Emanuel Loses Cool With Quinn Over Pensions

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Jun 8, 2012 10:20PM

Mayor Rahm Emanuel blew his lid during a phone chat with Gov. Pat Quinn, according to Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed.

Sneed writes:

Word is Rahm bazookaed Quinn with his infamous barrage of four-letter words — coupled with “Where were you when I needed you?!”

Translation: Rahm, who is furious Quinn isn’t pushing harder for a Chicago casino — was enraged when Gov. Quinn sided with Cross in the duo’s failed attempt to pass his pension reform — after rejecting House Speaker Mike Madigan’s plan to shift some of the burden to Downstate and suburban school districts.

Damn, too bad there isn't video of this one. Also, we wonder whose side leaked this to Sneed because it doesn't make either politician look good.

A pension reform plan very nearly passed last week, but it stalled when Madigan took it off the table, saying, “I had an interesting meeting this morning with Gov. Quinn and I was surprised the governor disagreed with me on the issue. He agrees with you. He agrees with the Republicans, and he thinks we ought to remove the shift of normal costs out of the bill.”

Quinn has been pushing back on the gambling bill for a year now because he says it's full of loopholes open to corruption. “I wouldn’t hold your breath on getting that bill signed,” he said earlier this week.

***UPDATED 6 P.M.: Emanuel responded to the rumors that foul language was used in his talk with Quinn. CBS writes:

The mayor on Friday side-stepped the issue of whether coarse language erupted in his conversation with Quinn, unless “cost-of-living adjustment” is a swear word.

“I never knew COLA was a four-letter word,” Emanuel said at an unrelated news conference with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I share with the governor the commitment of getting retirement security for the state. Because I think the alternative is not viable, and I want to make sure we get it done.”

We're rolling our eyes over here. Once again, we'd like to say this public exchange doesn't make either politician look like a mature adult. It's almost as immature as they seemed last fall when they argued over the gambling bill, and Quinn offered up a Gob Bluth-esque, "I mean, come on!"