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Connecting some ranch dots

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* A November 26, 2013 Tribune report on Bruce Rauner’s ranch on the Wyoming-Montana border

Some of the Western sites are working farms, his campaign has said, where Rauner grows barley for a beer producer along with other crops. Rauner has dismissed some of the Western properties as little more than double-wides and old cabins.

“They’re falling down,” he told the Tribune. “It’s a good place to burn a steak and have a beer.”

* From today’s Tribune

Sitting between two snowcapped mountain ranges, with the Yellowstone River running through wide expanses of ranchland, Bruce Rauner’s spread in Montana lies in the middle of one of the most awe-inspiring spots in the American West.

While the Republican nominee for governor owns opulent properties in several locations across the country — from the Florida Keys to Manhattan — it is the tens of thousands of acres he owns in southern Montana and northern Wyoming that most sharply define his persona as a savvy investor who knows his way around bird guns and fly tackle.

Land records show that Rauner owns land in five Montana counties and in northern Wyoming, totaling about 23,000 acres. But friends and acquaintances say he spends most of his time on the property he has assembled south of Livingston, in an area called Paradise Valley at the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

His 6,000-square-foot home on the banks of the Yellowstone River, widely regarded as one of the greatest trout-fishing rivers in the world, is a showpiece property where he has entertained Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other friends from Chicago.

Yep, burn a steak and have a beer amidst falling down rubble. The very definition of roughing it, in a gorgeous, 6,000 square foot ranch mansion.

* From a November 25, 2013 Tribune story

[Rauner’s house] has five bedrooms and four baths and is currently valued by the Park County, Mont., assessor at $2.2 million.

The front gate to the shack…

* Ah, but there’s much more to this ranch topic. From a July 02, 2014 Tribune story

Rauner’s tax returns report a payment of $15,777 of self-employment tax in 2012 but no payments in 2010 or 2011. He said he and his wife didn’t owe the tax in those two years because it is applied to only certain types of income — in his case the category that showed multimillion-dollar losses in regular business income. […]

Asked to explain those losses, Rauner said he couldn’t recall details but speculated that a portion was likely connected with large ranching operations he owns in Montana and Wyoming. “Some of it’s farm and ranch income or losses,” he said. “That goes up and down year to year. Some of it’s operating losses from other investments that I have made.”

That shack pays some real dividends. Burn a steak, drink a beer, cut your tax payments.

* From today’s Sun-Times

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has headed to his opulent, 6,000-square-foot, $2.2 million ranch in Montana, where he will spend time away from the stump in Illinois.

The news comes after Rauner has faced questions about investments he holds in the Cayman Islands, following a Sunday Sun-Times story revealing the investments. That disclosure reignited calls for the multi-millionaire to release his 2013 tax records. Rauner has filed for an extension and his campaign said he would release them by October 15.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 10:52 am

Comments

  1. Meh. He’s rich. We already know that.

    Comment by John A Logan Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 10:57 am

  2. —That disclosure reignited calls for the multi-millionaire to release his 2013 tax records. Rauner has filed for an extension and his campaign said he would release them by October 15—

    answers my question from a few days ago.

    Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 10:57 am

  3. If Rauner’s theme is that his wealth is not something that separates his experience from the experience us mere mortals have in life, why do he go to such trouble to mischaracterize his holdings? He must agree then that his wealth creataes a life that none of us can relate to, and makes it so that Rauner can’t relate to our lives.

    Comment by Concerned Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 10:58 am

  4. Sounds nice. I am sure it’s a great place to be.

    Who’s he growing for Coors? Guaranteed low-cost barley for one, and tax losses for the other? Just dreaming.

    Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:02 am

  5. So he owns a ranch and is involved in agriculture…this is somehow supposed to be a bad thing for a potential Illinois Governor?

    Comment by Anonymoiis Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:03 am

  6. 23,000 acres, in two states, in parts of five different counties. Let that sink in and ask yourself how you’d feel having to mow that lawn.

    But then, this is only one of his houses. He has eight more.

    Even his money has a vacation home. In the Cayman Islands!

    But all of that isn’t enough. He wants one more mansion to add to his collection, and unfortunately, money alone can’t buy this one.

    Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:07 am

  7. John A Logan -

    I’d agree with you…if Rauner didn’t spend SO much time trying to identify as some commoner among us.

    He’s wealthy and enjoy perks associated to that wealth. OK…own it. There are positive things to highlight there. You can be a down to earth person and wealthy too, but stop with this “great place to burn steaks and drink beer with my cheap watch and flannel shirt” facade/marketing gimmick. It’ll hurt him in the long run. People in the middle that he needs to vote for him will see right through the BS, and then won’t be able to take him at his word on anything else.

    Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:10 am

  8. With a single comment, 47th has done a better job spinning this issue for Quinn than all the king’s humans combined.

    Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:10 am

  9. mmmm…. ranch dots.

    Comment by quicknote Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:11 am

  10. If Bruce Rauner can’t be truly honest about his successes, and all it has given him, how can we trust Bruce Rauner will be honest about his failures?

    That’s right. Bruce Rauner has been successful at everything he has ever done.

    Everything.

    Bruce just won’t tell you…

    Vicious circle, lots of “stories” to keep track of, good and bad.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:13 am

  11. Ok. Rauner is rich. Quinn is corrupt. Now can we move along to pension reform and job creation in Illinois.

    Comment by Illinois Calls It Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:17 am

  12. 23,000 acres is land area roughly 6 miles by 6 miles. While it sounds unfashionably huge for urban or suburban dwellers It’s not all that uncommon for farm landowners to own that much combined property, especially in States the size of Wyoming and Montana.

    Comment by Anonymoiis Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:19 am

  13. Adding, why on earth would you want to burn a steak? I like mine medium, sometimes medium well, but only a caveman likes it well done.

    It’s waste of good meat if you ask me.

    Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:19 am

  14. I hope Bruce took some of the Raunettes with him to the ranch so the campaign can get these stories straight. How can they be this far into the process and not have hashed out these issues and developed cogent, consistent answers. The Bruce Rauner Story, staring Bruce Rauner, is getting more tedious by the day.

    Comment by And I Approved This Message Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:21 am

  15. ===It’s not all that uncommon for farm landowners to own that much combined property, especially in States the size of Wyoming and Montana.===

    That’s one…of his NINE homes.

    One of Nine.

    Not uncommon for someone who “winters” his cash in the Caymans.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:21 am

  16. It just reminds me of how little Rauner has in common with most people in Illinois.

    Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:22 am

  17. I bet this guy is starting to have second thoughts about a public life…. Rushing off to the middle of nowhere while questions burn about his ethics, morals, legalese. And he isn’t even the one being investigated by the feds… at least not yet anyway.

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:25 am

  18. It is hard to blame the guy for downplaying his success in a quote like that.

    Especially since embracing it would play right into the “Mr. Burns”, class-division playbook Mr. Quinn telegraphed was coming long ago.

    Just imagine the comments if his quote in that article somehow contained even a hint of braggadocio. He would be crucified after making such a dumb, tone-deaf and cold comment.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:29 am

  19. All of this looks like someone who knows how to work with money and doesn’t need ours.

    Comment by Weltschmerz Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:30 am

  20. at least he had the good sense not to fly off to the cayman’s…

    Comment by bored now Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:31 am

  21. - FKA -,

    With respect,

    When someone brags about being successful at everything … everything they have ever done, than wears a Carhartt and watch and downplays this unmitigated successful streak, what do I believe?

    I have yet to meet a man, woman or child that has been successful at everything they have ever done.

    If I were going to be quoted and say often I’ve been successful at everything I ever did, period, I wouldn’t be too modest, given that sentence.

    See what I’m saying?

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:34 am

  22. You don’t get rich by being stupid.

    Comment by another guy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:36 am

  23. ===You don’t get rich by being stupid.===

    “You don’t get rich by being being an outsider when your money can make you an insider”

    Better.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:39 am

  24. If you’re having a hard time imagining Rauner’s ranch, you don’t have to.

    Watch “A River Runs Through It.”

    As for Rauner’s comments, this is how out of touch he is:

    Most Americans dream of being able to own ONE home, send their kids to college, and retire with dignity and peace of mind.

    Not own NINE homes and 23,000 acres, have college buildings named after them, and retire with so much wealth that the annual interest is FIFTY TIMES what the average family earns in a lifetime.

    Anyone who thinks the American Dream is owning 23,000 acres, raise your hand.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:45 am

  25. If Rauner’s wealth isn’t supposed to be an issue why does he lie about it? But the issue really isn’t his wealth. It’s what he did to get it.

    I’ll never vote for a man who assumes we’re all gullible rubes.

    Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:45 am

  26. What I don’t get is why a sharp guy with a cool ranch hangs around with that Evelyn Sanguinetti woman ?

    Comment by Linebacker II Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:46 am

  27. Interesting. I went on Google maps and zeroed in south of Livingston Mt. I then put in New Moon Ranch from the pic. It brought me to the middle of Livingston where street view shows its the Livinston Bar and Grill. Burn a steak, drink a beer, cut your tax payments. Makes me want to go visit.

    https://www.google.com/maps/@45.662301,-110.561006,3a,75y,15.81h,94.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKZgbqz4kDDAcZueVw4rpHQ!2e0

    Comment by Been There Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:46 am

  28. livingston montana has millionaires and folks barely hanging on, sharing the town side by side. anthony bourdain did an episode on the town in his show no reservations: http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/anthony-bourdain/episodes/montana

    yeah, my fishing cabin is 6,000 sf, in the middle of 23,000 acres, cause i am a regular guy. no, wait, truth? its a 9 ft by 11 ft canvas tent.

    how many are employed to maintain and manage the property? is this where the huntin dogs hang out?

    Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:52 am

  29. ==Anyone who thinks the American Dream is owning 23,000 acres, raise your hand.==

    -raises hand-

    You’re honestly trying to argue the American dream is to live a middle class life, and not dream to strike it rich in business? You don’t dream to be average, you dream for something better for the family you leave behind. I’d say Rauner is the perfect example of that dream.

    Comment by Anonymoiis Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:53 am

  30. For a candidate who claims he’s going to shake things up, Rauner isn’t very transparent. Why won’t he release the details of his taxes so voters can judge his behavior for themselves rather that having to rely on his story which keeps changing?

    Does owning the property give him tax advantages? Is he getting agricultural subsidies for his crops?These are questions that should be answered. If there is nothing wrong, Rauner should defend whatever advantages the property brings him rather than putting a veil over the benefits his property brings

    I suspect he is actually quite content with the status quo. Rich guys like Rauner do quite well with the existing arrangements

    Comment by Truthteller Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:53 am

  31. For some perspective, Rauner’s ranch property is about three times the size of all 580 chicago parks combined.

    Looked at another way, one man has three times as much open space as all the residents of chicago combined.

    Of course, that varies by neighborhood in the city. In Logan Square, there is only about 40 square feet per person.

    Rauner sure loves some elbow room.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:55 am

  32. Glad those monies siphoned from the elderly and the developmentally disabled were put to good use.

    Comment by too obvious Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 11:58 am

  33. Anonymoiis:

    The love of money is the root of all evil, much unhappiness, and socially unsustainable.

    It is geographically and economically impossible for all of us to own 23,000 acres.

    Perhaps you dream of owning 23,000 acres some day, but guess is that you can’t even picture 23,000 acres
    In your head.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:05 pm

  34. Oswego Willy - I get what you are saying, and see a large measure of truth in it. The Carhartt and $18 watch don’t mesh very well with the 9 houses.

    I also think that nearly every single candidate does the exact same thing, to varying degrees. They all pander to be seen as the “common man” or “common woman” you think is just swell and understands you.

    Scott Brown shows up in his pickup truck. Pat Quinn flashes his Super 8 motel card. Dan Rutherford does the same with the Red Roof Inn. Everyone knows Sheila Simon used to bike to work and plays in a band. JBT has her famous accordion.

    Does Rauner really enjoy working the land in his Carharrt? Has he been wearing the same watch for years? Does Scot Brown really love that pickup? Are Quinn and Rutherford really frugal people? How often does JBT play the accordion on her own time?

    Is that part of who they really are? How much is “legit” and how much is for “show”?

    I honestly do not know, as I cannot read their minds. All I know is that they all pander and emphasize different “sides” at different times, and they all do it for the same reasons.

    Does that make one better or worse than another? Does the fact a rich man’s pandering is more obvious and laughable than an upper-middle class man’s pandering somehow make it more “wrong”? I honestly do not know the answer to that either.

    This does not excuse Rauner. It just means I dislike it any time politicians of any level pander, which means disliking a lot of politicians a lot of the time. Unfortunately, they often have no choice but to pander during camapaigns.

    Just my take on this one, and with sincere respect as always to your take.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:08 pm

  35. @FKA -

    While it is not exactly clear where the line should be drawn, the line has to be drawn somewhere.

    You can’t cover for Rauner with the “all politicians exaggerate” defense.

    Rauner has based his entire campaign on the proposition he is not a politician.

    And guess what: not all politicians pretend to be something they are not.

    I remember squeezing through the crowd at a Chicago pub once, only to find myself standing next to Senator Durbin. He waited patiently just like everybody else. Mild mannered. Unassuming. No lackey to get his drink for him.

    The bartender actually noticed me first. “I’ll have a Guinness and whatever the US Senator would like.”

    Durbin was almost embarrassed to be recognized.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:19 pm

  36. - FKA -,

    Very well said.

    I guess how I gauge it comes down to;

    “This is how ignorant the voters are…”

    …if their hypocrisy is the base of their persona, than at what point do I say “enough!”

    Like Blago…and speaking only for me, Rauner.

    Your comment was very thoughtful. Much respect.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:20 pm

  37. 47th, nice spin, but I bet Rauner creates more jobs than Quinn as he hires folk to maintain his land.

    Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:24 pm

  38. He’s definitely struggling with the issue of being mega-times more wealthy that almost any of us and how to deal with it. I don’t have a heck of a lot of advice for him. There’s no sin in being rich in America, or even in being very out of touch with how the lower 20 or 40 or 60% live. I don’t even have a whole lot of problems with the fact that some companies he owned or invested in have done some unseemly (or worse) things. Show me a wealthy person who is free from that association, and I’ll bet he/she inherited their wealth not earned it, in which case the “sins” were on the old man or old lady or whoever. I will offer as my only necessary example our heroes of Camelot, the Kennedys.

    His problem is that unlike most of the very wealthy in this country he is running for a very high political office in a highly political state, and until he comes to terms with the problem and how to deal with it, the circumstance is rich with things that can be exploited, justly or unjustly. I have no doubt they have polled how to best address it, but either their pollsters/strategists aren’t doing a good job or the candidate isn’t doing a good job delivering the crafted message.

    Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:24 pm

  39. Wumpus, have you seen Quinn’s lawn?

    Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:25 pm

  40. I think Rauner should retire the s-kicker act. It’s an impossible sell, and the more he uses it now, the more the media comes after him for its inherent dishonesty.

    His ranch is in some of the most beautiful country in the lower 48. Yellowstone and Grand Teton are what they are today because of John D. Rockefeller Jr. He and his boys didn’t feel the need to put on a big con of being “regular guys” to engage in public service.

    Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:28 pm

  41. Tt, in simple words everyone can understand HIS TAXES ARE’T DONE YET! Btw, neither are mine. But they will by filing date, as should his.

    Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:30 pm

  42. Ditto Rich Miller’s 11:10 comment on 47th Ward outspinning all the Quinn people. Yellow Dog is chipping in some valuable ideas, too. Quinn folks: maybe you should open source your campaign and do some borrowing. Pretty bad when blog commenters are running circles around the “pros.”

    Comment by Willie Stark Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:31 pm

  43. All the wealth breeds confusion
    Better focus on his governance plan …like pulling a PATCO on teachers, cops and firefighters

    Comment by CircularFiringSquad Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:34 pm

  44. too obvious

    –I’ll never vote for a man who assumes we’re all gullible rubes. –

    So you don’t vote then?

    Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:40 pm

  45. Rauner talks like the place is Cardinal Hill, when in fact, it is more like Charles Foster Kane’s Xanadu.

    Comment by Newsclown Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:40 pm

  46. Oswego Willy - thanks. Consider this a mutual-admiration society. Your point about when “hypocrisy is the base of their persona” reminds me of an earlier Rauner quote about how he is a very good salesman but that is all, or something to that effect.

    If you try being best friends with everybody all the time, where do you eventually wind up? Hypocrisy headquarters.

    You might be able to get away with it in small room or while working on a business deal, but not with something as large as the state of Illinois. If it turns out that Rauner really is a salesman and nothing more, his hypocrisy will catch up with him in brutal fashion before November.

    Everyone - The balance of thoughtful exchanges and mix of one liners is part of what makes Capfax sogreat. Thank you all for making it what it is.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 12:58 pm

  47. 23,000 acres is peanuts compared to owning a state and, yes, he believes money alone can buy Illinois.

    Own, up Bruce. No need to run all the way to Wyoming to avoid these uncomfortable questions about your wealth.

    Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:06 pm

  48. I’m tired of reading comments from bloggers who believe if voters don’t agree with them, it means they are low information, ignorant people.

    If you want people to agree with you, if you are tired of the partisan bickering and really want government to work for all - you have to respect people.

    You cannot support democracy and badmouth voters. You cannot have democracy without them.

    If you can only explain your candidate’s losses by claiming voters are not smart enough to understand the issues, where the candidates stand, or that they can be fooled, bought off, they are lazy or corrupted - then you suck as a political observer. Candidates lose because they didn’t convince enough citizens to support them on an election day.

    If you don’t believe in voters and election day, then you should move to a place where other people like you don’t believe in voters and election day - there are plenty of hell on Earths that will welcome your opinion with open arms and agree with you.

    Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:06 pm

  49. Mason Born raises a good point. Everyone bashing Rauner for his ranch and Cayman “investments” has to remember who the alternative is. All these Rauner negatives end up being compared to his opponents negatives - which are plenty - before the undecided selects a candidate. I can’t remember an election that was so clearly a matter of “Who do I find less objectionable?” when I enter the booth. And I don’t think I’m alone.

    Comment by Original Rambler Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:07 pm

  50. My problem has never been that Rauner is rich. My problem is that he attempts to pretend that he isn’t and tries to make me believe he is just one of us. He’s not, so why try? He’s rich. Fine. Acknowledge it and move on. But don’t treat me like an idiot by saying you are just like me because you aren’t.

    Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:07 pm

  51. Schnorf:

    I have some advice for him: stop confusing humility with dishonesty, and get to know some actual average Illinoisans.

    Willie:

    Thanks.

    A little more fun with numbers:

    In order for every American household to enjoy the same “American Dream” as Bruce Rauner, we would need to find six more planet Earths.

    Rauner may not be completely out of touch with American reality, but he is coming across that way.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:08 pm

  52. Mason born - comment of the day. Thanks for the laugh.

    YDD - that is not a cover for Rauner. The part where it says ==This does not excuse Rauner.== attempts to make that clear.

    There are no objective, common lines on this one. Life would be much simpler if there were. Who gets the Scarlett Letter here? Scott Brown? Sheila Simon? One? Both? What is the exact cutoff for determining when someone is being “mostly real” and “pandering”?

    Would it make Bruce Rauner a hearty man of truth and honor if I also shared a story about that one time I saw Rauner being a normal, respectful, everyday guy too?

    They all pander, from the city council to the Senate. Whether it is pandering a little or pandering a lot, pandering always makes me feel a bit sorry for the person doing the pandering and always leaves me with the impression they are just saying what they think I want to hear.

    That feeling doesn’t go away if the panderer is rich or upper-middle class in this case, or if they are pandering on the basis of how often they attend church or how often they recycle.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:11 pm

  53. BTW, I wasn’t kidding about Robert Redford filming A River Runs Through It in Livingston, Montana.

    Lucky for us Rauner isn’t a Chevy Chase fan or he might have bought the Grand Canyon.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:15 pm

  54. What do you expect? Rauner to ride around in the back of his Rolls like Louis Winthorpe? what would you morph into if you became very successful? Hopefully i would still wear my carharts occasionaly and drive a beater truck. Sure i’d have a nice one too, but i don’t like flash or brag. One of the richest, Sam Walton gutted small town america but wore jeans and drove an old pickup truck. He gained respect as an ordinary man that did well and worked hard. I don’t know if i would vote for the man but just because he has money doesn’t make him a fake.

    Comment by Dreaming it! Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:16 pm

  55. FKA:

    If you have any stories to share, please do.

    So far, the only “character” insight we have into Rauner are his nursing home dealings.

    According to King Midas, everything he ever touched turned to gold, but anything that went to hell in a hand basket he was never even near.

    Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:25 pm

  56. (Tips hat to -FKA - & - YDD -)

    ===According to King Midas, everything he ever touched turned to gold, but anything that went to hell in a hand basket he was never even near.===

    Maybe we all need to ask Rauner what he is backing away from before something happens, so we can watch the “bad” unfold(?)

    “Everything” - Rauner’s words, no one told him to say it.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:38 pm

  57. YDD - that sounds an awful lot like the approach to “spin” our President and many other pols use, doesn’t it?

    Something goes well? “This was a big success”

    Something goes wrong? “I am not aware of the details”

    As to Rauner stories, I do not feel comfortable sharing what I witnessed. It’s not my place to do so. Other individuals he has gotten to know over the years, or by your criteria once met him for a few minutes in a bar, may be happy to share their stories of how he is a kind person or just a good old boy you’d like to have a beer with.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:44 pm

  58. I’m actually with Left Leaner and Wordslinger on this. FKA may be right that this is mere modesty, but it comes across as disingenuous after Quinn is finished framing it. Just drop the act and embrace the “speaks bluntly/honestly” public persona. People are hungry for it here, and it will magnify the attack on Quinn over his “anti-violence” program.

    Flip the scrip; embrace the idea that you are wealthy; emphasize that it is due to your expertise at handling money, finances, and administration. Tie that into why you are the far better candidates to lead Illinois. Say you want to make Illinois the place where anyone can rise up to any height, no matter where they started from. That’s a message that can win.

    Comment by liandro Tuesday, Aug 5, 14 @ 1:51 pm

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    Comment by t shirts wwe Thursday, Aug 7, 14 @ 10:02 pm

  60. his ranch in wyoming is absoultey beautiful lots of ag in that area

    Comment by wyo1234 Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:17 am

  61. buying land that is a great investment it will never depriciate and price will only go up he is a very smart man

    Comment by wyo1234 Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:22 am

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