| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. Dontcha know, that was a nice debate. ON THURSDAY: Illinois Playbook Live! Featuring Arne Duncan. At the Hideout. Details here
|  | TOP TALKER | | | | 
Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shake hands at the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO | YOU BETCHA! Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz held a debate full of substance and lacking in drama Tuesday. It was definitely Midwestern nice. They were polite, acknowledging each other with smiles and nods. They weren’t confrontational (for the most part). And their attacks were about policy, not personal. How it started: Republican Vance thanked Democrat Walz in his opening remarks, and Walz gave a hat tip to Vance on some trade issues. They more than once acknowledged agreeing with each other on one element or another of an issue. And they both talked about being dads during the discussion about guns. Vance was a smooth operator on the debate stage, though he fumbled on the issue of Jan. 6. The exchange went like this: Walz asked Vance if he believed Trump lost the 2020 election. Vance said: "I am focused on the future." And Walz shot back: "It is a damning non-answer." What the experts say: “Vance scored singles and doubles all night, and his hard work blew up on his answer on whether Trump lost the election. That’s going to live on after this,” said Democratic political strategist Tom Bowen. Republican consultant Pat Brady saw it this way: “Vance is a good debater, and Walz isn't as smooth but he’s far more likable.” FROM THE SPIN ROOM... Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker called Vance a mini-me for Donald Trump , via X. In a statement, he said, “Gov. Tim Walz did the Midwest proud tonight, demonstrating for the nation that he will fight for working families and expand economic opportunity as our next vice president.” Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi said: “Illinois does not need another far-left governor serving as vice president to help JB Pritzker raise taxes and drive families away from the Prairie State," she said in a statement. POLITICO TAKEAWAYS… Dead even: POLITICO snap poll shows stark division on debate, by POLITICO’s Melanie Mason Neither candidate delivered the goods, by POLITICO’s Myah Ward and Adam Cancryn Republicans are livid after the debate moderators fact-checked Vance, by your Playbook host
| | THE BUZZ | | STRIKE ZONE: Illinois labor leaders are bracing for the ripple effects of the East and Gulf Coast port strike, saying tens of thousands of workers across a range of industries in Illinois could be affected if the strike is lengthy. Here’s why: Illinois has a large inland port in Will County that takes in containers with merchandise for Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Target, among other retailers. There are other ports, too, including in Chicago and the Joliet area, where CenterPoint has 17 million square feet of warehouse space. “A lengthy strike could decimate that entire port area,” said Marc Poulos, executive director of the local International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150. Who would be affected: Rail workers who take the containers and load them for shipment across the country, construction workers who rely on everything from gypsum and drywall to nails and screws, and anyone who buys bananas, pineapples and oranges. The impact of an extended strike could also cause shortages and higher prices ahead of the holidays. The concerns about a strike led the union to close its apprenticeship program, said Poulos, adding that a sluggish economy — where there’s hardly a crane in sight in Chicago — and the ICC Commission shutting down the People’s Gas main replacement program also played a role. But the “deciding factor” was the looming strike, he said. “We just don't see a need this year to open it to 400 new apprentices to just have to sit on the bench.” A bright spot: Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, said, “For us in labor, it is having a bigger positive impact in terms of having a union stand up for fairness. It further validates that workers should be paid and treated fairly when they contribute so much to the national economy.” Port closures strike at Harris’ economic message, via POLITICO
| | WHERE'S JB | | In Aurora at 11 a.m. for a data center ground-breaking.
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | At Malinalli Garden at 12:20 p.m. to participate in a Community Conversation during the inaugural Day in the Ward event.
| | Where's Toni | | At the Evanston Animal Shelter at 10 a.m. for a dog treat-breaking (ribbon cutting) ceremony Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Adam Kinzinger is open to a position in a Harris administration and says some Republicans need to go: “If I was advising Republicans, I would say this: never utter the word 'Darren Bailey' again in your life, kick Mary Miller out of the party," Republican Adam Kinzinger said, referencing the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee and the incumbent U.S. representative from Illinois' 15th Congressional District, respectively. "Like these are the kinds of things you have to do in order to be a party that people may want to vote for again — and put moderates on the ballot,” he said at an event in Decatur, via Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore. — Hawley calls out KSDK’s Mark Maxwell, but his allegation appears to be fake news, by St. Louis magazine’s Ryan Krull
| | IN THE SPOTLIGHT | | SCHOOL DAZE: Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters on Tuesday he doesn’t think Chicago School Board members should step down over the tensions brewing over the board and pension payments. “I hope people don’t resign. I don’t know why they should or would at this point,” Pritzker said, noting some new members will be elected to the board in November. “At minimum, let’s elect those new members.” The Tribune’s Alice Yin and Olivia Olander have a story. And the City Council’s Budget Committee has canceled a hearing set for today to ask CEO Pedro Martinez to explain why the Chicago Public Schools isn’t willing to pay a pension payment for non-teaching school employees. The Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman has the story. The meeting was canceled because today is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the first full day of the Jewish New Year and one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar. “The hearing was canceled shortly after Ald. Debra Silverstein, the City Council’s only Jewish member, complained to Budget Chair Jason Ervin about holding it when she couldn’t attend,” according to Fran.
| | CHICAGO | | — Drones called ‘game-changer’ for policing — but is CPD late to the game? “The Illinois State Police has 75 drones. New York City has 55, with one just to monitor beaches. San Diego has 47. But CPD has just five, getting its first ones only last year. They’ve been used mainly for surveillance at special events, including the Democratic National Convention, Lollapalooza and the Pride Parade,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. — Chicago’s largest charter network Noble Schools announces Brenda Cora as new CEO, by the Tribune’s Sylvan Lebrun — City Council hears possible solutions for preventing weather-related deaths, by the Sun-Times’ Elvia Malagón
| | DAY IN COURT | | — Authorities arrest, charge 15-year-old in connection with July slaying of letter carrier, by the Tribune’s Peter Breen — Former owner of a Chicago Covid-19 testing lab pleads guilty in $14M fraud scheme, by the Tribune’s Lisa Schencker
| | TAKING NAMES | | — MacArthur Fellows named! Among them are Chicagoans Ling Ma, a novelist, and Ebony G. Patterson, a multimedia artist. The full list is here. — Mary Lou Mastro, the retired CEO of Edward-Elmhurst Health, part of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, was honored with the inaugural Ruth Colby Excellence in Leadership Award during IHA’s 2024 Leadership Summit in Oak Brook last week. IHA CEO A.J. Wilhelmi presented the award.
| | Reader Digest | | We asked what one thing you’d grab from your home if you had to evacuate. Donna Gutman: “You can never replace the people you love.” Emily Hallock: “My album of old family photos. This reminds me that I need to digitize them!” Lucas Hawley: “My Lincoln bust from my time during ‘Illinois Youth and Government’ that was signed by Sen. Rand Paul back when he was running for president in 2016.” Mike Gascoigne: “My cat, Pilgrim. Everything else is replaceable.” Marilynn Miller: “Besides the clothes on my back, I'd take my two cats.” Joe Moore: “My wife, Barbara.” Tammy Hansen: “One cat carrier with both my cats in it, though I suppose I should take my husband.” Kathy Posner: “An album of family pictures because anything else is replaceable.” Tara Price: “My chihuahua, no hesitations or second-guessing.” Alison Pure-Slovin: “My wedding album.” John Straus: “First, my wife (��) then my wedding ring.” Sending positive vibes to Claude Walker, who had to evacuate his home in Florida last week due to Hurricane Helene. “The house is standing but a storm surge destroyed everything we own, including my 3,000-piece political button collection and all my work files from my days at the Sun-Times and early Pat Quinn campaigns,” he told Playbook, adding, “Trying to be Zen.” Next question: What prompted you to take up a hobby? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Iran launches ballistic missile attack against Israel, by POLITICO’s Eric Bazail-Eimil and Paul McLeary — Eric Adams and Donald Trump find common ground in their legal woes, by POLITICO’s Emily Ngo — How the fall of affirmative action gave rise to legacy admissions bans, by POLITICO’s Blake Jones
| | WEDDING BELLS | | — WAND TV Capitol Reporter Mike Miletich and Maggie Strahan, account exec at Mac Strategies Group, tied the knot over the weekend in a ceremony at Chicago Gaelic Park. They celebrated afterward with family, friends and colleagues in journalism and PR. Pic!
| | TRANSITIONS | | — Anne Sagins will serve as executive director of the Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association. The group was launched this week “to help streamline coordination between law enforcement, businesses and others to share information, build cases and stop crime,” according to the association. Sagins was a staff member with the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus for 30 years, retiring in 2020. — Harris Kay is now a partner in Jenner & Block’s financial litigation practice in Chicago. He was partner in charge at the Chicago office at Davis Wright Tremaine.
| | | IN MEMORIAM | | | — Tony Durpetti, owner of Chicago's iconic Gene & Georgetti steakhouse in River North, dies at 80, via CBS 2’s Darius Johnson, Adam Harrington and Jeramie Bizzle. Info about services here — JoAnne Liedel Cicchelli, a former educator whose husband is former Chicago Ald. Bill Singer, died recently. A memorial was held this week. Her story is here.
| | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Janet Mathis for correctly answering that Shel Silverstein grew up in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. TODAY’s QUESTION: What street is known as terra-cotta row and where is it? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Rep. Bob Rita, Worth Township Supervisor Patricia Joan Murphy, former state Rep. Jack Franks, former Crestwood Mayor Louis Presta, former Ald. Willie Cochran, Deputy Secretary of State Scott Burnham, renewable energy consultant David Wilhelm, attorney and Grant Park Music Festival supporter Peter Baugher, Morreale VP Wendy Abrams, public affairs consultant David Stricklin, Democratic political operative Caroline Pokrzywinski, AP auto writer Tom Krisher, comms consultant Michelle Damico, PR pro Lisa Spathis, Novartis External Engagement Director Marlena Abdinoor, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Consultant John Arenas and DNC Host Committee Operations Director Jake Mikva. -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 | | | | |
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