CALL OF DUTY
Pat’s all, folks?
Former Gov. Pat Quinn, who lost a primary race for Illinois attorney general, will be back in action soon.
But not in politics.
“I’ve been summoned for jury duty at the Criminal Courts building in two weeks,” said Quinn.
“So I’ve been called to public service duty once more,” said Quinn. “It’s an honor to serve.”
Added Quinn, who has been in public office for decades: “You can be a peacock one day and a feather duster the next.
“If you lose an election, you find another way of serving,” said Quinn, who won downstate but knew it was going to be a battle for the city upon learning he was not going to receive the endorsement of the Chicago Federation of Labor — minus the Carpenters’ Union — which had pushed him over the edge when he first ran for governor.
“You don’t have to run for office to be an active citizen.
“Look, I’ve been passing out petitions ever since [ House Speaker] Mike Madigan said I wasn’t worthy of being an Irishman,” he said. “That’s when I successfully led an ethics- reform drive to cancel the legislators’ ability to get paid in advance,” he said.
Begorrah!
Mayoral hopeful Garry McCarthy, who broadcast his decision to run for mayor via video Wednesday night on his website, did so minus two prime announcements.
McCarthy, who told Sneed last week, “I have yet to hire a campaign manager and a press secretary,” is reportedly now swimming in resumes.
A McCarthy source tells me:
“We were waiting for the primary to be over because the most qualified available candidates were working for other campaigns up to last night.
“Now we’ve got available applicants and time to choose,” the source added.
Meanwhile, Sneed is told McCarthy showcased his video at a private reception Wednesday night at Hugo’s restaurant for 100 early supporters of McCarthy’s candidacy and received $ 50,000 in contributions.
Stay tuned.
St. Pat’s chat . . .
Foxy loxy: The Daley brothers — Rich, Bill, Mike and John — who tossed their annual St. Patrick’s Day party at Gibsons Italia on the river this year, included two political rivals on their guest list.
Translation: They invited Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is running for re- election — and his possible/ probable mayoral opponent Paul Vallas, who tells Sneed: “I will be making a decision on running soon.”
Quoth Vallas, who recently lost a beloved son: “It was so very nice to be invited. It was great to see the mayor and his brothers as well as many old friends whom I haven’t seen in years.”
Oh, those Daley boys.
The bunny beat . . .
It’s become a battle of the bun- nies.
A parody of a picture book for children about “Marlon Bundo,” a rabbit belonging to Vice President Mike Pence, has skyrocketed to No. 1 best- seller status on Amazon late Wednesday.
The hit book, titled “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents a Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo,” is about a little gay bunny — and a hilarious parody of Amazon’s No. 4 best- seller Wednesday titled “Marlon Bundo’s Day in the Life of the Vice President,” written by Pence’s daughter, Charlotte, and illustrated by Pence’s wife, Karen.
The spoof is a take- off on Veep Pence’s dismal LGBT rights record.
Carrot, anyone?
Sneedlings . . .
Today’s birthdays: Reese Witherspoon, 42; William Shatner, 87; and Dexter Fowler, 32.