‘Three bold reforms.’ President Biden’s issued a sweeping blueprint for fixing the U.S. Supreme Court …
■ … including term limits and ethics rules.
■ He planned to speak about those changes today in a Texas address marking the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
■ Law professor Joyce Vance hails “good news”: A key step by Biden toward the ouster of Trump’s monkey wrench of a postmaster general.
‘Bringing people together, so they will all have something in common! They can all bond over never voting again.’ Wonkette’s Marcie Jones marvels at Donald Trump’s pledge to regressive religious types.
■ TV star Morgan Fairchild on Twitter X: “What if I want to vote again?” (Cartoon: Kathy Hirsh.)
■ Former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan: “I fervently wish that the news media would take Trump seriously when it comes to his apparent scorn for voting.”
■ Media watchdog and veteran Chicago newspaper editor Mark Jacob: Journalists should “cover Trump like they cover hurricanes. When hurricanes approach, news outlets warn people. They don’t think, ‘We told them about hurricanes last year.’”
■ Poynter’s Tom Jones offers a few words of praise for the Times and The Washington Post.
99 days. That’s the countdown to what The Associated Press calls an election transformed by Kamala Harris’ record-smashing candidacy for the presidency.
■ The only member of Congress who’s worked for Harris: “I saw … someone who is not for sale.”
■ Following record-breaking Zoom sessions assembling Black women, Black men and white women, the campaign tonight hosts a “White Dudes for Harris” call.
JD Vance, women and children. Popular Information serves up “a comprehensive guide” to Vance’s opinions of Americans who do not have kids.
■ Columnist Charlie Madigan: “He views women as breeders whose sole purpose should be living the kitchen life to raise the offspring. If they don’t do that, our nation will be overrun by those who still breed a lot, like immigrants.”■ The Post’s Jennifer Rubin: “If you wanted to design a presidential ticket most likely to offend women … you would find someone who has implied women should stay in abusive relationships.”
■ Satirist Andy Borowitz: “Vance Struggles to Explain Why Sad Childless Woman is Always Laughing.”
■ Law Dork Chris Geidner: “Vance is a model of the empty vessel that Trump himself proved to be.”
‘No one asked.’ West Side residents tell the Tribune that Chicago city officials and Democratic Party organizers failed to inform neighbors about just how much next month’s convention will disrupt their lives.
■ Oh, but media types are abuzz about plans for a not-open-to-the-public restaurant where food and drink will be free for reporters, politicians and other convention-goers: The CNN-Politico Grill.
■ Showing tonight at the Music Box Theatre: A new print of Medium Cool, a scripted 1969 movie set against real footage of the protests and police riots that shook the city during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
■ Chicago’s weekend shooting toll includes seven teenagers and a 3-month-old boy.
Who needs a booster? In the face of a summer surge, Bloomberg updates counsel on who should be getting a fresh COVID-19 shot.
■ Wired: “You’re probably using your air purifier wrong.”
‘One of the more chilling aspects of our digital world.’ Columnist Neil Steinberg last week found that Google’s Blogger platform—the same one underpinning Chicago Public Square—had suddenly and without explanation wiped out his Every goddamn day blog.
■ But then it came back, and you can get it directly via email by clicking this link.
Here ends the latest roll call of Square supporters—for now. Thanks to Cindy Homan, James Madigan, Susan Benloucif (again!) and Patty Martin (again!) for helping underwrite the cost of producing and distributing this newsletter …
■ … but you can of course contribute anytime—even just $1, once—and see your name added quickly to the Legion of Chicago Public Squarians page.
You’re welcome nevertheless. If you’re a longtime reader who got an unexpected “Welcome to Chicago Public Square” email over the weekend, please know it went out in error.
■ Walter Fyk made this edition better.