Let’s all welcome Paul
Thursday, Jan 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller I’ve always thought about getting an intern, but I’m kind of a lone wolf when it comes to things. However, when my old pal Jim Nowlan, who runs the Civic Leadership Program at the University of Illinois, approached me about taking on an intern, I was intrigued. Paul Richardson will hopefully be a good fit around here. He seems easy-going enough and is most certainly bright enough to handle the challenges. Paul, who hails from Bradley, Illinois, will be with us throughout the semester. At first, he’ll be handling the Morning Shorts duties (which I find to be a pain and, therefore, perfect intern work), but he’ll also be doing some interviews with freshmen legislators which will be published in the Capitol Fax. He’ll work on some projects I’ve been meaning to get to, and will do various reporting for me at the Statehouse. This should be fun. I hesitate to do this, since it’s his first day and all, but I’m gonna keep comments open. Try to go easy and welcome him to the fold.
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- Kiyoshi Martinez - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:15 pm:
Welcome to the statehouse press corps. Say hi to the PAR interns while you’re here.
- NW burbs - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:16 pm:
Clearly, Rich, you can now never run for office and Jim Nowlan must have oodlesof ulterior motives for recommending an intern.
Welcome Paul. Have fun while learning!
- StatehouseWag - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:17 pm:
MIller,
Did you say something about your coffee getting cold? As long as you’re sending Paul for a fresh cup, maybe he could grab lunch for the rest of us. Oh, and about the bird crap on my car …
- vole - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:18 pm:
I am not a regular here, but welcome anyway!
Paul: What is your major at Bradley? Is your internship part of your major program?
- Reddbyrd - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:27 pm:
Paul… welcome aboard. ‘nough said — for now
- Greg - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:29 pm:
I’ve been surprised by the quality of the interns I’ve found around here… Which is weird, because I used to be one, too. I will Paul well. Try to keep Rich in line.
- Kid Vegas - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:32 pm:
Make sure you have the asprin and a maid rite for Rich after a big night of drinking. Even though Rich has alligator arms make him pick up the tab since he is loaded. NY
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:34 pm:
Welcome Rookie
- Bill - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:43 pm:
Paul,
There is still time to change your major and prepare to earn an honest living!
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:45 pm:
Can the Miller News Network be far behind? Welcome Paul…make sure Rich gives you substantive stuff to do and enjoy it.
- Anon - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 2:57 pm:
Paul: May God have mercy on you and keep you safe as you hang around Rich. If you survive, you will be in line for sainthood.
- Jaded - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:00 pm:
If you are a recommendation of my good friend Jim “is that Nowlan from Toulon or Toulon from Nowlan” Nowlan then you must be pretty good. Not a bad place to hang around for a semester, unless you only have one kidney. Good Luck.
- Kramer - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:02 pm:
I always wanted an intern. Welcome to Millerica.
- DuPage progressive - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:06 pm:
Congrats Paul — it will no doubt be a learning experience.
I’m wondering if you will have conversations like this in the next few months:
“Paul, I know I left my notebook somewhere last night - could be 2 brothers, could be the Globe, could be sammy’s… Could ya??”
- Belle - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:28 pm:
Paul, this should beat having to ask ‘You want fries with that?’ - most days anyway.
Greg, ‘You will Paul well.’ And you were once an intern you say? Amazed at the quality….?
Paul - can you help Greg properly…..
Just kidding - good luck.
- Lovie's Leather - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:39 pm:
Remember Rich, always listen to Nowlan. He is a smart guy. It is a shame he wasn’t elected Lt Gov way back when. Welcome Paul.
- OneMan - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 3:47 pm:
Paul,
This is going to perhaps be a unique oportunity to see a perp-walk or two. Enjoy.
Also the Governor is not ignoring your questions because you are an intern.
- the old republican - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 4:24 pm:
Welcome Paul !!!! Pay close attention to Rich. You are fortunate to work with him ! Good luck & have fun too !!!
- parichardson - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 4:26 pm:
Many Thanks to everyone for the very warm welcome. All of the encouragement has only heightened my excitement about this experience.
DuPage 3:09: I’ve yet to visit “2 Brothers, the Globe, or Sammy’s,” but I should be prepared to handle it. Four years in Champaign with a legal bar entry age of 19 will finally pay off for my career.
Vole 2:18: I should clarify; I attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and live in Bradley, Illinois. It is in Kankakee County; proud home of Former Governor George Ryan and in 1999 earned Travel magazine’s distinction as “Worst Place to Live in the United States.”
Thanks again. I look forward to all of the fun.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 4:45 pm:
Bradley?
Is that some kind of school or something?
When I lived in Peoria, the folks said the stink from there came from Bradley.
- vole - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 4:59 pm:
Oh, OK. Bradley, IL, not Bradley U! Another dubya moment.
- The Horse - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 5:07 pm:
Welcome. We will all type and talk slowly for your benefit. Have fun, Learn lots
- Anonymouser - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 5:43 pm:
Have fun, Paul. And since you’re probably not getting paid, don’t work too hard.
- Boone Logan Square - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 5:44 pm:
Welcome, Paul. May you enjoy the experience.
- Tessa - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 6:44 pm:
Welcome Paul, and I wish you luck. You’re going to learn much under the tutelage of Rich Miller. I’m rather jealous, and of course way to old to be an intern. Good luck, and don’t let those people at the Statehouse off too easily!
- Happy Gilmore - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 7:44 pm:
Listen up Paul. Rich is a good person to learn from. He takes simple facts and turns them into ridiculous stories that we can all enjoy. However, He can also drink like a fish which makes him a pretty good drinking buddy. Good Luck.
- Rakove's ghost - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 7:56 pm:
O.K. kid, who sent you? And what do you want?
… you tell him, Rich.
Kid, we don’t want nobody nobody sent, and we don’t want nobody who don’t want nothing.
- Squideshi - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 8:02 pm:
Welcome Paul.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 9:10 pm:
Well look at that. On Wednesday I tell Miller to hire more staff and the next day he’s got an intern. Don’t settle for anything short of full dental Paul. It is a paid internship, isn’t it?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 9:15 pm:
Yeah, well, Michelle, I’m still not lowering the rates.
- Really? - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 10:07 pm:
Interning for you is like pledging in “Animal House”, So don’t we have give him a “Pledge” name? Flounder?
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jan 18, 07 @ 10:59 pm:
Welcome aboard, Paul. Many of the regulars here were once interns of one kind or another, most in a previous century. Enjoy the ride.
AA
- Cassandra - Friday, Jan 19, 07 @ 7:45 am:
I hope you can do some reporting in the area where social programs and politics intersect, such as:
In their exhaustive series on child maltreatment
two reporters from the Belleville News Democrat reported on scores of Illinois child maltreatment deaths which followed and in some cases were likely the result of shoddy work by DCFS child protection investigators and other DCFS employees and contractors. The series, Lethal Lapses, initially reported on 53 deaths and later added ten more.
Various legislators, Republican and Democrat, promised reform. Then….nothing.
Why? Well, the Republicans are trying to stay alive politically, I guess, and the Democrats have every motivation to cover this up. The governor has obviously failed to reform DCFS, as he promised in 2003 when he took office and now his handpicked DCFS director has resigned. And DCFS upper management is a major patronage haven.
So, where are the reforms? Are there any? After all, this is supposed to be a child-focused administration.
- Bridget Dooley - Friday, Jan 19, 07 @ 9:25 am:
Hi Paul!
Rich, does Paul get to give you a hard time on here? I think that would be hilarious. Rich’s intern giving him a run for his money.
- Mike Williams - Saturday, Jan 20, 07 @ 2:00 pm:
Paul, soon you will learn a big part of the job is finding which bar or other known drinking establishment Miller and legislators are at.