* Chris Kennedy speaking from prepared remarks yesterday…
Our major city, Chicago, is using a strategy of selective containment where we’re allowing violence to continue as long as it only continues in certain neighborhoods. We have an ‘80-8 Rule,’ where 80 percent of the violence occurs in just 8 percent of our city… We’re cutting off resources to push people of color out of our city and perhaps out of the way of economic development.
We’ve closed 18 public schools in Bronzeville alone. That neighborhood just south of the Loop, there along the beaches of Lake Michigan, is the next great development play in Chicago. It will be a development play, but not for the residents who have lived there for years and years, and who are being pushed out. But instead, for a new wave of gentrification that defines a city which, as it gets smaller, is becoming whiter.
That describes a very deliberate, thought-out strategic plan for monetary gain which even supposedly has a name.
* Today on the Steve Cochran show…
SC: The headlines are blaring, ‘Forced Gentrification by the Mayor.’ And if people don’t read the full story, the headlines make it sound like you’re calling the mayor a racist who’s kicking black folks out of the city. So, let’s start there. I want to give you a chance to clarify those remarks — if they need clarifying.
CK: Well, I’d say this: I don’t know what’s in the mayor’s heart. I don’t know what he’s thinking on this issue. What I do know are the results.
The results are Chicago is becoming smaller and as it becomes smaller, it’s becoming whiter. In neighborhoods predominately lived in by African-Americans, we’re closing schools, we’re closing mental health clinics. We’re forcing people to live in food deserts, forcing them to live in pharmacy deserts, allowing crime to skyrocket. And, the combination of those forces would push anybody out of the city.
Whether it’s an act of omission or an act of commission, it doesn’t really matter. There is only one mayor and he sets the tone at the top. This is occurring under his watch so, one way or another, he needs to be held responsible.
…Adding… I still think he sounded like he was backing away, but the Kennedy folks just called to hotly dispute this notion. He fully and completely stands by what he said yesterday, I was told.
* Meanwhile, Cochran also asked Kennedy today why he thought JB Pritzker wasn’t saying much about the controversy surrounding Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, who is also the county party chairman…
Well, I think it would be a little hypocritical to do that given the notion that he [Pritzker] used Joe Berrios’ offices at the Cook County Democratic Party to make so many of his campaign phone calls. He operated out of that office. Joe’s office.
* From the Berrios campaign…
Isn’t this the same guy who stated that JB gave to Scott Walker?
Kennedy’s claim is completely false.
* The Pritzker campaign also said the claim was false and then added…
Chris Kennedy’s commitment to telling the truth is starting to resemble Bruce Rauner’s willingness to take responsibility for his failed leadership.
The Kennedy campaign claims it has a good source on the story and stands by the candidate’s remarks.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:01 pm:
- claims it has a good source -
As said before, stop believing everything the insider hangers on tell you, Chris.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:02 pm:
I’d give Kennedy credit for mixing it up, not allowing for a uncontested primary. There’s enough truth in what he says to make the ‘boys’ unhappy that he’s leveling charges. So, they call them lies. If it makes the power boys unhappy and a little squirmy, good.
- People Over Parties - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:05 pm:
Berrios’ conduct in office has been shameful, and the Chicago Tribune proves that. If he has any respect for his constituents he should drop out. Kennedy is absolutely right to criticize that as well as Pritzker’s cowardly defense of him.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:09 pm:
But did Pritzker make campaign phone calls from Berros’ office or not? Both can’t be true.
- Conspiracy Nut - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:19 pm:
I wouldn’t trust what Berrios says. Isn’t is also funny that Berrios’ campaign manager and communications staff are former Carlos Rosa staffers? It’s all incestual.
- Amalia - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
Kennedy should ignore the cracks on his low level errors. He should go full speed ahead on the Berrios/Pritzker connect. that rings true to the empty house that Pritzker has. and there is lots to mine with Berrios. Also, Pritzker has that finance scam thing for which he has to talk. He should be very worried about that every time he attacks Kennedy on the low level stuff he avoids the bigger stuff. can’t let an opponent do that.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
Except that JB hasn’t defended Berrios. He’s condemned the broken system and pointed out Berrios’ role.
- Rutro - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:35 pm:
Kennedy should just say “toilet toilet toilet” every time Berrios/Pritzker comes up
- Anonish - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:37 pm:
Also making calls from the offices from the party org that endorsed you is kind of what you expect to happen, assuming the calls happened after the endorsement vote. Using the man’s space for your own purposes doesn’t mean you like him or support him.
- Boone's is Back - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:38 pm:
Kennedy is quickly losing credibility and is appearing desperate.
- People Over Parties - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:41 pm:
===Except that JB hasn’t defended Berrios.===
Come on…
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:44 pm:
==making calls from the offices from the party org that endorsed you is kind of what you expect to happen==
Agreed, and because of this, I’ll guess that it really did happen, despite Pritzker’s denial.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:48 pm:
I’m sure JB used Joe Berrios’ office for campaign calls rather than one of his dozens of field offices, hotels, and assorted other buildings bearing the family name.
- Chris Widger - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:59 pm:
==Chris Kennedy’s commitment to telling the truth is starting to resemble Bruce Rauner’s willingness to take responsibility for his failed leadership.==
Too many inferences. You can write things that aren’t SAT analogies to make your points.
- JoeMaddon - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:06 pm:
*8Isn’t is also funny that Berrios’ campaign manager and communications staff are former Carlos Rosa staffers? It’s all incestual.**
Berrios’s campaign manger is also Chris Kennedy’s former political director. Mario Lopez left the Kennedy campaign to run the Berrios campaign.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
People over Parties,
When did he defend Berrios? Please show me the quote.
- A guy - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:08 pm:
There’s someone new steering that (CK) campaign lately and whoever it is, it’s a far more serious cat than the one he/she replaced.
- cdog - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
Kennedy makes a few great philosophical points about not knowing what’s in Rahm’s heart, and the ommission/commission.
It’s obvious he cares about this community.
Where he goes wrong is thinking government can fix all this. AA, and all others,that have moved from these war zones are smart.
On the other hand, people that develop land and create opportunities for young, educated, bright people of all colors, are smart.
This whole “whiteness is indefensible” thing is getting wearisome. And it’s racist, prima facie.
- Molly Maguire - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:23 pm:
Thing is, from Dem perspective (mine), the prize is still to beat Rauner. Kennedy would be among the weakest opponent for him, despite his late arrival to a couple of key issues. Biss or JB MUCH stronger.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
===a far more serious cat===
I always appreciate a Republican’s take on the Democratic primary, so thanks again for your continued insight and analysis.
From my vantage point, it looks like Kennedy has finally decided to drop his campaign for Cook County Assessor and fully challenge Daniel Biss for the Bernie Bros. vote. Not sure how that gets him to a plurality, but at least his messaging is now consistent with the office he’s running for.
And is Kennedy going to focus on reinvesting in CPS before he goes after legislators who are property tax lawyers or before?
Kennedy is now apparently all-in with CTU. That’s bad news for Biss and great news for Pritzker. So yeah, those new cats are definitely serious.
Seriously catty.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
==There’s someone new steering that (CK) campaign lately and whoever it is, it’s a far more serious cat than the one he/she replaced.==
It’s the son. But I wouldn’t say he’s more “serious”, just more “aggressive”.
- Saluki - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
Kennedy’s race hustling is pitiful
- Kenwood guy - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
Kennedy has a point. Just look at the vast empty spaces on the southside compared to the northside. Certainly there are market forces at work, but public policy also has an impact.
- Thomas Paine - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 5:17 pm:
It seems like Chris Kennedy is running for John Kass’s job.
Atleast he has gone one day without mentioning the stolen strawberries, er sorry, endorsements.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 5:34 pm:
–Kennedy’s race hustling is pitiful–
Yeah, race, ethnicity and money have never played a role in the history of Chicago politics or development.
But personally, for you, I bet it was awesome to bust out that “race hustling” phrase. Did you get it for the War on Christmas?
- Sputnik - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:01 pm:
Sounds like race hustling to me. No room for it in our beautiful and diverse city
- low level - Friday, Jan 5, 18 @ 8:45 am:
Absolutely disgraceful. If Kennedy was correct, the city of Chicago would lay off easily a quarter of its workforce. Half the planning department and the entire health department would be fired. The grant application and delegate agency contracts would cease.
I wasnt likely to vote for him in the first place, but I still respected him. Now Ive lost any respect for the man.