Gov. Pat Quinn will take his charisma quotient to a new low on Sunday when he signs a bill live on radio.
Be sure to listen in! Closely!
After all, few things sound better on radio than the crackling sound of a pen gliding across the bottom of legislation coming out of the Illinois General Assembly.
Of course, I've never experienced it myself, but I'm told it's like listening to paint dry.
Not that the legislation is bad; to the contrary, SB1544 will create a Hunger Relief Fund that will help local food banks stay stocked, and we're all for that.
But a live bill-signing on the radio?
Lame.
Politics
But the governor is making these types of stunts into a bad habit. Quinn recently signed another bill, the Safe Haven Act, on Fox Chicago News; that, too, was less-than-riveting programming.
But memo to the media: bill-signings aren't news. They are photo-ops - and now, apparently, audio-ops.
By going along with Quinn's gambit, Fox and - in this case - WGN-AM are partnering in the administration's marketing gimmicks ---this news station was offered a similar publicity opportunity with Governor Quinn but declined the proposed signing.
Tune in if you must: 11:05 a.m.
But next time they should make Quinn buy an ad.
Steve Rhodes is the proprietor of The Beachwood Reporter, a Chicago-centric news and culture review.
