EXTRA: “Quinnochio” against “Mr. Burns?” The electorate is the loser

It’s usually around July or August in a general election campaign cycle when the truly trivial stuff comes out.

Do you feel enlightened?

Yet in an example of just how nasty the Illinois gubernatorial campaign is going to dive, it’s late March and we’re already sinking to the silly stunts – particularly those of mascots whose purpose is to mock the opposition.

FOR THE RECORD, it was the gubernatorial campaign of Bruce Rauner that sank first – giving us Quinnochio, a goofy-looking clod who is supposed to make us think of Gov. Pat Quinn as someone incapable of telling us the truth.

Quinnochio made his first appearance Thursday outside a Quinn government (not campaign) appearance at Carl von Linne Elementary School in Chicago to talk about how he wants to reform public education funding.

Personally, I think the idea of a mascot like this trivializes Rauner more than it harms Quinn – just as much as Quinn made himself look silly with that Internet-only ad that appeared recently comparing Rauner to “The Simpsons” Mr. Burns character. “Burns” against “Quinnochio” come Nov. 4? We’re going to get a heck of a headache in coming months!

 

It does make me wonder about the copyright laws, and whether the "Pinocchio" character is old enough to clear the time period in which the Disney company can claim a violation of their intellectual property in the same way that Fox made a claim against Quinn being able to use "Mr. Burns."


Chickens should be fried, not out campaigning

SUCH MASCOTS MAY have been around longer, but the first campaign mascot I recall was that ridiculous chicken that used to follow President George Bush (the elder) around and contend that he was afraid to debate Democratic challenger Bill Clinton. Did that really do a thing to inform the electorate?

I wish we’d have the kind of campaign in Illinois where Rauner wouldn’t wish to sink down to Quinn’s level of triviality. Then again, this is Illinois, so I should know better!

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