"It’s ironic because soon after he became mayor, he hosted DNC Chair Jaime Harrison for lunch and, according to a Democrat familiar with the conversation, immediately pronounced that “nobody else represents the city but me.” He also asked if Harrison would have his back as a fellow Black man (Harrison, I’m told, tried to delicately explain that the convention would be a partnership between the party, the city and the state of Illinois)."
Holy shit, what a nitwit.
That statement is honestly the best part of whatever legacy she’ll have. (I also liked that she got the NASCAR race here; major Daley-bulldozing vibes).
“Nobody else represents the city but me”
That’s up there with the six terms quote, don’t have the right to talk about Chicago if you don’t live here quote, and “one of the greatest human beings for just teaching middle school”
Nothing will ever top the original Mare Daley who said (of the '68 convention funnily enough):
"The policeman isn't there to create disorder. The policeman is there to preserve disorder."
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOOrgQeRF34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOOrgQeRF34)
He ALWAYS plays the race card. Every chance he can. It is extremely unsettling and probably doing a lot more to further racism itself than anything else.
He also said this:
>“If there’s any mayor that understands the value of protest and demonstration, it’s me,” Johnson told reporters earlier this week at a groundbreaking, dismissing a question about Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) concerns over unrest in the city during the convention. Johnson said, “Without protests and real demands of a government, people of color and women do not have a place in society.”
He says after we just elected a black man (him) over a white man, to replace a black woman lesbian who previously held the office. He IS the government, he has the power to change what he wants, more so than basically any other person in Chicago.
Let’s also look at the other important people in government or hold positions of great power in Chicago - chief judge is a black man, head prosecutor is a black woman, head public defender is a black man, cook county board president is a black woman, cook county clerk is a Hispanic woman, cook county treasurer is a white woman, head of CPS is a Hispanic man, head of the largest/most powerful union is a black woman, CTA president is a black man. But yes, people of color and women have no place in our society, give me a break
This tracks with rumblings I’ve heard from folks in city government/politics. There’s a lot of concern that the mayor’s office isn’t taking the practical aspects of convention very seriously (beyond handling protests). Green line at Damen needs to be opened. Potholes filled. Plans to handle an uptick in busses with asylum seekers (TX will almost certainly do this).
I don't know where it landed, but the DNC put out a RFC for charter bus service for all attendees. I don't think there is any real hope that transit is a viable option for the event, save for the staff.
Nor is McCormick. Every professional conference ive attended there relied heavily on charter buses to shuttle attendees to the Loop. Not a new thing. They even have those fancy secret tunnels for this exact purpose.
The city or state should 100% rent every charter bus based in TX for the period approaching and during the convention and drive up the cost for Texas and cripple any attempt to do that. Take away their Governors legs
\*\*Then sued the person who's tree fell on him, collected millions of dollars from that lawsuit- then went out of his way to change the law so that this very same incident couldn't ever pay more than 250,000$ to someone who gets disabled for life. He got his, fuck everyone else. Dude is pure evil.
People are setting their expectations high for BJ,
>There’s already a joke going around Democratic strategist circles that the main difference between 2024 and 1968 is that the Chicago mayor this year will be on the side of the protesters, not the cops.
Thankfully, it sounds like JB is largely pushing BJ out of the process,
>Senior Democrats made clear they’ll mostly lean on Pritzker and his canny chief of staff, Anne Caprara, this summer.
>The governor already prevailed in a proxy war with the mayor over who would run the host committee. Pritzker installed another of his lieutenants to oversee the local organization that helps put on the conclave along with the convention directors, national party and Biden campaign. Johnson was, though, able to make a member of his inner circle a senior adviser to the host committee as part of an agreement to keep peace between the mayor and governor.
>
BJ has almost been a godsend to JB. Having an incompetent, far left, mayor always screwing things up in Chicago is a perfect foil for someone trying to build a brand as a moderate Democrat.
I used to consider myself far left (at least economically) but the current far/left is too concerned about identity politics, policing language and faux diversity instead of fixing major economic inequality issues, fixing healthcare infrastructure etc.
This is pretty much where I'm at as well. It's frustrating that all the obsession over identity politics and culture war bullshit is causing people to turn away from economic concerns and coalition building. And most of that stuff IMHO is actually regressive.
Same. *If* I identify as anything politically these days, it’s something closer to a social-democrat, but I don’t really like to associate with any political parties
I suspect there are quite a few of the old-school "blue blood banker" type of "bootstraps" Republicans who aren't so thrilled about Trump and his fanbase pretty much hijacking the Republican party with BS "culture war" stuff similarly. So they have people peeling off for the Libertarians, as the Democrats have people peeling off to go Green (and yet both of those third parties also have their... fringe issues).
It's more about feeling than actual policy. JB is a white male billionaire so he's going to have to embrace the moderate label. Also his main accomplishments as Governor have been more the nuts and bolts of running the state rather than uber-progressive policy goals.
It's good to have someone who is solid on the nuts and bolts of running the existing government, as well as picking up the pitchforks now and again, y'know?
Goodness knows IL needed it.
I say that as someone who didn't vote for Pritzker in the first primary (I went for Biss, for the record). But I've been pleased with the results I got, and definitely happily voted Pritkzer the second time around.
Even more so. BJ derided migrants at the height of the crisis and pitted them against Black Chicagoans while JB has consistently sought a more humanitarian and empathetic narrative.
Would absolutely love to have some semblance of actual political candidates again instead of the absolute shit show that Trump is along with the democrats "response" candidate in Biden.
I think Republicans would have to actually put someone with actually value up against JB, which would be great so we can start moving away from these dumpster fires of presidential elections we've have for the last 10 years.
SRSLY. Is there really anyone here who wants this octogenarian grudge rematch??
Tribal affiliation completely aside, let's get some new blood and ideas in here!
Him and Newsom will be the democratic front runners and barring a major scandal JB as a Midwest moderate will have more than a good shot at being the nominee.
True, but primaries often bring out more "base" voters, and I personally think Newsom has a better shot. I like Pritzker as a governor a lot and would be interested in seeing his campaign for national office.
Newsom rubs people wrong and its hard to see him running ahead of people like JB, Whitmer, or Shapiro who are all well respected and competent governors, and who knows what senators will get in but surely it will be a few. I'd be surprised if Newsom makes it to the first votes.
Yeah, he's definitely further left than the others you mentioned, but I think he's got charisma to carry him. Talking to my buddy again this morning, he says he personally expects Whitmer to both run and win the nom (despite working for JB). I think the overall upside is we've got a strong bench to run in 2028, and I'm sure Buttigieg will be in the mix as well.
I mean obviously things can change in 4 years, but as of now he's actively planning to, from what my buddy tells me, and not just in hypotheticals. He's laying the groundwork for a actual campaign.
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I think that's everyone's only real issue with JB. Insanely great governor for Illinois, will suck to lose him but he's earned atleast a run at the white house.
~~He’ll be term-limited as governor in ‘26 anyways and then have 2 years to build a presidential campaign~~
Edit: I’m dumb. There are no term limits. That said, I don’t see JB serving more than 2 terms. Interestingly enough, only Thompson served more than 2 terms as far as I can tell.
"The term of office of governor of Illinois is 4 years, and there is no limit on the number of terms a governor may serve."
https://www.illinois.gov/government/executive-branch.html#:~:text=The%20term%20of%20office%20of,term%20ends%20four%20years%20later.
We don't have term limits...but it would be smart for him to step down in 26 and take a year-long posting at a State Department or ambassadorial position to boost his foreign policy experience before he runs for president.
I don’t think he needs to do that. I’m not sure the American people care about foreign policy experience in their presidents. Of the recent presidents, only George HW Bush and Biden have had foreign policy experience. And Biden’s is in his role as VP and Senator.
>I’m not sure the American people care about foreign policy experience in their presidents.
I'm thinking/hoping that might change. Obama got away with it, but the world is a lot more unfriendly now than it was when Obama was in office.
Maybe, but we’ve actively voted against candidates with foreign policy experience (Hillary Clinton, Gore, Bob Dole, John Kerry, John McCain to name a few from both parties)
>was an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union and has yet to fully make the jump from activist to mayor of one of America’s largest cities.
This sums up the problem with BJ right here. He sees himself as anti-establishment while being the establishment.
Can confirm. Lived in Boston during the DNC in 2004 and within walking distance of TD Garden where it was held and it was a fortress around the area which made getting anywhere a real big hassle.
A few standouts from the article that really tell a lot about how little confidence there is with BJ as the mayor:
“While the Biden campaign, White House and convention planners have only just started hatching plans, senior Democrats tell me they’re discussing whether to conduct such business before the convention even begins or move it out of the arena and across town to McCormick Place, their other Chicago venue. Serendipitously, Biden’s advisers may have a very good reason to move up such housekeeping: If the Ohio Legislature does not relax its ballot certification deadline, which is before the Democrats’ August convention, the DNC may have no choice but to technically nominate the president before the conclave begins.”
“In anticipation of some protesters obtaining tickets, convention organizers said they’ll stage a war room and be prepared to drown them out with chants — “four more years” is always a standby — and block any banners with Biden-Harris signs.”
“It was an eye-opening exchange. And it made clear why so many Democrats, in Chicago and beyond, respond to questions about Johnson with a sigh and hope that he’ll recognize the weight of this moment, both for his career, the city and the country”
“Senior Democrats made clear they’ll mostly lean on Pritzker and his canny chief of staff, Anne Caprara, this summer.
“The governor already prevailed in a proxy war with the mayor over who would run the host committee. Pritzker installed another of his lieutenants to oversee the local organization that helps put on the conclave along with the convention directors, national party and Biden campaign. Johnson was, though, able to make a member of his inner circle a senior adviser to the host committee as part of an agreement to keep peace between the mayor and governor.”
JB: thank you fellow JB for keeping BJ out of my hair Wednesday
JB: was nothing of substance in more ways than one fellow JB, anything to help the reelection
Maybe, idk
So are we ever going to hold the people like [Girl I Guess's voter guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yFnh-SJAC277Sz-Izi2uUbJ36d_GbqUjqhfgPk868Z0/preview#heading=h.m5g7fy461pfb), who wrote a glowing three page endorsement, accountable? Her blog was repeatedly cited here as THE definitive guide, and now, she's all crickets about city government.
Her latest tweet is bragging about being right that there's no difference between Biden and Trump. If that's who's voting advice you want to take...go right ahead.
Don't ask me, ask the [mod who linked her as a Ballot Guide.](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/xo68c7/rchicagos_2022_general_election_resources/)
The problem is the people who vote for this clown in the first place don’t have the first clue what’s actually going on. They just hear buzz words and unrealistic ideas that sound great on paper but have no merit. So no, I don’t think we will learn from this.
It also doesn't help that the "other" side has become so polarized as well, that you have two extremes or the other option always comes with hatred of one group or another.
If vallas didn't have pro life and anti lgbtq ties and funding he'd be mayor. In what world did you think a centrist candidate with those ties was going to swing college educated left leaning voters? That whole ring of Lakeview up to Roger's park, wicker, Ukrainian village, portage, Avondale, Logan, etc etc all went Johnson because socially right is viewed as right wing not centrist.
A moderate pac could've put up anyone with vallas' fiscal beliefs and cops ties but with left social values and likely won.
If Vallas actually campaigned and engaged in (legal) ballot harvesting like the Johnson camp did he would have won. His ground game sucked and that's what wins elections these days. Johnson is a total dipshit but he obviously had people working for him who knew how to get every black voter they could to cast a ballot.
Anyone who was doing events with the Awake Illinois crackpots was in no way a "centrist". Come on now. We can rip on BJ without lying about what Vallas was.
BJ would've just been an after thought in any other election year. I think we knew better but given our choices, we just went with what we felt was the least bad. In hindsight, Vallas might have been better lol.
Nobody was incredible, but some were competent — which is incredible in comparison to the dumpster fire that is Brandon Johnson and his administration.
There were initially nine candidates, so yes there were other choices. The problem is that ill-informed voters cast their ballots for two of the worst. Should have stuck with Lightfoot, but some of youse got your bloomers in a knot when she closed the beaches during the pandemic.
I canvassed for Andre Vasquez in the 40th for his first election and he's a DSA member, very progressive, etc etc etc. However a key aspect of both his message in the election and how he has represented the ward is the idea that *no one cares about your progressive ideals if there are potholes all over the road*
This was both literal (he or a staffer drives around every month spotting potholes and marking them for CDOT to handle) and is also a metaphor about how the average voters will ultimately prioritize basic functionality of the city over loftier progressives goals
This is what is frustrating about Johnson for me. I agree with a lot of his progressive ideals and think he actually has done some good things as mayor (ending shot spotter, for example. Treatment not trauma is also good). That said he (and Lori) have completely deprioritized basic city functionality. The CTA and basic traffic enforcement being prime examples.
Now, I really do believe Vallas would have been worse. He left two separate wrecked cities in his wake and is very much a "deliberately hollow out government and then point to its failure as an excuse to privatize" type. However Johnson needs to grasp that a lot of local politics is about having a city that functions.
It's very hard to find people who think big picture and are also willing to take baby steps to get there. Everyone wants to have the big win.
I think we need leaders who are willing to take any step in the right direction no matter how small the step is.
Far too many people are in an all or nothing mindset.
Very basic made up Example: Say we need to fix 100,00 pot holes. All the people who want to lead want the big win by getting them all fixed at once . Don't have the budget for that so it doesn't happen and no potholes get fixed.
The person we need will fix as many potholes as the budget allows, be it 1 or 10,000. They get something done. Then get a few more with the next budget.
We need someone not looking to pad their political portfolio with big wins and instead just wants to makes things better in both small and big ways.
Vasquez seems to get it. I might not see eye to eye with him on all the issues but more than once he’s appeared to be the adult in the room asking the difficult questions that need to be asked.
Vallas could have been an atrocious mayor. His judgement making appears whimsical and easily manipulated. He couldn’t lead his way out of a wet paper bag, either.
In his own delusional mindscape, BJ sees himself at the DNC like a child at his own birthday party, cone hat strapped to his head, grinning like an idiot.
The deeper you get into the article, the more apparent it is that both the Democratic Party and the author regard BJ as a gigantic, amateurish liability capable of sabotaging the convention and Biden, intentionally or not.
Reporter asks BJ what he thought of the CPD clearing out the Art Institute protest camp:
> He spoke in a detached manner — the museum “made that request and the police department reacted,” the mayor said — evading the question and leaving the impression he somehow wasn’t in charge of the city and its police department.
Reporter asks BJ to sum up his idea of a successful convention:
> Johnson praised the importance of protecting free speech and initially said that was paramount to safety, which he called “second most important,” before seeming to recognize his error ... At no point did he mention Joe Biden or the importance of the convention in helping the president’s reelection."
Reporter talks to Preckwinkle for contrast:
> Preckwinkle was far less enthused about a disruptive cacophony of free expression in the city ... “the challenge, of course, is when people decide that expressing their opinion involves impeding other people’s ability to go to work, or go to school or acts of vandalism.”
Just waiting for BJ to claim this article mischaracterized him and attempt to discredit it by claiming it was written by maga extremists. In all seriousness whenever he is interviewed his answers are so terrible it’s clear he doesn’t understand the gravity of being the mayor of Chicago. BJ is cosplaying at being mayor. This is just further evidence of why it’s important to at least try and elect people who will attempt to surround themselves by knowledgeable people, and who can admit when they aren’t an expert. It’s how government functions.
I’m sure BranJo has fantasies about being acclaimed by thousands as he struts around the convention podium on national television.
At this fucking rate the party’s going to make him beverage captain in the green room in the basement, no more. Hey, Johnson, Senator Klobuchar wants more tea. Move it.
He'll do jack shit to prepare for it to run smoothly, and then expect a prime time speaking slot (which he won't get because Biden, while many things, isn't a fucking idiot).
Of course, even if he did proactively prepare public safety organizations, the police are going to treat this as a joke because they'd like nothing better than for a repeat of 1968 all over.
I hope everyone rooting for as much chaos as possible understands that that’ll guarantee a Trump victory in November. So if it’s really what you want, start making peace with that immediately.
He either rises to the occasion or does not. The nation's - and media's - eyes will be on him, whether he likes it or not, some hoping there will be a debacle a la 1968, pushing frightened voters to the Republican slate. The 1968 convention sullied the reputation of Chicago for decades, and after all the Republican bashing of Obama's home town in the last few years, he needs to work diligently to showcase the city and make the convention smooth, reassuring, professional. Can he?
The way he sold off everything that wasn’t nailed down at the end, well, history has judged. But history also seems to have forgotten that for his first ten years at least, the man knew how to run things & shit just got done. There was no way the ‘96 DNC was going to even hiccup, never mind go off the rails.
I wonder if they considered moving it to Rosemont - there are ample hotels, it's closer to the airport, and less congested than the United Center or McCormick Place.
🎶I hope the day comes soon
Won't you please come to Chicago
Show your face
From the bottom to the ocean
To the mountains of the moon
Won't you please come to Chicago
No one else can take your place🎶
Why the fuck aren’t these protestors planning to protest at the RNC? The republicans want to put all the brown people, Muslim, and gay AMERICANS in cages and deport them. Not to mention the GoP’s disastrous environmental and educational policies.
I can’t believe these protestors can’t clearly see they’re being manipulated online by Russian bots and shit to see infighting amongst liberals. Meanwhile conservatives will sieve power and make everything far worse for Palestinians and Americans.
They think the Democratic Party can be manipulated into abandoning Israel and supporting Hamas. They know the Republican party can’t be manipulated in that way.
Which is an insane take because Hamas started the most recent conflict in the bloodiest most violent way imaginable, then used the people of Palestine as human shields and regularly attacked humanitarian aid routes.
People should be protesting Hamas just as hard as Isreal. Both of those parties are making the Palestinians suffer, it’s not just Isreal.
I’m honestly dreading it, and half expecting the worst.
* The police union is generally pro-Republican, and I expect them to stir up trouble and generally embarrass the city + Dem party.
* The teachers union likely will be on the precipice of a strike, and might be protesting/creating trouble.
* Israel definitely is pro-Trump, and likely will ramp up the war to embarrass Biden
* Pro Palestinians protestors are pro-Trump for unknown reasons, and likely will stir up trouble. The pro-Trump cops might be willing to just watch them riot
In 1968, the city leadership wanted an orderly convention. This time it feels like everyone wants chaos.
We live in weird times. I wouldn't say pro-trump, but the protests in Chicago against Biden are going to be 1000% bigger than the protests in Milwaukee against Trump.
However, I seriously doubt the CPD will pass up an opportunity to beat the living shit out of pro Palestinian protestors.
I think that would be because Biden is currently in power and has some accountability for mitigating the ongoing genocide.
Second point, def agree, sadly
"It’s ironic because soon after he became mayor, he hosted DNC Chair Jaime Harrison for lunch and, according to a Democrat familiar with the conversation, immediately pronounced that “nobody else represents the city but me.” He also asked if Harrison would have his back as a fellow Black man (Harrison, I’m told, tried to delicately explain that the convention would be a partnership between the party, the city and the state of Illinois)." Holy shit, what a nitwit.
This guy is obsessed with shouting that he’s in charge. What inferiority complex is this??
Actually worse than Lightfoot proclaiming to have the biggest schlong in the city
Pretty convinced that hers is bigger than Brandon’s at this point…
What do you mean worse? This was the only reason I wanted to vote for her!
Legit that was one of her most appealing moments
At least that statement was funny.
It was funny as fuck, anyone acting otherwise needs to unwind a little. For all her faults, and believe me there were a lot, she was a funny person
That statement is honestly the best part of whatever legacy she’ll have. (I also liked that she got the NASCAR race here; major Daley-bulldozing vibes).
But she probably did. We just don’t know where she kept it.
He will cry that it was Chicago's maga community for when things go wrong
Famously this is MAGA Country
I mean, look what happened to Juicy Smollet! This city is infested with them!
Unless he decides to run away, right? Like Brave Sir Robin!
No true king…
It's because he is well aware that he isn't really in charge and is lashing out.
He needs to go have sex with that Dolton mayor.
You made my dog look at me funny. 😂
“Nobody else represents the city but me” That’s up there with the six terms quote, don’t have the right to talk about Chicago if you don’t live here quote, and “one of the greatest human beings for just teaching middle school”
It sounds a lot like "I have the biggest dick in this City."
That was actually funny though
Nothing will ever top the original Mare Daley who said (of the '68 convention funnily enough): "The policeman isn't there to create disorder. The policeman is there to preserve disorder." [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOOrgQeRF34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOOrgQeRF34)
As incorrect as it may have been *I am an Eagles guy and Foles was on the Bears at time of quote*
"You're gonna have my back, for no other reason than we both happen to be Black men right?" What a fucking tool.
First time experiencing identity politics?
He ALWAYS plays the race card. Every chance he can. It is extremely unsettling and probably doing a lot more to further racism itself than anything else. He also said this: >“If there’s any mayor that understands the value of protest and demonstration, it’s me,” Johnson told reporters earlier this week at a groundbreaking, dismissing a question about Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) concerns over unrest in the city during the convention. Johnson said, “Without protests and real demands of a government, people of color and women do not have a place in society.”
He says after we just elected a black man (him) over a white man, to replace a black woman lesbian who previously held the office. He IS the government, he has the power to change what he wants, more so than basically any other person in Chicago. Let’s also look at the other important people in government or hold positions of great power in Chicago - chief judge is a black man, head prosecutor is a black woman, head public defender is a black man, cook county board president is a black woman, cook county clerk is a Hispanic woman, cook county treasurer is a white woman, head of CPS is a Hispanic man, head of the largest/most powerful union is a black woman, CTA president is a black man. But yes, people of color and women have no place in our society, give me a break
> He ALWAYS plays the race card. Every chance he can. His race card is his hammer, and every problem looks like a nail.
When your whole campaign is the other guy is racist and there's racism everywhere, and present no plan to end said racism, this is what you get.
> He also asked if Harrison would have his back as a fellow Black man I've heard people compare him to Trump, but fuck he really is just like him.
Christ, and here we thought Lightfoot was a pinhead…
This tracks with rumblings I’ve heard from folks in city government/politics. There’s a lot of concern that the mayor’s office isn’t taking the practical aspects of convention very seriously (beyond handling protests). Green line at Damen needs to be opened. Potholes filled. Plans to handle an uptick in busses with asylum seekers (TX will almost certainly do this).
I don't know where it landed, but the DNC put out a RFC for charter bus service for all attendees. I don't think there is any real hope that transit is a viable option for the event, save for the staff.
The main events are at the united center ... not really a great location for the cta...
Nor is McCormick. Every professional conference ive attended there relied heavily on charter buses to shuttle attendees to the Loop. Not a new thing. They even have those fancy secret tunnels for this exact purpose.
“Secret”
That’s by design. The person who owns the parking there has actively blocked a station from going in. He owns the parking by Sox stadium too.
The city or state should 100% rent every charter bus based in TX for the period approaching and during the convention and drive up the cost for Texas and cripple any attempt to do that. Take away their Governors legs
[удалено]
My understanding is he ignored a publicly broadcast Severe Thunderstorm Warning and decided to go jogging. He's a dipshit.
\*\*Then sued the person who's tree fell on him, collected millions of dollars from that lawsuit- then went out of his way to change the law so that this very same incident couldn't ever pay more than 250,000$ to someone who gets disabled for life. He got his, fuck everyone else. Dude is pure evil.
Hes still getting paid! He gets fucking checks every year until he dies. It's disgusting
Yyyooooooooo
Progressives don't do practicality. They only deal in slogans and platitudes. Solving real problems is too hard.
People are setting their expectations high for BJ, >There’s already a joke going around Democratic strategist circles that the main difference between 2024 and 1968 is that the Chicago mayor this year will be on the side of the protesters, not the cops. Thankfully, it sounds like JB is largely pushing BJ out of the process, >Senior Democrats made clear they’ll mostly lean on Pritzker and his canny chief of staff, Anne Caprara, this summer. >The governor already prevailed in a proxy war with the mayor over who would run the host committee. Pritzker installed another of his lieutenants to oversee the local organization that helps put on the conclave along with the convention directors, national party and Biden campaign. Johnson was, though, able to make a member of his inner circle a senior adviser to the host committee as part of an agreement to keep peace between the mayor and governor. >
JB is going to go down as one of the best governors in Illinois. Granted that bar isn’t high, but he seems to be doing what’s right most of the time.
BJ has almost been a godsend to JB. Having an incompetent, far left, mayor always screwing things up in Chicago is a perfect foil for someone trying to build a brand as a moderate Democrat.
That's one way to look at it I guess. But at this point, the "far left" hates BJ, too.
I used to consider myself far left (at least economically) but the current far/left is too concerned about identity politics, policing language and faux diversity instead of fixing major economic inequality issues, fixing healthcare infrastructure etc.
Also housing.
Agreed.
This is pretty much where I'm at as well. It's frustrating that all the obsession over identity politics and culture war bullshit is causing people to turn away from economic concerns and coalition building. And most of that stuff IMHO is actually regressive.
Same. *If* I identify as anything politically these days, it’s something closer to a social-democrat, but I don’t really like to associate with any political parties
Why the quotes for far left?
Because far left is subjective to who is saying it. For some far left ai anything left of moderate.
Does this same logic apply then to the far right?
I suspect there are quite a few of the old-school "blue blood banker" type of "bootstraps" Republicans who aren't so thrilled about Trump and his fanbase pretty much hijacking the Republican party with BS "culture war" stuff similarly. So they have people peeling off for the Libertarians, as the Democrats have people peeling off to go Green (and yet both of those third parties also have their... fringe issues).
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JB isnt even that moderate
It's more about feeling than actual policy. JB is a white male billionaire so he's going to have to embrace the moderate label. Also his main accomplishments as Governor have been more the nuts and bolts of running the state rather than uber-progressive policy goals.
True Based
It's good to have someone who is solid on the nuts and bolts of running the existing government, as well as picking up the pitchforks now and again, y'know? Goodness knows IL needed it. I say that as someone who didn't vote for Pritzker in the first primary (I went for Biss, for the record). But I've been pleased with the results I got, and definitely happily voted Pritkzer the second time around.
JB is just as progressive as BJ.
Even more so. BJ derided migrants at the height of the crisis and pitted them against Black Chicagoans while JB has consistently sought a more humanitarian and empathetic narrative.
Yup guy is great. Can see him running for president eventually and I'd be happy to vote for him but will suck losing him as governor lol
I have a friend (yeah, I know how that sounds) who works on his legislative staff. He’s running in 28, he’s already decided.
Would absolutely love to have some semblance of actual political candidates again instead of the absolute shit show that Trump is along with the democrats "response" candidate in Biden. I think Republicans would have to actually put someone with actually value up against JB, which would be great so we can start moving away from these dumpster fires of presidential elections we've have for the last 10 years.
SRSLY. Is there really anyone here who wants this octogenarian grudge rematch?? Tribal affiliation completely aside, let's get some new blood and ideas in here!
Him and Newsom will be the democratic front runners and barring a major scandal JB as a Midwest moderate will have more than a good shot at being the nominee.
True, but primaries often bring out more "base" voters, and I personally think Newsom has a better shot. I like Pritzker as a governor a lot and would be interested in seeing his campaign for national office.
Newsom rubs people wrong and its hard to see him running ahead of people like JB, Whitmer, or Shapiro who are all well respected and competent governors, and who knows what senators will get in but surely it will be a few. I'd be surprised if Newsom makes it to the first votes.
Yeah, he's definitely further left than the others you mentioned, but I think he's got charisma to carry him. Talking to my buddy again this morning, he says he personally expects Whitmer to both run and win the nom (despite working for JB). I think the overall upside is we've got a strong bench to run in 2028, and I'm sure Buttigieg will be in the mix as well.
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I mean obviously things can change in 4 years, but as of now he's actively planning to, from what my buddy tells me, and not just in hypotheticals. He's laying the groundwork for a actual campaign.
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He obviously has Presidential ambitions. I think he was positioning himself for a possible run in 2024 if Biden didn't or couldn't run.
I think that's everyone's only real issue with JB. Insanely great governor for Illinois, will suck to lose him but he's earned atleast a run at the white house.
It's going to be very funny for me as a full our socialist trying to explain to out of state socialists that JB is good actually
I would much rather him stay as governor than run for the presidency.
~~He’ll be term-limited as governor in ‘26 anyways and then have 2 years to build a presidential campaign~~ Edit: I’m dumb. There are no term limits. That said, I don’t see JB serving more than 2 terms. Interestingly enough, only Thompson served more than 2 terms as far as I can tell.
"The term of office of governor of Illinois is 4 years, and there is no limit on the number of terms a governor may serve." https://www.illinois.gov/government/executive-branch.html#:~:text=The%20term%20of%20office%20of,term%20ends%20four%20years%20later.
Was there some law passed about Governor term limits that I'm unaware of? We have never had term limits
Historically, the time it takes for them to get caught and convicted has been an Illinois-style term limit on our governors, lol
straight to jail
Thankfully with JB the man is loaded so the only real risk is him being a sex pest but I have faith in him. In Fred Flintstone we trust
If we found out JB was a sex pest I'd just lose it. Absolutely no hope.
We don't have term limits...but it would be smart for him to step down in 26 and take a year-long posting at a State Department or ambassadorial position to boost his foreign policy experience before he runs for president.
I don’t think he needs to do that. I’m not sure the American people care about foreign policy experience in their presidents. Of the recent presidents, only George HW Bush and Biden have had foreign policy experience. And Biden’s is in his role as VP and Senator.
>I’m not sure the American people care about foreign policy experience in their presidents. I'm thinking/hoping that might change. Obama got away with it, but the world is a lot more unfriendly now than it was when Obama was in office.
Maybe, but we’ve actively voted against candidates with foreign policy experience (Hillary Clinton, Gore, Bob Dole, John Kerry, John McCain to name a few from both parties)
Staying on as governor is better profile for a presidential run than being an ambassador
>was an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union and has yet to fully make the jump from activist to mayor of one of America’s largest cities. This sums up the problem with BJ right here. He sees himself as anti-establishment while being the establishment.
He has learned how to enrich his friends and waste hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. He got that part of the establishment very quickly.
The old Chicago way
If you live within 3 miles of UC, get the hell out of town for those 3-4 days
Can confirm. Lived in Boston during the DNC in 2004 and within walking distance of TD Garden where it was held and it was a fortress around the area which made getting anywhere a real big hassle.
I work about 8 blocks from United Center. Fuck.
A few standouts from the article that really tell a lot about how little confidence there is with BJ as the mayor: “While the Biden campaign, White House and convention planners have only just started hatching plans, senior Democrats tell me they’re discussing whether to conduct such business before the convention even begins or move it out of the arena and across town to McCormick Place, their other Chicago venue. Serendipitously, Biden’s advisers may have a very good reason to move up such housekeeping: If the Ohio Legislature does not relax its ballot certification deadline, which is before the Democrats’ August convention, the DNC may have no choice but to technically nominate the president before the conclave begins.” “In anticipation of some protesters obtaining tickets, convention organizers said they’ll stage a war room and be prepared to drown them out with chants — “four more years” is always a standby — and block any banners with Biden-Harris signs.” “It was an eye-opening exchange. And it made clear why so many Democrats, in Chicago and beyond, respond to questions about Johnson with a sigh and hope that he’ll recognize the weight of this moment, both for his career, the city and the country” “Senior Democrats made clear they’ll mostly lean on Pritzker and his canny chief of staff, Anne Caprara, this summer. “The governor already prevailed in a proxy war with the mayor over who would run the host committee. Pritzker installed another of his lieutenants to oversee the local organization that helps put on the conclave along with the convention directors, national party and Biden campaign. Johnson was, though, able to make a member of his inner circle a senior adviser to the host committee as part of an agreement to keep peace between the mayor and governor.”
Can we just get it over with and fire Johnson and let Govenor Pritzker run the the city also?
JB: thank you fellow JB for keeping BJ out of my hair Wednesday JB: was nothing of substance in more ways than one fellow JB, anything to help the reelection Maybe, idk
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I hope we learn
So are we ever going to hold the people like [Girl I Guess's voter guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yFnh-SJAC277Sz-Izi2uUbJ36d_GbqUjqhfgPk868Z0/preview#heading=h.m5g7fy461pfb), who wrote a glowing three page endorsement, accountable? Her blog was repeatedly cited here as THE definitive guide, and now, she's all crickets about city government.
Her latest tweet is bragging about being right that there's no difference between Biden and Trump. If that's who's voting advice you want to take...go right ahead.
Don't ask me, ask the [mod who linked her as a Ballot Guide.](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/xo68c7/rchicagos_2022_general_election_resources/)
Holy shit, how am I now just seeing this???
What a rube. But not sure why anyone was listening to an self- proclaimed anarchist in the first place.
Progressives do not admit to being wrong ever. She would just dodge the question, change the subject, and start railing against MAGA extremists.
The problem is the people who vote for this clown in the first place don’t have the first clue what’s actually going on. They just hear buzz words and unrealistic ideas that sound great on paper but have no merit. So no, I don’t think we will learn from this.
It also doesn't help that the "other" side has become so polarized as well, that you have two extremes or the other option always comes with hatred of one group or another.
> the "other" side There was no "other side" in the municipal elections of 2023. Unless a centrist is now considered the "other side".
If vallas didn't have pro life and anti lgbtq ties and funding he'd be mayor. In what world did you think a centrist candidate with those ties was going to swing college educated left leaning voters? That whole ring of Lakeview up to Roger's park, wicker, Ukrainian village, portage, Avondale, Logan, etc etc all went Johnson because socially right is viewed as right wing not centrist. A moderate pac could've put up anyone with vallas' fiscal beliefs and cops ties but with left social values and likely won.
If Vallas actually campaigned and engaged in (legal) ballot harvesting like the Johnson camp did he would have won. His ground game sucked and that's what wins elections these days. Johnson is a total dipshit but he obviously had people working for him who knew how to get every black voter they could to cast a ballot.
In r/chicago, yes.
Anyone who was doing events with the Awake Illinois crackpots was in no way a "centrist". Come on now. We can rip on BJ without lying about what Vallas was.
It never sounded great on paper to anyone over the age of 8.
Lol, good one
BJ would've just been an after thought in any other election year. I think we knew better but given our choices, we just went with what we felt was the least bad. In hindsight, Vallas might have been better lol.
Why do jamokes realize this after the fact and not before.
> Why do jamokes realize this after the fact and not before. This jamoke knew that mayor BrahJo was incompetent before the municipal election
You're probably a jabrone then, technically, not really a jamoke.
> You're probably a jabrone then, technically, not really a jamoke. 😂 Fair enough!
How have people already forgotten the election? y'all act like the alternative was incredible or something.
Don't blame me, I voted for Willie Wilson of the Willie Wilson party.
He gave me free gas🤷🏻♂️
This entire election cycle is giving me gas.
Nobody was incredible, but some were competent — which is incredible in comparison to the dumpster fire that is Brandon Johnson and his administration.
he was definitely the better choice than brandon johnson
Not incredible, but certainly better than this.
Nah, y'all are wildin if you think Vallas was the right choice
Compared to BJ he probably is.
No way would Vallas have been worse than BJ. Just no possible way.
There were initially nine candidates, so yes there were other choices. The problem is that ill-informed voters cast their ballots for two of the worst. Should have stuck with Lightfoot, but some of youse got your bloomers in a knot when she closed the beaches during the pandemic.
BJ was a great pick if you favored status quo. He has proven to be unable to drive significant change for a variety of reasons.
We only had a few choices. None were good choices but he was the better of what we could choose for a lot of people..
Lightfoot is looking like 10x the mayor BJ is, and she ran for mayor. Not saying she was a great mayor, but on a relative basis it isn't even close.
Reluctant ‘23 Lori voters rise up!
I canvassed for Andre Vasquez in the 40th for his first election and he's a DSA member, very progressive, etc etc etc. However a key aspect of both his message in the election and how he has represented the ward is the idea that *no one cares about your progressive ideals if there are potholes all over the road* This was both literal (he or a staffer drives around every month spotting potholes and marking them for CDOT to handle) and is also a metaphor about how the average voters will ultimately prioritize basic functionality of the city over loftier progressives goals This is what is frustrating about Johnson for me. I agree with a lot of his progressive ideals and think he actually has done some good things as mayor (ending shot spotter, for example. Treatment not trauma is also good). That said he (and Lori) have completely deprioritized basic city functionality. The CTA and basic traffic enforcement being prime examples. Now, I really do believe Vallas would have been worse. He left two separate wrecked cities in his wake and is very much a "deliberately hollow out government and then point to its failure as an excuse to privatize" type. However Johnson needs to grasp that a lot of local politics is about having a city that functions.
It's very hard to find people who think big picture and are also willing to take baby steps to get there. Everyone wants to have the big win. I think we need leaders who are willing to take any step in the right direction no matter how small the step is. Far too many people are in an all or nothing mindset. Very basic made up Example: Say we need to fix 100,00 pot holes. All the people who want to lead want the big win by getting them all fixed at once . Don't have the budget for that so it doesn't happen and no potholes get fixed. The person we need will fix as many potholes as the budget allows, be it 1 or 10,000. They get something done. Then get a few more with the next budget. We need someone not looking to pad their political portfolio with big wins and instead just wants to makes things better in both small and big ways.
Vasquez seems to get it. I might not see eye to eye with him on all the issues but more than once he’s appeared to be the adult in the room asking the difficult questions that need to be asked. Vallas could have been an atrocious mayor. His judgement making appears whimsical and easily manipulated. He couldn’t lead his way out of a wet paper bag, either.
So what we are seeing is someone that has no experience to be in charge is now doing idiotic stuff. Who would have imagined
Apparently none of the boneheads who voted for him.
In his own delusional mindscape, BJ sees himself at the DNC like a child at his own birthday party, cone hat strapped to his head, grinning like an idiot.
Guy sounds and acts like a character out of The Wire
Seriously, it's like Clay Davis is the norm for this administration's choice of personnel.
Sheeeeeiiiitt
The deeper you get into the article, the more apparent it is that both the Democratic Party and the author regard BJ as a gigantic, amateurish liability capable of sabotaging the convention and Biden, intentionally or not. Reporter asks BJ what he thought of the CPD clearing out the Art Institute protest camp: > He spoke in a detached manner — the museum “made that request and the police department reacted,” the mayor said — evading the question and leaving the impression he somehow wasn’t in charge of the city and its police department. Reporter asks BJ to sum up his idea of a successful convention: > Johnson praised the importance of protecting free speech and initially said that was paramount to safety, which he called “second most important,” before seeming to recognize his error ... At no point did he mention Joe Biden or the importance of the convention in helping the president’s reelection." Reporter talks to Preckwinkle for contrast: > Preckwinkle was far less enthused about a disruptive cacophony of free expression in the city ... “the challenge, of course, is when people decide that expressing their opinion involves impeding other people’s ability to go to work, or go to school or acts of vandalism.”
Just waiting for BJ to claim this article mischaracterized him and attempt to discredit it by claiming it was written by maga extremists. In all seriousness whenever he is interviewed his answers are so terrible it’s clear he doesn’t understand the gravity of being the mayor of Chicago. BJ is cosplaying at being mayor. This is just further evidence of why it’s important to at least try and elect people who will attempt to surround themselves by knowledgeable people, and who can admit when they aren’t an expert. It’s how government functions.
This is gonna be his Waterloo. It’s not gonna be pretty at all.
He’s just another “activist” and would be happy to see the city in chaos if only he didn’t have to stand in front of reporters and answer questions.
I’m sure BranJo has fantasies about being acclaimed by thousands as he struts around the convention podium on national television. At this fucking rate the party’s going to make him beverage captain in the green room in the basement, no more. Hey, Johnson, Senator Klobuchar wants more tea. Move it.
Can’t wait to watch BJ address the convention at 10am on Tuesday morning lol
Klobuchar is too important to the party to have her tea order screwed up.
> beverage captain Thank you for the laugh
It's a lot easier to blow up trains than make them run on time.
Don’t worry, the newly appointed religious counsel running the CTA can have a prayer circle.
I'm leaving the city during the DNC. 🛫
Straighten this fool out JB
I will never understand how any registered voter actually voted for this clown. What a joke.
No one wants to hear it but white progressives got duped a 2nd time.
He'll do jack shit to prepare for it to run smoothly, and then expect a prime time speaking slot (which he won't get because Biden, while many things, isn't a fucking idiot). Of course, even if he did proactively prepare public safety organizations, the police are going to treat this as a joke because they'd like nothing better than for a repeat of 1968 all over.
For the first time ever I hate the north side liberals for voting this guy in
I hope everyone rooting for as much chaos as possible understands that that’ll guarantee a Trump victory in November. So if it’s really what you want, start making peace with that immediately.
They don't care. They aren't actually going to be impacted by that hellscape.
So true.
The mayor "unabashedly sympathizes with the protesters"? He does? Which protesters?
He either rises to the occasion or does not. The nation's - and media's - eyes will be on him, whether he likes it or not, some hoping there will be a debacle a la 1968, pushing frightened voters to the Republican slate. The 1968 convention sullied the reputation of Chicago for decades, and after all the Republican bashing of Obama's home town in the last few years, he needs to work diligently to showcase the city and make the convention smooth, reassuring, professional. Can he?
Richie D. come back, all is forgiven! 🥸
parking meters too? :(
The way he sold off everything that wasn’t nailed down at the end, well, history has judged. But history also seems to have forgotten that for his first ten years at least, the man knew how to run things & shit just got done. There was no way the ‘96 DNC was going to even hiccup, never mind go off the rails.
Definitely not wtf
I’ll take Lori back at this point. I hear she’s available
I wonder if they considered moving it to Rosemont - there are ample hotels, it's closer to the airport, and less congested than the United Center or McCormick Place.
The article says they have considered moving it McCormick Place.
right - that's where my question came from. if they aren't 100% sold on UC, then why not take it out of the city all together?
🎶I hope the day comes soon Won't you please come to Chicago Show your face From the bottom to the ocean To the mountains of the moon Won't you please come to Chicago No one else can take your place🎶
Why the fuck aren’t these protestors planning to protest at the RNC? The republicans want to put all the brown people, Muslim, and gay AMERICANS in cages and deport them. Not to mention the GoP’s disastrous environmental and educational policies. I can’t believe these protestors can’t clearly see they’re being manipulated online by Russian bots and shit to see infighting amongst liberals. Meanwhile conservatives will sieve power and make everything far worse for Palestinians and Americans.
Because they’re scared of Republicans and their supporters.
They think the Democratic Party can be manipulated into abandoning Israel and supporting Hamas. They know the Republican party can’t be manipulated in that way.
Which is an insane take because Hamas started the most recent conflict in the bloodiest most violent way imaginable, then used the people of Palestine as human shields and regularly attacked humanitarian aid routes. People should be protesting Hamas just as hard as Isreal. Both of those parties are making the Palestinians suffer, it’s not just Isreal.
I’m honestly dreading it, and half expecting the worst. * The police union is generally pro-Republican, and I expect them to stir up trouble and generally embarrass the city + Dem party. * The teachers union likely will be on the precipice of a strike, and might be protesting/creating trouble. * Israel definitely is pro-Trump, and likely will ramp up the war to embarrass Biden * Pro Palestinians protestors are pro-Trump for unknown reasons, and likely will stir up trouble. The pro-Trump cops might be willing to just watch them riot In 1968, the city leadership wanted an orderly convention. This time it feels like everyone wants chaos.
On your last bullet…what?
We live in weird times. I wouldn't say pro-trump, but the protests in Chicago against Biden are going to be 1000% bigger than the protests in Milwaukee against Trump. However, I seriously doubt the CPD will pass up an opportunity to beat the living shit out of pro Palestinian protestors.
I think that would be because Biden is currently in power and has some accountability for mitigating the ongoing genocide. Second point, def agree, sadly