Feb 3, 2009 6:16 pm US/Central
Gov. Quinn Gives Lawmakers His Cell Number
New Governor Met With Lawmakers, White House Officials
WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
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Gov. Pat Quinn walks through City Hall after meeting with Mayor Richard M. Daley on Feb. 2, 2009.
CBS
Don't you hate it when somebody doesn't return your calls? Rod Blagojevich had a reputation for ignoring phone calls from other state lawmakers. But Pat Quinn says that's not going to happen now that he's governor.
Quinn is in Washington D.C. right now. Earlier, he met with members of the Illinois delegation. He gave his cell phone number to Senators Dick Durbin and Roland Burris, as well as Representatives Melissa Bean, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Aaron Schock.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports with a look at the other ways Quinn is working to set himself apart from his predecessor.
Gov. Quinn went to the White House Tuesday, met with Barack Obama, and as far as we know, never once called the president any of the unrepeatable names Rod Blagojevich called him on those FBI wiretaps.
And with the former governor still on a media tour, Quinn addressed what might be called Illinois' late night comedy crisis.
"We have a special problem that many have alluded to that Illinois is seen as the butt of many jokes because of the corruption in government," Gov. Quinn said.
At a meeting with Illinois' congressional delegation on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon, the new governor promised to set a new tone, but couldn't escape his state's recent history.
"I'm hoping with Gov. Quinn that we break our governors' losing streak," said Rep. Mark Kirk. "Gov. Ryan was a crook. Gov. Blagojevich, who the General Assembly and the Senate voted, they think he was a crook."
Earlier, Quinn met at the White House with President Obama.
"We had a robust discussion about how important the American Economic Recovery Act is for Illinois and the whole country," Quinn said.
On the Hill, Quinn delighted Republicans and Democrats when he gave them his personal cell phone number.
"I know in the past it was perhaps hard to reach the governor or get the governor to call you, and I don't want to have that ever said about me," Quinn said.
"We know that your administration is going to be different," Sen. Durbin said. "He announced his personal cell phone number to the delegation, and to the press. So we know where to find him, and that's a great start."
Quinn is getting a similar reaction everywhere he goes. People are almost pathetically grateful that he's taken the trouble to come see them, listen to them, talk to them.
For Quinn's part, he was grateful that President Obama took the time to see him at the White House today. Barack Obama shook his head last summer when he said that he hadn't had a real conversation with Blagojevich in more than a year.
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