Video surfaced Monday of Illinois governor candidate Bruce Rauner telling supporters he came this close to "punching someone" at a parade last spring.
The Chicago Sun-Times posted a clip of Rauner, who's running against Gov. Pat Quinn on the Republican ticket, regaling an audience with the story at a private event in Edwardsville, Ill., circa late July. His tone by turns bemused and exasperated, the Winnetka venture capitalist describes running into trouble last spring at the Greek Independence Day Parade when Quinn's team allegedly tried to bar him from walking in the event.
"You know what, they tried to, his people tried to kick me out of the parade," says Rauner in the minute-long footage. "You know what, it's the closest I've come to punching someone in this race. I said, I said I ain't leaving this parade, this is not a Democratic parade, this is a Greek-American parade, and I'm working for every family in this state. You know what, I pushed those guys aside, we went to the front of that parade, high-fives and selfies all up and down. You know what, they were clapping and cheering. They loved every part of the message."
Rauner also alleges that Quinn had "never been to a Greek parade in his life."
Quinn's campaign shot down that statement Monday, saying the governor participated in the March 30 festivities (with running mate Paul Vallas) as well as in many parades past.
