Welcome to the 2,000th edition of Chicago Public Square. Determining precisely when that would appear has been more art than science, but we’re counting this as No. 1—and not trial runs and explainers like this and this and this and this. Read on for some of the ways we’re marking the occasion.
■ First—because otherwise this wouldn’t count as No. 2,000—the news:
‘I don’t even know what to do with this crap.’ Stephen Colbert last night dissected—maybe disemboweled would be better—CBS’ claim that it hadn’t blocked his interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.
■ In the end, he took a copy of the network’s statement, wrapped it in a doggie poop bag and tossed it away.
■ Variety: Colbert’s unaired Talarico interview has hit 5.3 million YouTube views, raising $2.5 million for Talarico’s campaign in 24 hours.
■ Ex-ABC reporter Terry Moran: “The government did not censor Stephen Colbert. … Not only did CBS executives cave. They volunteered to cave.”
■ Chicago-born journalist and friend of Colbert Jonathan Alter: “I’ve learned Trump will kill Netflix’s bid for Warner and help Paramount win, giving him control of Fox, CBS, CNN and TikTok. But as Colbert showed, we can fight back.”
■ LateNighter notes that Colbert has late night all to himself this week.
■ Popular Information: Trump loyalist and Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr “has weaponized the FCC.”
‘Tricia McLaughlin … cast Renee Good and Alex Pretti as domestic terrorists before their bodies were even cold.’ Investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein marks the resignation of Homeland Security’s chief dissembler …
■ … as ICE moves toward a plan to track “Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.”
■ 404 Media: Leaked email suggests Amazon-owned Ring plans to expand its “Search Party” surveillance beyond dogs.
‘In the resistance, we drive minivans.’ Author Will McGrath writes from Minneapolis.
■ The Bulwark: “We’re all Minnesotans now.”
■ Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch (gift link) on a South Jersey guy who’s become the face of ICE resistance: “Zobel’s raw emotion, choking back tears as he said, ‘I watched fourth- and fifth-grade kids run away from our own government,’ soon ignited across social media … watched an astronomical 2.9 million times on TikTok.”
■ Chicago-area clergy have won a judge’s clearance to enter the Broadview immigration facility today for services marking the start of Lent with detainees.
■ March 28 in Grant Park brings another “No Kings” march/music/rally event to Grant Park.
The state of The State of the State. Politico’s Shia Kapos previews Gov. Pritzker’s annual address today in Springfield.
■ Watch live at noon here.
‘The dilemma of Rev. Jackson.’ Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg, reviewing Jesse Jackson’s complex legacy: “He was a human being with flaws … but he engaged with that society all his life, never quit and succeeded far more than most.”
■ Axios counts off some of Jackson’s most prominent boycotts in Chicago.
■ The New York Times recalls that time Jackson visited Sesame Street (gift link).
Scorecards, get your scorecards. The Times is tracking who has resigned, is being investigated or is facing other repercussions from the Epstein files.
■ Congressional Democrats have traveled to Ohio today for a closed-door deposition from the guy who funded many of Jeffrey Epstein’s exploits, billionaire and Victoria’s Secret founder (surprised?) Les Wexner.
■ A United Nations Human Rights Council panel has concluded that Epstein’s operation may have committed “crimes against humanity.”
50s things. Calling on journalists to “stop laughing off this dangerous situation,” Stop the Presses columnist Mark Jacob counts off “50 ways Trump is out of his mind.”
■ Chicago magazine runs down “The 50 Most Powerful Chicagoans.”
Where have all the judicial candidates gone? Injustice Watch notes that, “for the second straight primary season, more than half the races for Cook County circuit judge on the March 17 ballot are uncontested.”
■ Law Dork Chris Geidner: The Supreme Court’s changed the rules for bringing cases to the court “because John Roberts won’t sell his stocks.”
■ Columnist and former U.S. Rep. Marie Newman sees reasons to be cheerful: “Judges are bringing it. … We are seeing a visible pattern of supporting the Constitution by lower-level and some upper-court judges.”
■ Ready to cast your ballot? The Chicago Public Square Voter Guide Guide is here.
‘Red flag warning.’ The Chicago area’s under a fire weather watch today.
■ A massive fire broke out last night in an unoccupied Oak Park apartment building.
Measles is here. Illinois has reported its first case of the year—much earlier than last year’s first case.
■ Your Local Epidemiologist: “Measles isn’t slowing down.”
Avoid ‘surveillance pricing’ ripoffs. Advisorator Jared Newman offers tips for not getting charged more based on what a retailer knows about things like your location, device usage, income and purchase history.
■ Ikea’s opening another Chicago-area store.
Have you been paying attention? Let’s revisit the highlights and lowlights of Square’s 2,000-edition run with a commemorative 25-question quiz.
■ The first three readers to register perfect scores—enter your email address at the end—will get a free, newly redesigned limited-edition Square cap.
Through February, we’re marking this occasion in a few other ways.
■ Enhanced perks: A hoodie or T-shirt (your choice) for those who commit to supporting Square for as little as $1/week—which is to say $52/year.
■ Overdue recognition for those whose continuing payments have kept this service going: If you’ve contributed a total of at least $100 or more over the years (a nickel for each of those 2,000 editions!) and never gotten Square swag, drop a note to 2000@chicagopublicsquare.com and get a shirt.
■ Regardless of whether you’ve helped fund this newsletter, please know that your attention is itself a gift. Thank you.
■ Mike Braden made this edition better.