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Pritzker says he has no regrets about wearing bullet-proof vest on Jimmy Kimmel show to mock Trump’s statements on Chicago crime
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’ve always said that politicians should leave the comedy to comedians. This advice comes from watching decades of “jokes” backfire badly on some of them. I’ve also made it clear that I really don’t like this whole idea of responding to criticism of Chicago crime by going downtown and posting pretty pictures and videos. Yes, it’s a gorgeous city. A great city. But Chicago has problems that can’t be whitewashed with how spectacular downtown is. You may disagree, but that’s just what I believe. * Anyway, the two warnings came together last month during the Thanksgiving break…
Ted is being overly dramatic, of course, but that’s the job of a candidate. So don’t get too hung up on him. He’s being used here mainly to illustrate the context. * From today’s presser…
Thoughts?
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- Larry Bowa Jr. - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:06 pm:
LOL. Where do you live? I bet it has problems “that can’t be whitewashed.” This goes for every single downstate who comments here, not just the proprietor. You all act like people in the Chicagoland area are permanently locked in and unable to witness what your towns are actually like. It’s embarrassing for you.
- JB13 - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:07 pm:
Clearly, anyone who are troubled and shaken by what happened at the Chicago tree lighting are the real problems here.
I mean, we all just celebrate our holidays a little differently.
So get it together, people.
Laugh.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:12 pm:
My thoughts are with victims of crime. Politicians gonna politician and sometimes make mistakes. His take on some things is not nearly as on point as his many supporters think it is so he needs to dial it backa bit. but we have much bigger things to focus on. system changes needed legislative changes needed. red meat to the Trump side with very visible things here lately.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
===LOL. Where do you live?===
I live in Chicago about half the year.
Also, the rest of your comment made no sense.
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:15 pm:
You can’t whitewash the fact that voters do not approve of Pritzker’s approach to crime.
Cook County has a new States Attorney and Chief Judge because their predecessor’s performance was unsatisfactory.
What facts are old and inaccurate?
If anything the two most recent episodes downtown right before the holidays are much worse.
- Name Withheld - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:16 pm:
After the bad jokes made by Blago, Quinn, and Rauner - Rich’s rule of thumb is a good one. But in this particular case - Pritzker’s joke doesn’t bother me. That said - I do wish he’d acknowledged the incident Isabel referenced regarding the teen injuries.
- Private Dancer - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:24 pm:
I agree with Rich, and have more than 20 years living in Chicago to back that up. That said, I also grew up and went to school downstate, and for various reasons, I feel much safer and comfortable in Chicago than I did (and still do) in my hometown and college towns.
- Dakno Thing - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:26 pm:
I loved the Kimmel bit from Pritzker. More importantly for him, a ton of people I know who don’t follow politics were liking and sharing it. I understand we all have rules about the way politics should be conducted. But most of those rules are outdated in the social media saturated, collapse of the traditional news environment in which we live. In that context, the Kimmel bit was brilliant in both message and execution. As the old saying goes - hate the game not the player. In this case, the player played the game quite well.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:28 pm:
===Where do you live? I bet it has problems===
Yeah. So, if people pointed out those problems in, say, downtown Springfield, others probably should not respond by posting pics from the Washington Park neighborhood.
No different, but some of y’all in the city can’t see it because you’re so locked in to this tired response that oozes with denial and misdirection.
- Mason County - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:34 pm:
The crime issue is real in Chicago and some other cities int he state as well. And it has gotten worse over the past few decades. The reasons are many.
If this were a swing state it could be a real issue for Pritzker, but it is a very Blue state- so he wins if he runs.
- So_Ill - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:34 pm:
Rich is exactly right about politicians trying to be comedians.
Pritzker is easily the best governor we’ve had in my lifetime but his attempts at humor are so so bad. The “Lake Illinois” bit was one of the cringiest things I’ve ever seen.
Stick to what you do well, JB. Leave the comedy to the comedians.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:37 pm:
=Ted is being overly dramatic, of course, but that’s the job of a candidate.=
True. But the old stereotypes were (and I am being very general) that liberals were urban and suburban folks who were not real tough fancy pants while conservatives and rural people were tough salt of the earth types.
But all I hear is hysterics and hyperbolic hyperventilating from the right. I live in dead red rural Illinois where people are just about afraid to go outside. And forget going to Chicago. My heavens. So this is on brand for right wing candidates these days.
I trend center right and do not claim membership in either party. That said, I like the job pritzker has done overall. Especially with state finances. Soo I viewed his appearance as making fun of maga and not of crime victims.
- clec dcn - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:37 pm:
I don’t know I loved to visit Chicago up until about 20 years ago. Then to be truthful it is the traffic that is the worst problem. Crime is a problem but one has to be alert in the City. I just read recently that Chicago may have overtaken NY for traffic congestion. Now it starts in Joliet and never lets up coming in 55.
- Hank - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:38 pm:
If we’re attacking failed attempts at comedy then it’s time to retire the Caption Content posts.
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:39 pm:
Denial is not just a River in Egypt.
Nothing worse than being cocky while playing a losing hand.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:41 pm:
Would’ve been funnier if he was wearing a ankle monitor.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:42 pm:
I thought the bit was harmless, and I don’t think Pritzker has ever said there are no problems that need to be addressed in Chicago or anywhere else.
The MAGA cult and their leader like to paint with extremely broad brushes and I think it’s fair to call them out on it. After all, it was Trump that felt the need to have ICE running around on boats with long rifles downtown as if it were actually some kind of warzone.
- Steve - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:42 pm:
I think it’s fitting that JB went on Kimmel’s show. Kimmel isn’t a traditional comedian. Traditional comedians don’t MC fundraisers for a political party like Jimmy does. Kimmel’s show really is an “in kind” campaign contribution for JB and the Democratic party.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 12:50 pm:
I can laugh at it but really it is way too easy for something to backfire if joking about crime. And then always the usual true response of course X can go anywhere X has a bunch of bodyguards and my favorite X has bodyguards and X wants to take guns away so people are defenseless
- Head in Sand - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:03 pm:
Staying with the Chicago crime situation and the refusal to acknowledge real problems by laughing it off, or gaslighting those who point it out, Illinois bad business climate that has resulted in companies leaving our state is another problem for all of us that many are in denial about. The old saying “the first step is to acknowledge you have a problem” applies.
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:24 pm:
That is the CTU playbook and its pages are tattered from overuse.
Everyone who highlights the failures of their progressive policies is branded as a MAGA cult member.
It’s not nearly as effective as it used to be.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:27 pm:
It’s fine for JB to mock the hyperbole.
It would only become a problem if he makes it a repeat thing.
Showing he is observant enough to mock the absurd while holding back enough to keep from seeming reactionary,defensive and pollyanna about a serious issue should be an easy line for him to walk.
JB doesn’t seem to be one of those people of the land. Simple farmer types, if you will. Where this mocking would continue to expand into becoming the exact hyperbole that is being mocked.
- Ron - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:30 pm:
Who’s Ted?
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:31 pm:
Lots of big feels on the right these days. Maybe JB should just call people “stupid”. I wonder how maga would react. Lol.
= or gaslighting those who point it out=
Maybe he should have them investigated instead?
- ALIGNI - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:40 pm:
Chicago can have real challenges with violence, and simultaneously not be a war zone in need of sending in the military to quelch. We should make fun of this federal administration for trying to portray Chicago is such an outlandish way.
- Ukrainian Village Usurper - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:41 pm:
Of course Chicago has its problems. JB has said as much many times in the past. But his point, at the time, was to delegitimize the ACTUALLY INSANE claims that DJT was making about Chicago being a hellhole/war-torn city. And, may I remind you, he tried to use these claims as justification to deploy troops to our streets. Bananas.
Poke fun at the wannabe dictator–humor can be a potent weapon. The only thing DJT fears more than accountability is being laughed at.
Also, that video was filmed for a national audience–not just Illinoisians who have opinions about Chicago. The Governor has a duty to uphold the integrity and image of his state and the city to that kind of audience. I have no problem with what he did.
Ted is just being a political animal and trying to drive a wedge into the Dem base. Nothing new to see here.
- Occasionally Moderated - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:43 pm:
If I could talk to the governor, here would be my advice. Leave the bufoonery to Washington. We have never needed a serious, thoughtful more than right now. You have an affable, disarming personality that appeals to many but now isn’t the time for a class clown.
- MJ - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:49 pm:
No one knows more about what’s really happening in Chicago than people who’s don’t live there. And they’re anxious to tell you all about it.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 1:51 pm:
—- And it has gotten worse over the past few decades. The reasons are many.
No, that is factually false.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/violent-crime-data-chicago-november-2025
Many of us have shared this repeatedly here. I get that the average person might not know this, but anyone who reads this blog should. We had an increase around Covid as the nation did and it has started coming down for the last 3 years with some of the lowest rates in over a decade so far this year.
Beyond that, since the 1990s when the crack epidemic ended in the late 1990s crime has been down. The 60-90s were much, much worse.
Yes, we should keep trying to reduce it, but the city of Chicago has been doing that.
- Look around - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:03 pm:
i don’t care about this at all. the president uses the R word and calls reporters miss piggy. politicans defending their city from ridiculous attacks on the national stage is fine with me. they may or not be funny, but i can’t work myself about something that is a complete non issue and ted definitely isn’t making it one. he’d be better focused on running an actual campaign
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:25 pm:
MJ wins
As for the city, yeah, we got our problems. But the only place that I’ve been both mugged and had a gun pulled on me (twice!) in the last 25 years was in Springfield.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:30 pm:
=Everyone who highlights the failures of their progressive policies is branded as a MAGA cult member.=
Again with the feels.
Dabrowski uses three crimes as if it was a crime wave. And the implied meaning is if there is any crime than the governor cannot ever make a joke. When I go to the ballot box and vote for governor, I want a serious governor but not one that cannot enjoy a moment of levity. Dabrowski is not a serious person.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:33 pm:
==If we’re attacking failed attempts at comedy then it’s time to retire the Caption Content posts.==
While it’s true that Caption Contests reached their side-splitting zenith during the Rauner administration, they are about regular folks trying (and usually succeeding) at being funny, not politicians.
Go yell ‘Humbug’ at some carolers.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
===If we’re attacking failed attempts at comedy then it’s time to retire the Caption Content posts. ===
What does one have to do with the other? Also, learn to spell.
Man, some of y’all are just so darned hyper-sensitive when it comes to the governor.
- Blazzzer - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
The only time politics and humor should collide is on an episode of South Park
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:40 pm:
===Man, some of y’all are just so darned hyper-sensitive when it comes to the governor.
All politicians are funny in ways they don’t mean to be. It’s half the fun of watching politics but you have to learn to laugh at the ones you like too.
- Dotnonymous x - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
If Pritzker comes out playing a banjo and clapping little cymbals on his knees?…I’d still take him over Trump…one million times out of a million.
It was intended to make fun of a buffoon President.
- Iron Duke - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:47 pm:
You don’t have to be Nostradamus to have predictawd this would backfire on the Governor and make for a great ad by his opponent.
The ad writes itself with the horrific headlines of the past few weeks.
- Gruntled University Employee - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:48 pm:
I thought the Jimmy Kimmel piece was hilarious.
- estubborn - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
I enjoy having a good laugh at politicians who don’t realize they themselves are the joke.
- Dotnonymous x - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 2:58 pm:
It’s a new day, politics now requires a performance and props to even be noticed in this click by click world…by the way, Gotcha Politics got us right where we are.
I miss Paul Simon’s bowtie.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 3:11 pm:
I’m a bit indifferent on the topic. I do recognize that things have fundamentally changed when it comes to politics. The Democrats have been slow and ineffective at realizing this and finding a message and messenger that resonates. The Republicans on the other hand have had I a bit easier as they’ve ceded control and messaging to their leader. But frankly it was a ride or die option.
I don’t know if humor (good or bad) is going to be the answer for Democrats. But what they were doing clearly wasn’t working.
- zer0 - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 3:41 pm:
If everyone was afraid to make a joke in case something might happen that would make the joke in bad taste, then no one could ever make jokes.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 3:46 pm:
JS Mill all post + 1.
This bit will have no impact on JB’s electability.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 3:53 pm:
=You don’t have to be Nostradamus to have predictawd this would backfire on the Governor and make for a great ad by his opponent.=
I’m not sure I see how it’s backfired. If his supporters were outraged I’d agree. But this has hardly defined, good or bad, who Pritzker is. Anyone that’s bothered by his Kimmel appearance likely felt that way well before it aired.
And when it comes to crime I think that the governor is far more serious about the topic than his opponents or the President.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 4:28 pm:
=You don’t have to be Nostradamus to have predictawd this would backfire on the Governor=
And yet, it did not.
- Enough - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 4:49 pm:
Sorry folks, but those of us within the City of Chicago do not find the Governor’s antics amusing.
People are talking openly about crime. The new Chief Judge in Cook County has called for an immediate review of the failed electronic monitoring system of pretrial detainees.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 4:49 pm:
===but those of us===
Speak only for yourself here. Last warning.
- don the legend - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 5:12 pm:
==I enjoy having a good laugh at politicians who don’t realize they themselves are the joke.==
Well, if you watch Fox News you must be laughing non-stop.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 6:02 pm:
ArchPundit posted this earlier, but it bears repeating. Crime rates and overall numbers peaked in the 1990’s and have been on a pretty consistent decrease ever since. Crime will never be zero; so we will always be able to say “What about that one?” but the facts remain…crime is on the decline even while the sensitivity of some people to individual events seems to be increasing.
- B - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 6:03 pm:
Thankfully others have posted data, but the same people accusing chicagoans of pretending crime doesnt exist are guilty of refusing to admit it isnt near as bad as they purposefully portray.
Pritzker has never once excused or said crime is OK. He has said we have much more work to do. But it id also a fact that we just had the lowest amount of summer homicides since like the 60s and just about every major crime is significantly down. Our violent crime is the lowest its been in decades. More than 3 million people step into chicago every day, that is more people than nearly have of the states in this country. There will always be bad things or crime that takes place. That doesnt mean we shouldnt keep trying to reduce it. It also doesnt mean people have to lie and act like the city is a war zone. It isnt even close.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 8:20 pm:
=but the facts remain…crime is on the decline even while the sensitivity of some people to individual events seems to be increasing.=
What’s changed is the way that we’ve reported on crime. Some of this is driven by social media. Some of it comes from a need for content in a 24/7 news cycle. And some of it comes from hyper-partisans who see it as an issue to be exploited even if the facts suggest otherwise.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Dec 3, 25 @ 9:48 pm:
=== Who’s Ted? ===
+2