President stumps for AG Jim Ryan, without governor

CHICAGO -- When President Bush stumped for Illinois attorney general and gubernatorial nominee Jim Ryan in Chicago on Monday, Gov. George Ryan stayed home in Springfield.

The luncheon raised more than $2 million -- a figure former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar called a state record -- and also raised questions about where the scandal-plagued governor was.

"It is an unfortunate situation," Edgar said after the event at the downtown Sheraton Chicago. But he acknowledged it's wise for nominee Jim Ryan to distance himself from the governor's low approval ratings, brought on in part by indictments of his aides and campaign in an ongoing bribery investigation.

Edgar said it probably makes a lot of sense that Jim Ryan should do it on his own.

Edgar said he spoke for Jim Ryan's campaign because the nominee had to leave for another appointment.

Gov. Ryan's spokesman, Dennis Culloton, said he was unsure whether Bush or Jim Ryan's campaign had invited the governor.

Either way the governor would have stayed in Springfield, Culloton said.

"The governor was busy with more important matters, which was to work on balancing the $2 billion budget deficit and see that legislation was introduced today reforming the capital punishment system," Culloton said.

The fund raiser followed the president's welfare-to-work speech at a United Parcel Service loading dock where Bush was chummy with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a Democrat, for the second time in two months.

Bush also took the unusual step of walking with the mayor at the city's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

"This man is a great mayor of a great city," Bush said Monday. "I've learned one thing: I'd rather have him for me than against me."

Governor's troubles

Bush also thanked Rep. Rod Blagojevich, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, for attending the welfare speech.

Blagojevich spokesman Doug Scofield said the apparent snub of Gov. Ryan indicates the troubles Illinois Republicans face this year.

"It speaks to the disunity that the Republicans are facing in this campaign and highlights in some ways the unity that we have," Scofield said.

"George Bush is making Jim Ryan a priority because Jim Ryan needs help," he said.

Republican Senate candidate Jim Durkin, challenging Sen. Dick Durbin, said the president's affinity for Daley says more about the mayor than it does about Gov. Ryan.