I love this exchange with Gov. J.B. Pritizker of Illinois and a radio host for radio station WIND in Chicago, which is a talk-radio Fox affiliate. The host, Amy Jacobson, has been critical about the state's mask mandate, and so tries to make an issue of it with the governor, though asked in a roundabout, somewhat surreptitious way as a supposed well-meaning question about the concerns of parents..
"There were protests out here this morning and parents were crying, screaming," she says to Gov. Pritzker.. "As governor, you should try and calm people's nerves maybe...because there are low-risk groups." Because, yes, telling a governor what he should do at a press conference is always a great, objective idea. It's at that point the his press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh cuts Jacobson off and ends the press conference. Actually, Abudayyeh's exchange with Jacobson are pretty good on their own. You can't make them out all that clearly on the video, but it begins with the press secretary -- "Amy, as a supposed reporter, you should probably stop the misinformation. We are done here, thank you. Do you know how you stop schools from being closed? You stop complaining about mask-wearing." "Send me some studies," Jacobson snaps back. To which Abudayyeh replies -- "It's called Google," The event appears over (hey, that's a pretty good curtain line. Or as they say in acting class, "...annnd -- scene"), but it's at that point that Gov. Pritzker decides he does have something to say. What stands out is not only his bluntness, but that as he gives his answer, Jacobson starts talking over him and arguing -- as if this was a discussion on her radio show. When, rather, it's a press conference where you ask a question and listen to the answer for what you just asked. If you have a follow-up, fine, ask it when the answer is finished. But what's so good about Pritzker here is that he doesn't let her interrupt but keeps going with his answer. How WIND has changed. Once upon a time, when I was a kid back in Chicago, WIND was a nice, low-key, very middle-of-the road pop music station, more adult contemporary, bordering on playing oldies. No more, obvously. By the way, what I like, too, is that the video of Gov. Pritzker pointedly telling off the "Fox" radio host was posted by a competitor, WICS, which is an ABC affiliate out of Springfield. [Meaningless Bonus Fun Fact: long ago, I went to summer camp with one of the Pritzker clan, which largely own the Hyatt Hotel chain, among many other things. Actually, I wasn't officially a camper yet, but instead was the Doctor's Son when my dad helped out there for a couple of weeks over several summers. So, I was 10 years old at the time. Because I was going to be a real, full-time camper the next year, it was thought I should spend time with the youngest cabin in camp, where no doubt the Pritzker family had sent their child to do early research on basic overnight accommodations. This story should add a great deal of perspective to the video below, despite the fact that J.B. Pritzker did not go to Camp Nebagamon. ]
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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