After seeing that day-old Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, D-Not Impeached, wants to stall next year's primary elections until September, The Hound started humming the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". You know, "meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
Who is Gov. Quinn kidding? Pushing back the primary, especially a Democratic primary, from the normal March date (except in 2008 when it was advanced to February to aid President Obama's successful primary bid) to September gives him the advantage of building constituencies, a campaign network and reaching out to campaign contributors. Let's face it, for seven years, Pat Quinn has been in the shadow of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, D-Impeached.
Quinn's campaign war chest, like the Illinois treasury, is fairly bare, while one of his likely opponents, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, has probably several million in the bank. Ad buys for television are expensive in the Chicago market. Right now, filing for the 2010 March primaries is set for December this year.
If delayed, Quinn would would be able to really run as an incumbent; if not, he'd just be seen as a temporary governor. So far, potential Democratic rivals haven't endorsed Quinn's proposal, but the Legislature would have to change the date. Madigan's father, House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, would have a lot to say about that. It also would give any Republican challenger a lot more time to hit the hustings.
In the meantime, the new boss maintains that backing up the primary "gives us a whole year to repair the damage" of the Blagojevich/Quinn administration. Or perhaps the new boss forgot he was buds with the old boss.
Quinn's efforts to get the primary pushed back depends upon how much political capital he has in Springfield and Chicago. I doubt Mike Madigan will allow anything to keep his flesh and blood from ascending to the Governor's throne...er...chair. I can't believe that Ritchie Daley likes Quinn that much to where he will back him in a primary fight.
The Mighty Quinn should just face the fact that his tenure as Governor will be brief. Considering the disasters facing the State in the next couple of years, it may be a blessing for him to go quietly into the sunset with his ample Governor's pension and future 'speaking fees', paying for his retirement from Illinois politics.
THE HOUND SAYS: The Hound agrees with Hermie's synopsis. Especially, if Gov. Quinn decides to push a tax hike. Speaker Madigan doesn't seem to keen on that as of the moment.