Quinn meets with Mayor Daley

New Gov. Pat Quinn is doing something his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, rarely did: He's talking to other top elected officials.

Quinn met Monday with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley -- who has called Blagojevich "cuckoo" and had run-ins with the ousted governor last year.

The meeting with Daley was Quinn's latest in recent days with elected officials who had strained relations with Blagojevich before the Democrat was removed from office last week.

Blagojevich rankled Daley last year when he accused the mayor of standing on the sidelines in a fight over Blagojevich's capital construction program. He also annoyed the mayor when he suggested crime was out of control in Chicago and offered state resources to help.

Quinn met with the state's other four constitutional officers on Friday, a day after taking over from Blagojevich. They all last met with the governor in 2003.

"It is important to show that people can work together as a team. ... Teamwork makes a difference and it can be very successful," Quinn said after his meeting with Daley at City Hall. Daley did not appear with Quinn to talk to reporters.

Quinn will continue to make the rounds with people he'll need to accomplish work as governor.

On Tuesday, Quinn was scheduled to be in Washington, D.C., to meet with members of the Illinois congressional delegation, including Sen. Dick Durbin and Illinois' newest member of the Senate, Roland Burris. Burris replaced President Barack Obama after a controversial appointment by Blagojevich, who federal authorities accused of trying to sell that very seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich denies any wrongdoing.

Later this week, Quinn also planned to meet with legislative leaders in Springfield.

Dysfunctional relations between Blagojevich and top state lawmakers, especially with Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, have been blamed for the gridlock that has paralyzed state government in recent years. Quinn said Madigan will attend the upcoming meeting.

"It is important for the people of Illinois to see that their elected officials believe in harmony, getting along and working together. Those are some of the most important human values. We've had I think a tough time over the last six years in that department," Quinn said.

Madigan and Quinn "get along" and have a "good working relationship," said Madigan's spokesman, Steve Brown.

"I think they have a good cooperative relationship," Brown said.