From The Chicago Sun-Times:

Ryan to guv: consider quitting

May 1, 2002

BY SCOTT FORNEK AND FRAN SPIELMAN STAFF REPORTERS

Republican gubernatorial nominee Jim Ryan cataloged a series of reasons Tuesday why he thinks Gov. Ryan "should seriously think about" resigning--the license-for-bribes scandal, broken campaign promises and "this financial disaster we have on our hands in Springfield."

"It's difficult for a person to lead if people will not follow," Attorney General Jim Ryan said. "Walk through your neighborhoods and ask people what they think. I hear it every day all over the state from ordinary people. It's just a fact. I didn't create this mess."

But the attorney general refused to provide much leadership on the issue himself, repeatedly refusing to say whether he personally thinks the governor should call it quits--or even whether such a move would benefit his own political future.

"I do honestly think the decision at this point is his, and he has to make it," Jim Ryan said. "I think he should seriously think about it."

Gov. Ryan said he has no plans to step down. And even if he did, Jim Ryan might wind up with more problems. Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood would succeed the governor. She endorsed the attorney general's candidacy last week, but is no closer politically to Jim Ryan than the governor is. But the GOP nominee did his best to sound eager about a Wood administration--however brief it might be.

"She is part of the George Ryan administration, that's true," Jim Ryan said. "I think Corinne Wood does want reform, and I've talked to her, and I think she's sincere about it. And I don't think voters have lost trust in Corinne Wood. They have lost trust, unfortunately, in the governor."

Jim Ryan met with reporters outside the John Hancock Center, saying he wanted to answer questions about remarks he made about the governor to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch late Monday. The attorney general said a Post-Dispatch reporter asked him if the governor should quit in light of the paper's poll showing 67 percent of Illinois voters want him to.

"You want to know what I think?" Jim Ryan said. "I think politics in Illinois needs a bath, and if I get elected it's going to get one."

The attorney general has been looking for ways to cut the political cord with the governor since Gov.Ryan's campaign fund and two former top campaign aides were indicted four weeks ago on corruption charges. Jim Ryan insisted his remarks were not part of such a plan.

But Democrats weren't buying.

Democratic gubernatorial rival Rod Blagojevich questioned the timing, coming a day after the poll was published--and four years after Jim Ryan ran on the same ticket with Gov. Ryan and accepted his campaign contributions.

"And now he's suggesting he should resign?" Blagojevich said. "I think that's somewhat cynical and, frankly, disingenuous."

Blagojevich has not called for the governor to resign, but has blasted Jim Ryan for not investigating accusations that commercial driver's licenses were traded for bribes when George Ryan was secretary of state.

"We would not be in the mess if Jim Ryan had done this job," said Pete Giangreco, a Blagojevich consultant.

Jim Ryan argues the FBI was already investigating the scandal. He told reporters he returned the governor's contributions after the campaign fund was indicted and said "the fact that I supported his election in 1998 has nothing to do with what I say here today."

Mayor Daley said Gov. Ryan is not an issue, but said the attorney general's failure to embrace O'Hare expansion is.

"Where are you on O'Hare field?" Daley said. "Where are you with modernization, of keeping jobs? That's the issue."

As he left the Capitol on Tuesday evening, a testy Gov. Ryan snapped back at his would-be GOP successor.

"Jim Ryan feels like he's got to make some comments based upon some polls," Ryan told reporters. "That's up to him."

Blagojevich was leading his GOP rival, 52 percent to 34 percent in a CBS 2/Chicago Sun-Times Poll conducted in the days just after the March 19 primary. The Post-Dispatch/KMOV-TV poll, which was conducted by Zogby International April 20-24, found Jim Ryan had narrowed the gap, but was still behind by 7.4 percentage points.

Contributing: Dave McKinney