Quinn Distances Self From Attack On Brady
UPDATED October 23, 2010 - 4:30 p.m.
Gov. Pat Quinn distanced himself Saturday from some harsh remarks that a fellow Democrat made about Quinn's opponent in the race for governor, during a "get out the vote" rally.
LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Mary Frances Bragiel reports.
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Just as he was introducing Quinn before a packed crowd of union members on the city's West Side, State Sen. Ricky Hendon (D-Chicago), who is also a candidate for mayor, went on a rant about Quinn's opponent, Republican State Sen. Bill Brady.
"I've never served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life," Hendon said. "If you think that the minimum wage need to be three dollars an hour, vote for Bill Brady. If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except to have his children, vote for Bill Brady. If you think gay and lesbian people need to be locked up and shot in the head, vote for Bill Brady."
After the rally, Quinn was quick to point out that he doesn't care for those comments.
"I don't talk that way. Everybody knows who I am, I've been around Illinois for many years, I've lived my whole life here. I believe in civility," Quinn said. "I disagree with people in politics, like my opponent in Senator Brady. I don't engage in name-calling; never have and never will."
Brady told Newsradio 780's Bob Roberts that Hendon's remarks sounded like desperation to him.
"It's too bad they've lowered this to the level. Rickey Hendon knows better and it's just disappointing that Pat Quinn is allowing his campaign to go this deep," Brady said. "We know they're desperate, we know that they're down in the polls, but I don't have much to say about those remarks."
Quinn, U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias and other top Democrats were taking part in a "get out the vote" rally on Chicago's West Side.
Ten days before the election, the storefront church was packed with union members cheering on the candidates as they spoke about job creation in Illinois and holding onto democratic seats in Congress and the Illinois General Assembly.
They also criticized Republicans for job losses in Illinois and the nearly $13 billion deficit the state faces.
Brady said he'd rather focus on getting out the vote – his vote – than respond to Hendon in any detail.
