Election Day is still more than a year away, but Illinois Republican Bruce Rauner is already deploying a popular campaign weapon: the barn jacket.
Rauner released two television ads on Tuesday in his bid to become the next governor in the Prairie State. In “Back to Work,” the wealthy venture capitalist dons a barn jacket and declares, “I’m a citizen, not a politician.”
But Rauner is just the latest politician to deploy the barn jacket as a campaign fashion accessory in an effort to appeal to the common folk. As candidates budget their multimillion-dollar campaigns, $95 on a Men’s Sandstone Chore Coat by Carhartt may be the best investment they will ever make.
Former Sen. Scott P. Brown, R-Mass., may have the most famous use of the jacket during his 2010 special-election victory to take over the late-Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat. Brown’s adviser even suggested that the jacket hang in the Smithsonian next to the Spirit of St. Louis.
* Madigan still mulling challenge to Quinn: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told the Tribune he’ll seek a third term instead of running for attorney general. Dart had been talked about as a Democratic candidate if incumbent Lisa Madigan ran for governor. “I have multiple things on my plate right now I want to complete,” said Dart, who also passed on a run for mayor in 2011. “I’m more driven by getting things done. I’ll leave here when I’ve completed what I’m working on.”
* Mark Brown: Bill Daley a familiar face in one Illinois county — only 101 to go: Peickert said “it’s really hard to say whether the Daley name is a positive or a negative” in DuPage, home to state’s the largest Democratic vote outside Cook County. But Peickert put in a plug for Gov. Pat Quinn, who he said is “very well liked” in DuPage.
* Chuck Sweeny: Can Bill Daley fix what ails Springfield?: I know this about Daley — he is a good salesman who comes to a meeting prepared. I interviewed him at the White House in 1993 when he was Clinton’s NAFTA czar, working in the halls of Congress to pass the free trade pact among the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
* Bernard Schoenburg: Former U.S. Rep. Johnson open to endorse in Davis-Harold primary: “Several of the candidates who are running for governor asked me to consider being their lieutenant governor,” she said. “Some people wanted me to run for attorney general. Some other people wanted me to run for United States Senate. I’m somebody who decides to run for an office because I believe in it and I believe in the district.”
@CampaignBarnJacket - Catch me in the new Rauner Ads. Remember, nothing is more “real” than faking with a Barn Jacket. #NeedMoreBarnJacket
To the Post,
Erika Harold is going to be a joke before its said and done, not because … I think I heard this, so please feel free to correct me … she is Harvard educated, but because “owning” the fact that she feels its necessary to take on Rodney speake more to her ineptitide than it does to her political acumen and timing could ever do.
Attention Erika Harold “Campaign Staff”;
This is Dopey, and you are going to wear the “Barn Jacket” long past Erika’s debacle. You get Tim Johnson to endorse Erika will make you all look worse than when you tried to manipulate the County Chair process, and you will reinforce your “amateur” status that you have slipped to by losing the nomination to Rodney to begin with.
“Erika Staffers”, this is self-serving and pathetic, but …why change how you are seen now?
What an insipid line. You’ve dropped millions on politicians over the years, profited from your relationship to politicians and are running for governor.
You’re a politician, an insider’s insider.
What are you ashamed of? Why pretend to be something you’re not?
For someone who’s never been elected to anything and has no public profile, Harold is certainly hearing a lot of “voices” of encouragement for every office in the state. Just another vanity campaign.
Harold has no chance against Rodney Davis and is taking bad advice from the Tim Johnson folks.
Too bad she is listening to them, since she would have been a good Lt. Governor candidate.
I just can’t believe all the idiotic moves by Rauner. His strategy is setting him up to be humiliated (and much less wealthy) in the end.
When he says “I can’t be bought,” the retort for any opponent is, “Yeah, ’cause you’re the one doing the buying!”
To Dem or GOP, liberal or conservative, Rauner just comes across as a complete phony who will say or pay anything so he can prove how much smarter he is than the rest of us.
- what language are you speaking? - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:10 am:
No joke, there once a week, and they have just about everything I need. This might be the winter I get the Carhartt Bibs. Great place to run-in to neighbors too.
Rauner, “Seriously, people wear ‘these’ coats? It was easier just to pretend I lived in Chicago to Clout my Daughter, now I have to look like ‘this’? I am worth millions… this is …”
Cameraman, “Rolling …”
Rauner, “Hello, I’m Bruce Rauner …”
- Chicago Confidential - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:52 am:
Let’s be fair, people. Rauner can’t be bought.
We know favors get bought and sold all the time in politics. Rauner won’t be the one selling, he’s always be the buyer.
I’m with “Chaves-respecting Obamist.” That’s not a working mans Carhartt just as his introductory video was not shot in the foothills of Illinois. Looks more like a $300 Filson or Ralph Lauren or something equally upscale. Doubt he’s ever been in Farm and Fleet.
OW…
We go to the same Farm and Fleet not surprisingly…
Every time I go my wife says “You didn’t buy any more clothes did you…”
Also where I got my coat as well…
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:17 pm:
Capt Fax
Osccar and I a re wondering if you mentioned CousinBrucey’s use of an out of state firm to buy his media and connect to his blather about more IL jobs? Or were you saving that?
Of course it’s a Filson. Because why spend a hundred bucks on a Carhartt when you can spend three hundred on the Filson. Perhaps it’s a five hundred dollar Barbour he picked up at the Orvis store on Michigan Ave.
It still doesn’t beat John Edwards’ use of the barn jacket, pickup truck and Golden Retriever on the cover of, ahem, Men’s Vogue. At least Johnny’s was a legit Carhartt.
Some of the best advise I ever got from one of the old construction technicians at IDOT was never wear new boots or a new Carhart on the first day of new project. Wait at least a month.
Reminds me of the epic Dan Shomoon (sic) anecdote from some story about how when he was advising obama he suggested to him he had to wear different clothing outside the city, and of course my favorite political clothing story of all time-the epic 2000 debate about Al Gore’s earth tones.
So far that’s 2 for 2 with his rollout, he uses a stock get back to work message and now the clothing. Generally candidates that outsource themselves to consultants don’t do so well.
If I could afford it and if they made it, I would buy Filson underwear (waxed finish?). I dropped a good chunk of a tax return on one of their packer coats and will likely give it to one of my kids (or grandkids). Never dreamed I would spend that kind of coin on a coat, but it is simply the best made jacket I have ever owned. I still have a Carhartt, but it is just plain worn out. Now I wear it for especially nasty jobs.
I note that the only jacket that looks used is Buzz’s. Everyone else’s looks like it just came off the shelf.
Rauner keeps adding to his collection of vapid taglines.
I saw an online ad:
“Illinois: It’s Our Turn.
“Shake Up Springfield”
“Take Back Illinois”
What’s next? “The Future is Now” and “Illinois Means Business”?
His admakers aren’t blowing his money on creative, that’s for sure.
- BryanEngelbrecht - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 5:36 pm:
Welcome to the Carhartt Caucus…..
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 6:07 pm:
How fake. Maybe if the jacket was dirtied up some from actual use by your REAL “run of the mill” guy, who’d say been wearing it for several years through long winters and just got home from sweating his rear off from his overly-demanding job, or maybe heading in from some pheasant, goose, or deer hunting, instead of some MASSIVELY WEALTHY individual trying to BUY himself the position of Governor of my dearly-beloved, life-long Home State–by acting fake–like he’s actually one of us poor, middle-class slugs living and working his entire life here to earn a half-way decent wage to support and raise his family with, I MIGHT–repeat MIGHT–actually somewhat find it a LITtle appealing. In Rauner’s case, as word continues to gets out and spreads about who the “real” Brucie is and what he’s up to, such an approach not only will not wash, but fall flat on its’ face…! (Oh, and by the way, sure Brucie, let’s eLIMinate the little extra we’ve been reluctantly adding to Illinois’ coffers through the income tax/revenue increase by obliterating it, or making it more “fair” somehow–sure. Ridiculous. Hollow. Disingenuous–altogether).
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 7:11 pm:
@wordslinger
Speaking of taglines, ever since Rauner’s “can’t be bought” claim I’m just waiting until someone starts running “We’re not buying it.” negative ads against him a la the Topinka “What is she thinking?” 2006 ads.
Pfft. Obviously his team weren’t thorough in their research. Required accessories for any commercial in which the candidate is wearing a barn jacket include a ten-gallon hat, a rifle, and a horse’s bum–which is “codespeak” for “current administration” and allows the realloction of precious air time to comment on an issue of choice.
Come to think of it, it’s the JACKET that’s optional, depending on the season.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:39 am:
Actually have one, nice and worn… hmmmmm
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:43 am:
OneMan for Governor!
“Needs no Break-In”
“He’ll wear out the pols like he wore out this coat!”
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:43 am:
@CampaignBarnJacket - Catch me in the new Rauner Ads. Remember, nothing is more “real” than faking with a Barn Jacket. #NeedMoreBarnJacket
To the Post,
Erika Harold is going to be a joke before its said and done, not because … I think I heard this, so please feel free to correct me … she is Harvard educated, but because “owning” the fact that she feels its necessary to take on Rodney speake more to her ineptitide than it does to her political acumen and timing could ever do.
Attention Erika Harold “Campaign Staff”;
This is Dopey, and you are going to wear the “Barn Jacket” long past Erika’s debacle. You get Tim Johnson to endorse Erika will make you all look worse than when you tried to manipulate the County Chair process, and you will reinforce your “amateur” status that you have slipped to by losing the nomination to Rodney to begin with.
“Erika Staffers”, this is self-serving and pathetic, but …why change how you are seen now?
- Bill White - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:44 am:
All these brand new, sparkling clean “barn jackets” reminds me of an ad Hillary Clinton ran in Texas during the 2008 primary.
I recall video of an “authentic” Texas farmer hauling hay in a brand new fully tricked out $50,000 Nissan pick up truck.
Using $50K worth of truck to haul $50 worth of hay - and a “rice burner” at that - might not have been the best way to connect with ordinary Texans.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:44 am:
–“I’m a citizen, not a politician.”–
What an insipid line. You’ve dropped millions on politicians over the years, profited from your relationship to politicians and are running for governor.
You’re a politician, an insider’s insider.
What are you ashamed of? Why pretend to be something you’re not?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:48 am:
FULL Disclosure.
I have a Carhartt jacket, purchased at Farm and Fleet in Montgomery.
Can’t slam my Carharrt, it’s pretty sweet.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:51 am:
Rauner is all jacket, no barn.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 10:51 am:
For someone who’s never been elected to anything and has no public profile, Harold is certainly hearing a lot of “voices” of encouragement for every office in the state. Just another vanity campaign.
- Downstater - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:01 am:
Harold has no chance against Rodney Davis and is taking bad advice from the Tim Johnson folks.
Too bad she is listening to them, since she would have been a good Lt. Governor candidate.
- Chaves-respecting Obamist - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:05 am:
Is it still a barn jacket if you bought it at Ralph Lauren?
- Adam Smith - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:08 am:
I just can’t believe all the idiotic moves by Rauner. His strategy is setting him up to be humiliated (and much less wealthy) in the end.
When he says “I can’t be bought,” the retort for any opponent is, “Yeah, ’cause you’re the one doing the buying!”
To Dem or GOP, liberal or conservative, Rauner just comes across as a complete phony who will say or pay anything so he can prove how much smarter he is than the rest of us.
- what language are you speaking? - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:10 am:
47th - FTW!
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:17 am:
@Oswego Willy…… Farm and Fleet!!!! mmmmm, big batches of beef jerky, awesome clothes, and a Christmaspalooza of toys. love that place!!!
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:21 am:
I second the emotion on Farm and Fleet. Great store.
- Roadiepig - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:22 am:
If this was a contest 47th Ward would have just won…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:29 am:
I love the Farm and Fleet out here in Montgomery.
No joke, there once a week, and they have just about everything I need. This might be the winter I get the Carhartt Bibs. Great place to run-in to neighbors too.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:31 am:
Farm and Fleet is the goods. My mom and pop outfitted the whole family there when we were kids. Wish there was one closer to the city.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:32 am:
- 47th Ward -,
Well done. Do you know how many “shots” you would have cost me if this place were a Bar?
You are “en Fuego”
- Falstaff - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:33 am:
“I’m a citizen, not a politician” while not verbatim, didn’t work so well for Marty Ozinga when he ran for the 11th Congressional District
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:35 am:
In Springfield, Farm and Home Supply is also da shizzle.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:40 am:
Also too, Horsemen’s Outlet. Great place. I may go there today.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:49 am:
Rauner, “Seriously, people wear ‘these’ coats? It was easier just to pretend I lived in Chicago to Clout my Daughter, now I have to look like ‘this’? I am worth millions… this is …”
Cameraman, “Rolling …”
Rauner, “Hello, I’m Bruce Rauner …”
- Chicago Confidential - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:52 am:
Let’s be fair, people. Rauner can’t be bought.
We know favors get bought and sold all the time in politics. Rauner won’t be the one selling, he’s always be the buyer.
- Fake Carhartt - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 11:59 am:
I’m with “Chaves-respecting Obamist.” That’s not a working mans Carhartt just as his introductory video was not shot in the foothills of Illinois. Looks more like a $300 Filson or Ralph Lauren or something equally upscale. Doubt he’s ever been in Farm and Fleet.
- walkinfool - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:04 pm:
“John Kerry the Hunter” photo op.
- Ray del Camino - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:12 pm:
Down here the Carhartts come from Rural King. Free popcorn, too.
- foster brooks - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:15 pm:
Most common folk cannot afford carharts. Try again bruce.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:16 pm:
FC, you may be right. I doubt that’s a real Carhartt. Check out this link.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:17 pm:
OW…
We go to the same Farm and Fleet not surprisingly…
Every time I go my wife says “You didn’t buy any more clothes did you…”
Also where I got my coat as well…
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:17 pm:
Capt Fax
Osccar and I a re wondering if you mentioned CousinBrucey’s use of an out of state firm to buy his media and connect to his blather about more IL jobs? Or were you saving that?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:25 pm:
FC, you may also be right about the Filson. Check out the Dry Finish Tin Cloth Ranch Jacket
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:37 pm:
The jacket did not fail Buz Mills.
Buz Mills failed the jacket.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 12:56 pm:
“NAFTA czar”
oh, that’ll help in a Democatic Primary.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:02 pm:
You guys make me miss going down to the Farm and Fleet with my grandpa…
- Bill F. - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:09 pm:
Of course it’s a Filson. Because why spend a hundred bucks on a Carhartt when you can spend three hundred on the Filson. Perhaps it’s a five hundred dollar Barbour he picked up at the Orvis store on Michigan Ave.
It still doesn’t beat John Edwards’ use of the barn jacket, pickup truck and Golden Retriever on the cover of, ahem, Men’s Vogue. At least Johnny’s was a legit Carhartt.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:18 pm:
I think we should go back to sweater vests.
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:19 pm:
Can you get away with wearing a barn jacket in an Urban area? He must be going for the downstate vote.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:26 pm:
Some of the best advise I ever got from one of the old construction technicians at IDOT was never wear new boots or a new Carhart on the first day of new project. Wait at least a month.
I love my Redwing boots and well used Cartharts.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:46 pm:
==@Oswego Willy…… Farm and Fleet!!!! mmmmm, big batches of beef jerky, awesome clothes, and a Christmaspalooza of toys. love that place!!!
The Farm and Fleet toy catalog was the ultimate…
- Bill F. - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 1:55 pm:
You guys are making me jealous that there is no F&F near Chicago and the burbs.
And my wife never lets us go to the Rural King when we’re visiting family downstate.
- shore - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 2:19 pm:
Reminds me of the epic Dan Shomoon (sic) anecdote from some story about how when he was advising obama he suggested to him he had to wear different clothing outside the city, and of course my favorite political clothing story of all time-the epic 2000 debate about Al Gore’s earth tones.
So far that’s 2 for 2 with his rollout, he uses a stock get back to work message and now the clothing. Generally candidates that outsource themselves to consultants don’t do so well.
- Slick Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 2:37 pm:
If I could afford it and if they made it, I would buy Filson underwear (waxed finish?). I dropped a good chunk of a tax return on one of their packer coats and will likely give it to one of my kids (or grandkids). Never dreamed I would spend that kind of coin on a coat, but it is simply the best made jacket I have ever owned. I still have a Carhartt, but it is just plain worn out. Now I wear it for especially nasty jobs.
I note that the only jacket that looks used is Buzz’s. Everyone else’s looks like it just came off the shelf.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 2:37 pm:
Re: Wordslinger’s wish for a store closer to the city– in Chicago it would be called Farm and Fleece.
- Jake From Elwood - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 4:20 pm:
As an aside, I have never heard Rauner’s voice before. This guy has some pipes.
Do you think he is wearing $450 wingtips with the barn jacket or Red Wing Boots? Enquiring minds want to know.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 5:18 pm:
Rauner keeps adding to his collection of vapid taglines.
I saw an online ad:
“Illinois: It’s Our Turn.
“Shake Up Springfield”
“Take Back Illinois”
What’s next? “The Future is Now” and “Illinois Means Business”?
His admakers aren’t blowing his money on creative, that’s for sure.
- BryanEngelbrecht - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 5:36 pm:
Welcome to the Carhartt Caucus…..
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 6:07 pm:
How fake. Maybe if the jacket was dirtied up some from actual use by your REAL “run of the mill” guy, who’d say been wearing it for several years through long winters and just got home from sweating his rear off from his overly-demanding job, or maybe heading in from some pheasant, goose, or deer hunting, instead of some MASSIVELY WEALTHY individual trying to BUY himself the position of Governor of my dearly-beloved, life-long Home State–by acting fake–like he’s actually one of us poor, middle-class slugs living and working his entire life here to earn a half-way decent wage to support and raise his family with, I MIGHT–repeat MIGHT–actually somewhat find it a LITtle appealing. In Rauner’s case, as word continues to gets out and spreads about who the “real” Brucie is and what he’s up to, such an approach not only will not wash, but fall flat on its’ face…! (Oh, and by the way, sure Brucie, let’s eLIMinate the little extra we’ve been reluctantly adding to Illinois’ coffers through the income tax/revenue increase by obliterating it, or making it more “fair” somehow–sure. Ridiculous. Hollow. Disingenuous–altogether).
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 6:17 pm:
Check out this “Quote” from Payton Prep Clouter Bruce Rauner, about “people”
Wonder how the children feel getting “out-clouted” by the New Trier living Rauner and Daughter?
http://kelloggschool.tumblr.com/post/48933067620/chairman-of-r8-capital-partners-bruce-rauner
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 7:11 pm:
@wordslinger
Speaking of taglines, ever since Rauner’s “can’t be bought” claim I’m just waiting until someone starts running “We’re not buying it.” negative ads against him a la the Topinka “What is she thinking?” 2006 ads.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 8:13 pm:
Pfft. Obviously his team weren’t thorough in their research. Required accessories for any commercial in which the candidate is wearing a barn jacket include a ten-gallon hat, a rifle, and a horse’s bum–which is “codespeak” for “current administration” and allows the realloction of precious air time to comment on an issue of choice.
Come to think of it, it’s the JACKET that’s optional, depending on the season.
- 618er - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 8:55 pm:
Meh! Most people I know are embarrassed to wear these things unless they have about 5 years of wear on them. I can say I have 20+ years in mine.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 12, 13 @ 9:00 pm:
=Meh! Most people I know are embarrassed to wear these things unless they have about 5 years of wear on them.=
As it should be, 618er.