“Getting along with unions to get reform done is an idea that’s been weaved into many conversations during this conference. Do you agree collaboration is key?”
Mitch Daniels: “No.”
That was Mitch Daniels’ answer to CER President Jeanne Allen’s question at this year’s Excellence in Action summit in Washington, D.C. Mitch Daniels is known for his tough stance on reform and ability to get meaningful reforms passed in Indiana, and recently ousted State Superintendent Tony Bennett shares this reputation as well.
After a simple “No” answer, Daniels went on to explain some of the improper tactics used to defeat Tony Bennett in the 2012 election, and his remarks are still making waves in the press:
“If you’re a fan of anything-goes politics, it was a creative use of illegal — but still creative use — of public resources.”
“We got emails sent out on school time by people who were supposed to be teaching someone at the time, all about Tony Bennett. We have parents who went to back to school night to find out how little Jebbie is doing and instead they got a diatribe about the upcoming election.”