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The unfiltered Todd Ricketts

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Illinois

* There was a time when Todd Ricketts, a part-owner of the Chicago Cubs, was considered a top Republican prospect to run for Illinois governor. But his eager and aggressive fundraising and advocacy for President Trump isn’t going to help in a state which Trump lost by 17 points and is poised to lose by as much or more this time around. He’s also very close to former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, which will fire up the unions to no end.

But I wasn’t aware that his internal filter is so loose. From a New Yorker profile by Alex Kotlowitz…

Todd Ricketts can be surprisingly unfiltered. In comments on his Facebook page, Todd referred to covid-19 as the “the kung flu”—weeks before Trump used the demeaning phrase at a rally in Tulsa. In a post of a video in which New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to call the city if they witnessed large gatherings of people, Ricketts commented, “All snitches will be given priority when applying for jobs as security guards at the concentration camps that will be opening later this year.”

A good oppo firm could likely unearth much more.

Also, it’s probably time for another friendly reminder to get off Facebook.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:12 am

Comments

Looks like the state GOP has to go back to the drawing board in finding a moneybags candidate for 2022.

Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:17 am
Ken Griffin starts to clear the billionaire / millionaire primary field.

I see a Griffin/Bailey ticket forming for 2022.

Comment by Concerned Dem Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:21 am
Racist thoughts and concentration camp language…

When some tells you who they are, believe them.

The Raunerites will need to ask themselves…

“Are we going to support a candidate with racist thoughts… again?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:21 am
He is his father’s son.

Comment by Rich Hill Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:22 am
Maybe I should start supporting the White Sox instead of the Cubs.

Comment by Powdered Whig Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:31 am
===Maybe I should start supporting the White Sox===

Come to the light.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:33 am
==Maybe I should start supporting the White Sox instead of the Cubs.==

Or the Cardinals.

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:37 am
Maybe he just thought “somebody needs to carry on Marge Schott’s legacy”?

Comment by 100 miles west Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:39 am
It should be noted that none of this lessens the chance of Ricketts actually becoming the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2022. His deep pockets, vocal trump support, and conspiracy-theory rhetoric only increases the chance that he’ll be the pick of a state party that’s practically led by Darren Bailey and Tom Devore at this point.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:40 am
=== Come to the light. ===

I just may. Between this non-sense and the way the Cubs have run their business over the past few years, I have had enough.

Growing up, just like everyone else, I was able to watch the Cubs on WGN regardless of where I was in the country. Now, you have to subscribe to the Marquee network to be able to watch all non-nationally televised games. While the cost is relatively inconsequential to pay for Marquee, it goes against everything the Cubs were about to charge fans to watch Cubs fans on tv. The White Sox are a young and exciting team that will likely be in the hunt in the upcoming years and going to Sox Park is much more convenient for me.

Comment by Powdered Whig Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:41 am
I always was proud of the Republican party Born and raised a Republican. Party of Eisenhower, Dirksen, Percy, Thompson. Now I am a RHINO. I wish these people would just call themselves Dixiecrats or probably better, Know Nothings and let my party go.

Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:41 am
=== Or the Cardinals. ===

Never.

Comment by Powdered Whig Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:42 am
Maybe Todd Ricketts should ask how that kind of talk worked out for Oberweis and Ives. That might work on their base but I don’t see it getting very far in the general election.

Comment by Publius Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:43 am
Facebook is honestly the worst. Any value or benefit it claims to provide is so overweighed by the amount of harm, divisiveness, and disinformation it spreads. I get that there are people that are behind each of these posts, and shares, etc…but giving them a platform to do that all just doesn’t seem like a great use of anyone’s time or resources.

Comment by Chambanalyst Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:45 am
=== I wish these people would just call themselves Dixiecrats or probably better, Know Nothings and let my party go.===

This is “Grade A” stuff. Yep.

Sadly this is most true to probably all three of our realities

=== His deep pockets, vocal trump support, and conspiracy-theory rhetoric only increases the chance that he’ll be the pick of a state party that’s practically led by Darren Bailey and Tom Devore at this point.===

“I can’t stop that now”

- Me, or Smilin’ Jack Ross, probably.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:45 am
that Cubs team, tax avoiders, Laura can’t make up for your terrible acts, Ricketts boys.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:48 am
==Growing up, just like everyone else, I was able to watch the Cubs on WGN regardless of where I was in the country. Now, you have to subscribe to the Marquee network to be able to watch all non-nationally televised games. While the cost is relatively inconsequential to pay for Marquee, it goes against everything the Cubs were about to charge fans to watch Cubs fans on tv. ==

It took Comcast (Xfinity) several weeks into the delayed start of the season to finally reach an agreement to add Marquee to their lineups. Illinois customers still get Marquee on the Digital Starter (i.e., mostly the traditional cable lineup with the old 2-digit channel numbers) package on channel 84 (standard def; forgot what it is for HD feeds, since I only have Limited Basic cable and internet from them).

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:53 am
=Maybe I should start supporting the White Sox instead of the Cubs.=

We have room for you and our stadium has better food.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 11:57 am
Laura is complicit - they hide behind her comparatively minor political activity as a shield, as they do when they need someone to bash the city or defend homophobic baseball players.

I think the Brewers are a better fit for Cub fans though - heck, they already account for who knows how much of the Brewers’ home attendance.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:09 pm
==I think the Brewers are a better fit for Cub fans though==

The Brewers also have their own history of a bitter rivalry with the Sox, back when they were in the AL.

Comment by Chatham Resident Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:12 pm
===Also, it’s probably time for another friendly reminder to get off Facebook.===

Good advice for the Metro East Republican Party organizations that seem to let 15 year old boys manage their content. It’s beyond embarrassing.

Comment by Highland IL Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:26 pm
==All snitches will be given priority when applying for jobs as security guards at the concentration camps==

While you and your family flee the country with stolen art.

Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:49 pm
JB was pretty unfiltered on those wiretapped conversations between him and Blago and he got elected.

Comment by Adam The First Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:50 pm
=== JB was pretty unfiltered on those wiretapped conversations between him and Blago and he got elected.===

Yeah, ‘bout that…

Pritzker also had AA support, had Jesse White support him, ran with Stratton as LG

Ya think Ricketts will have Asian Americans say “we don’t think his remarks were disparaging”

How about the concentration camp aspect? Did Rickettts mean “only the best ones” ugliness.

These are the comments we know about, let alone the ones we don’t.

Not the same. Nope.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:56 pm
===I see a Griffin/Bailey ticket forming for 2022.===

Or a super awkward buddy comedy.

Comment by Bill F. Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 12:59 pm
=== How about the concentration camp aspect?===

It’s a sick and vile aspect to the comment.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 1:00 pm
=== We have room for you and our stadium has better food. ===

That is definitely true.

=== ==I think the Brewers are a better fit for Cub fans though ===

One of the worst experiences I had as a fan happened at Miller Park so its never going to happen.

Comment by Powdered Whig Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 1:29 pm
Never was able to understand how someone could just decide they’re no longer a fan of team X and will now be a fan of team Y. For me—lifelong Sox fan—it would be like waking up and deciding I’m going to be right-handed from now on.

Comment by TC Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 2:05 pm
== Never was able to understand how someone could just decide they’re no longer a fan of team X and will now be a fan of team Y. For me—lifelong Sox fan—it would be like waking up and deciding I’m going to be right-handed from now on. ==

Yeah, I have to say I’m here on this.

And every day the Ricketts family owns the Cubs, I wish I wasn’t here on this.

Comment by thunderspirit Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 2:51 pm
TC and Thunderspirit - It happens by Osmosis sometimes. Lifelong Cubs fan, I was given Sox-Blue Jays playoff tickets in 1993 (by Rod Blagojevich, of all people (its a long story). Game was fun so why not root for both? Didn’t work, as I slowly then rapidly began identifying with the Sox. By the time the 16 World Series came around, by only thought when the Indians tied game 7 was that I was excited for extra-innings and was actually rooting for the Tribe.

Comment by Paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 3:52 pm
There were also those Deadspin stories about the Ricketts family emails that were extra bad as well.

Sports owners are, overwhelming, a collectively backward crowd when it comes to anything but getting more money for themselves so it’s not surprising. The surprising part is the nakedness of it with with that family.

Comment by In 630 Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 3:58 pm
Time to divest his interest in the Cubs… he’s bad for business…

Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 5:15 pm
=JB was pretty unfiltered on the wiretapped conversations between him and Blago and he got elected= , that’s because JB was given orders to work with the FBI to set up Blago???

Comment by Latina Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 9:01 pm
I’m in the minority here, but I think Ricketts comments were lighthearted and somewhat in jest. To me, the Kung flu comment is the same as calling it the China virus; not politically correct but true. Don’t think Ricketts is worried about running for office in IL.

Comment by HighSox Wednesday, Oct 21, 20 @ 10:27 pm
Interesting read. There is Maze Jackson again. Every rich conservative’s “Black friend”.

Comment by Wizzard of Ozzie Thursday, Oct 22, 20 @ 12:15 am