Posted by Monique Garcia and David Heinzmann at 7:40 p.m.
The two Democratic governor candidates today met face-to-face for the final time before Tuesday’s primary election, with Comptroller Dan Hynes coming under fire from both Gov. Pat Quinn and a radio host over a controversial TV ad featuring the late Mayor Harold Washington.
Appearing on the “Cliff Kelley Show” on WVON 1690-AM, the governor again accused Hynes of using decades-old footage of Washington, Chicago’s first African-American mayor, criticizing Quinn to turn black voters against him.
The radio show host seized on that idea when he asked Hynes the purpose of the ad, in which Washington says he fired Quinn as City Hall revenue director because Quinn was more concerned with public relations than effective management.
“Was the intent to try to divide the black community or to draw votes from people who are racist and didn’t want Washington in office in the first place?” said Kelley, who frequently sided with Quinn and talked about their mutual past work on issues.
Hynes countered that he ran the ad to “explain to people that the governor’s inability to solve problems and his lack of competence is not just a one-time situation.”
Quinn used the live radio show to again question Hynes’ involvement with his father’s 1987 mayoral bid against Washington. Tom Hynes, 19th Ward power broker, made his third-party bid at a time of great racial tension in Chicago politics.
“I’d rather lose the race for governor than divide the people of Illinois along race,” Quinn said. “That’s what my opponent is doing.”
Quinn also repeatedly ticked off the names of prominent black elected officials who have endorsed him to demonstrate his support in the African-American community, a key source of Democratic votes.
Hynes asked if anyone was “keeping track of how many names the governor drops.”
At times, Hynes appeared frustrated at the amount of time Quinn was given to respond to questions, at one point asking Kelley off-air if he could respond to a “10 minute monologue” Quinn gave on job creation. Kelley answered "no, you can’t," though Hynes later cut in.
Afterward, Quinn declared the exchange the “most substantive” discussion of issues yet. Asked if it was because he got more favorable air time, Quinn laughed before state Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, interjected.
“Well, he’s home here,” Trotter said. “No doubt about it.”