| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | | Presented by |  | | | Good Thursday morning, Illinois. Don't mind today's rain. Sun is in store for the weekend.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
President Joe Biden is greeted by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in Chicago on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. | Evan Vucci/AP | IN THE LOOP: President Joe Biden returned Wednesday to the friendly confines of Chicago, where he was greeted by about 80 big-dollar donors gathered at the Palmer House Hilton (It’s where the brownie was created,). Old friends embraced Biden at every turn: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle hugged him at the Soldier Field helicopter landing pad, and Clayco CEO Bob Clark introduced him to the donor crowd. Biden and Clark go way back. Clark took an 18-month sabbatical to travel on the campaign trail with Barack Obama, in part because he so supported the Affordable Care Act. So, it was no surprise that Biden would reference the ACA during his speech. The president issued a warning, saying Donld Trump would do whatever he could to overturn the ACA, a statute that irks Trump because Obama signed it into law. "He can't stand the idea of associating himself with anything that has to do with Barack,” Biden said to the crowd that holds Obama dear. Biden’s speech packed a punch: He ticked off his accomplishments and took swings at Trump. And he offered some assurances about November. “The momentum is truly on our side,” Biden said, downplaying poll numbers that might show otherwise. "The truth is, I don't think any of the polls matter very much this early. It's hard to get a good poll these days," given it’s hard to get people on the phone. By the numbers: Biden said 97 percent of his donors gave less than $200, an indication of regular-Joe support from the middle class. Big donations still matter: The event raised more than $2 million, according to the Sun-Times’ Kade Heather, Isabel Funk and Lynn Sweet. … Chicago has become a reliable ATM for Biden’s presidential campaign, reports the Tribune’s Rick Pearson. In the room: Clayco CEO Russ Burns, Parkside Realty’s Bob Wislow and Susan Wislow, Wind Capital Group’s Tom Carnahan, Clayco Chief Growth Officer Michael Fassnacht, SPAAN Tech CEO Smita Shah, The Prime Group’s Michael Reschke and Lee "Rosy" Rosenberg, a noted entrepreneur and adviser to Gov. JB Pritzker, who was in Springfield Wednesday, as was Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Biden didn’t talk about war in the Middle East or the pro-Palestinian protesters outside of the Palmer House using bullhorns to criticize to criticize his administration. … But earlier in the day, the president addressed the issue head-on in an interview with CNN: Biden said the U.S. will cut off offensive weapons to Israel ‘if they go into Rafah,’ by POLITICO’s Jonathan Lemire and Jennifer Haberkorn RELATED Biden campaign goes after Trump on health care in $14M ad boost, by NBC’s Natasha Korecki
| | CONVENTION ZONE | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Chicago host committee for the Democratic National Convention has formed three new advisory councils to address youth engagement, accessibility and labor relations for the Aug. 19-22 event. Their members come from organizations with lots of potential volunteers. “We are thrilled to have some of Chicago's foremost experts on youth engagement, accessibility, and labor relations working closely with our team,” Chicago 2024 Host Committee Executive Director Christy George said in a statement. The Youth Advisory Council includes representatives from My Block My City My Hood, After School Matters and YMCA and YWCA organizations, among others. The Labor Advisory Council is made up of 30 unions, and the Accessibility Advisory Council is composed of advocates and leaders from numerous organizations and city agencies. Teaming up: The three new groups will work alongside the Business Diversity Advisory Council, which was started a few months ago. What it means: Along with providing input on the planning and execution of the convention, the organizations have members who can fill the thousands of needed volunteer jobs. If you are Christy George, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | A message from Capture Jobs Now: Illinois is primed for carbon capture & storage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost our economy – and new legislation can make it happen with strong landowner protections, safety provisions and accountability. The result of collaboration across business, labor and agriculture leaders, HB569/SB3311 will help Illinois take advantage of billions of dollars in investment in CCS, and the jobs that come with it. Let’s capture jobs now and advance our clean energy economy. | | | | | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events.
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | | No official public events.
| | | Where's Toni | | No official public events. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Illinois Democrats’ new law changing how legislative candidates can be chosen is facing GOP opposition: “Given the uncertainty of the law taking effect while candidates are currently collecting signatures, the elections board will continue to accept them,” by The Associated Press’ John O’Connor. — HELLO, SPEAKER! House Speaker Mike Johnson will keynote the Tazewell County/Peoria County Lincoln Day Dinner on June 1. Congressman Darin LaHood is hosting. Details here
| | THE STATEWIDES | | — Mayor Brandon Johnson talks school funding, Bears stadium and ‘less high-profile budget needs’ during Springfield visit: “Johnson’s budget requests at the Illinois State Capitol came on the same day a state Senate committee approved legislation opposed by the mayor’s key ally, the Chicago Teachers Union, that would extend a school closure moratorium for all of the city’s public schools by two years. The CTU has labeled the measure, initially drawn up to protect selective-enrollment schools, as ‘racist,’ as the union presses to invest more money in neighborhood schools,” by the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner. Johnson’s take on the bill: “We want an equitable school district that speaks to the needs of the people of the city of Chicago. And as these amendments continue to be assessed, we’re going to create more space for these conversations so that we ultimately get to the goal that we want, which is an equitable school district.” More buddying up than budgets, by the Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles
| | CHICAGO | | — Johnson’s nomination of pastor to transportation board gets pushback, but advances: “Ald. Scott Waguespack asked Ira Acree how he would address the $730 million budget shortfall facing the RTA, a well-publicized crisis facing the agency as federal Covid-19 relief funds start running out. ‘Well, No. 1, this is my first time hearing about a $735 million shortfall, so I would not want to respond to that today without doing the research,’ Acree said. “After the hearing, Acree told reporters he misspoke when he said he was not aware of the massive financial cliff facing the RTA. ‘Misstep, a lot of pressure,’ he said. ‘I know about it,’” by the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan. Acree says he rarely rides CTA, by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman — City to pay $1.75M to family of woman found hanged at South Side police station: “The settlement would resolve a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the sister of Irene Chavez, 33, found hanged in a police holding cell in December 2021 after being arrested on a charge of simple battery,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Outdoor dining season kicks off amidst political debate over Clark Street closure: “While advocates argue for the benefits of pedestrian-friendly dining spaces, opponents, including numerous businesses and neighborhood groups, insist on keeping the street open to vehicular traffic, citing concerns about traffic congestion and its impact on nearby establishments,” by Fox 32’s Paris Schutz. — New Covid ‘FLiRT’ variants are spreading nationwide. Chicago health experts urge up-to-date vaccination, by the Tribune’s Angie Leventis Lourgos
| | | | A message from Capture Jobs Now:   | | | | | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Calumet City mayor promises to pay back disputed credit card charges after aldermen flag spending: Mayor Thaddeus Jones is also a state representative, by the Daily Southtown’s Hank Sanders. — End of cash bail in Illinois showing early signs of success in reaching 'better and fairer system': “We’ve come a very long way in the right direction,” Cook County Supervising Judge Charles Beach told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Matthew Hendrickson. — Northwestern hit with three new lawsuits alleging systemic sexual hazing in football program, by the Tribune’s Megan Crepeau
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Ald. Debra Silverstein is in Israel this week to light one of the 12 torches at the State of Israel's official Independence Day celebration. Israel's Independence Day (or Yom HaAtzmaut as its called in Hebrew) is next week, but torches were lit on Wednesday and Silverstein was invited to participate in the ceremony. — The City Club of Chicago named four new members: University of Chicago Associate VP for Finance Jennie Huang Bennett, Obama Presidential Center’s Lori Healey, R4 Services CEO Trisha Rooney and WVON talk show host and JCO Strategies principal Rufus Williams.
| | SPOTTED | | SOLD-OUT CROWD: After visiting with the president, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle attended a sold-out anniversary gala for Impact for Equity (formerly BPI) on Wednesday night. The fundraiser included a fireside chat with Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Anthony Driver, chair of the city’s Community Commission for Public Safety Accountability. Honorees were businesswoman Andrea Zopp and social activist Lucy Ascoli. The event was co-chaired by DL3 Realty’s Ryan Christopher Green and Massey & Gail partner Suyash Agrawa. Also attending were Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman, Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan, Chicago State University President “Z” Scott, Obama Foundation Executive VP Michael Strautmanis, The Habitat Co.’s Matt Fiascone, Sterling Bay’s Suzet McKinney, BMO U.S.’s Eric Smith and Riley Safer Homes & Cancila’s Patricia Brown Holmes.
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what you cook when pinching pennies: Kristopher Anderson: “Drained tuna in a can, black pepper and spicy brown mustard, a meal fit for a king!” Kevin Lamm: “While attending college at UIC, I received an extra large box of government macaroni from the summer work at a Scout Camp. For a little extra flavor, I would add ketchup packets from a nearby Burger King.” Marilynn Miller: “Boxed macaroni and cheese (pretty cheap!) or ramen noodle soup.” NEXT QUESTION: How far are you willing to drive for cheaper gas?
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Johnson survived his first ouster attempt. Making it past November will be harder, by POLITICO’s Jordain Carney — Doug Burgum is having a moment. Trump eyeing the N.D. gov for VP, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison — The trial may be getting to Trump: These are humiliating details, by POLITICO’s Ankush Khardori — Trump’s political fate likely won’t be decided by the courts after all, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Steve Albini, storied producer and icon of the rock underground, dies at 61, by Pitchfork’s Nina Corcoran and Jazz Monroe … ‘Provocateur, troublemaker, firestarter,’ Albini had an outsized influence on Chicago’s sound, by Mark Guarino for WBEZ — William Henry Herndon Sr. has died. “He was the great-great-great grandson of Abraham Lincoln’s Law partner, William Henry Herndon,” via his obit.
| | Transitions | | — Peggy Parfenoff has joined Conlon Public Strategies as a senior adviser. She was president of WorldChicago, a nonprofit that serves as the official host to the U.S. State Department's international exchange programs. It’s a post she held for 22 years before retiring.
| | | | A message from Capture Jobs Now: Illinois can advance carbon capture & storage with strong protections for rural landowners and a robust safety and environmental accountability framework. The Climate and Landowner Protection Act (HB569/SB3311) establishes a comprehensive program of restrictions on surface property access, notification requirements, and compensation to landowners for any damages caused by surface activities. The bill recognizes the unique role CCS can play in growing the state’s economy, including new revenue opportunities in the low carbon fuel market for Illinois corn growers. Illinois’ geology provides a unique opportunity to strengthen the Illinois economy for generations to come. We can’t wait – let’s capture jobs now and advance our clean energy economy. | | | | | EVENTS | | — Tuesday: The National Museum of Mexican Art celebrates the 20th anniversary of “A Day Without a Mexican,” with a movie screening followed by a Q&A with screenwriter Sergio Arau and actress Yareli Arizmendi. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Colby Huff for correctly answering that Hoss Radbourn is the Bloomington Hall of Fame pitcher with the all-time record for most wins in a single season. TODAY’s QUESTION: What summertime treat got its name in Evanston?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Clayco Chief Growth Officer and President Chicagoland Michael Fassnacht, Personal PAC founder Marcie Love, political consultant Larry Luster, Elevate Illinois CEO Janet Mathis, Cook County President’s Deputy Chief of Staff Rachel Ruttenberg, Brightpoint Public Policy Manager Eric Mayo, BuiltIn Senior Editorial Director Nicholas Jackson and the late Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
