* Press release…
Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today that Patty Schuh will become his deputy chief of staff for communications.
Schuh will join the governor’s office next week, bringing with her more than 30 years of experience working with the Illinois General Assembly. Schuh started her career on the Senate Republican staff as a communications officer and advanced to the role of press secretary and Assistant to the Senate Republican Leader.
“Patty may be the most well established and politically astute communicator in Illinois government,” Rauner said. “As the leader of our team, she will add unparalleled experience in Illinois politics and media to our communication. I have known her for many years and I am excited that she has decided to join our effort.”
Schuh has the unusual distinction of having served as spokesman and press secretary for four Republican leaders – Senate President James “Pate” Philip and Senate Republican Leaders Frank Watson, Christine Radogno and Bill Brady.
“I’m honored to put my experience to work in the Office of the Governor. I’m grateful to Gov. Rauner for the opportunity and look forward to working with his administration to make the changes Illinois needs to move forward,” Schuh said.
Schuh teams with Communications Strategy Director Hud Englehart in Chicago.
Schuh and her husband live in Springfield.
I love me some Patty. She’s a pro through and through. I sure hope this works out for her. We’ll see.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:36 am:
How can you communicate for a governor who is all about obfuscation?
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:37 am:
Patty is one of the best and her arrival shows the governor is serious about putting the mistakes of last summer behind him.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:40 am:
==Schuh teams with Communications Strategy Director Hud Englehart in Chicago.==
For Patty’s sake, I hope they gave her the reigns instead of some “partnership”. I can’t imagine she would’ve accepted if it was otherwise
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:40 am:
Keep in mind the last Deputy Chief for Comms… was Diana Rickert.
This is an upgrade of 10-fold just in sheer professionalism, let alone the work product and understanding what it really means to work Comms correctly, effectively, and with no worry of embarrassment.
This is big news for Rauner.
- jimk849 - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:42 am:
Wait three weeks and you will need to change one single word in the title of this story.
- IllinoisBoi - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:45 am:
==Wait three weeks and you will need to change one single word in the title of this story.==
Not just one word, but even just one letter.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:45 am:
Is the guy capable of listening to and taking informed advice? Has he been humbled at all by the FUBAR incompetence and bad judgment he’s demonstrated since summer?
With this and his COS appointment, Rauner seems to be reaching out to the ol’ Springfield swamp to save him.
Those self-described deep-thinker “revolutionaries” he fell in love with last summer talked a lot of smack in the locker room, but were the Washington Generals out on the court.
- blue dog dem - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:46 am:
Why would she want a part time job? Is she close to retirement?
- Political Animal - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:49 am:
So the “Shake Up Springfield” thing has been totally thrown out the window I guess.
Hiring a 30 year Springfield insider pretty much means his chances of being a “reform” Governor are over. But that probably already happened when he signed HB40.
- blue dog dem - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:51 am:
Reform Governor? Soon to be former Governor.
- Curl of the Burl - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:52 am:
BDD - yes on the retirement query. I am pretty sure she has hit the “Rule of 85″.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 9:52 am:
“Schuh will join the governor’s office next week, bringing with her more than 30 years of experience working with the Illinois General Assembly.”
I guess Bruce has officially abandoned his old ‘Shake Up Springfield’ gimmick.
– MrJM
- Levois J - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:01 am:
I also hope this works out for her. It seems the past year hadn’t been very kind to Rauner staffers.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:02 am:
It’s all about the map.
The Madigan Retirement “rental payment” as balm for signing, arguably the most liberal abortion bill into law any governor ever did, and as an alleged Republican… but a move to bring in a ringer, a pro in Patty Schuh, it’s about the map and having Rauner “there” to be the governor that needs to sign it, or hold Illinois hostage “until”
To Patty Schuh,
All the best to you. You are arriving when this governor needs far less “shaking up” but really needs some “bringing back” some real credibility, and make no mistake, Rauner will trade off YOUR credibility as he needs someome who people respect when they say something and whose word actually has real weight in the press.
I hope you got all you wanted in work environment, and in your own Shop type freedom where you aren’t constrained too much so you can do the job the Governor hired you to do, and help him to get himself out of his own way.
This might be a real clear indication that the Rauner messaging might try something radical. The messaging might finally be about trying to seem to want accomplishments.
You will be a hire that I don’t think Rauner really grasps how great you will be for him, and that’s a tall order to top.
Good luck,
OW
- VanillaMan - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:02 am:
An outstanding improvement over the inmature and inexperience “as a white male” Rickert.
Wrong picks don’t just fail in office, they keep failing due to their time in office. Rickert has a “what I did on my summer vacation” piece in the Tribune making the rounds.
It seems her six weeks of miscommunicating somehow accredited her to pontificate on Illinois government as though her summer romp in the capitol were a success of some kind. She pours vitriol upon everyone who fell short of her government ideal. See what I mean about a bad staffing choice still causing rot even after being booted?
Finally - a real experienced pro.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:06 am:
“OW” nice saved me some typing……do we think he will listen to her?? sure hope so.
- Because I said so.... - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:08 am:
Patty is one of the best and most respected under the dome. I doubt even Rauner can chew her up and spit her out but time will tell.
Personally, I wish her all the best.
- SAP - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:08 am:
Probably the best move the Governor has made since he was elected.
- Tom - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:13 am:
Great hire…great person!
- King Louis XVI - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:23 am:
Does anyone really believe that Rauner will be any more competent or honest at the microphone because of this hire? Please.
It’s just a different face shouting at reporters: “No more questions.”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:25 am:
===Does anyone really believe that Rauner will be any more competent or honest at the microphone because of this hire? Please.===
If that was the case, why get rid of Diana Rickert?
Yeah. It matters.
===…a different face shouting at reporters: “No more questions.”===
If it was that easy, anyone can be a flack. It’s not.
- Curl of the Burl - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:26 am:
Keep in mind, too, that Patty manned Bill Brady’s press shop in 2010. Brady had most (if not all) of the state’s editorial boards eating out of the palm of his hand. She knows how to work with the press honchos.
- Curl of the Burl - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:34 am:
King - my guess/assumption is that Patty did not switch gigs without some assurances that the Governor will actually LISTEN to her.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:35 am:
Rich, anyway you can do a separate page to do Super Bowl squares on Rauner hires? Or maybe just straight over/under bets?
- Joe Biden Was Here - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:35 am:
Everyone seems to think very highly of her, including the Governor. So why wait so long to hire a true communications professional?? Apparently the Gov ran out of hacks and has beens…
- Norseman - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:37 am:
Good luck Patty. I have great respect for you, but your boss needs to go. Retirement is good.
- Oh Boy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:43 am:
Good for Patty. This will be a nice topper to a great career of service in state government.
She knows the issues, the legislature and the politics. If the Governor lets her do her job, he will be well served. She’s the best.
I hope the Governor likes White Castle.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:44 am:
Curl, how is that track record on Rauner “assurances?”
Ask around, across the political spectrum. And those with whom Rauner has signed contracts.
- don the legend - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:48 am:
What has transpired over these last three years to give anyone the idea that any one person can save Rauner from his own perfidy and hypocrisy?
A leopard can’t change its spots.
- King Louis XVI - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:54 am:
–If that was the case, why get rid of Diana Rickert?–
Was he any more competent or honest at a mic answering questions when Trover was there? No.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 10:59 am:
What this is about is Rauner trading off of Schuh’s own reputation and goodwill with the press and her word to them.
I’d like Rauner to listen to her, purely for the governing aspects for the next 16 months until Jaunary 2019.
How Schuh herself may handle her own business relationship and how Rauner has operated, many times dishonesty, that is really a seperate question to hiring her and her taking on the challenge with parameters.
Me, I don’t think Rauner personally will be more honest or trustworthy, but I do think Schuh will probably be “less inclined” to enabling Rauner or have her own name sullied for obvious things everyone, including Rauner, knows aren’t “accurate”.
That’s all a really great Comms person can ask for, really.
“Don’t make me look foolish… as I either defend or attack something you may have said… that sounds or appears silly or foolish”
That’s what pros do.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:00 am:
===Was he any more competent or honest at a mic answering questions when Trover was there?===
As a white male, Rauner was better served by Trover.
- Lt Guv - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:01 am:
She will leave. I’m sorry for her.
- King Louis XVI - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:03 am:
–As a white male, Rauner was better served by Trover.–
Written statements, yes. At the mic, no.
- DeseDemDose - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:05 am:
It’s not like whats left of the newspaper reporters ever really forced Rauner off his talking points anyway.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:08 am:
===At the mic, no.===
Bret Baier interview, vs any other interview before Rickert.
Also, at pressers, Rauner had rote answers down, pivots perfected. Rickert? I can’t recall Rauner having the same level of preparedness, including about the IPI cartoon itself.
- King Louis XVI - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:15 am:
–pivots perfected–
Disclosing private conversations w/ Cullerton, inventing imaginary discussions with Madigan, claiming Rich Miller worked for House Dems, yeah, “pivots perfected.” Go with that.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:21 am:
===Disclosing private conversations w/ Cullerton, inventing imaginary discussions with Madigan, claiming Rich Miller worked for House Dems, yeah, “pivots perfected.” Go with that.===
(Sigh)
Rickert was there 37 days. If you read her column, Rickert couldn’t even be honest about her own stint as a fails Comms person.
All you listed, and there a lot… Trover and those guys won the messaging every single day. Read the editorials, not the Proft phony papers, but newspaper after newspaper.
Your “worry” about Rauner’s own fibs? Rickert couldn’t even get, when asked about the IPI cartoon, a simple response that could’ve ended everything and we’d never should’ve heard “as a white male”, instead, Rauner couldn’t make up a story or conversation or anything to fix that.
Then “this”…
===Me, I don’t think Rauner personally will be more honest or trustworthy, but I do think Schuh will probably be “less inclined” to enabling Rauner or have her own name sullied for obvious things everyone, including Rauner, knows aren’t “accurate”.===
- Concerned Citizen - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:41 am:
Oswego Willy hit it perfectly on a post a bit higher up. This is about the future of the Republican Party for her, which she has devoted her entire professional career to. Because of Illinois’ map laws, the party needs a Republican governor to veto the map and force the tie break. Without this, it’s another painful 10 years for them. Schuh is acutely aware of this, I’m sure, she’s seen the “map power” first hand after 2000 and her time with Pate.
Let’s be honest, if this doesn’t work, it’s not going to sully Patty’s reputation. That has been built solid over 30 years (as evidenced by all the nice comments above). If this fails, it just demonstrates the governor is beyond help.
If my memory serves, I believe her husband is already retired, and as someone mentioned above, it appears she’s already hit “retireability” in the state. So this is pure professionalism and legacy for both her and the party.
Good luck and Godspeed, Patty. All of us party supporters are rooting for you.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:43 am:
Patty, you are tops, but leave your work stuff in the cardboard boxes. Just trying to be helpful.
- Lamont - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:45 am:
It’s win win for Patty. She’s close to retirement, and this gig is lasting 15 months tops. She’ll get a nice pension bump from the pay raise and will have ties to Rauner for a possible retirement gig.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 11:46 am:
=== She’ll get a nice pension bump from the pay raise===
It won’t be much.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:05 pm:
My guess is she knew going in the chance of being escorted out was 50-50. If she lost the job: 1. No one would think she was the cause. 2. It would clarify the point not even the BEST could work for this guy for long. 3. As a respected and knowledgeable ‘insider’, any commentary she might provide about the Rauner administration and its ways of doing business after leaving it would be unquestioned. Rauner is taking a chance with such a fine addition to his staff.
- Generic Drone - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:09 pm:
Wait just a minute here. I am not privy to Mrs Schuh. However you republicans are always bashing state employees for this exact same pension grab. If she is near retirement and is switching jobs that will increase any pension, then where is the outrage? What is the difference. None as far as I’m concerned. Im not necessarly opposed to folks getting a leg up, but don’t understand why you all are suddenly ok with her doing the same as other employees. Well?
- Liberty - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:09 pm:
Someone has to get Republicans out of this mess.
- Generic Drone - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:11 pm:
Cant believe the silence of her pension grab.
- OkComputer - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
Ok, so now we have a new aconym to replace BTIA:
WEPA: “well established and politically astute”
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
===Cant believe the silence of her pension grab===
Go take a nap. Then wake up and go look up how final pensions are calculated. And then think about how nobody in their right mind would go over to that office for that increase.
- what she said - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 12:44 pm:
I don’t know her at all, but I am reassured and happy to see him hire someone who has experience in the actual building where he is supposed to be a leader.
- Newsclown - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 1:57 pm:
Terrific person taking a terrible job. It may end in tears, but it won’t be because of Patty.
- Deadbeat Conservative - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 2:01 pm:
==I love me some Patty. She’s a pro through and through. I sure hope this works out for her.==
Another wonderful person signing on to do bad things. Can all these folks who work in support of the Rauners’ dishonest and destructive agenda be that lovable?
- theCardinal - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 2:40 pm:
Patty Rocks Good Luck
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
Yeah by all means, let’s celebrate the hiring of this great person whose sole job will be to BS Illinoisans into believing Bruce Rauner is doing a good job and deserves reelection. If she was so terrific, she wouldn’t take a job defending a terrible human being and a worse governor. If a friend of mine accepted a spox position in the Trump administration, I’d question their sanity instead of cheering them on.
- proudstatetrooper - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 4:08 pm:
A great hire. One smart woman who brings instant credibility to the office which has been lacking recently. Good move Governor.
- Shytown - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 4:08 pm:
maybe the smartest personnel decision Rauner has made in a while
- don the legend - Friday, Oct 13, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
I remember being told “you’re judged by the company you keep”.