Sneed: Gov. Rauner can be quite a character

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Running with Rauner . . .

Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is a very private guy, is proving to be quite a character.

Although he and his wife, Diana, are so guarded about their private life requiring staffers to zip their lips — here’s a wee Rauner report.

Sneed is told:

• The boom boom man: Rauner is a very early riser and he has been known to go bird hunting before heading in to work on occasion.

• The sip/slug man: Rauner may serve exclusive Rauner Reserve wine to his close friends, but when he goes places with the pols, he eschews wine and slugs down the relatively inexpensive Stag Beer.

• The vroom vroom man: Rauner loves wearing cowboy boots and driving his motorcycle to political events like Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair, which — Sneed is told — gives his state trooper bodyguards agita.

• The fair hair man: Rauner, whose hair is thinning, does not require hair accoutrements, aka, a brush and a can of hairspray in the glove compartment of his state transport, unlike former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But bad Bruce does like wearing a white cowboy hat.

• The thin man: Rauner, described as “skinny” by his GOP cohorts, is a huge salad eater, always opting for greens over burgers when he’s dining with legislators. “He may consider himself one of the guys, but not when it comes to food,” a fellow GOPer said.

Follow @sneedlingsThe Trump stump . . .

Baloney!

Sneed begs to differ with powerful House Speaker/Dem party chief Mike Madigan, who claims Rauner and Donald Trump are two peas in a pod: Rauner detests Trump!

The Trump dump . . .

Corey’s story: The Donald’s former campaign manager, the combative Corey Lewandowski, is not only ecstatic his nemesis/replacement Paul Manafort just get axed; and that Trump is now surrounded by their old friends who don’t want him to change; and that CNN is paying him to talk about Trump (which he does in glowing terms) — but Sneed hears rumbles Trump is so cozy with Lewandowski he may just find him a job in his administration.

Payback time . . .

Is this a case of tit for tat?

• To wit: Actress Amber Heard withdrawing allegations ex-hubby/actor Johnny Depp had been physically abusive toward her just before their divorce was final Tuesday — then donating all $7 million of her divorce settlement to charities that help battered women and sick children.

Whadda you think?

She’s unstoppable!

Good grief!

WTTW’s Elizabeth Brackett, who just won the USA Triathlon national championship last weekend in Omaha, Neb., in the 75-79 year old age bracket — now heads to the World Triathlon championship in Cozumel, Mexico, next month! (She’s won that four times.)

So what gives: “I’ve always been a jock,” said Brackett, a swimmer in college. “The race was hard, but felt fantastic — but it was pretty hot in Omaha.”

Sneed’s sweating just thinking upon it.

I spy . . .

Yee-haw!

For the first time since their US99.5 radio show was canceled, radio mavens Lisa Dent and Ray Stevens chewed the fat with their fans during a live event #LunchWithLisa Thursday from Herrington Inn in Geneva. . . . . Jazz legend Al Di Meola spotted at Gibsons Steakhouse on Thursday night. Di Meola performed Saturday night at City Winery Chicago. . . . Real Housewives of Orange County star Meghan Edmonds spotted at RPM Italian last weekend.

Sneedlings . . .

Condolences to Georgene Campion on the death of her beloved friend, Mary Ann MacLean (and best wishes to Mary Ann’s husband, MacLean-Fogg CEO/Mettawa Mayor Barry MacLean), who died last week at the age of 73 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. “George,” who visited Mary Ann every Thursday, is the true definition of “friend.” . . . Saturday’s birthdays: Demi Lovato, 24; Al Roker, 62, and Don King, 85. . . . Sunday’s birthdays: Brody Jenner, 33; Kim Cattrall, 60, and Usain Bolt, 30; and a special Monday birthday shoutout to legendary former Park District boss Ed Kelly, ageless.

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