In the first broadcast debate of the Democratic campaign for governor, U.S. Rep. Rod Blagojevich emphatically denied Thursday that, if elected, his influential father-in-law, Ald. Dick Mell (33rd), would run state government.
And former state Atty. Gen. Roland Burris was alone among the four candidates in suggesting the state borrow its way out of a budget crisis to avoid unpopular cuts in human services.
Still, the half-hour “Chicago Tonight” debate on WTTW-Ch. 11 involving Blagojevich, Burris, former Chicago schools chief Paul Vallas and former state Comptroller Michael Bakalis produced little to distinguish among the candidates.
They agreed on the need to offer financial incentives to recruit new teachers and head off an anticipated shortage. They also called for better planning to coordinate emergency services by state, federal and municipal governments.
It was the first time the four had appeared together since they formally entered the March 19 primary race. But the debate resonated with gentility; sparring was low-key.
Bakalis, 62, who has been absent from the political scene since losing a race for governor in 1978, appeared to chide Burris for running again after losing two previous primary bids for governor as well as attempts for Chicago mayor and the U.S. Senate. Burris has been out of public office for seven years.
“I don’t believe in professional politicians,” Bakalis said. “You don’t have to continue to run for public office. That’s what’s the problem that’s going on in this country–people obsessed with continually staying in office.”
But Burris, 63, the frontrunner in early polling, said of the previous losses: “That was then. This is now.”
Vallas, 48, the only one of the contenders who has never previously run for office, said: “Am I a professional politician? No. Am I a professional governmental manager who has a track record of success in managing multibillion-dollar budgets that are larger than many of the budgets among many of the 50 states? The answer is yes.”
But the debate provided Blagojevich with an opportunity to address an issue that has dogged his campaign for months–denying that Mell was running it and would act in the shadows as de facto governor.
“I’m the luckiest man in the world to have Dick Mell as my father-in-law because I love his daughter very much, and we have our daughter, who we adore,” said Blagojevich, 45, who began the year with a $4.1 million campaign war chest, far more than his rivals combined.
“All I can say is if I’m the governor, I’m going to set the priorities. I’m going to make the decisions. … It’s ludicrous to suggest that were I the governor that a Chicago alderman who happens to be my father-in-law would somehow call the shots,” he said.
All the candidates except Burris said they would cut tens of millions of dollars of legislative pork barrel projects to help ease the state’s budget crunch.
“Well, I would go out and borrow the money,” said Burris, who has also served as state comptroller.