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* John Kass…
The national media and the national Democratic Party will feel pressure to support Lightfoot. How can feminists and liberal Beltway media not support her?
And how could liberal pundits not punish Chicago Democrats, particularly African-American Christian ministers, if any of them dare make Lightfoot’s sexual orientation an issue?
African-American voters are socially conservative, particularly the churchgoers, a secret that most Democratic Party hierarchs and many in the national media are loath to mention.
Some black clergy will be compelled to speak out. And how local and national media respond will form another story arc.
And we will witness the Democrats, the party of identity politics, hoisted with its own petard.
Anybody care to explain this?
* Related…
* Dahleen Glanton: As an African-American woman, I am particularly proud that our city will finally have a black woman at its helm. Of the 14 candidates in the race, Lori Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, and Toni Preckwinkle, the longtime president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, were the cream of the crop. Both women are smart, politically astute and undeniably competent. I voted for one of them but at this point, it doesn’t matter which. Either would make an excellent mayor.
* Sun-Times editorial: Two good candidates, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle, will face off on April 2 to be the next mayor of Chicago. Both are qualified. Both are thinkers. Both have the ability, and now the opportunity, to engage in a substantive debate about the best solutions to the biggest problems facing our city.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:38 am
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Comment by Lil Squeezy Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:39 am
Well, sure, I can explain: John Kass is a racist.
Comment by Pete G Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:42 am
Racist, or homophobe? Sounds like he is the one making Lightfoot’s sexual orientation an issue.
Comment by LakeCo Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:48 am
It makes sense only in Kass’ fetid imagination. Out here in the real world, not so much.
Comment by Northsider Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:48 am
Does he still have a job?
BTW, Ms Lightfoot addressed that issue last night on Chicago Tonight.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:49 am
I love it when John Kass tries to hard
Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:50 am
I wonder how many times a day Kass hears that he’s not nearly as smart or interesting as he thinks he is.
Comment by SinkingShip Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:51 am
==dare make Lightfoot’s sexual orientation an issue==
Why should it be an issue?
It’s funny John Kass laments about identity politics while he, in the same column, is pushing identity politics.
Why the paper wastes ink on him is beyond me.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:52 am
I don’t know why the Trib’s editors let him insist on tying everything to the National Review narrative. You’re either a local columnist or you’re not. Old Kass would have been a fun read for the next 6 weeks.
Comment by Not for Nothing Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:53 am
Kass is vile. They are good candidates that just so happen to be black women, and one just so happens to be gay. The voice of white guys like me is not diminished by this, it is strengthened. We are all going to be empowered by being more inclusive.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:54 am
=Anybody care to explain this?=
He is nuts.
=And we will witness the Democrats, the party of identity politics, hoisted with its own petard.=
We have witnessed the ILGOP, the party of identity politics, hoisted with its own petard.
Maybe that is what is bothering Kass.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:54 am
I don’t think anyone is forced to endorse anyone. Valerie Jarrett , a rather important person in the Democratic party, has endorsed Toni Preckwinkle. Others may endorse Lori Lightfoot. Both candidates are well qualified given their background. Both candidates have already proved in a big contest they are able to appeal to many different kinds of groups. A two person contest is way different than a 14 person contest . So far it appears Lori is stronger on the northside, while Toni appears stronger on the southside. But, these things can change .
Comment by Steve Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:56 am
JS Mill beat me to it. Simple explanation. He’s nutzo.
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:57 am
Simple Rich, Kass, much like Ben Sharpio, uses his arguments not to convince people on the fence but to win praise from people who already support him for “owning the libs” with his “logic”. I mean look at what you quoted, it just screams “my understanding of liberals comes from facebook groups that use demonrats unironically.”
Comment by ItsMillerTime Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:57 am
It’s crude, but some of what he alludes to is real - recall California’s Prop 8 vote. I certainly don’t put it past some of her supporters to try to spin Lightfoot, at the very least, as the candidate white voters prefer (I saw some polling data yesterday that showed Preckwinkle was the 2nd choice for most of Willie Wilson’s voters). I don’t expect we’ll see any ministers “speaking out” as Kaas says, but some of her supporters may go the Alan Dobry route.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:57 am
Looks self explanatory.
Comment by Unpopular Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:01 am
It will come down to: The Machine v. The Spanner in the Works.
Comment by Berwyn Township Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:01 am
This is my favorite part… Kass’s thinly veiled racism and loathing of progressives leads to to step on rakes pretty regularly.
Kass: “They’re now masters of a city ruled by the hard political left in what could be called San Francisco East.”
Yeah… that would be terrible.
“Were it a country, the Bay Area’s economy would be larger than Saudi Arabia’s, getting rich from its residents’ minds rather than minerals pumped from the ground, according to a new report.
“The Bay Area’s annual growth rate of 4.3 percent over the past three years was nearly double that of the U.S. as a whole, bringing the region’s gross domestic product to $748 billion, behind only 18 countries.”
Link: Bay Area economy growing nearly twice as fast as rest of U.S.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bay-Area-economy-growing-nearly-twice-as-fast-as-13061373.php
Comment by Skokie Man Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:02 am
How John Kass has a job is beyond me. The absolute worst.
Comment by So_Ill Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:02 am
African-Americans overwhelmingly vote Democratic, ministers and all. It’s massive sour grapes for Kass. Why does he live in a place he loathes anyway, in “Madiganistan?” Could it be a good income and low state income tax?
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:03 am
Forget it Jake, it’s a Kass column.
Comment by TominChicago Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:05 am
Sinple: John is trying to have his own hurricane moment.
Comment by Fixer Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:06 am
Explain Kass: petulance.
Comment by RIJ Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:06 am
Just another day in the life of Rupert Pupkin, playing cable king and doing his monologue down in the tronc rumpus room, waiting for the phone to ring for a Lou Dobbs guest shot.
I wouldn’t put any more time or thought into it than he does, or that Trib editors do, if there are any.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:06 am
lake county democrat: The Prop 8 vote was over a decade ago, and doesn’t reflect the current state of Democratic politics. If you’re answering Rich’s question by pointing out that Kass is hopelessly out of date and out of touch, alright then.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:07 am
Shouldn’t black churches be more interested in a candidate’s gun violence abatement plans than their sexual orientation?
Personally I don’t care who a candidate chooses to love as long as she keeps the streets plowed in the winter.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:08 am
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many people I’ve talked to that are unaware that Lightfoot is gay. These are folks that follow politics pretty closely. It has been a non-issue for the most part, which is refreshing. Of course, that bothers Kass to no end.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:08 am
A conservative justification for desired scapegoating, via homophobia. Alternatively, blatant bigotry.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:09 am
I cannot remember the last time I read a Kass column. I usually do not even read the headline. This is a good reminder why.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:14 am
Anonymous - That’s why I said you wouldn’t see minister’s speaking out in public anymore (and to be clear: even in CA it wasn’t a great number), but you might hear of whispering campaigns and people sneaking around at night with fliers. Shenanigans ain’t dead!
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:14 am
Sexual orientation does not matter to me. It does to others.
Is sexual orientation an acceptable feature to discuss? I think so. Sexual orientation like gender, religion and race affects ones view of the world. And understanding that view is worthwhile.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:15 am
I read it 4 times and still don’t know what he’s driving at. I mean, I recognize all the words that he used but not the way he put them together.
Comment by Anonish Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:16 am
“how many people I’ve talked to that are unaware that Lightfoot is gay” Count me among them. And also count me among those who think that’s completely irrelevant.
Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:18 am
Kass really thinks that Lightfoot’s sexual orietation is the reason people support her?
He needs to read his own Chicago Tribune.
Read about her record.
Heck, even today there is a story about her opposition to allowing rent control.
She’s also a career prosecutor.
A lot of us don’t support her because she’s liberal or gay.
We support her because she’s in many ways more of a centrist. We are more comfortable that she understands business, while still having a real heart and real compassion.
Yet all Kass sees is a gay woman. That says a lot about Kass.
Comment by Gooner Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:20 am
I’m sure those articles will be side by side with the articles of Republican social conservatives criticizing Trump for owning casinos, being married multiple times, etc.
Comment by City Guy Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:21 am
Poor Lori The Kassamoron has doomed the effort. While bloggers are correct is saying no one — even fellow Tribbies — read the Kassamorn these words will be extracted and spread far and wide. His “endorsement” is as damaging as any OR to be used on Toni.
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:21 am
No one can explain Rich
The good news is: I work in an office where politics is sometimes discussed. Over the summer we had an intern (about 24 or so) and when i mentioned John Kass, he had absolutely no idea who i was talking about and he was fairly informed.
Comment by low level Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:24 am
Honestly it seems like no one actually read the column. He is not attacking her for being gay, he endorses her in this column. I think his point re: hoisted on own petard” is that Toni would like to have the current strain of identity politics work for her but she can’t because Lori has that space nailed down, and one reason she doea is that she is an LGBTQ+ activist, uses that rhetoric, got some relevant endorsements etc. Not sure why people are freaking out that religious blacks are often anti-gay (see Meeks). Thats just a reality - it doesn’t make KASS homophobic (and btw I have no strong opinions about Kass for or against)
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:24 am
=== He is not attacking her for being gay===
No, but he’s using her orientation in a rather bizarre manner. Like he’s predicting (or hoping for, or trying to gin up) a political race war of sorts within the Democratic Party… or something. I’m not quite sure, which is why I asked y’all.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:26 am
If only Dahleen Glanton wrote that before her Smollett diatribe.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:29 am
=Anybody care to explain this?==
No. But thank you for the opportunity.
Comment by lakeside Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:30 am
Whatever Kass is trying to do, it’s not going to work. A Democrat is going to get elected who is pro-LGBTQ.
I remember Kass saying that Democrats put African-Americans on welfare, or something like that—as if Democrats go to people’s houses to take them to welfare offices. It’s back-door, cowardly racism, just like this homophobia.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:32 am
I never thought much of Kass. He isn’t a very good writer and his stories just aren’t very interesting or relevant. I can’t remember the last time I read one of his columns.
Comment by SSL Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:35 am
I’ll take a shot. Forced to at least tangentially write about Chicago when all he really wants is to be a Fox & Friends co-host, he has to work up ever weirder story arcs to stroke national conservative erogenous zones. He thinks if he does this enough times, Bill Shine might finally return his calls.
Comment by PJ Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:39 am
What I took him to mean is that the national dem intelligentsia/social media/press etc. - that it is strongly inspired by AOC for example will come down for Lori rather than the local dem establishment: pub employee unions/local dem party - hence intra party strife which I guess is rather unremarkable because as he himself points out both candidates are in the same space: left side of dem party so the runoff is essentially a primary where that sort of thing happens. So I think he just added some rhetorical drama that appears to be triggering folks who prolly can’t stand Kass to begin with…
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:40 am
Isn’t the subtext of the Kass piece that he wants her to win because he thinks Lightfoot is actually a moderate, relatively pro-business Democrat (at least relative to Preckwinkle). Not a crazy idea–see Lightfoot’s interview with ThinkProgress back in July of last year.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:48 am
Gooner, where is the article about Lighfoot being opposed to rent control. I am not excited about our options in the run off, but if she is against rent control combined with not being in public employee unions pocket, she definitely gets my vote.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:52 am
Anon - ah, I was waiting for the AOC reference, who is way stronger in Republican’s mind and memes that she actually is.
Comment by a drop in Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:53 am
The only part I don’t understand is your headline.
Kass says he likes and supports Lightfoot because he considers her more of a reformer than Preckwinkle. He then goes on to discuss some of the complications of identity politics in media and the Democratic party, particularly the fact that her status as a lesbian will be an issue for some conservative black leaders.
No where do I see anything about trying to “own the libs.”
Comment by Phil King Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:56 am
I think he’s intentionally trying to divide the black community and create a schism in the democratic base. To what end? Who knows. Kass is gonna Kass.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:59 am
Kass pushed two candidates extremely hard in his column over the past few months as the Only Competitive Alternatives, Vallas and Lightfoot. Vallas finished in 9th place and Lightfoot was polling at 4% until the sun times endorsed her. Really shows you how much influence he lacks.
Comment by A Non E. Moose Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 10:59 am
===No where do I see anything about trying to “own the libs.” ===
Then you’re blind. As a result of her campaign “we will witness the Democrats, the party of identity politics, hoisted with its own petard.”
By supporting Lightfoot, in other words, you damage liberal Democrats… somehow.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:01 am
“I was waiting for the AOC reference, who is way stronger in Republican’s mind and memes that she actually is.” I guess but she is on next month’s cover of Rolling Stone, has been portrayed on SNL etc. has a ton of twitter followers/social medial following on the left…
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:02 am
Ya….that’s definitely not what he’s saying. He’s just describing, accurately, the pitfalls of identity politics.
Saw the same thing happen with Bernie Sanders response to the SOTU address. He does one every year, but this year he got criticized for talking while a woman of color was also talking.
Intersectionality is a self-destructive and unworkable ideology that eats its own. That’s all he’s saying.
The reason to support Lightfoot he gave is that she’s a reform candidate, at least relative to Preckwinkle.
Comment by Phil King Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:05 am
I’m sure Kass is very in-tune with Chicago’s black community.
Comment by TaylorvilleTornado Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:07 am
To me, it read like an argument that the liberal democrats would attack any democrats who don’t support Lightfoot for being anti-gay. It made as much sense to me as someone saying that a person opposing discrimination is anti white heterosexual Christan male.
Comment by Earnest Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:13 am
==Ya….that’s definitely not what he’s saying. He’s just describing, accurately,==
So says you.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:19 am
===He’s just describing, accurately, the pitfalls of identity politics===
No, he’s not. He’s making a prediction. He makes a lot of silly predictions about black voters, by the way. He predicted they’d overwhelmingly vote for Chris Kennedy last year. Now he’s predicting the anti gay rights among them will cause a split in the Dem Party.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:22 am
–I’ll take a shot. Forced to at least tangentially write about Chicago when all he really wants is to be a Fox & Friends co-host, he has to work up ever weirder story arcs to stroke national conservative erogenous zones.–
That’s about right, although I think the word “conservative” is horribly abused these days. It’s not a synonym for “reactionary.”
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:24 am
If the progressives come out strongly for Lightfoot, it won’t be for her sexual identity but rather because Toni is perceived as being the boss of the old line democrats. Toni’s connection to Burke and Berrios will be the issue not some Kass invented identity politics crap.
Comment by TominChicago Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:25 am
I still miss Royko.
Comment by What's in a name? Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:32 am
I think moderates and conservatives will support Lightfoot as she is not beholden to the unions and she seems much more open to the free market.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:32 am
=== Anybody care to explain this? ===
Kass is a racist and a homophobe, promoting a racist and homophobic campaign plan, while trying to disown any responsibility for it at the same time.
Oh, and he’s bitter, because his paper went all in for Richard Daley, despite all those nasty things his paper has said about Daley policy and political shenanigans over the past 60 years.
Oh, and their Great White Hope, Ricketts, turned out to be a Great White Nope, so now they are contemplating eight years of Pritzker who as far as we can tell is still not taking calls from the Tribune Ed board or columnists.
Plus, the Tribune unionization is a constant plank in his eye.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:46 am
All of these columns about the runoff overlook the most important thing - what a difficult task lies ahead for the next mayor. Whoever wins won’t be running again in four years.
Comment by Angry Republican Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 11:52 am
“Intersectionality is a self-destructive and unworkable ideology that eats its own.”
Citation needed.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 12:00 pm
To me their sexual orientation shouldn’t make a difference even though I thought there wasn’t one and they are both AA women who are democrats. I choose LL because I believe TP will kill us with taxes and the Sugarwinkle left a bad taste in my mouth with the sugar taxes and her ties to Burke & Berrios.
Comment by Sunshyne40 Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 12:04 pm
It’s wish fulfillment. Like all other conservatives, it drives Kass nuts that African American Christians do not vote solely on the issues of abortion and homosexuality like white born-again Christians do. Just look at the “Christian” trump supporters, they’ll forgive literally any policy that adversely effects them as long as you’re with them on those two issues.
Kass is probably thinking that a mayor Preckwinkle would provide better fodder for his column, hoping some AA minister will see this column and remind his parishioners before the run-off that the church says gay = bad.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 1:01 pm
As cited earlier in this thread, Kass is pointing out pitfalls of the new political buzz about “intersectionality.” Ask any current poli-sci major to explain it.
Lightfoot, who Kass likes, presents a problem because she is a rich mosaic of intersections. She is a cis-gen woman, mom, lesbian, black, and successfully overcame many social disadvantages. I like her too. She speaks truth to power like very few. I hope she wins.
But when the intersectional mosaic gets too crowded, there is a likelihood that not all members of each particular constituency will be in complete agreement. You can visualize this by googling “venn diagram 4 circles” and select to see the images. The space where all agree gets very small.
Kass is saying that the AfAm democratic consistency should not be taken for granted by Lightfoot. He’s also saying that the media gets themselves in a bind when they try to hit too many points of intersection.
(I hope my post is not too inflammatory and allowed to appear. thank you)
Comment by cdog Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 1:15 pm
Even though reading tea leaves is easier than divining the meaning in a Kass column, I will give it a shot. Apparently “local and national media” = the “liberal media” we’ve been hearing so much about lately. Kass is hoping for a schism in the Democratic Party brought on by African American voters who apparently care so much about sexual orientation that they cannot bring themselves to vote for a superbly qualified candidate and a liberal media who will be too cowardly to report on this phenomenon. The fact that this view is utter nonsense seems not to have occurred to Kass.
Comment by Bourbon Street Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 2:11 pm
Like most demographic groups, African-Americans have become far more accepting of LGBTQ rights. It’s still lower than whites, but African-American Christians are more accepting than white evangelicals.
http://www.pewforum.org/fact-sheet/changing-attitudes-on-gay-marriage/
Kass is stuck in the 1990s except for soccer.
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:36 pm
Kass is projecting his own thought process onto what he hopes will happen for democrats. Like Montrose said, he Lightfoot’s orientation is not know by many, but magically, Kass tries to “fix that.” Deep down he wants Periwinkle to win — he’s afraid he’s not gonna have a column if Lightfoot does.
Comment by Fed up Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:42 pm
This is my favorite part:
“If I were still smoking, I’d enjoy one right now, and ponder the blunders of the C-suite types who backed Daley and not Vallas.”
It’s almost like Kass is completely unaware that his own paper backed Daley.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:46 pm
By supporting Lightfoot, in other words, you damage liberal Democrats… somehow. - Rich Miller
Dotilicious!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:47 pm
“Intersectionality is a self-destructive and unworkable ideology that eats its own.”
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
(I like MrJM’s comment, too)
Comment by Chris Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:10 pm
Why is the ‘progressive’(whatever that means) movement so hung up on the term racist and sexual orientation.? We Southern Illinoisians gave up that lingo decades ago.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:51 pm
Well Southern Illinois is rather backwards. Look at how the residents of Cairo and East Saint Louis are treated.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 7:52 pm
This isn’t allowing me to post the link to the rent control story. However, it ia a “block club” story titled: “Voters In North Side Wards Overwhelmingly Support Lifting State Ban On Rent Control”
Comment by Gooner Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 8:10 pm
Thank goodness our referendum are meaningless. Direct democracy is very dangerous as proven throughout hiatory.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 8:27 am
“we will witness the Democrats, the party of identity politics, hoisted with its own petard.”
Leading to…a surprise Republican victory? I hate it to break it to you, John, but this election is like a Vikings-Packers game. As much as you may want both teams to lose, one of ‘em is gonna win.*
*Yes, I know, they’ve tied three times, but if that happens in the Mayoral election, they flip a coin.
Comment by CEA Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 8:43 am