Interactions with Politicans ?

[muon2]

Another one involving my wife: when we first moved to Springfield, she didn’t have a job yet and was bored, so she decided to check out the Illinois State Capitol. She didn’t realize that was the day of the State of the State address, and I guess she didn’t realize the place was not open and managed to get in the building right behind Bruce Rauner. She saw the doors to the House chamber open and everyone get up and clap and then realized she probably shouldn’t be there.

She was probably fine. The House gallery is open to the public with some seats available on a first-come basis. There are usually lobbyists around even for the State of the State, so it isn't officials only. Depending on where she was standing I might have been not too far away.

[muon2]

I met Senator Roland Burris (LOL) and Dick Durbin in DC years ago at the capitol.  Roland was a sweet old man who seemed to have no clue what he was doing.  I passed shoulders with John McCain after that meeting but didnt realize it was him until he had passed me.  He’s a shorty.  Ive been in Judy Biggert’s office in DC but did not meet the Queen herself.  Biggest regret!

And then Ive met local State Reps a couple of times.  Theyre all good people.  Ald Michelle Smith is pretty bad tho.

I'm curious as to which State Reps you met.

[muon2]

Another one involving my wife: when we first moved to Springfield, she didn’t have a job yet and was bored, so she decided to check out the Illinois State Capitol. She didn’t realize that was the day of the State of the State address, and I guess she didn’t realize the place was not open and managed to get in the building right behind Bruce Rauner. She saw the doors to the House chamber open and everyone get up and clap and then realized she probably shouldn’t be there.

She was probably fine. The House gallery is open to the public with some seats available on a first-come basis. There are usually lobbyists around even for the State of the State, so it isn't officials only. Depending on where she was standing I might have been not too far away.

She was right behind Bruce, just outside the door where he entered the House chamber. She says the press was gathered in the same area where she was. This was 2015, by the way.

Cool. That was Rauner's first State of the State, before the budget impasse began. I was there to listen to it.

[muon2]

To the OP. One unexpectedly unusual interaction occurred back in 2003. I was in Springfield with a group to lobby the legislature on various issues. We were each assigned a set of legislators to meet. One state senator wasn't in his office, but I found him at a dinner at the Governor's mansion that evening and scheduled a meeting for the next day. None of that was unusual, but 6 years later Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. Two years later I was caught by a Reuters camera shaking the hand of George W Bush at a bill signing ceremony in Montgomery IL.

[muon2]

To the OP. One unexpectedly unusual interaction occurred back in 2003. I was in Springfield with a group to lobby the legislature on various issues. We were each assigned a set of legislators to meet. One state senator wasn't in his office, but I found him at a dinner at the Governor's mansion that evening and scheduled a meeting for the next day. None of that was unusual, but 6 years later Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. Two years later I was caught by a Reuters camera shaking the hand of George W Bush at a bill signing ceremony in Montgomery IL.

I'm curious as to what your interactions have been like with Madigan and Blago. I assume you've had plenty of interactions with the former and at least a few with the latter.

My first meeting with Blago happened to be at the Bush bill signing I referenced above. We happened to arrive at the same time. He was hoping I might lobby one of the GOP state senators on an infrastructure bill. He invited me to the green room for federal officials, and then suggested I take a front row seat. That led to me being in position to shake Bush's hand after the signing.

I had surprisingly few direct interactions with Madigan despite my years of work in Springfield. Most of my interactions with Dem leadership was with House Majority Leader Currie, who I found to be a pleasure to work with. She retired two years ago.

[muon2]

To the OP. One unexpectedly unusual interaction occurred back in 2003. I was in Springfield with a group to lobby the legislature on various issues. We were each assigned a set of legislators to meet. One state senator wasn't in his office, but I found him at a dinner at the Governor's mansion that evening and scheduled a meeting for the next day. None of that was unusual, but 6 years later Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. Two years later I was caught by a Reuters camera shaking the hand of George W Bush at a bill signing ceremony in Montgomery IL.

I'm curious as to what your interactions have been like with Madigan and Blago. I assume you've had plenty of interactions with the former and at least a few with the latter.

My first meeting with Blago happened to be at the Bush bill signing I referenced above. We happened to arrive at the same time. He was hoping I might lobby one of the GOP state senators on an infrastructure bill. He invited me to the green room for federal officials, and then suggested I take a front row seat. That led to me being in position to shake Bush's hand after the signing.

I had surprisingly few direct interactions with Madigan despite my years of work in Springfield. Most of my interactions with Dem leadership was with House Majority Leader Currie, who I found to be a pleasure to work with. She retired two years ago.

Wait you were a state legislator in Illinois?

I found this post of yours quite accurate.

Okay, now I’m convinced people are just making things up, if you’re actually a US Rep or the child of a Senator you want to be nowhere near this place.

Why ? seems like a fairly harmless internet community to be a part of as a politican.

I like sites with a no doxxing policy. Don't hide, but don't advertise.

[muon2]

To the OP. One unexpectedly unusual interaction occurred back in 2003. I was in Springfield with a group to lobby the legislature on various issues. We were each assigned a set of legislators to meet. One state senator wasn't in his office, but I found him at a dinner at the Governor's mansion that evening and scheduled a meeting for the next day. None of that was unusual, but 6 years later Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. Two years later I was caught by a Reuters camera shaking the hand of George W Bush at a bill signing ceremony in Montgomery IL.

I'm curious as to what your interactions have been like with Madigan and Blago. I assume you've had plenty of interactions with the former and at least a few with the latter.

My first meeting with Blago happened to be at the Bush bill signing I referenced above. We happened to arrive at the same time. He was hoping I might lobby one of the GOP state senators on an infrastructure bill. He invited me to the green room for federal officials, and then suggested I take a front row seat. That led to me being in position to shake Bush's hand after the signing.

I had surprisingly few direct interactions with Madigan despite my years of work in Springfield. Most of my interactions with Dem leadership was with House Majority Leader Currie, who I found to be a pleasure to work with. She retired two years ago.

Wait you were a state legislator in Illinois?

I found this post of yours quite accurate.

Okay, now I’m convinced people are just making things up, if you’re actually a US Rep or the child of a Senator you want to be nowhere near this place.

Why ? seems like a fairly harmless internet community to be a part of as a politican.

I like sites with a no doxxing policy. Don't hide, but don't advertise.

oh sorry about that, you mentioned having met Obama to lobby him for something when he was a state legislature? did anything about him seem interesting when you met him?

No harm, no foul. In terms of Obama, not really. At that time he seemed typical of the Senate Dems who had just taken control of that chamber after the remap. What made it stand out was the fact that he moved upward so quickly  from then. I wasn't near him again until 2016 when he came to Springfield to speak to a joint session of the IL legislature.

[muon2]

To the OP. One unexpectedly unusual interaction occurred back in 2003. I was in Springfield with a group to lobby the legislature on various issues. We were each assigned a set of legislators to meet. One state senator wasn't in his office, but I found him at a dinner at the Governor's mansion that evening and scheduled a meeting for the next day. None of that was unusual, but 6 years later Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president. Two years later I was caught by a Reuters camera shaking the hand of George W Bush at a bill signing ceremony in Montgomery IL.

I'm curious as to what your interactions have been like with Madigan and Blago. I assume you've had plenty of interactions with the former and at least a few with the latter.

My first meeting with Blago happened to be at the Bush bill signing I referenced above. We happened to arrive at the same time. He was hoping I might lobby one of the GOP state senators on an infrastructure bill. He invited me to the green room for federal officials, and then suggested I take a front row seat. That led to me being in position to shake Bush's hand after the signing.

I had surprisingly few direct interactions with Madigan despite my years of work in Springfield. Most of my interactions with Dem leadership was with House Majority Leader Currie, who I found to be a pleasure to work with. She retired two years ago.

Wait you were a state legislator in Illinois?

I found this post of yours quite accurate.

Okay, now I’m convinced people are just making things up, if you’re actually a US Rep or the child of a Senator you want to be nowhere near this place.

Why ? seems like a fairly harmless internet community to be a part of as a politican.

I like sites with a no doxxing policy. Don't hide, but don't advertise.

oh sorry about that, you mentioned having met Obama to lobby him for something when he was a state legislature? did anything about him seem interesting when you met him?

No harm, no foul. In terms of Obama, not really. At that time he seemed typical of the Senate Dems who had just taken control of that chamber after the remap. What made it stand out was the fact that he moved upward so quickly  from then. I wasn't near him again until 2016 when he came to Springfield to speak to a joint session of the IL legislature.

Interesting, Did he get any support from Republicans in the legislature for his presidential bid due to a home-state effect?

He did in the 2008 primary, most notably from Sen. Kirk Dillard who cut a commercial for him. None publically supported him in the general that I know of. Dillard caught flak for the ad in the 2010 governor primary, since by then the polarization of the electorate frowned on such interparty collaboration.