* Gov. Rauner invited Oscar the Puppy to the mansion yesterday afternoon for a play date with his two dogs, Pumpkin and Stella. The dogs had a great time, playing and running throughout the Executive Mansion grounds for well over 2 hours. Pumpkin, who is 15 and somewhat disabled, did the best she could to keep up and Oscar seemed to respect her age. That was a relief to me because Oscar has, in the past, aggravated some older dogs with his boundless desire for play. Having Stella around helped, I think.

I was also relieved that Oscar avoided the chicken coop. Yes, Pat Quinn’s coop is still there. Stella and Pumpkin are highly trained bird dogs, so they’ve mostly stayed away from the chickens. Oscar ain’t exactly highly trained to do much of anything.

* The governor and I agreed that our entire conversation (which I’d describe as often brutally frank, yet mostly quite pleasant) would be off the record, but he said he’d be happy to take a photo with Oscar that I could post.

Unfortunately, we both forgot about the pic until after I left.

Oops.

* So, here’s one of Oscar from Saturday. The little guy was curled up in one of his favorite nooks in our house, where he can sit and watch the squirrels play outside…

       

51 Comments - Timmeh - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:11 pm: Oscar: “I didn’t want to take a picture with him anyway.” - Not Rich - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:12 pm: “brutally frank but quite pleasant”.. we had a name for girls like you in high school..teasing NOT PERMITTED..Glad Oscar had fun.. - A guy - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:13 pm: Caught between a Rock (Gov) and a hardplace (Rich) - A guy - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:14 pm: Oscar: “Governing is hard. Gotta move through tight places”. - foster brooks - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:23 pm: I know it was off the record Rich but how many times did he say corrupt? Did he accuse you of being corrupt? Oscar? - Not Rich - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:24 pm: Oscar: “Glad to be home, that last play date was a real dump”.. - Tsavo - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:26 pm: “I left a couple “presents” in the closets at the Gov’s mansion, Oscar strikes again” - Rufus - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:27 pm: Glad to read that the governor was in the mansion on a weekend. - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:27 pm: Tsavo, one of the first things Oscar did when we arrived yesterday was poop in a garden. I remarked something about how he was a chip off the ol’ block. - Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:29 pm: I hope I don’t run afoul with the bird dogs. - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:31 pm: “So, Dad, this ‘Stella’ you speak of. Is she seeing anybody or, you know, do I got a shot?” - Wordslinger - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:34 pm: Not hard to get the dogs off the porch in that house. - G'Kar - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:35 pm: Stella to Oscar: “If you play your cards right, we might be able to get you a 100K position in the administrator, say as chief puppy adviser to the governor.” - Ghost - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:35 pm: Oscar: how come your beard has more food in it then mine….. - Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:37 pm: Dog day afternoon - Casual Observer - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:39 pm: Oscar: my mansion is better than his any day. - Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:44 pm: At least we’re not visiting governor Brady - Century Club - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:46 pm: Oscar participating in the state’s newest budget fix - looking for loose change under your couch cushions. - Give Me A Break - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:53 pm: Oscar: Let check under here, I know there is union bug on the chair tags. - PolPal56 - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:54 pm: I just can’t use sweet Oscar for political snark! Soooo… Oscar: “Unless I hear toy, walk, treats, car ride, tummy rub, or dinner, I’m perfectly content where I am.” - anonin' - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:57 pm: Oscar you can come to my “mansion” and we won’t off the record and all out cameras will have a full record of the event. - railrat - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 12:58 pm: I’ve seen enough squirrels to last a lifetime !!! sheesh dad - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:07 pm: “Release the hounds.” - Wensicia - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:13 pm: Pumpkin and Stella: “Don’t worry, Oscar. We’ll see you get back those fair share Milk-Bones Rich is holding back from you.” - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:14 pm: Stella may be the only dog that will hunt for Bruce all Spring. Caption: Hey Squirrel, Bite Me! - Empty Suit - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:15 pm: “I buy you a phone with a camera and this is the thanks I get?” Oscar the Angry Puppy - Empty Suit - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:17 pm: “Now the whole world knows I pooped in the garden, Thanks a lot!” - TANKR - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:37 pm: COOKIE, What COOKIE? - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:49 pm: “Dad, SQUIRREL!, Im sure Pumpkin and Stella are SQUIRREL! both fine dogs, but how’s this gonna look to the SQUIRREL! fellas back at the puppy labor SQUIRREL! hall? I don’t want SQUIRREL! to lose my union SQUIRREL! card.” - Howard - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:50 pm: “one of the first things Oscar did when we arrived yesterday was poop in a garden.” You know what they say about a dog and its owner? - Cook County Commoner - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 1:51 pm: Go away Dad. You know I’m a Republican, and you “forgot” my photo-op with the Governor? - Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:28 pm: What a sweetIe - Belle - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:29 pm: You agreed that the meeting was off the record but can Oscar tell us what happened? - Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:31 pm: Did Oscar find Squeezey in the garden? He seems to have vanished. - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:36 pm: ===but can Oscar tell us what happened?=== He spent most of his time running around the grounds. He showed no interest in his daddy yelling at that other man about right to work, etc. lol - A Citizen - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:44 pm: It’s uncanine how much alike Rich and Oscar look and Oscar is so well groomed to boot. - the Other Anonymous - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 2:45 pm: After an hour long brutally frank discussion between Rich Miller and Governor Rauner, Oscar hides to recover. - it'smyopinion - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:17 pm: This play date invite seems a really smart move by the Governor. I hope he listened, even a little. I sure would have loved to listen to that conversation! - PoliticalPro - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:20 pm: Rauner hates lobbyist, but gives Rich Miller the “full treatment” asking the political blogmaster over a private play date with his dog Oscar. Did Rauner’s lobbying work? Hell, yes it worked. Just look at the “cute photos” of Miller’s little white puppy panting in the mansion window. Pathetic if nothing else! - SJ2 - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:30 pm: Squeezey!! ! Good one. - Big Ben - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:43 pm: So adorable! - Respona - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 3:45 pm: I’m glad to hear about the fun doggy play date and the frank conversation, Rich. I am going to go out on a limb and bet that both you and the governor may have gotten some valuable new insights that will serve you well in your jobs since you both clearly love this state. - A guy - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:11 pm: ===Oscar has, in the past, aggravated some older dogs with his boundless desire for play=== Yeah, dad, “look who’s talkin’?” - 47th Ward - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:15 pm: So did you leave Oscar’s, um, leavings, in the garden to fertilize it, or what? I’m kind of hoping Rauner told a staffer to clean it up. Seems like the kind of power move he’d pull on a lowly state employee. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:21 pm: Oscar rules. “Caption?” “I left the ‘presents’, where’s the Cannoli?” - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:27 pm: ===So did you leave Oscar’s, um, leavings, in the garden to fertilize it, or what?=== I would’ve gladly pooper scoopered it, but the governor said it would be good fertilizer. - Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:42 pm: ===Just look at the “cute photos” of Miller’s little white puppy panting in the mansion window.=== First, Oscar isn’t “white,” he’s a Wheaten. Second, that photo was taken at my house, which isn’t a mansion. Third, bite me. - JoanP - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 4:57 pm: “Those other dogs might have a fancier house, but I’m still the cutest pup in Springfield!” - Mama - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 5:19 pm: Oscar: ++I pooped in the garden.++ I did for my fellow union brothers and sisters. You are welcome. - Bootleg Carhartt Designer - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 6:11 pm: Dad, you make me go over there again, I’m going to call Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Rescue on you! - Filmmaker Professor - Monday, Apr 13, 15 @ 6:22 pm: Smart, strategic move by Rauner. This is what he’s best at: charming people. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.