Quinn diminishes his career

For those who wondered over the years whether Pat Quinn's act was real, they got their answer the other day.

Quinn, unlike his ticket mate Rod Blagojevich, actually agonizes over questions of ethics and "doing the right thing."

I have talked to a couple of people close to Quinn and they report that he is distressed by the massive corruption surrounding Rod. He has a choice: shut up and try to be Lt. Governor for four more years or speak his conscience. He made his choice in dramatic fashion the other day, as the Daily Herald reports.

SPRINGFIELD — Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn defended his running mate's integrity Thursday, saying he saw nothing wrong with the governor's 7-year-old daughter getting a $1,500 check from a family friend whose wife just got a state job.

"He's always been a person who's honest and one of integrity," said Quinn, appearing at a Capitol news conference. "I have confidence the governor does the right thing all the time."

Quinn's disengenious comments casts a shadow over every reform stance he took over his long career. We really shouldn't be too surprised -- Quinn was silent when Blago was giving no-bid bond contracts to his cronies after Quinn railed on the issue for years when Republicans were doing it.

And he claims to be a champion for veterans and hasn't said a word about the rampant, unlawful abuses against veterans in hiring matters under Blagojevich.

I gave Quinn credit for speaking out early and often against George Ryan corruption but it looks now like it was simply partisan rhetoric, not real concern.

Republicans were roasted by the news media for not speaking out against George Ryan earlier. So far, Quinn has gotten a pass. Considering his long history speaking about corruption, that lack of questioning is a puzzlement.

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