Rauner talks legal weed at Dead show
Tuesday, Jul 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Heh…
After 50 years, The Dead played its last three shows last weekend at Soldier Field in Chicago. Soldier Field was also the last place former frontman Jerry Garcia played with the band July 9, 1995. […]
Among those in the attendance for July 5’s final show were basketball hall of famer Bill Walton and Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner.
More from the WSJ…
Though there was a healthy contingent of young people, middle-aged men and women were over-represented. They included Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, wearing a red plaid shirt and watching the show from an upper deck as members of his security detail eyed the boogying Deadheads around him. With his group, the governor beat the masses to the exit by leaving during the second set.
I knew he was going, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near him. An armed security detail can harsh one’s mellow pretty quickly.
* Careful how you click on this link, because NSFW stuff, but…
Out of pure luck, my friends and I ended up sitting directly behind Gov Rauner at the Grateful Dead show last night. During an intermission, we actually had a short but meaningful conversation about Illinois legalizing weed to use the tax surplus to fix the rest of the budget, like Colorado. He seemed to agree with me enough that I now have faith in Illinois going legal sooner than later 
[…]
He was really into the show and I caught him singing along more than once.
At least he’s open to a conversation.
* The accompanying pic…
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:32 am:
==He seemed to agree with me enough that I now have faith in Illinois going legal sooner than later==
Imagine that. A politician who hasn’t taken a stance on an issue seems to agree with you. That is the great thing about not having a stance, you can agree with everyone!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:33 am:
Sunglasses hide “the squints”… the Govenor knows…
- Downstate - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:35 am:
Say what you will, the man dresses much less frumpy than his predecessor
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:36 am:
=== I knew he was going, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near him. An armed security detail can harsh one’s mellow pretty quickly. ===
Is that an admission?
- X-prof - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:38 am:
@WSJ How is that shirt plaid? Your reporters must’ve been doing more than smoking weed.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:39 am:
“He seemed to agree with me enough that I now have faith in…”
Looks like some people still haven’t learned the lesson of Rauner’s 2014 bait-n-switch campaign.
– MrJM
- Timmeh - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:40 am:
I’m with Ducky. He seemed pretty against it during the primary debate I watched.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:41 am:
That’s awesome. We need to add marijuana legalization to the job/revenue growth discussion. It would not be a cure-all, but it would help in so many ways.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:41 am:
===He seemed pretty against it===
The man has done plenty of u-turns this year. Sometime on the same day. lol
- The Colossus of Roads - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:42 am:
I only puffed two times, but I didn’t inhale.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:43 am:
I think the first story is inaccurate. He may have gone Saturday. Which means I was just a couple of sections toward the stage from him.
Narrow escape…
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:44 am:
Having difficulty picturing Ryan, Blago, Quinn or many others at a show like this.
But it is funny to try.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:45 am:
We’re all assuming that this kid’s recollection of the conversation was 100% accurate. Which, considering it was at a Dead show, is potentially a pretty big leap of faith
- vole - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:48 am:
The real NORMAL Rauner? Reform first you weed heads and we’ll see how soon we can implement another regressive tax on the poor who will keep black market green in the game.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:50 am:
“I knew he was going, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near him. An armed security detail can harsh one’s mellow pretty quickly.”
LOL…worried about those State Coppers, Rich? They seem to be an okay bunch of dudes.
- Rauner Reality - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:51 am:
Rauner thought he was at country thunder. Once he realized it he left before the 2nd set when he realized they did not have $100,000 wine at the event.
- AC - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:53 am:
==Illinois legalizing weed to use the tax surplus to fix the rest of the budget, like Colorado==
Not until the turnaround agenda is passed.
- Oneman - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 11:57 am:
Will take a lot of weed to fix the state’s budget issues
- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
Wonder how he liked Bobby’s Ad Lib during “Throwing Stones,”; “You can buy the whole xxxxxxx government today!”
- paddyrollingstone - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:03 pm:
Formerly Known As…
“Having difficulty picturing Ryan, Blago, Quinn or many others at a show like this.
But it is funny to try.”
I think George Ryan was at the Stones show at the Double Door in 2002. I think Ryan would fit in better at the Dead and the Stones than Rauner would.
- Stones - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
He may have cut out early to hit the White Castle on his way home?
- chi - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
Narc
- chi - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
I kid. Prison reform and marijuana reform are two areas that he shows some promise. Some.
- vole - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
Oneman. Maybe just a little if Rauner would inhale a little.
- Liberty - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
He will be disappointing more of the conservatives who didn’t get what they voted for…
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:08 pm:
Well I would argue at this point in the budget season the theme song would be truckin…
What a long strange trip it’s been.
- Scamp640 - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
Peace, Love, but I am going to harsh your mellow by oppressing the poor, breaking the unions, cutting middle class pensions, and enriching my cronies.
The Governor obviously missed “Ripple,” which was the encore on July 3, 2015 at soldier field:
Reach out your hand if your cup be empty.
If your cup is full may it be again.
Let it be known there is a fountain.
That was not made by the hands of men.
- SAP - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
A little weed might ease the pain of budget negotiations.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
===George Ryan was at the Stones show at the Double Door in 2002===
That makes me mad to this day.
He hoovered up a whole bunch of impossible to find tickets so he could go for a few songs.
Ridiculous.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:13 pm:
If he were a true Deadhead, he’d be wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
===If he were a true Deadhead===
Meh.
Plenty of people without tie dye both days I was there.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
I’m pretty sure that what Governor Rauner told the concert goer is fairly in line with his narrative on criminal justice reform. Decriminalizing small amounts of pot isn’t exactly a “radical” idea.
Joan - maybe. I don’t wear combat boots and black shirts when I go to metal concerts. Remember what Jeremy Piven told Jon Favreau in PCU: “Don’t be that guy.”
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
The actions of a man of wealth and taste…
– MrJM
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
Weed definitely wasn’t illegal on Michigan Avenue, in Millennium Park, Grant Park, the Museum Campus and Soldier Field the day of the Friday show. Nor were coolers and open beers (no coolers in Soldier).
I’ve never seen the CPD so tolerant.
- Wicker Park - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:33 pm:
George Ryan was at the Double Door in 1997, not 2002.
- DuPage Don - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
=If he were a true Deadhead=
If we learned one thing from Rauner’s first six months in office, it’s that’s he’s not a conformist. Give the guy a break. He wanted to go to a concert in the largest city that he is governor of. Bid deal! Keep on moving, people, nothing to see here.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
You had the best isolation plan in the stadium; Baise.
(totally kidding. /s. LOL. Don’t hate me)
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
Word - but isn’t that kinda similar to speeding in the suburbs? What are you gonna do - pull over and ticket everyone going 11 miles over? Same with this…it’s almost an impossible task.
- x ace - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:42 pm:
Picture can go up on the Dumpster down at the VFW next to Hanoi Jane.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
TS, I’ve been at Bluesfests where the CPD did not take kindly at all to indiscreet weed. Took it as an insult, as a matter of fact.
That certainly wasn’t the case at the Friday show. People were smoking within steps of cops.
Unless it’s truly a new day, I’m not sure every concert crowd gets that kind of leeway.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:54 pm:
===I’m not sure every concert crowd gets that kind of leeway. ===
I figured it was part of a gentleman’s agreement to seal the deal with the band.
- chi - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:58 pm:
I don’t think fans of an act like Snoop Dog would get the same lenient treatment.
- Anonymous Redux - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:02 pm:
Cannabis is legal in The Free States of Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
HB1 is a faulty law that needs to be revisited and amended, immediately, in order to survive economically.
Governor Rauner at a Dead concert?= Nixon at Woodstock?
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:07 pm:
Maybe the police and troopers in Missouri are more lax. Most of the shows I’ve seen in my life have been in the St. Louis area, and I’ve seen Ozzy & Sabbath a total of 4 times. I don’t ever remember anyone getting arrested for pot at Ozzfest or Pointfest, and it was more than prevalent. To me it’s a fool’s errand to tackle that “problem” - especially when there’s 60,000+ people in a big venue.
- @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
“I don’t think fans of an act like Snoop Dog would get the same lenient treatment.”
Snoop Dog is playing Riot Fest at Douglas Park in September, so I guess we’ll see…
– MrJM
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:14 pm:
===I’ve never seen the CPD so tolerant.===
We need more of this, not less.
- Generation X - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
Depending on which numbers you believe, Weed brought in 60-75 million in taxes and created 10,000 new jobs in Colorado.
Illinois has over twice the population of Colorado so those numbers would look very good here. Won’t fix entire budget mess but it is nothing to sneeze at either
- chi - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:23 pm:
=Snoop Dog is playing Riot Fest at Douglas Park in September, so I guess we’ll see…=
Eh, headliners there are No Doubt, Snoop Dogg, Iggy Pop, Motorhead, Faith No More
That means a different crowd than one I was suggesting would not be treated as nicely by CPD.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
Rich, totally agree. I’ve yet to come across a toker who wanted to start a fight or turn over a car.
- Ryan - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:31 pm:
It’s a Dead show, not a Garth Brooks show, Brucey. Smokin’ and Truckin’, he’s got the language down…
- Former State Employee - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:33 pm:
I’m interested in the green tint to the picture. Was that some fancy green smoke in the air, or what?
- illini - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:47 pm:
Wishing I could have been there!
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:23 pm:
now THAT would be some cool legislation! legalize it, tax it, smoke or eat it. NOW!
- Ginhouse Tommy - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:24 pm:
If you put a cowboy hat on him he would look like Roy Rogers.
- Jerry Garcia - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:33 pm:
He left during the second set. Suggests that he just doesn’t get it–leaving during the second set is like the mayor of San Francisco leaving during a no-hitter in that Dirty Harry flick. I would be interested in knowing how he got these tickets. Anyone who would leave during the second set isn’t much of a fan. And if he isn’t much of a fan, why and how did he show up?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:45 pm:
===Suggests that he just doesn’t get it–===
Meh.
Any state cop who saw those crushing crowds would not let their guy get in the middle of the exit like that.
I exited from that side of the stadium Saturday night. It was a total mess. Kinda freaked me out.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:36 pm:
“We need more of this, not less.”
I agree. Chicago has so many more pressing priorities than arresting marijuana users. I saw in a headline somewhere that the CPD was tolerant. The Chicago violence is horrible, and I have real difficulty watching the carnage on the local news.
I was also coincidentally at Millennium Park that Friday and saw a good number of Deadheads. It was a bit surreal that weekend, seeing milky-white skies. Meteorologist Tom Skilling said that phenomenon was caused by fires in Alaska. I never saw anything quite like that (in any mental “state”).
I so hope this bodes well for future marijuana reform.
- Goonhammer - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:37 pm:
And everyone will smoke it and be terminated from their jobs because the Federal Law doesn’t align with state law and this is a right to work state; like that poor fellow in Colorado who just lost the Supreme Court case. Yup- reforms before change.