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* AP…
Visiting Chicago for the first time as president, Donald Trump disparaged the city Monday as a haven for criminals that is “embarrassing to us as a nation.”
* From the president’s speech…
It’s embarrassing to us as a nation. All over the world, they’re talking about Chicago. Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison. (Laughter.) It’s true. […]
Last year alone, here in Illinois, local officials blocked ICE detainers for illegal aliens responsible for hundreds of offensive — including homicide, trafficking deadly drugs, trafficking humans, robbery, and sexual assault.
* Politifact…
[US Sen. Richard Durbin] said that in Illinois, less than 20% of immigrants who are deported “have been charged with any serious crime.”
Limited federal backs that up, but it comes with a few caveats — most notably the fact that the available count includes all individuals who departed from Illinois at the time of their deportation. That means they may have resided and been arrested in a state other than Illinois before leaving the country.
We rate Durbin’s claim Mostly True.
* Gov. JB Pritzker Twitter thread…
If President @realDonaldTrump wants to know what’s ‘embarrassing to us as a nation,’ he should look in the mirror.
Offering no solutions to the real challenges facing cities across America – from poverty to gun violence – the President used his visit to Chicago to spew hateful rhetoric that has no place in that great city or our great state.
Comparing any Illinois city to war-torn Afghanistan is insulting & wrong. Chicago is the crown jewel of Illinois: the transportation & logistics hub of the nation, home to world-class universities & a thriving economy and a shining example of the values that make America special.
While we shouldn’t be surprised at the character deficit of someone who lied and cheated his way to the top, the American people should demand more from the man who holds the highest office in the land.
Having a President who visits a great American city only to slander our residents, our communities and our police officers is embarrassing to us as a nation.
Having a President who demeans immigrant families in a country built by immigrants is embarrassing to us as a nation.
Having a President who so thoroughly disregards the rule of law – putting foreign dictators over the American people and using the federal government to enrich himself – is embarrassing to us as a nation.
The President has committed impeachable acts, and @realDonaldTrump must be held accountable. No one is above the law.
Take a deep breath before commenting, please.
…Adding… Another view…
Illinois state Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) argues that a new poll revealing that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s disapproval numbers have climbed to above 40 percent does not accurately represent the sentiment in the 110th District.
“I would say those numbers would be shockingly low among the people in my district,” Miller told the East Central Reporter. “It’s closer to 90 percent where I live, and it’s because he’s been part of passing legislation that is the most egregious ever. It’s killing babies, putting small business owners out of business and tyrannizing taxpayers and hardworking people everywhere.” […]
“All those things would be drivers of why people are starting to feel the way they do about him,” Miller said. “I think it’s going to get worse as he’s voted to get more kids hooked on dope with this recreational marijuana law and all the taxes. It’s just a downward spiral as we move toward a more addictive society.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:05 pm
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Good for JB. Nothing he said was a lie and the more people hear that real Americans are fed up with Trump, the better America will be.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:10 pm
I’ll have to wait until January to take a deep breath
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:11 pm
Kinda hard to do better than the Governor did.
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:11 pm
I mean… get it in one tweet, then maybe it makes the news.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:15 pm
=Take a deep breath before commenting, please.=
I have to take a deep breath after all of Trumps comments,
Comment by Because I said so.... Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:17 pm
Governor’s staff: We will have a draft of your response to President Trump’s speech ready in half an hour.
Governor Pritzker: Oh no. I am writing this myself. I have been waiting for this opportunity for years.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:18 pm
If Trump feels that way, he should build a tower in Afghanistan and hold his campaign fundraising event there.
I’m sure the Afghan security forces will afford him the level of protection we Chicagoans would want him to have.
Comment by Truthteller Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:19 pm
Second what Ok said. Could’ve stopped after the first sentence. What is it about holding elected office that makes brevity impossible? We agree with you already JB, there’s no need for the litany
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:23 pm
When JB Pritzker tells Donald Trump to look in the mirror, you know it’s going to be real heart felt criticism. The force is with JB.
https://tinyurl.com/y6oddxo5
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:24 pm
=While we shouldn’t be surprised at the character deficit of someone who lied and cheated his way to the top, the American people should demand more from the man who holds the highest office in the land.=
That is a beautiful, perfect paragraph. The greatest one in American History…….
JB is spot on.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:27 pm
As the most mendacious president in my lifetime, I would take a disparaging remark from Trump as a badge of honor.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:29 pm
JB must have missed Rodney’s position.
“I don’t see what the big deal is, frankly,” Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) said of Trump’s decision to host the G-7 at Doral.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:30 pm
— The President has committed impeachable acts, and @realDonaldTrump must be held accountable. No one is above the law. —
Lol. 3 years and millions of dollars, and still nothing. Meanwhile in the Illinois GA, the FBI is keeping very busy.
Comment by 223 Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:31 pm
-We agree with you already JB, there’s no need for the litany-
I disagree, we all need the litany. I appreciate the Governor listing examples of presidential embarrassments in a simple and direct manner. Remember, the Declaration of Independence at its heart is just a list of grievances the colonists had.
Comment by SpfdNewb Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:33 pm
223, the impeachable act that’s gonna sink Trump happened less than 4 months ago.
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:34 pm
Good for JB.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:35 pm
-223-
You’re defending a lying, divisive blowhard who claims to be the President for everyone yet manages to offend or hurt someone or groups of people on a regular basis.
Comment by Christopher Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:40 pm
JB’s most brutal line at Donald Trump …” thriving economy and a shining example of the values that make America special. ” Take that Donald Trump.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:41 pm
We Illinoisans were all disrespected by trump who makes it a habit to disrespect military, veterans, govt workers, American workers and their families, immigrants and all others who criticizes him and his policies. Its an honor to have a Governor like JB who simply won’t put up with trump’s crap. We like trump as much as the Washington National’s fans do.
Comment by truthteller Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:41 pm
Calling Chicago the “crown jewel” was over-the-top, but not as over-the-top as calling Pritzker a baby killer.
Rep. Miller should apologize.
Comment by Charlie Brown Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:41 pm
==3 years and millions of dollars, and still nothing.==
@223, Did you miss the convictions of Manafort, Papadopoulos, Flynn, Gates and Cohen? 5 members of your campaign being convicted of crimes seems like “something” to me.
Comment by supplied_demand Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:42 pm
Rep.Miller needs a good long toke.
Comment by Lt. Guv Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:43 pm
This would have been more effective had Pritzker made his statement in front of TV news cameras.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:48 pm
“3 years and millions of dollars, and still nothing” You realize that the Mueller report was not “nothing”, right? You also realize that “impeachable” and “criminal” are completely different standards, right?
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 2:54 pm
I love Chicago but….it ain’t no crown jewel. Paid $6 for a pint of Old Style last time I was visiting.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:01 pm
- Charlie Brown -
JB lives in Chicago. JB supports CPS. JB doesn’t need to hear Donald Trump criticize Chicago’s great institutions. You watch and see , the 2020 Census numbers will confirm everything JB is saying.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:01 pm
I recently spent some time in a small town in Spain. I speak very little Spanish, a shopkeeper spoke very little English. When he asked where I was from, I said Chicago. He replied, “oh, mafia, bang bang. You know the Marlon Brando”. I was embarrassed
Comment by Boris Goodenough Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:02 pm
>the transportation & logistics hub of the nation, home to world-class universities & a thriving economy and a shining example…
It’s nice to have a governor who consistently takes the opportunity to say good things about all areas of our state.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:03 pm
JB’s statement would hold more water if Trump Tower was missing a few toilets.
Comment by Too much Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:11 pm
Go over seas, and even the children ask about Chicago when they find out you are from the USA, Illinois. Chicago is well known worldwide for it’s crime.
What is really embarrassing is some of the things this state now stands for such as our abortion laws.
Trump is just stating it like it is folks.
Comment by Just Saying Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:13 pm
Rep. Miller. Yeah, what a guy. Definitely would like to be the poster boy for the wing-nut Republicans in that area. I’m only surprised that he didn’t tell JB not to travel to the mid-state region…
Comment by Mr. Smith Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:13 pm
One rotund billionaire disparaging another rotund billionaire over political differences, did anything change today?
Chicago - “Crown Jewel”, LOL. Not from where I sit, right on the edge of the bowl - IMHO, JB removed the wrong toilet.
Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:18 pm
Rep. Miller should consider this …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dGK51GsQqc
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:18 pm
@Steve -
I don’t care where Pritzker lives. He is governor of Illinois. Saying that one city in Illinois is more valuable than all the others in Illinois was an unforced error. In defending Chicago, he insulted everywhere else.
“I love all of my kids the same.”
Again, not nearly as bad as Rep. Miller.
Comment by Charlie Brown Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:19 pm
Boris Goodenough
“What” gave Chicago that reputation? Rep. Miller’s views on recreational cannabis applied to alcohol …
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:21 pm
@Charlie Brown
Chicago IS more important than any other city. Think Georgia without Atlanta; Washington (state) without Seattle. I don’t live in Chicago, but I recognize its overarching importance to the state.
Once on a train from Champaign to Chicago I sat behind two people. One spent about 30 minutes disparaging Chicago. The other one finally had enough, turned to the first, and said “you realize that without Chicago, Illinois is just Iowa.”
Comment by jdcolombo Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:27 pm
Rep. Miller was that poll conducted in your household? 90% lol, you must live in house of mirrors to think that many people agree with you.
Comment by Publius Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:30 pm
To shorten my sentiments, Rep. Miller is full of s#1T
Comment by Uncle Ernie Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:37 pm
Please tell us all JB what that impeachable offense would be.
Comment by Pick a Name Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:41 pm
— you realize that without Chicago, Illinois is just Iowa.” — I’m having a difficult time seeing how that could be bad…I have plenty in common with the people of Iowa, I have nothing in common with city dwellers or pretentious suburbanites.
Comment by 223 Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:42 pm
- Pick a Name -
=== The only honest answer is that an impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers [it] to be at a given moment in history; conviction results from whatever offense or offenses two-thirds of the other body considers to be sufficiently serious to require removal of the accused from office.
Minority Leader, Gerald R. Ford,
Republican, Michigan
His remarks in the House (April 15, 1970), Congressional Record, vol. 116, p. 11913.===
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:44 pm
Or Willy, whatever the House majority wants to make up on any given month.
I’m okay with it if they want to impeach him, it will go nowhere in the Senate, and make Pelosi and Schiff look even more foolish.
Comment by Pick a Name Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:47 pm
==Go over seas, and even the children ask about Chicago when they find out you are from the USA===
Literally never happened to me. They only ask about Trump and roll their eyes. Even got a free cookie once in sympathy.
And Charlie Brown, did you know there are a lot of really fine jewels in that crown?
Comment by JIbba Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:48 pm
=== I’m okay with it===
Then why ya trollin’, for attention?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:49 pm
This alone…
=== whatever the House majority wants to make up on any given month.===
(Hashtag) Fake News.
Supporting a racist president is so tough that it boils down to “made up”
Got it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:51 pm
=====3 years and millions of dollars, and still nothing.==
@223, Did you miss the convictions of Manafort, Papadopoulos, Flynn, Gates and Cohen? 5 members of your campaign being convicted of crimes seems like “something” to me===
Not to mention that, thanks to fines and asset seizures, the Mueller investigation not only broke even, it actually earned a profit for the U.S. government.
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:55 pm
Heres what embarrasses me. Our property tax. No bigger burden on the working poor and middle class. It makes it impossible to work your way out of tough times.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 3:55 pm
How is that Russian hoax working out for the left Willy? Saw Clapper being interviewed after they announced a criminal investigation is underway. He really looked and sounded nervous. There will be a few indictments coming down in the future.
The left has sound the “Impeachment” bell since Trump was sworn in. Tough loss in 2016 for many.
Comment by Pick a Name Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:02 pm
- Pick a Name -
Go on Facebook and rant about conspiracy theories and ignoring the racist president.
Don’t use *me* here to spew your Trumpkin nonsense.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:05 pm
Fyi, Flynn’s conviction has a decent chance to get tossed by the district court judge. So, I wouldn’t include that one in the list.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:06 pm
LOL, quite the response.
You enjoy your day.
Comment by Pick a Name Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:06 pm
I feel it should be pointed out that Chicago has nowhere near the highest violent crime rate in the USA. St Louis is a more dangerous place than Chicago as a whole. But of course it depends on where in Chicago you are.
Comment by Twirling Towards Freedom Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:08 pm
Well said Governor Pritzker.
Comment by Tommydanger Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:22 pm
There are some serious mouth breathers in this post. If you want to live in Iowa move.
Comment by Glengarry Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:25 pm
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.automatictrap.com/a/s/blogs/news/5-most-rat-infested-cities-in-america
Chicago is number 1
Comment by Deere Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:31 pm
There should be some sort of qualifications for president, I mean its embarrassing to watch him make a fool of himself on a daily basis, I think this is why people are so divided.
Comment by BluegrassBoy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:42 pm
=== “It’s closer to 90 percent where I live, and it’s because he’s been part of passing legislation that is the most egregious ever. It’s killing babies, putting small business owners out of business and tyrannizing taxpayers and hardworking people everywhere.” ===
The Magnificent 7 was, and continues to be the Hateful Eight. Just add POTUS.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:43 pm
@Boris Goodenough. I was in the Navy in the 1980’s and people in countries I visited had the same perception of Chicago. You could explain that Al Capone was long gone, but they seemed to want to cling to their misinformed views.
Trump, who has not to have been to Afghanistan as President and who has never been in combat seems to share those same misinformed views. Perhaps if Trump had other sources of information besides the National Enquirer and Fox news, he could makes speeches based on factual information.
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:44 pm
@ Governor Pritzker
Mic Drop
Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 4:46 pm
Clapping back. Whatever that is. Maybe we ought not get great satisfaction out of “clapping back”. All so incredibly childish.
Comment by Unpopular Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:41 pm
— you realize that without Chicago, Illinois is just Iowa.” — I’m having a difficult time seeing how that could be bad…I have plenty in common with the people of Iowa, I have nothing in common with city dwellers or pretentious suburbanites.
Yeh, but you love our pretentious tax money. Again, Chicago only receives .90 for every dollar in taxes sent to Springfield. We “pretentious” suburbs? .55-77 for every dollar.
The holier than thou south and central rural areas? $2.81 for every dollar sent to the state…when you can take care of yourself, without our help, you can have an opinion…otherwise, you’re more of a ward of the state.
Comment by Union Thug Gramma Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:43 pm
To replace the Sun-Times building with something uglier shows a real hatred for the city.
Comment by Rich Hill Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:49 pm
A Jack has it right. Since the days of Al Capone Chicago has had a reputation for violence that has always outstripped the reality. Trump is trying to blame it on “illegals” because it fits in with his build the wall theme. The bulk of Chicago’s gangbangers are home grown and it will take a lot more than simplistic campaign speeches (as everything Trump says is) to make all Chicago’s neighborhoods safe.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 5:55 pm
Adding to Union Thug Gramma’s thoughts, not only does the northeast corner of Illinois supply more in taxes, the majority of the population of the state is also there. City and suburbs have more in common than with Eastern Bloc folks. (Not that I’d wish the Eastern Bloc on the good people of Iowa.)
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 6:08 pm
Chicago and the U.S. are as stereotyped as anywhere else and have been for a long time. In the late 70s I lived in Germany for a summer and visited France and Switzerland as well. They knew all about my mixed heritage of Chicago and Wild West [exclamation point]. The people I met “understood” my heritage of Al Capone, machine guns, steak, and whiskey. One day members of my German fam put me on a horse in boots 2-3 sizes too big and plopped me onto an English saddle. A stubborn teenager, I got thrown from the horse three times before I allowed them to take me home with my neck intact.
Comment by yinn Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 6:56 pm
@JD Columbo -
No, a thousand times No.
I am with Jim Edgar on this one.
Chicago’s position as a transportation and manufacturing hub relies on the fields, forests and mines of the Heartland.
Where do you think the hogs and steers they slaughtered in the stockyards came from, Wrigley Field?
Where do you think Wrigley, Mars, Brachs, Kraft got the sugar, milk and flour for their manufacturing plants? Marshall Fields?
Let Lightfoot make a fool out of herself by telling downstate how much they need Chicago. Pritzker’s challenge and his job is to unite Illinoisans, not divide them.
Chicago needs rural Illinois. Rural Illinois needs Chicago. Equal partners until the end.
Comment by Charlie Brown Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 6:59 pm
Well said, Charlie
Comment by Cadillac Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 7:36 pm
=== Chicago needs rural Illinois. Rural Illinois needs Chicago. Equal partners until the end.===
Jim Edgar understood things.
Good stuff, - Charlie Brown -
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 7:39 pm
Slandering police officers?
The only one that I heard Trump call out was Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, the same Eddie Johnson who called for an investigation of himself after he was found asleep at the wheel of his car.
Comment by Balderdash Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 7:43 pm
Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison? Funny I don’t recall the President building a tower with his name on it there. Odd choice for such a prominent real estate investment given his concerns about our city. When the building owner makes statements like this it can’t help your resale value.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 8:29 pm
All, there was no political no spin on my comment. I’m just saying what the Spanish guy said to me in fractured English. The funny thing to me was, I spent a lot of time in Europe 20 years ago. When I told people I was from Chicago (really from the burbs but who in Baden Baden knows where Elmhurst is), the Europeans all said “ah, Michael Jordan”.
Comment by Boris Goodenough Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 8:46 pm
I am all for uniting Illinois. Haven’t we had enough division for awhile? JB seems to have a good attitude about Downstate despite all the opposition to him.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 10:02 pm
Or maybe, instead of saying look in the mirror….and making another tweet, JB should offer to work with Trump and his administration to better Chicago and Illinois? I doubt much would come of it, but I think there could be many things to get both can agree and united on. I think it’d do more good for this state to be on better terms or rather, more correctly, talking terms, than this.
Comment by Justathought Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 10:12 pm
“I think it’s going to get worse as he’s voted to get more kids hooked on dope with this recreational marijuana law and all the taxes. It’s just a downward spiral as we move toward a more addictive society.”
How would the recreational marijuana law “get kids hooked on dope”?
Comment by 17% Solution Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 8:07 am
Unfortunately, Trump’s narrative of Chicago is believed by many outside of our City. I recently met a Texan who expressed pity for me having to live here. I shot back with facts. Most of Chicagoland’s neighborhoods are relatively safe.
Comment by Southwest Sider Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 8:14 am
“Saying that one city in Illinois is more valuable than all the others in Illinois was an unforced error. In defending Chicago, he insulted everywhere else.”
Good grief, Pritzker didn’t say Chicago was more valuable than say, Peoria. He said it was the crown jewel. Where do the crown jewels sit? On the head of a member of royalty. The crown jewels aren’t more important than the king or queen, they are a symbol of the king or queen’s rank.
Comment by 17% Solution Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 8:15 am
“In defending Chicago, he insulted everywhere else.”
I think the point of this whole story is that Chicago (and not rural Illinois, at least not at this time) was singled out and maligned by the head of our federal government. So of course the rebuttal is going to defend Chicago specifically.
Comment by moneyinthebananastand Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 9:15 am
== Or maybe, instead of saying look in the mirror….and making another tweet, Trump should offer to work with JB and his administration to better Chicago and Illinois?==
Fixed it for you.
Comment by 17% Solution Wednesday, Oct 30, 19 @ 4:37 pm