Welcome back. While you were—we hope—taking it easy this weekend, the Chicago Public Square account on Bluesky was pumping out breaking news and commentary. A sample:
■ The Handbasket: “Officer repeatedly seen on camera in D.C. crackdown shows Trump agents … are out for blood.”
■ Pulitzer winner Gene Weingarten’s Dispatch From an Occupied City: “If you are Hispanic with a menial service job, you are in jeopardy of mistreatment whatever your immigration status.”
■ Columnist Jeff Tiedrich, keeping score: “Illinois governor, hero. Puppy assassin, zero.”
■ Also from Tiedrich: “In the city of the big shoulders, Mayor Johnson’s are fucking huge right now.”
■ Journalism watchdog Margaret Sullivan: “Don’t be a ‘political hobbyist.’ Here’s how to harness your power.”
But now, onward:
‘Is Trump dead?’ Noting that searches for that phrase soared on Google over the weekend, columnist and former Politico editor Garrett Graff offers six questions worth asking about the president’s health.
■ Bill Kristol at The Bulwark: “I don’t know if Donald Trump has a personal health problem. But I’m confident he has a political health care problem.”
■ Tiedrich again: “The press continues to ignore Dear Leader’s obvious decline.”
■ Pediatrician, immunologist and columnist Zachary Rubin: “The CDC is unraveling. Where do we go from here?”
■ The president says he’ll give his hapless sycophant ex-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani—who was injured in a car crash over the weekend—the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Good News, Bad News Dept. The National Weather Service is hiring hundreds of meteorologists to replace those cut by Elon Musk’s abortive “Department of Government Efficiency” …
■ … but its job posting asks applicants to explain how they support Donald Trump.
■ David Dayen at The American Prospect: “The country is rapidly devolving into rule by an unpopular despot. The Democrats who blind themselves to this are causing great harm.”
■ Popular Information dissects Trump’s latest leverage of his public office for personal financial gain: After a tepid first day of trading for his World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency token, his stockpile emerged with a paper value of over $3.4 billion.
‘The desperate flailing of a failing autocrat.’ In a full-page newspaper ad open letter, dozens of Chicago’s faith leaders tell Trump “We are not afraid of your troops.”
■ Mayor Johnson yesterday led hundreds in a chant at a Labor Day rally: “No federal troops in the city of Chicago!”
■ The mayor’s signed an executive order calling on Trump to “stand down from any attempts to deploy the U.S. Armed Forces … to Chicago” …
■ … but Johnson says he expects the feds to arrive Friday …
■ … significant timing, just ahead of Mexican Independence Day weekend.
■ Developing coverage: A federal judge says Trump’s dispatch of the National Guard to the Los Angeles area is illegal.
■ Gov. Pritzker planned a news conference at 3 p.m. to update the situation …
■ … and you can watch live online here.
■ Chicago police report at least nine dead and 52 wounded over the holiday weekend—topping the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends.
■ The Sun-Times and WBEZ report that 22 new Chicago speed cameras contributed to a recent record number of tickets issued in June.
‘Thank you, dear President Forever Trump, for forgoing stereotypes tied to my age group and demanding we stand in an endless line like younger folks.’ Columnist Elaine Soloway, 87, mockingly complains that she’s “had it up to here (I’m only 4'8") with fellow oldsters who are condemning your latest brilliant command to cease mail-in voting.”
■ The Democracy Defenders Fund pledges to sue if he does it.
‘Taste elevation.’ That’s the mission of one of the two divisions into which Kraft Heinz is splitting—the one that’ll include ketchup, of course.
■ It says it’ll keep its current HQs in Chicago and Pittsburgh.
■ The AP: McDonald’s price cuts could signal a fast-food price war.
‘Note to self: Next time TV asks, just say no.’ Columnist Neil Steinberg shares his harrowing experience as CNN tried to talk him into appearing on a show at 4 a.m.
■ Ending long summer breaks, hosts Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmys Kimmel and Fallon return to the late-night airwaves this evening—Colbert for the start of what stands to be his final season at The Late Show.
‘When I make news, I wear a Chicago Public Square hat doing it!’ Square reader and supporter Joe Hass was out protesting Friday—sporting his Squarewear—when ABC7 Chicago rolled up to cover the scene …
■ … and that prompted Elaine Soloway to ask, “How does one purchase such understated but handsome headwear?” …
■ … the answer to which is: Nowhere, except maybe at an estate sale …
■ … because that promotion has ended and those are all gone …
■ … but that prompted some thought about whether they should come back …
■ … and that prompted creation of this one-question survey, which maybe you’ll kindly take?