Save the date: May 18 is Blue Thursday
Blue Thursday is our monthly political happy hour at Blue Beginning World Headquarters, aka the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia. We gather, we schmooze, we strategize, and we hear some inside political dope from reporters, pols, and pundits. This month our special guests will be our old friend Eric Zorn, the erstwhile Tribune columnist who’s now the publisher, editor, and staff of the Picayune Sentinel on Substack; and reporter, podcaster, and TV anchor Brandon Pope, host of Block Club’s On the Block Chicago on WCIU 26. They’ll riff on the recent election and the new mayor, on Kim Foxx’s departure from the State’s Attorney’s office, on the Com-Ed four, the machinations at City Council, the presidential race, and whatever else strikes their fancy. It’s bound to be a lively and informative evening. And of course the Hideout’s brilliant bartenders will be on duty. The doors open at 5:00, the program starts at 6:00. Bring some friends; it’s free and open to all, but please help us manage the crowd with an RSVP here.
Take a break. A short break.
Congratulations, great job, all props to you. Thanks to your energy and hard work, we achieved our electoral goals for 2023—electing Judge Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Brandon Johnson as mayor of Chicago. You’ve earned a break!
But don’t get too comfortable. Since Joe Biden’s announcement and the curious disappearance of Ron Desantis, the media (and our imaginations) are filled with visions of a Trump-Biden rematch in 2024. Suddenly the old urgency is upon us:
- Over the weekend the latest ABC/Washington Post poll came out with numbers that look so lame for our side we’re certain it’s a fluke. Isn’t it?
- In a recent interview Simon Rosenberg, the Democratic analyst who foresaw the 2022 “red wave” for the fantasy it turned out to be, said the 2024 presidential election needs to be a “profound repudiation of MAGA,” whichever extreme candidate represents it. “We need this victory to be as big as possible. It’s essential to loosening the dark grip of MAGA over the Republican Party,” Rosenberg says.
- On a recent podcast Jonathan Weisman of the NY Times said, “Right now, there are only really three big swing states that matter.” And one of them, no surprise, is our neighbor to the north, our perpetual battleground—Wisconsin.
In other words, enjoy your break, but enjoy it fast. It’s almost time to go back to work.
Right now many of our partners are regrouping too. But they will be revving up soon, and when they do you can count on us and Indivisible Chicago to find the volunteer opportunities that will help you win where it counts. To learn about the best actions as they come along, keep opening your Blue Beginning emails and sign up for Indivisible Chicago if you haven’t already. And if you hear about a worthy opportunity, please let us know.
See you May 18!
