Quinn meets with Obama, lawmakers
By ANN SANNER - The Associated Press
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| AP photo
Gov. Pat Quinn speaks Tuesday at a news conference with the Illinois Congressional delegation, on Capitol Hill in Washington. At left is newly appointed Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill. (Gerald Herbert (STF)) |
WASHINGTON – Gov. Pat Quinn got face time with the president Tuesday and passed out his cell phone number to Illinois lawmakers on Capitol Hill as he sought to mend fences now that his disgraced predecessor is out of office.
The trip to the nation’s capital set Quinn apart from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who rarely was welcomed anywhere even before the state Senate ousted him from office on Thursday.
Quinn came to Washington to discuss the economic stimulus package with Sens. Dick Durbin and Roland Burris and other members of the Illinois congressional delegation.
What he also got was a 10-minute chat with President Barack Obama at the White House.
Quinn said he and Obama had a “robust discussion” about the economic recovery bill, but the president made no commitments to him regarding funding in the package for the state.
“I think the president said he’s not going to favor Illinois over any other state,” Quinn told reporters at a news conference.
“Everybody in, nobody left out, I think is his basic philosophy. And that’s mine, too.”
An $819 billion version of the economic stimulus plan passed the House last week, and the Senate is debating legislation.
Durbin’s office estimates the Senate version could save or create more than 200,000 jobs across Illinois by the end of 2010 and could bring $25 billion in federal funding.
Quinn met for about an hour with the two Illinois senators and 11 members of the delegation at Durbin’s office in the Capitol. With media present, the governor gave out his cell phone number to the lawmakers, which included U.S. Reps. Melissa Bean, Aaron Schock and Jesse Jackson Jr. among others.
