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* Gov. JB Pritzker held a media availability today during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. Please pardon all transcription errors and many thanks to Rachel Hinton for the audio…
Q: Governor, you do have a [Democratic] contender, possibly. Beverly Miles. She said that she’s willing to debate you. Will you debate her in the Democratic primary?
A: Well, I look forward to having the opportunity to meet her. I don’t know her. But I do want to honor her service to our country, serving in the military as she has. And I look forward to the opportunity to get to know her.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing Democrats in this next election?
A: Look, I think, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve got a terrific record to run on, Democrats up and down the ticket. So we’ve got a lot to show people about why Democrats are better than Republicans at running the state. We’re the ones who got credit upgrades for the state. The Republicans, credit downgrades for years. We’re the ones who’ve been fighting for a woman’s right to choose, we’re the ones who’ve been working to increase mental health funding to make sure that people have a place to go when they’ve been subject to substance abuse. There’s so many things that we’ve got to do to build back up services that people lost as a result of Republicans, we’re continuing to do that. I’m excited about the fact that it is less expensive to go tuition-wise to go to college in Illinois now than it was when I took office. We’ve got more work to do there, too. So I hope everybody will know all across the state, Democrats stand for education, health care, making sure that people are safe across our state from this deadly pandemic.
Q: Are you 100 percent comfortable legally giving money to DPI now that the new committee structure is in place? Are you going to continue holding off?
A: Well, I’m excited about our Blue Wave Illinois, you know, we’re all working together to make sure we elect Democrats up and down the ticket. I did that in 2018, continued to support Democrats everywhere in our state. I’m going to do that.
Q: Are you comfortable with the Democratic Party structure? [cross-talk]
A: I haven’t looked at it. but I don’t do election law. Well, there’s an there’s an awful lot to look at. But here’s what I know. We’re all going to be supporting Democrats up and down the ticket, whether it’s DPI or it’s IDCCA, or Blue Wave Illinois, we’re all excited to get Democrats elected.
Q: Why do your own thing with Blue Wave Illinois versus supporting the party? Madigan is gone.
A: We’re going to continue to support Democrats as we have, look, lots of different committees support Republicans, we’ve got lots of committees supporting Democrats. I’m very, very happy to do my part.
Q: What’s your relationship to Congresswoman Kelly?
A: I have a great relationship with Robin Kelly. Really. We’ve known each other for a number of years now. She knows that I support many of the things that she’s done on gun safety and to lift up families across her district and across the state of Illinois.
Q: You didn’t have her here on stage.
A: She was invited. [I’m told she was there, but I didn’t see her.] Lots of people have lots of things to do. As you know, Dick Durbin’ headed back to Chicago because he was going to the visitation for Ella French, which I’ll be at later today as well. And I, you know, I’m excited about the fact that we had so many Democrats here. And the people who could make it did. I’m excited about that. Nobody’s. You know, there’s, there’s some people who try to write that, you know, people are boycotting or not going to something because they don’t want to, they don’t want to be there. The truth is that we’re all very busy. As you know, every day I’ve had about 10 events that I’ve had to attend, whether it’s here in the State Fair, or back up in Chicago. So I tried to get to everything that I can, and I support every Democrat that was at the IDCCA event this morning.
Q: COVID. What do you think of the booster? What do you think of that?
A: Well, I’m glad that the scientists have now recommended the booster, it sounds like that is the best thing. Eight months in, if you’ve been vaccinated back in December, eight months later, it’s time for you to get the booster. We’re going to make sure that that’s available to everyone in the state of Illinois, wherever you are, whether it’s at your pharmacy, your local public health department, or at your local doctor. We’ve been doing that all along making the vaccines available. Everybody should get vaccinated. And everybody that needs a booster eight months hence, which is about now, people start to get them. Please go get that.
* Meanwhile, I saw someone carrying this sign under his arm on the Director’s Lawn and did a double take, thinking it was one of those “Pritzker sucks” signs dotting the Illinois landscape. Nope…
* I told you yesterday that they moved the stage to the other side of the lawn, but it was right in the sun and most folks didn’t move up to the stage to hear the speeches and the audio system wasn’t exactly great, so, well, I missed most of what was said. I did take a pic, though…
The band was pretty good.
* Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim asked to take a pic with me, so I obliged…
* Related…
* At the Illinois State Fair, Democrats seek to portray unity and strength despite internal tensions: On Tuesday, top state Democrats met to create the fundraising panel, but both Welch and Harmon refused to take seats on it, fearing that the fundraising structure would continue to be too complicated to navigate under the federal restrictions on Kelly.
* Pritzker Campaign Clear of Transgender Ex-Staffer’s Bias Lawsuit: A transgender woman lacked triable evidence that the 2018 campaign of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) included her a staff layoff because of her sex, a federal judge in Chicago ruled.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:12 pm
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You’re stylin’ Rich. Well done.
Comment by Lt Guv Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:17 pm
Is that the same shirt as last night?
Comment by Joe Schmoe Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:21 pm
Holly Kim rocks*
(Being a Dem from the Eastern Bloc, I kinda love the sign.)
*Duplicate comment because I temporarily forgot about banned punctuation in my enthusiasm for Holly.
Comment by Moira Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:22 pm
===Q: Are you 100 percent comfortable legally giving money to DPI now that the new committee structure is in place? Are you going to continue holding off?
A: Well, I’m excited about our Blue Wave Illinois, you know, we’re all working together to make sure we elect Democrats up and down the ticket. I did that in 2018, continued to support Democrats everywhere in our state. I’m going to do that.
Q: Are you comfortable with the Democratic Party structure? [cross-talk]
A: I haven’t looked at it. but I don’t do election law. Well, there’s an there’s an awful lot to look at. But here’s what I know. We’re all going to be supporting Democrats up and down the ticket, whether it’s DPI or it IDCCA, or Blue Wave Illinois, we’re all excited to get Democrats elected.===
Shorter?
“I’m going my own way now… because I can”
Durbin won. Have at it. The governor will do *his* thing.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:26 pm
The “Pritzker Rocks” signs are a great contrast to those childish signs that have been going up over the past year.
Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:26 pm
===Is that the same shirt as last night?===
I had a pink shirt on last night. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:28 pm
Diggin’ those shades!
Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:28 pm
Color coordinating for photo ops now….can’t beat that.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:36 pm
==We’re going to make sure that that’s available to everyone in the state of Illinois, wherever you are, whether it’s at your pharmacy, your local public health department, or at your local doctor. ==
Hopefully the Orr Building clinic will also be available for the boosters. Especially since I got my two original shots there in March. Anyone know if you have to return to the same vaccine place for the boosters when your turn comes up?
Comment by EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:46 pm
Good pic Rich. In all sincerity you are looking very healthy these days, kudos.
=Pritzker Rocks=. Not sure I totally agree with the statement, I do think he is doing a good job mostly, but I would put one in my yard just because of all of the ignorant other signs. Just to get under the skin or my rural neighbors.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 3:48 pm
I believe our Governor is rockin’ a heavyweight heart…quite unlike our previous Governor who seemed to have a heart as hard as a rock.
Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 4:07 pm
Would love to get one of those Pritzker Rocks signs as two houses on my block have the alternative up
Comment by Seats Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 4:11 pm
Rich - you need to be neutral..are you supporting the Blue Wave IL? (just kidding)
:)
Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 4:59 pm
Love the glasses
Comment by Just a citizen Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 5:45 pm
The Pritzker Rocks signs is great trolling. Need to see a couple of those down for the Duquoin State Fair around the governor’s mansion.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Wednesday, Aug 18, 21 @ 8:40 pm