* JB Pritzker’s Deputy Get Out The Vote Director recently posted this photo on Instagram of a fellow Pritzker campaign worker…
What a stupid thing to do. Your campaign is being sued for racial discrimination and you pose for this photo and a top official posts it online? I don’t care if it was a charcoal face mask. Nobody thinks over there? What’s the opposite of “woke”?
* Tina Sfondeles…
A campaign worker for Democrat J.B. Pritzker was captured earlier this week wearing a charcoal face mask that resembles blackface in an Instagram post by another campaign employee. But the campaign insists the incident was not racial in nature and that the employees in question will be suspended without pay for exercising poor judgment. […]
The post was part of an Instagram story put up October 21. Instagram stories feature photos or videos and last just 24 hours but can be preserved or copied. The Sun-Times obtained the image Thursday night. […]
Asked about the picture, Mehta told the Sun-Times in a Facebook message: “It was a charcoal face mask.” […]
“The individual in the photo had applied and was wearing a charcoal face mask after work hours on the weekend. A fellow employee took a video and posted it on Instagram,” Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Galia Slayen said in a statement. “While it showed poor judgment, neither employee intended to take part in offensive behavior. However, given the poor judgment exercised here, both the individual in the photo and the individual who posted the photo will be suspended without pay.”
In their response, the Pritzker campaign provided a video of the man putting on the face mask, with others nearby laughing. The video was provided on the condition that it not be published.
The reckless ignorance of some white people just boggles my mind.
…Adding… Somebody made a good point in comments about how it wasn’t just these two staffers. Other campaign staffers watched and laughed as this whole thing unfolded. Not one of them said anything? Nobody in that group thought to say, hey, maybe people could think this is racist and we should stop right now?
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
Beyond stupid. These people should be fired immediately.
- Norseman - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
Anyone this stupid should be fired.
- Oof the Magic Dragon - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
Yet another unforced error. It really is amateur hour over there.
- OneMan - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:41 pm:
Didn’t they have sensitivity training?
This is epic levels of stupid.
- Highland, IL - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:42 pm:
Surprised more hasn’t been said about Hal Patton after the Megyn Kelly controversy.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:42 pm:
Dumb af
– MrJM
- Sox Fan - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:43 pm:
Wow
- Boone's is Back - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:44 pm:
1) As Rich mentioned how could you not have that lawsuit in the back of your mind and 2) shouldn’t the Megyn Kelly incident provide you with the awareness that this is stupid and offensive? (The Megyn Kelly fallout may have been after 10/21. Not sure of that timeline).
- Just Because You Can - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:45 pm:
Is the JB campaign really this stupid? Asking for a friend because I would not want ANY of these campaign people actually working in state government. Top level staff better be thanking their lucky stars they are running against BVR in a state Hillary won by 17. Pitiful work, JB crew. #realprofessionalsneeded
- thunderspirit - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:46 pm:
Dumb, dumb, dumb.
And completely lacking any self-awareness.
Against another opponent without Rauner’s track record, these stupid, unforced errors would spell trouble.
Pritzker’s campaign has the money to hire capable people. It shouln’t be hard to out-perform the Best Team in America [tm] and NOT shoot yourself in the foot every other week, should it?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:46 pm:
That Pritzker Campaign is just too big to keep track of things like odd pictures or malcontents willing to file a federal lawsuit for discrimination.
I was mocking it before… but…
What goes on all day at these Pritzker headquarters for $300,000 a day?
Lots of people coulda stop this, the gigglers, those watching the filming, the person posting this…
If you can’t handle a campaign, how can you run a state?
Again, $300,000 a day… gets you stuff like this?
- Roadrager - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:46 pm:
As I believe OW has basically said time and again: If this is how the guy runs a campaign, how do we think he’s gonna run a state? “Because lookit all the money I made from doing a business” hasn’t exactly worked out well for us.
If JB wins, he better listen to some people who know things and start assembling an actual Best Team.
- Quimby'sSash - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:47 pm:
The best team in IL???
- NIU Grad - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:50 pm:
My general rule of thumb is to not post any type of personal social media posts about working in a campaign office, outside of the bland official stuff (candidate visits, GOTV messaging, volunteer recognition at phone banks, etc.). Don’t even set yourself up for this type of stuff or show off to your opponent’s team what you’re up to.
I once worked a campaign where the opponent’s regional field office had a staffer that was constantly posting their internal operations on Twitter. It gave us a daily window into where they were focusing their energies without benefiting their candidate in the slightest. And, yes, we would for sure forward it on to local media if we saw something stupid, like this.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:51 pm:
Maybe there is something to that lawsuit filed against the Pritzker campaign alleging racism? The Sun-Times reports that a video was released in which others in the room are laughing? And the deputy “get-out-the-vote” person named Mehta previously worked for SEIU and the Obama campaign?
This isn’t just stupid on its face. This isn’t just ignorance run wild. This shows something deeper and more insidious. And the clowns involved thought it was funny?
Track down the video and publish it. Do a “Moylan” on them.
- illini - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:51 pm:
This is uncalled for in any campaign.
I have worked as a paid staffer in a number of campaigns over the years, but have never seen anything like this - usually the campaign imploded because of its own mistakes and not because of stupid actions of their staffers.
Get rid of these immature staff and get out in front of this and do so forcibly.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:52 pm:
Kid looks like he’s between the ages of 12-14, so yeah he may not have gotten it at the time. But Mehta should know better.
Also, why the heart with “psycho” inside? Do they love psychos? Does Mehta, or this young guy, love a guy with the nickname of psycho? Is it a reference to a meme I’m too old to understand that just so happens to be taped to the wall behind him, or is it a meme reference embedded in the picture itself? So confused…..
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:54 pm:
There goes your next Deputy Director of something. Our likely next administration, folks. Send in the different clowns.
- Northsider (the original) - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:56 pm:
==Kid looks like he’s between the ages of 12-14==
Um- he’s wearing a wedding ring.
- OurMagician - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:57 pm:
Rauner has to be kicking himself for all the failures in the last 4 years. Pritzker would be giving a close race away that he should win but…
- Just Because You Can - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:58 pm:
-Get rid of these immature staff and get out in front of this and do so forcibly.-
The campaign wouldn’t be able to do that, since no one would be left to manage the last 11 days. Everyone would need to go from the campaign manager to communications director and on down the line. This is disgusting and inexcusable.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:58 pm:
If you don’t think there’s a pattern of gross negligence, and now… 2 instances of a lack of staff oversight…
… you’re probably an apologist for the Pritzker Crew.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 12:59 pm:
So, was it the Deputy Director of Get Out The Vote for Someone Other Than Pritzker? Because they’re doing a swell job on that score.
That lawsuit just got a major booster shot in the arm, politically, anyway.
Some really stupid people at the Pritzker campaign believe they’ve already won.
They may yet reap what they’ve sown.
Mind-boggingly stupid. You can’t have people that stupid working for you. Fire the lot of them, now.
- Stark - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:00 pm:
Exaggeration, but JB should just start knocking the doors himself at this point. Seems like this campaign is too chock full of absolute dullards who should be cancelled from future Illinois elections. Good thing I voted for him and not these fools.
- Anon - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:01 pm:
Note: it is not racist to have fun with a charcoal face mask. But it is a stupid decision to do in such a hyper-charged political atmosphere while working for a candidate for office.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:02 pm:
==Kid looks like he’s between the ages of 12-14==
Um- he’s wearing a wedding ring.–
Judging by his big brain, I imagine a long line of first-cousin marriages in the family tree.
- Amalia - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:02 pm:
JB, walk in and fire them in front of the rest of the staff. now.
- Wensicia - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:04 pm:
How can anyone suggest that blackface is not racist?
No, it’s not a charcoal face mask, call it what it is, idiots.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:04 pm:
(Tips cap to - Roadrager -)
You can run a terribly mediocre campaign against someone so underwater in approval…and unlikable… and still win with things like gross negligence and lacking staff oversight.
If Pritzker wins, I want Pritzker to succeed. Illinois needs to succeed with strong leadership and a staff and crew focused on Illinois.
Right now, all they’re showing is “let’s see how inept we can look and how bad we can have JB look and still win”
Not great.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:05 pm:
–Good thing I voted for him and not these fools.–
Yeah, but this is who he is bringing with him…
- OneMan - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:06 pm:
I really hope your rich guy does better than my rich guy did, I really do.
As we get closer to election day I am less and less convinced he will.
- DarkHorse - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:07 pm:
Just praying JB’s administration is not as awful and chock full of dopes as his campaign.
- Just Me - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:08 pm:
if the campaign is made up of idiots like this, what does that say about an administration?
Our state has endured either stupid, corrupt, or inept Governors for over 20 years now. Why can’t we get a Governor who knows how to govern and lead our state?
- Pick a Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
This crew is TRYING to lose.
Misstep after misstep, from the top guy to the lowest staffers.
And this bunch wants to run the state of Illinois????
Holy Smokes.
- Honeybadger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
I early voted for JB because I believe he is the best candidate for Governor, but I just hope the staff he brings to state government will not be this dumb. I am more than disappointed to say the least, I mean why, why would you post this knowing what has happened already?
- Fixer - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
I’m not an expert, but I would like to think something went out to the field offices regarding not being imbeciles with social media.
- Turn Around For What? - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
=J B, walk in and fire them in front of the rest of the staff.=
Exactly. And the sooner the better.
- DarkHorse - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
Rich - when is your CapFax/We Ask America final poll coming out? The Rauner and Pritzker campaigns are so weak, perhaps the poll will be interesting to read about.
- WSJ Paywall - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
They’re not treating this like a race when it clearly very much so still is.
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
==That Pritzker Campaign is just too big==
That’s it, in a nutshell. Soooooo much money to spend…they hire lots of people with little experience and with not much direction.
- west - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
Again, as mentioned many times before, please tell me there will be a steel wall separating the campaign staff from state government if JB wins.
- Bobby Hicks - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
Unbelievable. I want to say more, but I don’t want to get banned.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
–Note: it is not racist to have fun with a charcoal face mask.–
That’s a thing with the Krazy Kool Kids — non-racist blackface fun?
I’m so not hip.
What Amalia said. Pritzker wants to be state CEO. Show that you’ve got the goods for the job, cowboy up and fire these giggling idiots, immediately and loudly.
You’re in very dangerous territory right now. You can still blow it.
- Bobby Hicks - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
Also, I hope that young man is proud of himself. It will follow him.
- Real - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:15 pm:
Wait so this is just a charcoal mask?
As a black person I guess society tells me I should be outraged right now since it resembles black face? I have too many other important things to wprry about in my life than this pic. I wasn’t there to say if it was racist or not. Maybe someone black was there who could provide input?
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:15 pm:
=why would you post this knowing what has happened already?=
Why would you post this anytime or anywhere, ever.
- Molly Maguire - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
unbleeping-believable
- JoanP - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:19 pm:
Just suspended? They should have been shown the door stat.
- Bourbon Street - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
If they didn’t intend to engage in “offensive behavior”, what did they intend?
- MIsc - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:27 pm:
Ok - is it just me? As a woman, that looks like me on Sunday morning. Its a face mask for petes sake. And I actually have posted photos like that on social media - never in a million years would I think that would be mistaken for blackface???
- Values Voters - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:27 pm:
JB needs to personally fire these two idiots now. I don’t care if they aren’t racists. If you can’t tell the difference from the video, it does not matter.
Oh, and after they are fired, they ought to issue personal apologies.
The image — in a Pritzker T-shirt - is probably already being cut into a tv ad. If not, it will surely be in flyers across Chicago by Sunday. Try explaining it’s just a charcoal face mask.
Kiddos probably just cost Pritzker 1-2 percentage points, and maybe cost Kwame the AGs race if that one is now within the margin.
Look for react from Rauner and Harold in 3…2…1….
- dbk - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:28 pm:
Are there no grownups in the JB camp? I’m going to have to assume there aren’t, because no matter how much money is sloshing around, there should have been at least one person in that room with half a brain.
Surely there are grownups in Illinois who can be tapped to serve in his administration.
His campaign, unfortunately, suggests that they haven’t been located yet.
This is just so not good, and it augurs ill come 2019.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:29 pm:
===“… both the individual in the photo and the individual who posted the photo will be suspended without pay.”===
There’s 11 days left, for Cripes sake. What are you suspending them for… “lunch”
What an utter joke.
- Matts - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:30 pm:
Start at the top. Pritzker is not a leader. He can’t get his troops sufficiently fired up to concentrate on expanding their lead, rather he/they have become lazy and complacent (and ineffective). Looks like he/they are just hoping the clock runs out before their big lead falls into the red zone.
- Big West - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:31 pm:
Social media disasters, time after time after time, “I didn’t think it was a big deal” or “I thought it was funny…” was what I got. Do the Pritzker folks understand? Yes, absolutely. Will this keep happening? Yes, absolutely. It’ll happen with almost every candidate and every party. And it will keep happening. If you’ve got a solution, beyond firing, I’m all for it. Because we’ve been here since the advent of social media.
- ??? - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:34 pm:
“Judging by his big brain, I imagine a long line of first-cousin marriages in the family tree.” - wordlinger
I think that “tree” might actually be a wreath. This stunt is unbelievably stupid.
- PublicServant - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
BTIA version 2.0
- Texas Red - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
Just think how JB will govern.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
For most winning campaigns, when applying for jobs with the newly elected official it has always been standard practice to highlight your role on the winning political campaign.
This might be the first income administration where listing JB for Governor on your resume gets you put into the “do not hire” pile.
Senior management better get more personally involved in their jobs over the next two weeks or they are going to be at the top of everybody’s do not hire list.
- Roadrager - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:37 pm:
==Ok - is it just me? As a woman, that looks like me on Sunday morning. Its a face mask for petes sake. And I actually have posted photos like that on social media - never in a million years would I think that would be mistaken for blackface???==
Context matters. Context always matters.
- Real - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
Umm suspension is done so that an investigation could happen. Then from that point maybe a firing. If someone black was there they could be questioned.
Some of you here are ok with police officers getting suspended and not fired after killing unarmed people.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
With respect - 47th Ward -
You seeing a pattern?
To make sure you take this with the joke intended, I’ll keep track of the number of comments for us both.
With respect, OW
- Pick a Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
JB, if he holds on to win, will quickly find out that he just can’t write checks from the guv seat.
He will have to lead, motivate, make major decisions.
Can he do it???
- OneMan - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
BigWest.
There is a bit of a solution, there are systems that watch things like e-mail and ask ‘are you sure you want to say that’…
Seems like a package like that for social media that goes on a phone might be a good idea and have a market.
- DeseDemDose - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:40 pm:
The Pritzker Campaign is just fine and immature goofball stuff or ridicoulous lawsuits asking for 7.5 million or else will not even dent the Pritzker landslide that is coming.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:42 pm:
===You seeing a pattern?===
No. But I recognize that you and other disagree.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:42 pm:
===The Pritzker Campaign is just fine and immature goofball stuff or ridicoulous lawsuits asking for 7.5 million or else will not even dent the Pritzker landslide that is coming.===
So, you’re “cool” with their campaign abd how it’s running… as long as they win?
They haveta govern. Patterns aren’t accidents.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
===No. But I recognize that you and other disagree.===
More than fair, bud.
Be well
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
It is not Blakface it is charcoal face is your defense?
Read a little history Minstrel shoes were originally done in Blackface made from charcoal
This is so damn stupid. Rauner will have ad up with Blagojevich and J B talking about inoffensive Blacks with this guy in background. Fool
- Flat Bed Ford - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:45 pm:
When will Julianna Stratton, Lt. gov candidate, and Christian Mitchell, head of Democratic Party of Illinois, condemn the Pritzker campaign? Or is it only racism when your political enemies engage in it?
- Yiddishcowboy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you so, so, so much. Yipee.” said the lawyers who drafted the utterly crappy discrimination complaint against Team JB.
- Hysteria - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
I recognize that because of what Megyn Kelly said, this appears insensitive, but there are young girls posting pictures of themselves on Instagram in charcoal face masks (they are one of the biggest beauty fads right now, for those of you who aren’t aware), and I am 1000% sure that none of them is thinking it is racist or that most of them would even know what blackface is. This falls into the category of, if everything is racist, then nothing is racist.
- Reserved - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:53 pm:
Granted the election hasn’t happened yet, but is it safe to say that maybe picking the candidate with the deepest pockets in the primary isn’t a good as an idea as it sounds.
- JakeCP - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
If I am in a salon, spa, etc and a white person has on a charcoal face mask, then I wouldn’t get offended.
This Instagram post seems to have been made in poor judgment. Just imagine, if JB can’t even run a smooth campaign, what will his cabinet will look like in January….
*Note for those that don’t know me, I am African-American.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
===This falls into the category of, if everything is racist, then nothing is racist===
This is not some random teenage girl. These are adult employees of a statewide campaign - a campaign that was sued recently for racial discrimination.
Remember this from the lawsuit? “JB Pritzker for Governor has a serious race problem. Contrary to the candidate’s many public avowals, rather than working to meaningfully address discrimination, racism is perpetuated, condoned, and ratified by the Campaign.”
- Big West - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:55 pm:
==Seems like a package like that for social media that goes on a phone might be a good idea and have a market.==
OneMan I appreciate the suggestion. It’s a good one. I bet we can find a venture capitalist with a personal interest in funding development. I wish I was being snarky.
- Urban Girl - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 1:56 pm:
The campaign’s first goal should be for their team not engage in racist activity. Second goal is not to document that racism with photos. Third goal is there are photos, catch it yourselves rather than getting called out by others. For crying out loud!!! If they just used 1% of their social media advertising budget to hire someone to monitor the social media of their staff they would catch this stuff on their own.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:03 pm:
===For crying out loud…If they just used 1% of their social media advertising budget to hire someone to monitor the social media of their staff they would catch this stuff on their own.===
This is what $164 million in a campaign looks like when you can’t oversee 200 people…
Gross negligence.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:03 pm:
–The image — in a Pritzker T-shirt - is probably already being cut into a tv ad. If not, it will surely be in flyers across Chicago by Sunday.–
Certainly flyers for distribution before/after church services. I don’t think even BTIA(TM) could miss that gimme.
Get ahead of this wannabe-governor. Fire everyone who was in the room, now.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:08 pm:
=== The image — in a Pritzker T-shirt - is probably already being cut into a tv ad. If not, it will surely be in flyers across Chicago by Sunday.–
Certainly flyers for distribution before/after church services. I don’t think even BTIA(TM) could miss that gimme.
Get ahead of this wannabe-governor. Fire everyone who was in the room, now.===
What’s exciting for that Pritzker Crew is that picture is already on the Sun-Times link… t-shirt and all.
- The Most Anonymous - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:08 pm:
Mismanagement. And then missed opportunities to manage well after way too many lessons learned in a single campaign. When a government agency messes up, the agency head steps down. When a pro sports team is weak, the coach is let go. When a campaign has a pattern of misstep after misstep…the campaign manager goes back home to Pennsylvania.
- West Side the Best Side - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:14 pm:
Charcoal face masks may well be the latest beauty thing, but come on folks, use a little common sense! Social media can be a good thing, but it call also come back to bite you on the bottom. Use your brain before you hit Say It or Post or whatever! This ain’t gonna look good on anyone’s resume or help the guy you’re working for.
- Perrid - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
I’m going to defend them here. Sure, it’s a mistake to not realize dumb, easily offended people could take it out of context, but if the goal was beauty care, and other people just thought he looked silly (which he does) then there is absolutely no meat to this story.
- Nick Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:24 pm:
If Rauner ekes out a victory, it will be Pritzker’s fault. Jeez louise, Pritzker & crew, get your [banned word] together. Fire - not suspend; FIRE - these people, loudly and publically. Fire their supervisor(s). Issue a statement. Damage control NOW.
You can still lose this election, and if you don’t know that, you’ve already lost.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
===easily offended people===
With respect, the campaign and its Crew are being sued for discrimination.
Blame those offended, but ignoring self awareness is also a fault of those posting, and their supervisors
- Pick a Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:29 pm:
Nick Name, one only has to go on Twitter, FB and Linkedin to see the angst for Madigan and JB.
There is no way JB is 16-22 points ahead in this race.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:31 pm:
–Sure, it’s a mistake to not realize dumb, easily offended people could take it out of context–
Good plan. Double down and call those who think this is offensive or at least stupid “dumb” as well.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:31 pm:
===Twitter, FB and Linkedin to see the angst for Madigan and JB.===
Those are not scientific metrics.
- 37B - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:32 pm:
The Deputy who posted that picture should be fired.
The kid should get counseling on injudicious use of juvenile humor in the internet age.
I know that Gubernatorial candidates own.
It’s depressing to realize that JB and/or people high up in the campaign should have foreseen the need to tell campaign workers, “And people please, don’t any of you post pictures of a guy in a JB shirt taking pictures of himself in blackface.”
My Dad’s main advice to me going out into the world was “Don’t do anything stupid.”
This was stupid.
Not sure how the campaign guards against this in advance.
Ron White: “You can’t fix stupid.”
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
After the current discrimination lawsuit gets dismissed for bad pleading, the amended complaint should take most of the words out and just attach that picture.
- Hysteria - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:36 pm:
I just don’t think that the people involved, or probably anyone who posts pictures on IG in charcoal face masks (seriously, it’s a thing - as the mother of teenage daughters who follows their IG accounts and their friends’, I have seen plenty of similar posts, even posts with boys in the face masks), gives any thought to it being racist. We are so quick to call out people for being racist that it is ascribed to completely innocent behavior. My guess is that it never occurred to the people involved (and I am not a JB supporter, by the way) that this would be offensive. I’m not even sure it can be called stupid because it would never occur to people that a charcoal face mask would be compared to blackface.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:38 pm:
Hmm maybe he has acne ?
Is that a possibility. That is what the charcoal mask is for
- Honeybear - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:39 pm:
Yes, incredibly dumb
And maybe my time in the Navy has jaded me because sailors do far more rediculous and offensive things. I’ve had to go to many a Captains Mast and speak on the sailors behalf.
I don’t believe this is a foreshadowing of Pritzkers governing.
I do feel however, to return to Navy example, that Pritzker, has not hired enough Chiefs. Too many Ensigns.
Personal example: an old retired Labor salt watches over me like a hawk. If I post something here or on social media that reveals my green and tender understanding, he lets me have it. In another age I would get my ears boxed.
Obviously JB didn’t hire the, serious as sepsis, salty Navy Chief type campaign workers.
Ensigns on watch can be next to worthless or detrimental as in this case. They need to be paired with a good Chief.
Sure, it’s not the Navy, I get it.
But the CO and XO need to have a better command and oversight structure at the local campaign office level.
That goes for when you put together your transition teams.
Retain good government workers
Root out the hacks
Keep the hard working chiefs
(Although many have been cleared out by Rauner)
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:39 pm:
===My guess is that it never occurred to the people involved (and I am not a JB supporter, by the way) that this would be offensive.===
No self-awareness from a campaign or campaign staff involved in a discrimination lawsuit isn’t helpful.
- Sonny - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:40 pm:
The top level staff were propped up by all the resources and a tragically bad GOP candidate. It’s been not so much pro and a lot of am over there the whole time.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:41 pm:
===My guess is that it never occurred to the people involved===
And that’s the problem.
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:47 pm:
If there was an African American in the room surrounded by laughing white people, the Pritzker campaign may have bought itself another lawsuit.
- Pick a Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
Maybe not Willy, but a lot of them are voters.
That is as scientific as you need to know.
- Hysteria - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
So do I have to make sure that my kids don’t post pictures of themselves with charcoal masks on because someone is going to call them racist? I think that’s what you’re all saying, and, I’m sorry, but that is completely ridiculous.
- wordslinger - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:50 pm:
===My guess is that it never occurred to the people involved===
So not racist, just incredibly stupid?
Either way, you’re gone. You’re a menace to the one-and-only objective, which is winning.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:51 pm:
===…but a lot of them are voters.===
… or maybe not registered at all. Twitter and Facebook don’t have bots too.
I know, you “know”
- Values Voter - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:51 pm:
@Perrid-
I’m not dumb or easily offiended, and I am certainly not dumb enough to believe it was “beauty care” when it was done in a campaign office after work in front of his coworkers with a video camera rolling.
Were the 46% of the staff who are minority in the room when this happened?
So. Many. Questions.
- Saluki - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 2:51 pm:
Some where Kirk Dillard is wondering what could have been. Literally anyone but Rauner could beat J.B. Pritzker
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:01 pm:
The Pritzker campaign is doing a great service to Democrats downstate with their efforts to push turnout in so many places, and help Democrats win in places they may not always win, especially down-ballot.
Unfortunately, these youthful, inexperienced, and green-in-the-gills kids running around the state working banker’s hours are doing one hell of a job with these stupid stupid stupid antics, taking away from the story.
I hope when JB wins, that he takes exactly zero people from his campaign team into his administration. This is a gross failure of senior staff leadership to let these incidents continue happening and none of those people anywhere in his campaign chain of command should be given a chance to keep up this amateur hour BS on a government salary.
- DuPage Bard - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:03 pm:
Dumb just dumb smh
- Turn Around For What? - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
=Sure, it’s a mistake to not realize dumb, easily offended people could take it out of context=
I am not dumb or easily offended but I believe what these folks did is dumb and offensive.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
–So do I have to make sure that my kids don’t post pictures of themselves with charcoal masks on because someone is going to call them racist?–
Probably not. Just don’t have them representing a candidate and do it, or an employer, or me for that matter.
- Goner - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:08 pm:
At least the Illinois Policy Institute is hiring. Maybe they could use a new cartoonist.
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
I’m totally baffled by this one. What’s the innocent version of this? Like, what is a charcoal face mask for other than blackface?
- CookR - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
JB should hire Ben Tracy to give the troops a presentation on the pitfalls of social media.
- Blue Dogs are blind, deaf, and dumb - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:26 pm:
2nd October surprise. 1st one was the lawsuit. So it seems like the Rauner Campaign has infiltrated the Pritzker Campaign to gin up racial drama. What other way to explain these absolute foot shooting moments this month. Having said that, still voting JB because he has otherwise run a great race and we need a Governor that talks up Illinois and not trash it the way Rauner and his party have. Get packing Bruce.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:29 pm:
–what is a charcoal face mask for other than blackface?–
It’s a beauty/skin care product. Though you’d think they’d go out of their way to add some color to them to make them look bright green or something.
- Perrid - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:32 pm:
@Ron Burgundy - Yeah, I’m going to double double down on it. This isn’t blackface, no one that spends two seconds thinking about it thinks he’s trying to appear as an African American. This is as silly as the story about a kindergartner being sent home for pretending his Pop-Tart was a gun. If I fall down in mud, and I’m covered in it and someone takes a picture because I look silly, am I a racist? NO.
Again, sure, the workers should have planned for the easily offended, so this is a big error on their part. But failing to accommodate people’s bias (and anyone who actually thinks this is racist is almost hopelessly biased) is not as obvious as thing as you seem to believe.
- Tobias Funke - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
The staffer is basically making the face that Gob Bluth makes in Arrested Development when he does something dumb. The only thing missing is the Sound of Silence in the background.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
===If I fall down in mud, and I’m covered in it and someone takes a picture because I look silly, am I a racist?===
Yeah, this isn’t this.
You’re treading on Megyn Kelly “what’s the big deal” rationale.
These two are suspended.
You think they shouldn’t be?
===should have planned for the easily offended===
No. If you think it might offend people, it’s offensive.
- Perrid - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
I do apologize for calling people dumb though, even though I think you are very, very wrong on this.
- Soccermom - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
I was going to comment, but this is all just too stupid for words.
- Perrid - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
OW, you have no idea what they were doing when they decided to put the mask on the guy. I’ll say it again, it’s very likely entirely innocent. Sure, I could be wrong, but it’s just not obvious he was trying to pretend to be black, which is the actual problem with blackface.
As for the suspension, yeah they need to be suspended just as damage control because people are going to overreact and misunderstand. So under the bus they go. But just from the pic, no I don’t think they’ve done anything actually wrong. But whatever.
- Bobio - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:00 pm:
If this isn’t racist, what is it? Do kids wear charcoal masks nowadays for some reason. The campaign says it wasn’t meant to be offensive, but what else is there?
- Values Voter - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
=== “you have no idea what they were doing when they decided to put the mask on the guy” ===
“I wasn’t trying to be racist” is not a defense.
And judging from his fingers and his smile and his pose, he put it on himself.
When you business is politics, and you are in a campaign office wearing a campaign shirt with campaign staff, it isnt just politically incorrect. It’s incorrect.
- Ike - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
Bobio- charcoal mask are a skin/ache care product. Look it up.
I don’t think this was intentionally racist,but it’s a stupid thing to do when political campaigns are looking for anything to “gin” up there political base.
- Nick Name - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
– ===Twitter, FB and Linkedin to see the angst for Madigan and JB.===
Those are not scientific metrics. —
What OW said.
- Ike - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:06 pm:
Correction: Acne, not ache
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
===Sure, I could be wrong, but it’s just not obvious he was trying to pretend to be black, which is the actual problem with blackface.===
No reason to post that picture.
Especially no reason when the campaign is being sued for discrimination.
===As for the suspension, yeah they need to be suspended just as damage control because people are going to overreact and misunderstand.===
Giving punishment without learning a lesson… hmm.
Not great.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
FWIW, isn’t it Snapchat where the pics disappear unless preserved, not Instagram? Not a social media guru here.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
===If I fall down in mud, and I’m covered in it and someone takes a picture because I look silly, am I a racist?===
No, but you’re a moron for asking that question.
- Me - Friday, Oct 26, 18 @ 4:28 pm:
“So do I have to make sure that my kids don’t post pictures of themselves with charcoal masks on because someone is going to call them racist?”
You don’t have to tell them because they should already get it if they’re old enough to have a job especially at this level. Before this happened, my college kid called me, just this past week. She said she was using her charcoal mask on her t-zone and without thinking snap chatted it. She said, “I hope no one thinks I was doing blackface I shouldn’t have posted that. “ She already got it was a mistake and she was in her dorm room not on a campaign. If you’ve told your kid about the history of black face, they get it already. They understand it is offensive on sight because of the painful history. Also don’t put pointy sheets on your heads or swastikas or anything that slightly resembles those things. Also apparently white supremicists seem to like what used to be the ok hand sign. Don’t do it. Also I wouldn’t suggest pretending you know how to make gang signs in photos. It actually won’t hurt any of us or our children not to say or do certain things. They’re not necessary to anyone’s happiness.
- PhillyChiSteak - Saturday, Oct 27, 18 @ 2:35 pm:
The guy wearing the black facemask is James Sawyer. He was a Deputy Field Director, not just some random low-level organizer.
Lot of comments about “some dumb kid”…this guy’s fairly senior staff, y’all!
Or was, anyway.