‘A no-brainer in every sense.’ That’s Jimmy Kimmel, among a chorus of late-night hosts weighing in on Time’s selection of Donald Trump as its Person of the Year.
■ Jimmy Fallon: “Trump is the first man in history to be Time’s Person of the Year and McDonald’s Employee of the Month.”
■ The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta was struck by Time editor Sam Jacobs’ lack of enthusiasm while making the announcement: “That’s how I act when my sister gives me scented lotion for Christmas.”
‘It’ll be brutal.’ Rolling Stone previews Trump 2.0’s war on the press: “More media subpoenas, communications seizures, whistleblower prosecutions and legal threats against news outlets.”
■ Poynter’s Tom Jones: Trump’s pick to lead the Voice of America news agency is “bizarre.”
■ ProPublica: “Trump controls a publicly traded company. Now he will pick its regulator.”
■ The Bulwark: “Trump paid lip service to conflict-of-interest ethics arrangements the first time around. So far this time, he’s not even doing that.”
■ Columnist Jeff Tiedrich: Trump “admits he can’t do shit about lowering prices.”
■ Public Notice: “A toxic brew of money and threats is perverting the courts.”
■ Columnist Lyz Lenz’s Dingus of the Week: Anyone who bought Hawk Tuah girl’s memecoin.
Hello, polio. The New York Times: “The lawyer helping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pick federal health officials for the incoming Trump administration has petitioned the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine, which for decades has protected millions of people from … paralysis or death.”
■ Also from the Times: Trump’s choice as his adviser on the Middle East—daughter Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law—is not a billionaire dealmaker but a small-time truck salesman.
■ “Well,” Gary Legum observes at Wonkette, “they say little girls always marry their dads.”
‘She is threatening to sue media outlets that don’t report the true gravity of the murderous transgender handshake attack that left her in a full-body cast this week, completely disfigured for life, and also dead.’ That’s Wonkette’s Evan Hurst, mocking South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace’s complaint about a Chicago man charged with misdemeanor assault.
■ He’s pleaded not guilty.
The case against him. CBS News recaps what we know about 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.
■ Guardian columnist Peter Rothpletz: “Mangione is … a highly educated, heterodox, politically homeless moderate—and that fact should terrify us all.”
■ The company confirms he wasn’t one of its clients.
■ Homemade gun experts have some thoughts on the killer’s weapon.
■ ProPublica: UnitedHealth has been strategically limiting access to critical treatment for kids with autism.
‘A vote he was destined to lose.’ That’s the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman on Mayor Johnson’s decision to call off a City Council decision today on his proposed 2025 budget.
■ That followed a Tribune editorial warning council members not to support a “bloated,” “reckless” spending plan.
■ WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell: “As Mayor Johnson struggles to balance Chicago’s budget, he’s reserving millions for cops who’ll never be hired.”
‘How did we miss this?’A veteran bar association evaluator of judicial candidates is baffled by Injustice Watch’s revelation of charges that, as a solo law practitioner in the 1990s, an influential Cook County judge took advantage of his elderly clients.
■ The judge narrowly won retention in November, despite an ongoing investigation by a state disciplinary board (November link).
‘Go 8 for 8 and declare yourself dictator of the news!’ That’s past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel, inviting you to take this week’s news quiz.
■ Your Chicago Public Square columnist scored just 8/10 6/8—despite using a calculator to answer one … which he still got wrong. ✅✅✅✅✅❌❌✅
■ Feeling lucky? Applications are open now through Dec. 27 for the first Cook County marriage of 2025 …
■ … with bonus gifts for the winning couple.
TV’s rising cost. YouTube TV’s raising the price of its cable alternative by $10 a month.
■ Cord Cutter Weekly rounds up ways to save money—including free trials—on streaming services including Paramount+, Hulu, Apple TV+ and more.
■ Critic Siddhartha Mahanta: Saturday Night Live has become “comfort food for powerless liberals.”
Apple updates. This weekend might be an apt time to play around with new artificial intelligence features in free operating system revisions for Macintosh computers, iPhones and more.
■ 404 Media: “YouTube ‘Enhances’ Comment Section With AI Slop.”
You almost didn’t make it, Charlie Brown. A University of Southern California professor expert in the Peanuts franchise explains how the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas barely made it to air in 1965.
■ Time salutes TV’s 20 best Christmas episodes since 1963.
Look up. Look way up. One of the biggest meteor showers of the year, the Geminids, peaks tonight—and Chicagoans might be able to catch a glimpse.
■ Odds are against a white Christmas here.
Square’s happy to be back after a couple of days off. If you followed Square on Bluesky through the interim, you’ll have seen breaking news and commentary including these items:
■ Jeff Tiedrich: “Dark Brandon just granted clemency to 1,500 Americans” …
■ … including an infamous official from an Illinois town …
■ … and the ex-CEO of a Chicago suburb.
■ Columnist Eric Zorn: “Outsiders don't get to tell us our mayor and governor suck.”
■ You get to vote on 10 potential new designs for Illinois’ state flag.
■ Bloomberg: “IBM Gives Chicago’s Quantum Campus a Boost With New Investment.”
■ At last, reason to use this 1961 comic book cover: Albertson’s, parent of Jewel, is suing Kroger, owner of Mariano’s, over their failed merger:
■ Judge to The Onion: Not so fast.
■ The owner of Chicago’s WGN-TV and Radio plans to cut 2% of its workforce.
■ Dan Froomkin at Press Watch: “The commercial news industry is incapable of fulfilling its constitutional duties.”
■ Journalists are fighting digital decay: “Physical deterioration, outdated formats, publications disappearing and the relentless advance of technology leave archives vulnerable.”
■ Media strategist and former WXRT DJ Ryan Arnold warns that a bill before Congress poses “alarming challenges for nonprofits in the music, arts and education sectors.”
■ 81 House Democrats—including one from Illinois—voted to yank care from the trans kids of service members.
■ Evan Hurst at Wonkette: “Is FBI Director Chris Wray A Coward For Resigning, Or Did He Just Stick His Dick In Trump's Eye?”
■ Pay to prey … on the environment: “Trump promises expedited permits for $1 billion U.S. investment.”
■ Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos’s Amazon plans a $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund.
■ Facebook’s parent company’s doing it, too. (One reason Square’s shifting its social media focus to Bluesky.)
■ Make any contribution to support Square—even just $1, once—and get $5 off your purchase.
■ Make it at least $25/month or $250/year (about a buck an issue) and get one free.
Vote for the holidays. Time’s running out to cast your ballot—for Square or not—in the Reader’s Best of Chicago poll.
■ Walter Fyk, Mike Braden, Michael Weiland and Mike Gold made this edition better.
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