Google is your friend
Tuesday, Jan 26, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WMBD TV…
MATT SHEEHAN: Before being the speaker of the house, you represented Illinois’ 7th District in Chicago in Cook County. For those in Central Illinois who haven’t seen you very much these last couple of years, what should they know about you and how are you going to work for them as well?
SPEAKER WELCH: I’m not from Chicago, I’m not from downstate, I like to say I’m the guy in the middle. I’m the bridge to both to make us one Illinois. If you look at me, and my leadership team I’ve rolled out, that leadership team is reflective of our state. I live by a motto a high school teacher told me years ago, “People may doubt what you say, but they believe what you do.” I don’t want you to listen to anything I’m saying to you, I want you to watch my actions. We’re going to bring this state together and work collaboratively to move us forward, work together to improve Illinois.
Welch’s district does not contain a single Chicago precinct.
…Adding… Again, Google is your friend. Welch has introduced his own Fair Maps bill. It’s not just a GOP/Pritzker thing…
MATT SHEEHAN: Illinois GOP lawmakers pushed for this fair maps proposal in 2018, according to the northwest herald. Gov. Pritzker was quoted saying he does support the end of gerrymandering district to promote more competitive elections. Do you agree with the governor on this, and is there any chance we see this fair maps proposal becoming a reality?
SPEAKER WELCH: I believe in fair maps, but my definition of fair maps might be different than what Gov. Pritzker’s definition is, what the Illinois GOP’s definition is. We have to get everyone around the table and at least have an open and transparent process. I think a fair map has to be reflective of the diverse population of this state. The population has to drive what happens here, and diversity is our strength, and our diversity should show up in our map. If that’s not reflective in our map, that’s not a fair map in my opinion, but again, others may differ. We have to be willing to listen to all views and have an open and transparent process and I’m willing to do that.
- Former Downstater - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:36 am:
When Black automatically means Chicago. Sheesh
- thisjustinagain - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:40 am:
DOH.! I mean, seriously DOH. Total reporter FAIL. And we rely on the media to get things right, when they can’t even pull off this miracle of research?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:42 am:
The sheer ignorance, oh, and it’s ignorance, that signaling is lost on those who think it’s fine saying “She-Caw-Go” and folks hear that whistle loud and clear…
We have others saying “the suburbs” aren’t represented, yet all FOUR tops represent the suburbs… “just not *our* suburbs” is the same as those thinking “She-Caw-Go” and its dog whistle is fine without grasping actual geography.
The same can be said for “downstate”, when there’s other regions… central, western, eastern Illinois comes immediately to mind, but to this post, and Welch, some things seem like innocent accidents, but could be too ignorance to whistles just as easy.
- Chambanalyst - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:42 am:
Ouch. That’s just laziness! It takes 10 seconds to Google Chris Welch, a minute to read and find out where he’s from. Not a good look.
- Pizza Man - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:43 am:
“Wait, but Mr. Speaker, you’re from Cook County..so what part of Chicago where you born in?”
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:46 am:
I think the interview might have been a lot more heavy hitting if she just asked the question she meant to ask — which I think is something along the lines of “What do you have to say to white people to convince them not to worry about a Black man being Speaker?”
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:47 am:
Wait, isn’t anything north of I-80, Chicago?
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:50 am:
Oh my late grandma would have a good laugh at this story. She and my grandma had a house in Welch’s district from the late 40s until the late 80s and my mom graduated from high school there. My grandma used to talk about how when she and my grandpa first got the house that the rest of her family (in South Chicago) couldn’t understand why they were moving all the way out in the country. Of course the expressways would eventually change the character of things rather sharply.
But as a Downstater I can safely say that most people down here don’t have a concept of suburban Cook County being a distinct thing from Chicago and there are some that unfortunately don’t comprehend Black people in Illinois living in the suburbs or not being from Chicago.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:52 am:
My experience, when residents of northern Illinois say downstate they mean Springfield.
When residents of southern Illinois, which I define as south of I-64, say up north, they mean Chicago.
Not excusing the reporter, but these regional perceptions of other parts of this diverse state will cease around the time a dome is put on Wrigley.
- essentially working - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:53 am:
“Wait, isn’t anything north of I-80, Chicago?” - It kind of is if you are from south of I-80. Kind of…
- Joe Bidenopolous - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:54 am:
It’s funny how some folks feel it was an oversight or lack of research and haven’t considered the possibility it’s intentional.
Dog whistlers gonna dog whistle…
- Tom - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:54 am:
You commentators are brutal. Maybe it was just a mistake. You know the story–those without sin, cast the first…Maybe the word area was just mistakenly dropped off. Take the tin hat dog whistles off for pete’s sake.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:58 am:
This is as ridiculous as someone saying, as an example, Underwood and Krishnamoorthi, by not googling, must be from Chicago.
This just in. Diversity in Cook and the Collars means diversity is slowly a reality in electeds, and it’s not going back.
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:59 am:
As a lifelong Downstater, I can state that many (possibly most)here agree with the idea that Chicago starts at I-80.
- Cardinal Fan - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 9:59 am:
sorry, but his district is very far from “being in the middle”.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:01 am:
This reminds me of a relative who complained about having to pick a new mayor when Daley Jr retired. I had to remind him that as a resident of Oak Park he didn’t get a vote.
- Jason - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:02 am:
I went to NIU in the early 80’s. I was born and raised in Chicago and still live in Chicago. When people would ask where I was from, I would say Chicago. They would then say no which suburb and I would say No, Chicago. I am from Chicago. It got very annoying after a while.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:04 am:
===Maybe the word area was just mistakenly dropped off.===
So… lemme get this straight.
“Chicago area”, if it was even dropped off, which is ridiculous to excusing, is better… than plain ole Chicago in a dog whistle?
That’s the take?
Instead of a wink *and* nod, it’s just a wink or just a nod?
Welch is the new Speaker, replacing the longest serving speaker of a legislature in history, can’t Google the man to get simple info?
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:04 am:
“You commenters are brutal”
I’m quite envious of the obviously pampered life you’ve led.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:05 am:
=== but his district is very far from “being in the middle”.===
Really? How so?
- Tom - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:08 am:
The town of Chestnut, IL. is the middle of Illinois. Google is your friend, OW.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:10 am:
=== The town of Chestnut, IL. is the middle of Illinois===
Metaphors must go over your head, or maybe your reflexes are too great and nothing goes over your head.
He’s not Chicago.
He’s not “downstate”.
He’s not even collar counties.
Expand your mind. It’ll help.
- Redbird Pride - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:10 am:
I was born and raised in the NW suburbs of Chicago, a good 45 minute drive to the loop if you have light/no traffic. That being said, when I went to IL State University, I spent 4 years telling people I was from Chicago because they didn’t understand that there is life between Chicago and Milwaukee.
That being said that being said, these randoms I was talking to at house parties were not the Speaker of the House. Do your research.
- The House Rules - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:11 am:
Tom, put down the bong dude.
- Nieva - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:12 am:
I believe he would need to live in Chestnut in Logan County to be considered someone that lives in the “middle” of Illinois.
- Nievak - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:13 am:
And yes Tom and I are using the same bong.
- DuPage Saint - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:16 am:
Growing up a long darn time ago in DuPage to me anything in Cook County was Chicago. Maybe it had something to do with Chicago being Democratic and DuPage Republican. Heck maybe it had something to do with Pate Philip. I figured whole of Cook Democratic and never could figure out why Cicero was or is Republican. She probably just over generalizes a fault in many of us.
- ChrisB - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:18 am:
Ironically, IPI’s map pops up first when you google for the IL House districts. They must have some good people on their search team. To their credit, it’s a really easy map to use. I wanted to see if his district touched Rep. Durkin’s, but it looks like it’s separated by a couple of streets.
Took all of three seconds to see that there is quite a bit of grass between Rep. Welch’s district and Chicago. But by this reporter’s logic, Manteno is in more of a Chicago district than Rep. Welch’s.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:26 am:
Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:27 am:
===Maybe it was just a mistake.===
Implicit bias is generally considered to be unconscious bias which would make it a mistake. It’s entirely possible the journalist just failed to research where Speaker Welch’s house district is and failed to note any of the coverage discussing how none of the Four Tops hail from Chicago for the first time in an incredibly long time and just didn’t feel the need to look up where his house district actually is.
But why would she feel like she didn’t need to look up boundaries of his house district?
At times I am a sweet country bumpkin so it took me a while to realize that when some people say someone is from Chicago they explicitly are describing the skin color of that person. I would innocently ask myself “How could they possibly know that this person is from Chicago with any degree of certainty?” or “Does this person really think that the only people committing robberies in this region moved here from Chicago? That’s weird.”
But I eventually figured it out.
There are parts of this State where “those people from Chicago” are blamed for a lot of things. When politicians attack any sort of Chicago vs. Down State divide, it is also a dog whistle for many people.
Why on earth do you think some people would be so upset at the idea of their tax dollars paying for Chicago schools?
Here’s a hint: It’s not because they’re Tennessee Titans fans.
- Ok - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:30 am:
I think Welch’s district is probably a lot closer to the population-weighted center of Illinois than Chestnut, IL.
- JoanP - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:54 am:
=She probably just over generalizes a fault in many of us. =
True, but it’s a fault that reporters should correct.
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 10:56 am:
Just to put a fine touch to what most downstaters think… OW, you would be considered as being from Chicago. Somehow, Bruce Rauner got a special exemption. But city, suburbs, collar counties, exurbs all considered “Chicago.”
- Essential State Employee - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:00 am:
When I was a college undergrad during the height of the Bulls’ second three-peat, I had introduced myself to a new student who was either an international student or from out of state. When I said I lived in west central Illinois, she actually asked if I knew Michael Jordan.
So especially during the Bulls run getting world fame, there were some people that thought all of Illinois was Chicago.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:03 am:
- Ducky LaMoore -
Yeah, that has happened to me many times, 100%. Kendall County is Chicago to folks further away south from the I-80 corridor.
Then again…
…once I say it’s “Oswego, you know, Tom Cross’ Oswego” that clears things up quicker than the geography.
:)
- Cardinal Fan - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:04 am:
Agreeing with Ducky LaMoore’s comment @ 10:56
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:10 am:
===So especially during the Bulls run getting world fame===
And this is relevant… how?
- Annoin' - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:10 am:
Thought it amazing the newscaster did not seem to notice the blunder
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:17 am:
=== But city, suburbs, collar counties, exurbs all considered “Chicago.”===
As Downstate is everything else.
===… Illinois’ 7th District in Chicago in Cook County.===
Yeah. See. Here’s the rub.
There is this idea to “pinpoint”… “Chicago”… “Cook County”…
You interview the leader who dethroned the longest serving speaker of any state legislature and you “forget” to Google where his district is, and is black, do you assume he’s from Chicago… Cook County?
Heck, after a quick google and deciding not to be ignorant to facts, a really great question missed was;
“Your district is in suburban Cook, and with your elevation to Speaker, all four legislative leaders are now outside the city of Chicago. That’s new. How do you think as Speaker that changes things in your caucus, the Illinois House and the legislature for Chicago and in regions outside Chicago too?”
Nah.
That’s not a good angle.
- Third Reading - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:43 am:
Matt Sheehan, WMBD-TV redistricting reporter …
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 11:49 am:
Sorry you’re a reporter you don’t get a pass. You should know who you’re interviewing and if you’re going for gotcha questions you should have the facts before you ask the question.
Maybe Matt can only see, in his eyes, that black people only live in cities not suburbs or anywhere else?
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:03 pm:
There’s a swath of Illinois south of I-80 that often gets lumped into “Chicago”. Any of the south Cook suburbs. I’d say Kankakee and north, too. Somehow, Kankakee seems more “Chicago” than, say, Galena or Savanna. But to a true Chicagoan, Riverdale and Oak Park are on the outer fringes of society
- dbk - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:06 pm:
–“Your district is in suburban Cook, and with your elevation to Speaker, all four legislative leaders are now outside the city of Chicago.”–
Actually that would have been a very good angle, especially considering that the Dep Majority Leader/Speaker Pro Temp has an office 1.7 miles from WMBD.
- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 12:11 pm:
1) Before you press The Speaker on a “fair maps” proposal, you ought to look at the map and see where his district is. That is not excusable.
2) Morris, Illinois is the population center of Illinois, and any discussion of “the middle of Illinois” particularly in the context of fair maps ought to recognize that fact.
180 years ago, the population center of Illinois was Sangamon County. For a long time it was McLean County, then Livingston County.
If you are talking population, “Central Illinois” roughly follows Interstate 80, not I-72.
- John Deere Green - Tuesday, Jan 26, 21 @ 1:16 pm:
==Before being the speaker of the house, you represented Illinois’ 7th District==
And after becoming speaker, amazingly, he still represents the 7th District. (mind blown…)
==As a lifelong Downstater, I can state that many (possibly most)here agree with the idea that Chicago starts at I-80.==
As a lifelong Central Illinoisan, I can tell you most people here have no idea where I-80 even is.