Chicago Public Square’s taking a few days off. We’ll be back next Wednesday, in time for the climax of the Democratic National Convention.
■ But, of course, you’ll find the weekly news quiz in your inbox this Friday as usual.
■ And you can always catch breaking news and perspective on the Square Facebook page. (No Facebook membership required.)
■ Now the news:
‘Chicago just called his bluff.’ The American Prospect’s Rick Perlstein says Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s threat to inundate the city with migrants ahead of the convention seems not to have worked, because, as “startled NASCAR fans learned in Chicago: They’re not so scary after all. Maybe they’re the best people we could possibly welcome.”
■ The Associated Press: Vice President Harris’ work on immigration suggests the approach she might take as president.
■ David Lurie at Public Notice celebrates her “joyful realism.”
■ The Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet reviews Harris’ many Chicago ties.
‘Taking pandering to new depths.’ A Tribune editorial is taken aback by Harris’ promise to end federal income taxes on tips.
■ Politico: Her decision marks “the rare elevation in a nationalized political climate of an issue focused heavily on one state.”
■ Axios: She plans “to unapologetically change some of her more liberal positions and claim her White House experience helped change her mind.”
■ Columnist Todd Beeton: “Harris is taking Donald Trump’s weaknesses and turning them into strengths for Democrats.”
‘More experience marching with protesters than trying to contain them.’ Axios Chicago surveys the challenges Mayor Johnson faces in trying “to strike a delicate balance between embracing protests and controlling them” during convention week.
■ Setting the stage for an appeal, a federal judge has signed off on the city’s limits for groups aiming next week to protest the Israel-Hamas war.
■ TV icon Bill Kurtis reflects on his coverage of the police riot during the 1968 convention: “An indelible wound on the city’s reputation.”
‘Elon Musk sure is good at making right-wing politicians look stupid.’ USA Today’s Rex Huppke reflects on Trump’s “unmitigated disaster” of a sit-down with the Twitter X overlord.
■ Heated’s Emily Atkin finds Trump and Musk “told some pretty serious tall tales about climate change.”
■ Time senior correspondent Philip Elliott: The show demonstrated that Trump doesn’t know how to run against Harris.
■ The Daily Show’s Desi Lydic on Trump’s concession to Musk that he finds Harris attractive: “He’ll lie about winning an election, but he has deep respect for the sanctity of bangability.”
■ More than 70,000 people reportedly joined last night’s “Republicans for Harris” call.
■ Know a sucker who thinks video of Harris’ rally crowds has been generated by artificial intelligence? Share this. (Cartoon: Jack Ohman.)
■ Satirist Andy Borowitz: “Trump Confuses Helicopter Crash With His Campaign.”
‘Together they seem to be driving him a bit mad.’ Ex-Illinois Republican Rep. turned Trump antagonist Adam Kinzinger sees two challenges for Trump: “First, age. …Second, he faces an opponent in Harris whose rising star power makes him feel bad.”
■ Popular Information explores “Trump’s infatuation with a racist conspiracy.”
■ Everyone Is Entitled to My Own Opinion columnist Jeff Tiedrich: “Very little about this ‘Trump got hacked’ story makes one lick of sense.”
‘Politicians and the women they can’t control.’ Columnist Lyz Lenz ponders the question “Why does JD Vance hate single women?”
■ But Trump niece Mary L. Trump grudgingly sees Vance as “the stronger part of the Republican ticket.”
■ Veteran Will Selber at The Bulwark: Six things to know about the “stolen valor” claims against Harris running mate Tim Walz.
Libs’ Wisconsin win. Voters yesterday rejected Republican-written referenda that would have limited the (Democratic) governor’s power to speed the spending of federal cash for things like disaster relief.
■ Minnesota’s primary results included a win for progressive Rep. Ilhan Omar—dodging the fates of two of her fellow “Squad” members.
Tax relief. The Sun-Times offers a guide on how to appeal a Cook County property tax assessment.
■ Here’s where to start.
Do Not Drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s issued that rare warning to the owners of more than 475,000 older Fords and Mazdas whose airbag inflators can kill or severely injure people.
■ An electrical vault fire early today prompted evacuation of the Soho House hotel in the West Loop.
Snacktime. Candy company Mars is buying Chicago-based Kellanova—the Kellogg’s spinoff that sells Pringle’s, Pop-Tarts and Rice Krispies Treats.
■ The Kellanova HQ will reportedly stay in Chicago.
‘Creepy.’ Wired’s Reece Rogers took ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode for a spin.
■ 404 Media goes “Inside the FBI’s dashboard for wiretapping the world.”
■ Google’s new stuff: Four phones, a watch and more.
‘Cable TV is now roadkill.’ The Hollywood Reporter suggests cable channels are “the new newspapers: Targets for investment funds looking to milk cash out of them for as long as possible.”
■ Wonkette’s Evan Hurst mocks New York Times reporting: “Trump fans? Not on the Kamala train! Not even one at this whole entire Trump rally!”
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■ Media critic Jeff Jarvis takes issue with his colleague Margaret Sullivan’s assertion that Kamala Harris must speak to the press more: “What I most want to see Harris and Walz do is bypass old, white mass media (run by people who look like me).”
■ Mike Braden made this edition better.