* Kerry Lester yesterday…

Rolling Meadows Mayor Tom Rooney will be sworn in as the state’s newest senator at 7 p.m. today at Rolling Meadows City Hall with Cook County Judge Marty Kelley officiating. Rooney tells me the two have known each other through the Palatine GOP since before Kelley was a judge or Rooney was mayor. Rooney replaces Matt Murphy of Palatine, who resigned Sept. 15 to join a public affairs firm.

You’ll recall that Gov. Rauner and some of his pals interviewed all the candidates for that job.

* So, let’s welcome our new legislator…

* The Question: Caption?

       

72 Comments - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:34 pm: Rooney, after his Raunerite transformation, watching his finger manually controlled by Governor Rauner. - Reality Check - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:34 pm: Toooooom. It’s Broooooooooooce. Waaaaaaaaaaaalk toward the liiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Waaaaaaaalk toward the liiiiiiiiiight, Tom. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:35 pm: “This slide shows me before selling out… (Slide changes)… there, this slide shows me after selling out… “ - Joe M - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:35 pm: Puppet on a string - Big Muddy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:36 pm: “Bruce, If you could please move that check over the light so I can see that it’s real I would appreciate it.” - The Dude Abides - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:36 pm: The puppet looks up lovingly at the puppet master. - Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:37 pm: “Word to your Gov’na.” - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:38 pm: “Here’s the slide that shows… how I’m approving of the slide… that shows… wages for Labor should be lowered… “ - train111 - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:38 pm: The new senator sees the warming light that the almighty benevolent Rauner sends down upon the needy citizens of Illinois. - phocion - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:39 pm: Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super-Bruce! - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:39 pm: “Here’s a Lance tweet to Rep. Lang… Here’s another tweet from Lance to Rep. Lang… Yep… another slide… Lance trolling Rep. Lang again…” - Downstate - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:40 pm: Speaker Madigan? I had no idea you were so tall! - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:41 pm: That’s right, sucka. Nuthin’ better than democracy. I got one vote. And it’s all I needed. Plebs, I be representin’ you now. Word. - Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:42 pm: Dear lord why has thou forsaken me? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:44 pm: “…’Senator Murphy’? He went ‘that’ way… “ - wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:46 pm: New state Sen. Tom Rooney gets directions to his fertilizer-filled box in the Capitol basement. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:46 pm: “Here’s Governor Rauner as a Biker… Here’s the governor as a Cowboy… Governor Rauner wearing camouflage pants and a denim shirt… Oh, here’s a rare one, Governor Rauner wearing a suit and tie…” - Give Me A Break - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Bruce, let me know if I’m pointing to the button you want me to push. - yeah - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:48 pm: Look, no strings! - @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:51 pm: “‘Strings’? No… No… Mister Bruce says they’re turn-around tethers.” – MrJM - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:51 pm: “Here’s Evelyn before the staged fall here in Rolling Meadows… Here’s Evelyn after the alleged fall looking for witnesses… Here’s Evelyn talking to an alleged witness… Here’s Evelyn putting on the neck brace she carries everywhere.. Oh, here’s Evelyn with the Rolling Meadows town attorney talking about a settlement… “ - 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:51 pm: Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday, you will be a real state representative. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:53 pm: “If you look at this slide… and notice just left of the Harley… Governor Rauner is taking off the biker vest and grabbing the cowboy hat… lil ‘behind the scenes’ there, pretty cool to see the magic happening… “ - Huh? - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:54 pm: God, I am looking for a sign on how to vote. Do I voted for my District or vote the way 1.4% wants? No, no, a bit more to the right, keep going, almost there, that’s it. Now hold it there while I step back and look at it. What, you want me to move to the right and out of the way? I’m trying to be like 1.4% with a lot of flair on my jacket. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:55 pm: “I want to show you all this trailer for a real honest documentary about Mike Madigan I just happen to run across… “ - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 1:57 pm: “Here’s Governor Rauner supporting Donald Trump for President of the United States in Peoria… “ - AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:01 pm: “That way, Bru…er, Master?” - Norseman - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:04 pm: Yes, Lord Rauner I understand this lump of coal you gave me is indicative of what will happen if I don’t follow your orders. - walker - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:18 pm: You want me to sit here, next to Radogno? - allknowingmasterofracoondom - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:18 pm: WOW. This is a harsh group. I know the man personally…and describing him as a sell out could not be farther from who the man really is. Wow, brutal group. But funny stuff…. - Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:28 pm: “Hey Governor! The Capitol is this way correct?” - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:29 pm: “Here’s me telling Governor Rauner my dream at 17 being a state legislator… Here’s me signing my soul away… Here’s me waving the paper for the ink to dry… Here’s Governor Rauner laughing and putting the paper in his biker vest… Here’s me realizing I sold my soul… Here’s me asking about how the $&@%* problems clause works… “ - A guy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:35 pm: The light is blinding. Is that Moses, Elijah, the Messiah, Wordslinger or Willy? Oh, Hi mom. - A guy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:38 pm: We’re on a tight budget. Need to take a picture for your new State ID on Skype. - Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:39 pm: @Oswego Willy: 11 entries on this topic — have you exhausted all of the possible Rooney put downs for today? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:40 pm: “This slide… The guy on the right… ‘John Tillman’… he interviewed me for the senate seat, still dunno why… “ - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:43 pm: “Here’s me with my IPI “Fire Madigan” t-shirt, which I admit still seems an odd gift for someone going to the Illinois Senate… “ - HRC2016 - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:43 pm: Reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade… https://youtu.be/0H3rdfI28s0 - Bend Me Shape Me - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:46 pm: ow: Evelyn is one of the only non corrupt women in state government. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:47 pm: “Now, this is a fun one… Here’s John Tillmam putting a piece of paper over Governor Rauner’s face, and Governor Rauner doing the same to John Tillman during my screening process. They’re cards, those two… “ - L.A. - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:48 pm: Anonymous @ 2:39 pm - You don’t have to read them. OW, keep up the good work. Entertaining as always!! - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:55 pm: “Here’s former Senator Murphy explaining to me it’s not deferred comp, I just don’t get paid… Here’s Rep. Morrison lecturing me about something… “ - Jake From Elwood - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 2:59 pm: “Yeah … I’m going to need to see those TPS reports by Friday” - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:02 pm: “My God, I’ve never seen chandeliers that big and tacky. The person who picked all of this out should be run outta town. Who is he, anyway?” - Big Joe - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:03 pm: Let me see if I got this right, Bruce. Everything is “Because Madigan”. That it? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:05 pm: (Tips cap to - L. A. - ) “Here’s me with Rep. Drury telling me about being a former federal… it’s federal, right?… a former federal prosecutor… did NOT know that… “ - Belle - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:05 pm: Which way did they go? Which way did they go?!? - A guy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:09 pm: LA is right Willy. Keep going until you come up with a funny one. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:11 pm: “Here’s John Tillman showing concern for for the locals in the process of choosing me… “ - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:13 pm: “Here’s me and Bruce in his trash can van going through the Portillo’s drive thru. I got a piece of chocolate cake, the governor got a strawberry shake… “ - Jeff Trigg - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:14 pm: Haters to the left. - IllinoisBoi - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:17 pm: Nice haircut. Seriously. See, we can be nice here….sometimes. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:21 pm: “Here’s me and the Governor touring Madeupville… “ - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:27 pm: Welcome to the sandbox - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:28 pm: I shot an arrow in the air… - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:38 pm: I used to be a rambler now I’m just husky - Signal and Noise - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:40 pm: I pick up my paycheck over where now? - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:45 pm: Do you think I can be a superstar like you Mr Goldberg? - Cheryl44 - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 3:48 pm: Isn’t it rich, are we a pair / Me here at last on the ground / You in mid-air - A guy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:04 pm: Hey, cut me a break. It’s a day game and I’m playing right field. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:07 pm: “Here’s my endorsement from the Tribune for election in 2018… Powerful writing if you ask me… “ - YMCA - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:07 pm: Tom Rooney has previous Springfield experience: he was Youth Governor of Illinois in the 1986 YMCA Youth and Government Program, when he was at Evanston Township High School - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:09 pm: “If you read what Dan Proft’s newspaper says about me… “ - Rich Miller - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:25 pm: “Oh. I”m sorry, governor. You want me to sit over… there? Will do. And here’s your mic back, sir.” - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 4:56 pm: Republican glass ceiling - Rabid - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 5:01 pm: Minority representation looking up - woodstock willy - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 6:26 pm: Should I take any advice from Ken Dunkin ? - Bruce (no not him) - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 6:36 pm: This is my handle, and this is my spout. - the old man - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 7:05 pm: Everyone can get caught in a silly photo shot. Known Tom since high school, he is a credit to the political class in Springfield. Go ahead and make fun of him. I remember his wife dying of cancer and his raising 2 daughters and educating them on his own. Go ahead and laugh at the photo, Tom Rooney will make us all proud by the example he sets. - Norseman - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 7:26 pm: Lighten Up Francis! QoD or caption contests are for fun. I don’t believe anybody commenting here were actually criticizing Rooney’s character. What people think of him will depend on his performance, not on funny things said about a picture. - NorthsideNoMore - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 8:34 pm: “Beam me up Scotty, there is no intelligent life here in the Capitol” - 47th Ward - Thursday, Sep 29, 16 @ 9:42 pm: You talkin’ to me? Well who else are you talkin’ to? I’m the only one here. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.