Feb 2, 2009 6:47 pm US/Central
Gov. Quinn Reaching Out To Repair Relationships
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Gov. Pat Quinn (File)
Scott Olson/Getty Images
New Gov. Pat Quinn is doing something his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, rarely did: Quinn's talking to other top elected officials.
It's no secret there was tension between Mayor Daley and former governor Rod Blagojevich. They rarely met. And Daley's disdain, especially in recent weeks, became crystal clear as he called Blagojevich "cuckoo." But Governor Pat Quinn says he's hoping for a better relationship with the mayor.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that on Monday, Gov. Quinn made the pilgrimage to City Hall's fifth floor that every governor, Republican or Democrat, has made for decades. To get things done, Quinn needs Mayor Daley's help. And while Daley did not talk publicly today, the truth is he needs Quinn, too.
The two Chicago Democrats met for more than 45 minutes.
Expressing delight with the new governor's performance so far, a spokeswoman for the mayor looked up the last time Daley had such a meeting with Rod Blagojevich. She said it was nearly six years ago, right after the former governor was first elected.
"I had an excellent meeting with Mayor Daley," Gov. Quinn said. "I really do value the advice that Mayor Daley was able to give me today, and on previous days."
Quinn also talked about his next stop. He's flying to Washington, D.C. Monday night. Tuesday, he'll visit the White House and Capitol Hill - two places where the name of Rod Blagojevich has been almost a curse word.
"I hope to get to the White House tomorrow. President Obama called on Friday. He was extremely gracious and friendly and supportive," Gov. Quinn said. "We have gone through a very rough period in Illinois, particularly in the last eight weeks. And I think it is important to show that people can work together as a team."
Quinn says he has met recently with suburban mayors, as well as the mayors of Springfield and Aurora. And he promises to keep consulting them.
The meeting with Daley was Quinn's latest in recent days with elected officials who had strained relations with Blagojevich before he was removed from office last week.
A day after taking over, Quinn met with the state's other four constitutional officers. They'd all last met with Blagojevich in 2003.
Blagojevich rankled Daley last year, accusing the mayor of standing on the sidelines in a fight over Blagojevich's capital construction program. He also annoyed Daley when he suggested crime was out of control in Chicago and offered state resources to help.
Later this week, Quinn is meeting with state legislative leaders, including Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Dysfunctional relations between Blagojevich and lawmakers, especially Madigan, have been blamed for the gridlock that paralyzed state government in recent years.
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown says Madigan and Quinn have a "good cooperative relationship."
Quinn has other meetings lined up too.
He is scheduled to meet in Washington tomorrow with the state's congressional delegation.
CBS 2's Mike Flannery and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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