Walter Jacobson's Perspective

Well, finally, finally, we now have only a few days to wait for the first meeting of Chicago’s first-ever publicly elected Board of Education. Our brand new 21-member Board of Ed is about to begin its difficult process of trying to make our public schools better than they are. I’m dubious about it because the meeting will be a mixture of education and roughneck politics. And I know, as all Chicago knows, there’s a big Chicago pothole in the road to that mixture. In fact, it’s worse than a pothole. It’s a war going on in City Hall about the CEO of our public schools, Pedro Martinez, who is a popular and very good CEO. But for political reasons, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and President Davis Gates of the teachers union want Martinez out. And they’re working together to get him out, which in my opinion they ought not be doing because politics have no place in schools, kindergarten through 8th grade. The mayor and the teachers union are spending a lot of time beating up on Martinez, which means it won’t be long before the politicians in the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield join the war against Martinez, shaking up hundreds of thousands of public school parents, and more than a quarter of a million public school children. And, sadly, Johnson and Gates are being egged on by the headline and editorial writers in the Chicago Tribune and the Sun Times. That’s a lot of power picking on Pedro Martinez. Picking on what’s now disrupting the good going on in Chicago’s public schools.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

Considering my very sad but nonetheless much-loved Chicago Bears, I’m wondering right now what I’ll do this coming Sunday, knowing very well what I’ll do is what I do every Sunday this time of year: Make myself a chicken salad sandwich, say a prayer to the gods of football, sit down in front of the TV, and watch my Bears play the Detroit Lions. A very good team this year, the Lions, with a record of 12 wins and two losses compared to the Bears record of just four wins and 10 losses. And now they’re on an 8-game losing streak. It’s punishing for me to think about that, and even worse for me to think about what the Bears have to do to stop the streak, which is what every one of Chicago’s most seasoned and knowledgeable sportswriters are saying, and in fact, been saying for weeks, some of them saying for months, a few saying for years. The Chicago Bears must find a head coach with enough experience to take charge of and to lead a professional football team. Do it now and then find a way to take away the reins of power of the McCaskey boys and their mom who own the team. Start over, if possible. Then, if possible, my dear Bears, think smart.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

Here we go again. Or here Rahm goes again. That’s Rahm Emanuel declaring that he may run again for Mayor of Chicago. Or, if Governor Pritzker of Illinois decides not to run again, Rahm Emanuel is saying, Rahm may run for governor. At this particular time in government and politics, Rahm Emanuel is the US Ambassador to Japan, declaring that if next year, his ambassadorship is dumped by Trump, Rahm may run for the US Congress, or Senate, or for President. Rahm Emanuel has a remarkable political resume and an even more remarkable political Rolodex loaded with campaign contributors who have huge amounts of money to spend to send Rahm Emanuel around the world, looking to become a citizen somewhere and then run for Prime Minister or head of state. Oh, just name a nation for Rahmbo. Just alphabetically. France or Finland. Greece or Germany. Ireland or Italy. Poland or Portugal. Tunisia, Togo or Turkey. Or Zambia or Zimbabwe. Candidate Rahmbo may not be a master or champion politician, but for a political reporter like me, he sure is fun to follow and to watch. So, after Japan, wherever Rahmbo goes, I will follow and watch him carefully. Very carefully.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

It is hard sometimes to keep up with the ups and downs in the government and politics of Chicago’s rookie mayor Brandon Johnson who is trying very hard to quiet and remove from office Pedro Martinez, CEO of our public schools who was hired three years ago by Mayor Lightfoot and since then has been doing a very good job. The evidence of how good is that for the first time in ten years, public school enrollment in Chicago is increasing which is an indication that public school parents are regaining some of their long-lost confidence in the schools. Eighty-four percent of public school students this year are graduating, which is a record achievement. And more than 1000 students are participating in internship programs. And nearly 2000 are being certified as career educators. And in many more than ten years, if not for the first time ever, the mayor of Chicago is a former public school teacher and an organizer for the teacher’s union. What CEO Pedro Martinez deserves is for Mayor Johnson to stop trying, or even thinking about, removing him from office, and instead trying to extend in his contract with a substantial increase in pay.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

My computer this morning, along with everything else I’m reading, is loaded with news about Donald Trump creating a new White House administration. What I’m not reading, because it’s not being reported anymore, is news about how the newspapers and those talking heads on television helped Donald Trump get reelected. For the end of his most recent campaign for president, when Kamala Harris was gaining support in public opinion polls causing Trump to need help, he began showing up night after night on ABC, NBC and CBS network news and day after day and night, in lengthy interviews on CNN and MSNBC cable news. Huge numbers of voters were listening to Trump, sometimes almost tearfully, pleading for help. And on Election Day, now nine days ago, more than 75 million people voted for Trump, compared to 71 million for Harris. Bottom line, the media, that had for so many years been working overtime to keep Trump out of the White House, opened the doors to let him in. End of story this morning. My story.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

Maybe it’s good news, that vote for President. Maybe it’s bad. Depending on whom you voted for, you’re happy or sad. But finally, at long last, we all now know who will be the next occupant of the White House. But we don’t know, and what I am worried about, is who will win the next football game in Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears or the New England Patriots. What’s worrying me the most is whether the Bears can come back and be good after two very bad losses in a row. Inexcusable losses to the not good Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals. The Commanders beat the Bears with a Hail Mary pass because the Bears best pass defender was in the wrong position and not paying attention. Then the following week, the Cardinals clobbered the Bears 29 to 9 because Da Bears had no defense, no offense, and bad head coaching. So many things so bad that since losing those two games in a row, the Bears head coach himself and the Bears players themselves are being critical of themselves and each other. Which of course bodes ill for the rest of the season. Which of course is par for the course of the once great, now not great, George Halas Chicago Bears.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

I walked around my neighborhood early this morning before catching the bus that brings me here and I’m still thinking about the Halloween things I saw. Chunky things they seemed to me. Ugly, fake skeletons, coffins, and graveyards dug into charming little gardens alongside the sidewalks in front of some beautiful apartment buildings and private homes. And, here and there, some beautiful children seeming to me not only puzzled, but frightened by the scenes of death. So, here I go again, booing Halloween, and what’s in store for us tonight, and why I’m concerned. Here’s why. Those children will be in the dark tonight, buried in costumes. Their eyesights partially blocked by their masks, dashing into streets in search of bad things to eat, bad for their teeth and their health. Ringing doorbells to make demands. Trick or treat! Trick or treat! Treat us with some candy, some sugar, or we’ll treat you to some tricks. I believe I’m neither a Scrooge nor a party pooper, but a parent being protective of children singing my same old, same old song. Skip those antics of Halloween. Now I do know that many parents, probably most parents, are paying me no attention or are passionately disagreeing with me. So then, this morning, with some sadness and frustration, I’m not singing another word. Bye.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

It’s three days now into the Mike Madigan trial and the headlines are in big print on the front pages of Chicago’s biggest newspapers. In the Tribune, for instance, “The Michael Madigan Trial” alongside a big picture of Madigan, his briefcase and his lawyers leaving the courthouse, what they’re calling racketeering case underway. Competing with a bigger picture in the Sun-Times, a close-up headshot of Mike Madigan along with an even bigger headline screaming that Madigan is accused of running a racket. It’s the Sun-Times and the Tribune hunting for readers. 37 paragraphs in the Tribune’s first trial day report, mostly about the prosecution side of the story compared to just five paragraphs about the Madigan side. A similar bias in the Sun-Times. 33 paragraphs mostly about the prosecution side of the story, compared to just 19 paragraphs mostly about the Madigan side. Bias in newspapers is expected, especially in the stories about politics in lawsuits, and bias is perfectly legitimate. But only on pages clearly labeled opinion. In too much of the news about Mike Madigan on trial, that’s not what we’re getting.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

With happy smiles, beautiful balloons, and tooting trumpets, more than 1,000 people gathered on State Street three days ago to celebrate the Columbus and Indigenous People Parade. Some of them to watch it, others to watch and join the parade. The Columbus people have been hoping, and waiting, and waiting for City Hall to return to them their treasured Christopher Columbus Monument that City Hall, in the middle of the night, wrapped up and stashed away from where it had been standing for nearly 60 years on the near West Side in a regal park until it was damaged during a public protest in 2020. Mayor Lightfoot, back then, promised the Italian American community that City Hall would return the Columbus Monument to a regal park as soon as the protest was over and done with. The protest is over and has been done with for more than four years. And the Chicago Joint Committee of Italian Americans is negotiating with Mayor Johnson the return of the Columbus Monument to a regal park. The memory of Christopher Columbus is hugely important to our dear Italian American neighbors. It is past the time, long past the time Mr. Mayor, for City Hall to keep that promise.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective:

It’s been 2 1/2 years since Mike Madigan was indicted by a federal grand jury on 23 counts of criminal behavior during 36 years as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. One of the most, if not the most, powerful and popular Chicago politicians ever. For 2 1/2 years, he’s been ever-so-painfully awaiting his trial. And now that the trial has begun and is likely to go on for 8 or 10 weeks, it is ever-so-painfully possible he’ll be locked up in a federal prison. Mr. Former Speaker Madigan is accused of racketeering and wire fraud, bribery, and extortion that have been big news since the indictment and will now become bigger news because Madigan and the list of charges against him are part and parcel of the competition between Chicago’s radio and TV stations and the tougher competition between the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times. Their headlines have been stunning. Mike Madigan, his family, and much of the rest of Chicago, including the jurors in his trial, who no doubt have been seeing the headlines as they are accompanied by pictures of Madigan scowling. If those jurors find him guilty, will some of the reasons be the headlines and pictures? If yes, is the trial as fair as it’s required by law to be? My opinion is, that because the jurors hardly can be missing the headlines and pictures, if they vote Madigan guilty, my guess being they will vote him guilty, the trial hardly can be fair.

Walter Jacobson gives his Perspective: