Another editorial board has declined to endorse billionaire frontrunner J.B. Pritzker in the democratic primary for Governor, calling Pritzker out as just another self-serving politician unwilling to stand up to the broken status quo.
The News-Gazette blasted J.B. Pritzker over the weekend, calling him a “hollow man with a passing interest in issues” and “the favored candidate of party leaders” like Mike Madigan. Pritzker was slammed for “groveling” on the phone with Rod Blagojevich and his “utter refusal to say a single negative word” about Mike Madigan.
It’s become clear that with his numerous scandals and ties to Madigan and Blagojevich, J.B. Pritzker is a general election nightmare for Illinois democrats.
The News-Gazette writes,
Pritzker is the favored candidate of party leaders, virtually all of whom fell in line after Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan made it clear that he wanted Pritzker to self-finance his race for governor, allowing Madigan to use his many millions in campaign contributions to re-elect an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature.
Pritzker obviously chose his parents well, but he’s established himself as a businessman of some repute. Nonetheless, when it comes to politics, he gives the impression of a candidate who’s running to become something rather than do something.
Whether he’s on the telephone with former Gov. Rod Blagojevich groveling for appointment to what he hoped would be a vacant state treasurer’s post or toadying for Madigan in his quest to become governor, Pritzker comes across as a hollow man with a passing interest in issues and a surpassing interest in fulfilling his ambition to be more than just another billionaire.
His utter refusal to say a single negative word about the leadership of Madigan, perhaps the most destructive political force in the state’s history, speaks volumes about his unwillingness to deviate from the past of business as usual. That devotion to self-interest, rather than the public interest, is a long-standing practice that has served the insiders well but driven the state into a ditch.
If Pritzker can’t find a harsh word to describe Madigan’s impact on Illinois, how can he possibly make the tough decisions needed to take the state off the critical list?