Link who he briefed. But the Quinn campaign did, indeed, know there was a problem because I talked to them about it.]
“My view is that this matter will be resolved.”
Fox has an annoying auto-refresh on its web pages, so use this link instead.
“Our country and our state are bigger than ourselves… If there are matters that are raised about your conduct that disqualifies you from running… Then the only appropriate thing to do is step aside… If explanations are unsatisfactory and the conduct is inappropriate, then the only way to go is to step aside.”
“I am confident that this matter is going to be resolved. I really do.” Said he thinks “the candidate will do the right thing.”
He just said he thought “That will be the way it will go” regarding Cohen stepping aside.
Quinn said people running for office who have things in their past that would be a “distraction” should step aside. “And I look forward to that.”
“I visited with the Speaker of the House about the budget. It [Cohen] came up this morning, and we talked in general terms about the procedures. I believe that the party understands that this is a clear and important matter that must be addressed.”
Lost the Fox feed? Try this one from WBBM.
Asked about all the harsh words exchanged during the primary between himself and Dan Hynes, Quinn said things are said in the heat of a primary that, upon reflection, they may not agree with after the primary is over.
He’s basically repeating his talking points now, so I’m not live-blogging them. He said he didn’t see Mark Brown’s column last March about Cohen.
Quinn says there is a provision that allows the General Assembly to pass a law that allows the governor to pick a running mate. So, there’s the pressure point on Cohen? But could Cohen challenge that law’s constitutionality because he’s already won an election? Could be a long haul.
Quinn said he and Madigan “have some budget ideas that are good.” Said Cullerton also had “some very creative ideas.”
“I think that tax reform is always on our agenda.”
Tribune…
Gov. Pat Quinn today said his new running mate, a Chicago pawnbroker with a 2005 domestic battery arrest, should consider withdrawing from the race because his background could hurt the Democratic ticket in the November general election.
Quinn stopped short of saying Scott Lee Cohen should abandon the nomination he won in Tuesday’s primary. But he said Cohen “has an obligation to step aside” if his past becomes a problem.
“I always appeal to others in politics based on what’s good for the people,” Quinn said.
End of presser.