‘I need the kind of generals that Hitler had.’ The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg attributes those words to Donald Trump, whose “preoccupation with dictators, and his disdain for the American military, is deepening.”
■ Talking Points Memo: That makes it now “two of the military men that Trump disparaged as ‘my generals’ publicly denouncing him as a fascistic threat to the rule of law.”
■ Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch, who witnessed Trump’s infamous Saturday celebration of Arnold Palmer’s genitalia: “Trump voters … have something in common with you: They are also incredibly anxious about Nov. 5.”
■ The Onion: “Both Campaigns Release Ads Showcasing Trump’s Most Racist Comments.” (Cartoon: Jack Ohman.)
‘An embarrassing failure.’ Slamming media coverage of Trump over the last decade, columnist and former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan calls on every news organization to correct those errors by conveying that “Trump is a danger … and that the prospect of a radical, but much younger, President Vance is very real.”
■ Press Watch proprietor Dan Froomkin: If Trump wins, blame the Times.
‘Poor Rudy. And I’m not expressing empathy by the way, I’m saying Rudy is literally poor now.’ The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta reacts to news that Trump henchman Rudy Giuliani’s under orders to turn over his New York City apartment, sports memorabilia, dozens of luxury watches and a 1980 Mercedes to a mother-and-daughter team of Georgia election workers he defamed—leading to death threats against them.
■ Trump niece Mary L. Trump: “It’s gratifying that Giuliani is going to lose every … material thing he has, especially since so much of what he has acquired is the result of grift.”
It coulda been a debate. But because Trump refused to show, CNN hosts a “town hall” session with Vice President Harris tonight at 8 p.m. Central.
■ Historian Heather Cox Richardson details “stark differences” between the futures Harris and Trump propose for the U.S. economy.
■ Stephen Robinson at Public Notice: “A major reason that Harris isn’t ‘running away with this’ is because an overwhelming majority of white voters don’t find Trump’s malicious nature and fundamental unfitness disqualifying.”
■ Pod Save America co-host Dan Pfeiffer offers Democrats four reasons to be cheerful, including: Harris has “a (slightly) easier path” to Electoral College victory.
Voting records falling. Close to 20 million people nationwide have already cast their ballots for next month’s election …
■ … and Illinois, where early voting opportunities just expanded this week, is looking to break records this year.
■ Ready to punch your ticket? The Chicago Public Square Voter Guide Guide’s here.
McDanger. An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states—killing one and hospitalizing at least 10.
■ An updating map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed none of those cases in Illinois as of Chicago Public Square’s dispatch deadline.
■ Tribune columnist Laura Washington is incredulous: “McDonald’s-loving Donald Trump is going to ‘Make America Healthy Again’? Sure.”
■ McDonald’s has disavowed Trump’s campaign stunt at one of its restaurants, but that didn’t keep people from flooding Yelp with negative reviews of that establishment.
■ Jimmy Fallon, showing a photo of McDonald’s “99 Billion Served” sign: “McDonald’s won’t endorse Trump but they are willing to keep track of all his lawsuits.”
■ VP candidate Tim Walz, campaigning in Madison, Wisconsin, yesterday with ex-President Obama: “There’s something … cruel about a billionaire using people’s livelihood as a political prop.”
■ Also: He called Elon Musk a dipshit.
Rats! For the 10th straight year, Chicago tops the Orkin pest control company’s list of the nation’s rattiest cities.
‘Know what’s a great motivator for dieting? The prospect of going blind.’ Acknowledging that “nobody wants to hear an ill person prattle on endlessly about his sickness,” columnist Neil Steinberg nevertheless continues to discuss his new diagnosis—because, after all, “I managed to write a three-part series on picking up after dogs in 2021.”
■ Breast cancer diagnoses are on the rise among women under 50.
Mail call. The Illinois state treasurer’s office has sent close to 140,000 people checks for unclaimed property—including things like abandoned savings accounts, uncashed payroll and refund checks, insurance payments and utility deposits.
■ Check here to see if there’s anything waiting for you.
Are you a Public Square? Prove it by wearing a brand-new Chicago Public Square T-shirt or hoodie …
■ … by nominating Square in the Reader’s Best of Chicago awards …
■ … or by contributing as little as $1, once, to help keep this service coming.
A Square public service announcement
ART FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. A Friday night reception celebrates the power of cartoon and animation—including three artists whose work has illustrated Chicago Public Square over the years: Jonathan Franklin, Kathy Hirsh and the late Keith J. Taylor: Friday, 7-9 p.m. at the Oak Park Art League.
(Cartoon: Keith J. Taylor.)