Posted on 04/27/2014 4:55:25 PM PDT by chicagolady
MOLINE - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has pulled out of Thursday's Rock Island County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner citing fear of being linked to what his campaign calls "inflammatory" views of a local, African-American pastor.
Rev. Don Johnson was initially scheduled to speak at the event but was dis-invited by Rock Island County GOP Chairman Bill Bloom in an effort to assuage Rauner's concerns. However, the change failed to appease the campaign, which announced that Rauner would no longer keynote the event.
Defending the decision, Rauner's office released a statement saying, "Bruce (Rauner) condemns the inflammatory remarks written by (Rev.) Don Johnson and believes such language has no place in our society. After learning of his association with the event, the campaign has decided to forgo the dinner."
Rev. Johnson is pastor of Destiny Baptist Church of Rock Island. He holds several degrees, including a Masters of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He taught for over ten years at the Chicago Baptist Institute, and was a board member for the Home Mission Board of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, as well as Vice Chairman of QC Chapter of Congress of Racial Equality; Vice President of the Iowa Illinois Bi-State Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and board member of the Metro-Com Branch, National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples.
(Excerpt) Read more at illinoisreview.typepad.com ...
Sounds like another politician trying walk on the top of the fence.
Quinn is a putz. But at least I know what I'm ALREADY getting.
Well, if Rauner loses, he can always buy the Clippers from Donald Sterling.,.
His campaign commercials couldn't be clearer: He's not running on social issues, period. He claims to be running on educational finance issues.
I say bullspit. He's another "middle of the road" RINO who's gonna get run over by the press and Pat "Quisling" Quinn.
...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... "We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party," Paul said.
Rauner has scrupulously avoided any stance on social issues. My guess is that is either has no stance on them, or, more likely, they would mirror the liberal Republican or Democrat views. In a current campaign ad, his wife, who calls herself a lifelong Democrat, says, “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda. He has a education and economic agenda.” (I always wonder how he is going to get that past Mike Madigan.) I don’t see how Quinn has earned another term. He is the third in a row of three failed governors. If I still lived in Illinois, I “guess” I would vote for Rauner, hoping he would be able to do something to ease the fiscal pain of the state, but knowing that, on other issues, he is just another member of the Illinois Combine.
NEGATIVE!!
Bruce Rauners wife is a MILITANT SOCIALIST!
I will vote Constitution Party!
I’m on the CP statewide slate. If we make it through the ballot access war zone, it could get interesting.
A billionaire socialist! Nice!
Illinois politics is a real tragedy.
Why doesn’t this guy just go ahead and change to the liberal democrat socialist party????????
Well, Illinois residents, you better be ready for an earthquake. . .I don’t know how much more God can take from this state. No moral compass, no moral leadership and evidently residents that just don’t care and are clueless, on and on and on and on.
He IS a Democrat, that bought off all of the Conservative groups and even the Illinois Tea Party.
He is Rahm Emanuels best friend and vacation buddie. I have lived in Chicago and was a Republican and every knows they NEVER heard of this guy, but Money talks
Fact: Rauner made all of his money giving thousands to Democrats in return for earning millions in managing union pension plans. He is a hypocrite on union issues.
Fact: Rauner is openly pro-abortion and cagey on the issue of gay marriage but says he supports same sex civil unions. Rich Miller of Capitol Fax predicts he will support gay marriage after the primary.
Fact: Rauner is Rahm’s best friend and has been his close political ally for decades. Rahm’s staff has made it clear he wants Rauner to win the governor’s office. One thing Rauner will be pushing through is Rahm’s casino.
Fact: Rahm got Rauner’s firm an FCC exemption to allow the SBC deal to go through - earning Rauner’s firm 1/2 billion in six months - using Rahm’s insider connections.
Fact: Rauner gave Democrat Ed Rendell thousands of dollars in his campaign for governor in Pennsylvania and when Rendell was elected, Rauner’s firm received millions in state pension fee business.
Fact: Rauner used his clout to get his daughter into Walter Payton Prep when she didn’t have the test scores she needed.
Fact: Rauner has given $500K to the Illinois Policy Institute. A Roeser employee said that Rauner has given $500K to Roeser. State Board of Election reports say that Rauner gave Roeser $30K just last fall alone.
Fact: Illinois Policy Institute’s Elizabeth Christie is Rauner’s co-finance chair along with Ron Gidwitz - who heavily funded Joe Walsh’s campaign in 2012.
Fact: Joe Walsh just had a town hall with Rauner and now John Tillman is having a joint appearance with Rauner. Walsh’s main radio sponsor - Dick Uihlein was also on Rauner’s advisory committee for governor and his heavily supporting his campaign. Uihlein is Tillman/Proft’s main donor - almost completely responsible for their funding.
Fact: Until last week, Tillman’s associate Bob Costello was the treasurer of Bruce Rauner’s term limits initiative
Fact: Rauner has also given money to for the Good of Illinois and Adam escorted Rauner to a pro-life dinner in Spring.
Fact: Self-proclaimed conservative leaders are selling out and confusing tea party members and not talking about his background and some of them are getting paid to do it.
Fact: Bruce Rauner is worse than a RINO - he’s Rahm Emanuel’s Democrat in the GOP race for governor.
Fact: Tea party conservatives should be very resentful, angry, and betrayed that these so-called “conservative” leaders are being well-paid to help Rahm’s pal Bruce Rauner win the nomination
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130606/BLOGS02/130609882/#
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130424/BLOGS02/130429892/
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/October-2013/Rahm-Rauner/
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