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Posted: Wednesday, 28 January 2009 9:46PM
Quinn Writing Inaugural Address Wednesday Night
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CHICAGO (CBS) ― He's been a thorn in the side of the state's political establishment for 33 years. But now, almost by accident, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn is likely about to become our chief executive – possibly as soon as Thursday afternoon.
Quinn would have the most unusual political pedigree of any Illinois governor in modern times. In a state where politicians routinely become millionaires, he has a small home and smaller bank account.
Quinn has had astounding political transformation. Illinois's presumed next governor was once thoroughly despised at the state Capitol. Political insiders hated his cutback amendment. It eliminated 59 state representatives. He also stopped their bizarre practice of collecting on the first day of a legislative term two years' of advance salary.
Then-Mayor Harold Washington reacted to a City Hall scandal by asking Quinn to clean up his Revenue Department. Fourteen years ago, Quinn was among the first to complain about the sale of drivers' licenses in then-Sec. of State George Ryan's office, and ran a memorable commercial poking fun at Ryan's ethics.
Illinois Republicans now call Quinn "The Lieutenant Governor from Blagojevich," who made a career of being a good government watchdog. But when he rode Blagojevioch's coattails and dirty money into power he suddenly lost his voice, they say.
"My principles haven't changed," Quinn said.
The lieutenant governor told CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery he hopes the general assembly will join him in enacting an aggressive reform agenda.
Q: How do you get things done in Illinois?
A: Early to bed, early to rise. Work like hell and organize. I think that's what I would tell any young person interested in making things better in Illinois.
"If I have a new assignment here in the next day or so, uh, I'm gonna thank the people of Illinois and ask 'em to pray for me. I really need their prayers because this is a very big challenge to straighten things out," Quinn said. "If I am governor, I think you have to be accessible as much as possible. And that's what we need in Illinois. We need to get back down to earth. Gotta straighten out bad things that have happened. Mend the flaws. The people of Illinois will prevail."
Q: How has that happened? How have we elected this string of crooks?
A: Clearly, the last two governors have really let the people down. I think it has a lot to do with campaign money and perpetual campaigning. I think we do have to enact fundamental reforms. I've already appointed a reform commission. I know it'll recommend some very strong medicine to once and for all cure the corruption that has afflicted the government of Illinois. I fought for recall for 33 years. And I hope this year we can get it done, get it on the ballot for the people to vote on. We woulda had it on the ballot last year, but Gov. Blagojevich led the effort to keep it off the ballot. That was a great disappointment. We need to have an ethics initiative in Illinois, not only for today but for the future. If something goes wrong, or, you know, if people think there might be a problem, they can go to the ballot box, in the best traditions of democracy, and vote in reforms that maybe the insiders don't want. So, I'm gonna fight hard for that, too.
Q: You've been called a gadfly, a consumer activist. You're the only guy that I know of who got a standing "boo-vation." The Illinois House stood up and booed you for 3 minutes.
A: When they introduced me to the House of Representatives, they stood up and booed, as you said, for a long time. Led by Mike Madigan, who said I wasn't worthy of being called an Irishman, for goodness' sake. Well, he and I are good friends today. He maybe over spoke back there in 1976. And I look forward to working with him on more ethics legislation. I think we can do a great job this year.
Quinn now needs House Speaker Madigan and other former "boo-birds" to help big time if he wants to enact his ambitious reform agenda. In the past, Madigan's strongly opposed some of it. Quinn said other priorities are creating jobs and solving the state budget crisis.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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