| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Happy Wednesday, Illinois. We're still waiting for a lazy day of summer.
|  | TOP TALKER | | ALL THE MOVING PARTS: Planning for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago is coming into focus this week inside and outside of the United Center, where Democrats will nominate their presidential ticket. Not official until it's official: The Convention Rules Committee meets today to determine the nomination process now that President Joe Biden has bowed out of the race and Kamala Harris has secured enough verbal commitments from convention delegates to make her the presidential nominee. A virtual roll call to start voting to nominate Harris could be as early as Aug. 1, reports the Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet. On Thursday, the U.S. Secret Service will lay out its plans for the security boundaries outside of the United Center and McCormick Place, where activities will be held during the convention. Bracing for protests: Tens of thousands of activists are expected to converge on the city over the four-day event, with the largest march planned for Monday, Aug. 19. Protest leaders and law enforcement are still haggling over the route, according to a spokesman with March on the DNC. Migrant concerns, too: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office is preparing for as many as 25,000 migrants to arrive by bus ahead of the convention. Deputy Mayor of Immigration Beatriz Ponce de León told the Tribune that the city’s concerns about a massive influx “is all speculation” at this point, reports the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan. Why the worries: City officials are taking seriously the comments made by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at last week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that “those buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border.” RELATED PRITZKER PITCHES FOR HARRIS: Gov. JB Pritzker was on CNN last night saying Kamala Harris has re-energized the Democratic Party. “The excitement is palpable,” he said, “It's not a temporary thing. There's an enthusiasm in the Democratic Party.” He was referring to Donald Trump earlier in the day saying Harris was just enjoying a “honeymoon” having just been tapped by Biden to replace him on the ticket. On whether he’d consider being VP: “Obviously you'd have to consider it if you're asked,” Pritzker said. “But … the people of Illinois elected me. There's an awful lot that I can get done here in the state of Illinois and over the next hundred days to make sure that we're making the case for Kamala Harris.” In Wisconsin | Harris hits Trump’s scandals in presidential campaign debut: “The more than 3,000 people in attendance made it the largest event to date for either the Biden or the Harris campaign,” by POLITICO’s Myah Ward and Eugene Daniels. Dems feared the fight for Congress was lost. Then Biden dropped out: “Congressman Brad Schneider said he saw palpable enthusiasm for Harris at a parade Sunday in McHenry, one of the reddest parts of his suburban Chicago district,” by POLITICO’s Ally Mutnick and Sarah Ferris. Harris should 'hunker down' for barrage of attacks, says Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman to serve in the Senate, by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman House GOP leaders urge members: Stop making race comments about Harris, by POLITICO’s Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney
| | THE BUZZ | | COLD SHOULDER: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of Congress today — and if Sen. Dick Durbin’s statement is any indication, the Israeli leader isn’t going to receive a warm welcome. From the statement: “I am committed to Israel and its right to defend its people,” Durbin said. “However, Israel’s execution of its war in Gaza under the direction of Prime Minister Netanyahu with 39,000 Palestinians dead and 90,000 injured is a brutal strategy beyond any acceptable level of self-defense. And Netanyahu’s refusal to consider any peace plan that gives both Israelis and Palestinians a guarantee of security is inconsistent with a peaceful conclusion to this age-old conflict.” Durbin added: “I will stand by Israel, but I will not stand and cheer its current prime minister at [Wednesday’s] joint session.” Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03) will be at the joint session, joined by a former U.S. Army major who resigned in protest of the administration’s support for Israel during its Gaza campaign. RELATED: Sen. Tammy Duckworth is pressing top U.S. and Israeli diplomats to expand and expedite humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza. In dual letters sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog, Duckworth raised alarms about reports of the significant inadequacies of medical facilities, blocking humanitarian aid at the border and restrictions on medical staff and supplies entering Gaza. She called restrictions "impractical and dangerous" given the shortcomings of Gazan medical facilities, via POLITICO’s Morning Defense newsletter. Duckworth's concerns: "The lack of a clear and consistently enforced policy for the entry of humanitarian aid continues to cause a shortage of supplies and medical staff that contribute to preventable loss of life and suffering," Duckworth wrote Blinken and Herzog.
| | | WHERE'S JB | | | No official public events.
| | | WHERE's BRANDON | | In Houston to give remarks during the General Session of the 2024 American Federation of Teachers Convention.
| | Where's Toni | | | Online at 10 a.m. to participate in an Illinois Senate Transportation Committee hearing at Moraine Valley Community College regarding how transit can be accessible and equitable. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | | | Live briefings, policy trackers, and procedural, industry, and people intelligence from POLITICO Pro Analysis gives you the insights you need to focus your policy strategy this election cycle. Secure your seat. | | | | | | | THE STATEWIDES | | — Domestic violence deaths spiked in Illinois last year, adding to calls for passage of Karina’s Bill: “The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence typically releases its annual report in October but was so alarmed by the findings, it decided to publish the 2023 report months earlier than planned,” by the Sun-Times’ Sophie Sherry. — DOJ confirms it is ‘assessing the circumstances’ of Sonya Massey shooting, by Capitol News’ Beth Hundsdorfer — State Rep. Terra Costa Howard calls for strengthening protection for homeschooled children, by Capitol News’ Beth Hundsdorfer and Molly Parker
| | CHICAGO | | — City expanding lawsuit against Glock to include two suburban gun shops: “Glock continues to sell and promote its guns to Chicago residents through two of the most problematic gun dealers in the Chicago area: Defendant Midwest Sporting Goods, a self-professed ‘Chicagoland’ firearm dealer in Lyons, Illinois, and Defendant Eagle Sports Range, which ‘actively recruits Chicagoland customers’ in Oak Forest, Illinois,” the updated lawsuit alleges, by the Tribune’s Sam Charles. — Survivors sue Illinois over decades of sexual abuse at Chicago youth detention center, by the Associated Press’ Sophia Tareen — CPS is counting on hundreds of positions going unfilled to balance its budget, by WBEZ’s Sarah Karp — State ends scrutiny of Chicago Public Schools over long bus rides for students with disabilities, by Chalkbeat’s Reema Amin — Bridgeport Records builds on its blowout opening weekend: “The store is the brainchild of veteran deep-house DJ and producer Vick Lavender and former union leader Jerry Morrison,” by The Reader’s Leor Galil. — Phillips Academy fires state championship coach Paris Martin two weeks after he filed a lawsuit against CPS, by the Sun-Times’ Michael O’Brien — Center on Halsted launches website for its HIV hotline, renews push to get people to call in, by the Sun-Times’ Violet Miller
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — How suburbs might respond to SCOTUS decision allowing cities to fine, arrest homeless people, by the Daily Herald’s Barbara Vitello. — Charges dropped against NU educators involved in pro-Palestinian encampment, by the Tribune’s Zareen Syed
| | TAKING NAMES | | — MEDIA MATTERS: Doug Whitmire has been named vice president of news/news director at ABC 7, effective Aug. 5. He will succeed Jennifer Graves, who retired late last month after 32 years at the station, via Bob Goldsborough for the Tribune. — Jill Wine-Banks, the Watergate prosecutor and TV pundit talks about presidential cases, sexism and condo boards, via a Q&A with Mike Thomas in Chicago magazine.
| | | | The space economy is already woven into our lives in ways we don't always appreciate, creating a global backbone for communications, media, data, science and defense. It's also becoming an increasingly competitive zone among nations - and a venue for complex and important public-private partnerships. Join POLITICO on July 30 for a conversation about what Washington needs to understand is at stake – which sectors of the global economy see their growth arc in space, and what the role of government leaders is in both growing and regulating the explosion of orbital ideas. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked when you hesitated to join the bandwagon. Charles Keller: “Covid. I didn't want the jab but living in a Democratic state I needed the vaccine passport to do anything.” Kevin Lampe: "Bruce Springsteen. After seeing the hype with him on the covers of Time and Newsweek, I checked his album from the Schaumburg Township Library and thought it was OK. I later brought the live album vinyl box set and wore it out. That’s when I jumped on the E-Street Bandwagon." Sharon Rosenblum: “Bitcoin (like my mother before me on early 70s gold).” Timothy Thomas Jr.: “The 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. After being devastated by the ghosts of 1969, 1984 and 2004, my guard was up and on high alert.” Patricia Ann Watson: “A new girl who was less resourced being picked on I didn’t join in and became her champion. Seeing that influenced how I do life.” NEXT QUESTION: What restaurant knows you by name? Email skapos@politico.com
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — RAISING A FLAG: Congressman Eric Sorensen’s (IL-17) bipartisan All-American Flag Act was passed unanimously in the House. The measure requires the federal government to only purchase flags that are entirely produced and manufactured in the United States. The bill now goes to the president’s desk to be signed into law. In a statement, Sorensen said he’s “thrilled” at the passage. “Not one piece of a government-purchased American flag should be made overseas," he said, "and it is long past time this bipartisan, common-sense idea be made law.”
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Secret Service director resigns after Trump shooting fallout, via POLITICO — N.J. governor promises to fill Menendez seat quickly as first lady bows out, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard, Daniel Han and Mia McCarthy — Bernie bros join the KHive, by POLITICO’s Catherine Kim
| | EVENTS | | — Aug. 29: A presentation on “Creating and Preserving Disorder: Royko, Daley, and the 1968 DNC” will be made by Northwestern Professor Bill Savage, who is co-curator of Newberry Library’s exhibit on journalist Mike Royko. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Chicago Board of Elections Commissioner William Kresse for correctly answering that Mary Garden was the Chicago opera star who appeared in Samuel Goldwyn’s silent films. TODAY’s QUESTION: When was the last presidential race when neither major party's ticket contained the name of a Bush, a Clinton or a Biden?
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Wednesday: State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, former Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers, Lockport Township Supervisor and Democratic convention delegate Alex Zapién, Habitat Co. founder Daniel Levin, entrepreneur Michael Ferro, Holtz Industries President James Straus, WGN Radio’s Anna Davlantes and Global Strategy Group’s Nicole Jaconetty. -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 | | | | |
