Quinn, Brady tangle on efforts for blacks
4TH DEBATE | Candidates accuse each other of ignoring issues
BY DAVE McKINNEY Sun-Times Springfield Bureau ChiefWith the race for governor tightening, Democrat Pat Quinn and GOP rival Bill Brady tangled Wednesday over who has done more for African-American voters.
Brady called Quinn "AWOL" on issues important to African Americans, while the governor accused Brady of completely ignoring black voters.
In their fourth public debate, televised by WLS-Channel 7, the two also sparred over ethics and social issues. But the biggest fireworks came over who was the bigger no-show on minority issues in Illinois.
Quinn, who is trying to generate enthusiasm among the traditional Democratic base of African-American voters, attacked Brady for ignoring forums and debates organized by respected African-American institutions.
"I think it's important to come to the African-American community to make sure that they have the opportunity to evaluate the candidates. My opponent has missed five straight ... debates, including the Urban League, the NAACP," the governor said.
But Brady shot back at Quinn for being silent on the push to allow Wal-Marts and other big-box stores into mostly African-American neighborhoods with high unemployment and for helping torpedo legislation pushed by state Sen. James Meeks to allow students in poor-performing city schools to have vouchers to attend parochial schools.
"Gov. Quinn has been AWOL when it comes to job creation in the minority communities and AWOL when it comes to the educational interests in some of the worst-performing districts in the state," the state senator from Bloomington said.
On ethics, Quinn hit Brady for voting on three bills that Quinn said helped Brady's real estate development company and represented a "conflict of interest" not unlike some of the ethical lapses during the reigns of imprisoned ex-GOP Gov. George Ryan and convicted Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
"We do not need a governor of Illinois like the last two who is ethically challenged. I stood against George Ryan. ... I called for the resignation and impeachment of Rod Blagojevich," Quinn said.
But Brady, who denied any wrongdoing, fired back.
"Ethically challenged, governor?" Brady snapped. "You're the same person who four years ago told us Rod Blagojevich was an honest man and a man of integrity."
Brady went on to condemn Quinn for being neutered by top Democrats in the Legislature on an ethics package that snubbed some of the main recommendations from a reform commission Quinn appointed last year.
"Governor, you didn't have the backbone to stand up to Mike Madigan and John Cullerton," Brady said. "You backed up into a corner, and you were left with nothing."
At another point, Quinn tried to paint the socially conservative Brady as being out of the mainstream on abortion rights, gun-control and gay rights.
"These issues shouldn't be used to divide Illinois. Many people agree with me on these issues," Brady said.
Their debate came amid new signs the race for governor is tightening. A poll released late Wednesday by Public Policy Polling showed Brady with 42 percent and Quinn with 41 percent. None of the three other candidates in the race broke 6 percent.
The company's automated telephone poll of 557 likely voters was taken between Oct. 14 and 16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
It's good to be appreciated. Two questions: Who are their top African-American advisors and what are their proposals that will create jobs for at-risk youth, exoffenders and low-skill/low-wage Illinois workers?
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