Some self-proclaimed "experts" say the polling in the 2023 Chicago Mayor election was "off." It wasn't. Polls are not predictions. It's a common misperception, even among those who should know better. For a full analysis, please go to ... illinoispoliticsblog.com/sin… @chicagotribune

I didn't watch the UFC fight at the White House tonight. But only because I'm not a fan of UFC. Lots of various forms of entertainment have been hosted at the White House forever. Jazz, Opera, Country, even Rap musicians have all done performances at the White House. I'm not a fan of some of those either. But why is one "better" than the other. There are more UFC fans than practically any other sport. It isn't costing the taxpayers anything, it will be nothing but a memory in a few days, so my recommendation is, chill. Get worked up over something real. Not this fake controversy. @ufc @WhiteHouse @ABC @NBCNews @FoxNews @CNN @CBSNews

Why is @blackpantherbabe such a coward? Make ignorant comments and run and hide. Attagirl!

The word "legend" is often overused. Not in this instance. Sam Sianis, long-time owner of the Billy Goat restaurant, died Friday at the age of 91. How many restaurants become the subject of a world-famous skit on Saturday Night Live? One, as far as I can tell. "Cheez Borger, cheez borger, cheeps, no fries." To those of a generation and beyond, everyone knew exactly what place was referred to when these words were spoken. I've been to Billy GOAT, both by the United Center and below Michigan Ave., for literally dozens of political meetings. Until recently, the old guy (whom I didn't know well), could still occasionally be seen behind the bar or at the grill just being Sam, gently barking orders at staff. For someone with such celebrity, he took all that in stride, humbly taking selfies with any tourist (or local) that asked him. His son Paul, who has become a friend, and his brother have managed the franchise (they also have Navy Pier, Wrigleyville, and Lombard locations (and maybe one or two more I'm not aware of), and I helped another son, Tom, get elected Cook County Judge. The Sianis family has given so much back to the community, and their legacy will go on even without their beloved leader. Incidentally, you may know the Sianis family name another way. They were responsible for the (mostly fictional) Cub curse. Legend has it that Sam's Uncle, William Sianis, took his pet goat to Wrigley Field for gane 4 of the 1945 World Series. Apparently, both William and the goat were booted out when the goat began stinking up the joint during a rain delay, causing William to put a curse on the Cubs saying they would never win again until a goat was allowed back in the stadium. Why anyone would believe a goat was ever allowed into a baseball stadium for a World Series game (even in 1945), was always beyond me, but legends are legends. It was all part of the mystique of the place. Though I don't believe in curses, and especially not that silly one, I went to a "Reverse the Curse" ceremony a few weeks before the Cubs "broke the curse" and won the 2016 title. Just old-fashioned fun. RIP, Sam. You did good. Your good works will no doubt live on through several more generations of the Sianis family. #billygoattavern abc7chicago.com/.../sam-sian…

Weitzel, "Great interview & vision @BobFiorettiChi - I support his leadership/vision for Illinois- open.spotify.com/episode/3e9…

On this day, 161 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Just five days earlier, the Civil War officially ended when General Robert E. Lee formally surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox. The nation went from euphoria to heartbreak in five days. it is difficult to picture being in those times. Just imagine if social media had been around at that time. The nuts who would have pushed loony-toon conspiracy theories and the even bigger nuts who would have taken to Facebook and X, etc. to celebrate the death of the greatest President in American history and heroify (there's a word) the traitor Booth. Lincoln, a universally beloved figure now, was hardly so when he was alive. He was a deeply complex figure who was put in the right place at the right time by history, as often happens. He was excoriated and deeply hated by his enemies (Booth was merely a symbol of this hate). They really, really didn't like that he was taking their slaves away. During the 1860 campaign and throughout his Presidency, the slave holders spread vicious lies about him, spewed unimaginable garbage about every aspect of his life, and vowed to do any and everything possible to stop him. Sort of reminds one of Politics 2026. I'm going to the capitol city of Springfield tomorrow, and Lincoln will be heavily on my mind, as he is every time I walk the same earth Lincoln walked. @The16thUSPrez @the_allm @Springfield_Ill #abrahamlincoln #LincolnLibrary #springfieldil 📷 history.com John Wilkes Booth shoots Abraham Lincoln | April 14, 1865 | HISTORY

Here is my problem with the big government types. The City of Chicago created the financial disaster for the cab industry, now they want to "fix" the trainwreck they created. Imagine, if you will, a big city that provides a level playing field for both cabbies and ride share drivers to compete for who can provide the BEST service at the LOWEST cost for the consumers. Then imagine the opposite and you have the City of Chicago. The City of Chicago created this problem for cab drivers when Rahm Emanuel conspired to let his brother's company, Uber, come to Chicago and leapfrog the taxi industry, whose owners had paid huge money for their medallions. Now the city wants to compound their errors with providing "relief" for cab drivers. Haven't heard a peep about providing "relief" for the riders. In the new scenario, taxis and ride share drivers will compete to see who can charge the most for the same service. If there is an ass-backward way of doing things, count on the City of Chicago to do it. lnkd.in/gfgQbZha @chicago @wlsam890 @WGNPolitics @RCPolitics @Suntimes @Chicagotribune

Hi Maddie, enjoyed reading you the last four years at the @Suntimes. Congrats on the new gig. I coached @Dodgers AAA player @RyRyThisGuyy briefly in summer ball (he was already an awesome player when he came to me). His baseball journey has been a "long road to Damascus" as it were. He is currently tearing it up. I hope he gets another shot in the show at some point this year. @maddie_m_lee

During the primary campaign, I made a big point of criticizing a US.Senate campaign for putting a profanity laced TV ad on the air. Though she won the primary, I stand by my criticism. It trashed the bounds of common decency. So what to make of President Trump's profanity laced tirade about Iran on Easter Sunday (Easter!). I'm nothing if not consistent. Trump's petulance is even worse than Julianna Stratton's. He is President of the United States for one thing. The leader of the free world. She was a faltering (at the time) candidate trying to gain the attention and the votes of rabid, deranged Trump haters (which she did successfully). He was perhaps trying to get the attention of a murderous dictator regime. Spare me. I personally have higher standards for all public officials than these two have displayed. For the sake of this conversation, this has nothing to do with whether I support or don't support either of their policies. For the record, I'm always for killing terrorists or those who wish harm to America, whether the President is Reagan, either Bush, Obama, Biden or Trump. I try to remain consistent on ALL these matters. I'm just not for embarrassing your high office while killing them. I fully get that my plea for public officials on every "side" and at every level to keep public discourse at a higher level will continue to fall on deaf ears. One "side" thinks they have to use gutter tactics because the other "side" is doing it. I hear it from both "sides." "We have to fight fire with fire," they tell me. Seriously, that's how you think firemen put out fires? Someone much smarter than I am has to explain to me how this concept works: "I think the other 'side' is trash, so the only way to win is to out trash the trash!" Um, no. How about if you try to beat the other "side" by outclassing them. Outsmarting them. Outworking them. Having better policies than they do. Do a better job of putting your policies to the voters than the other "side." I know. Crazy, right? Despite the feeling that I'm sticking my head in a chopper blade, I'm not going to stop demanding candidates and public officials on both "sides" and every level in a dignified manner befitting both the office you seek and the voters you represent. Not ever. @realDonaldTrump @JulianaStratton @GOPIllinois @illinoisdems @wlsam890 @RCPolitics @RCPolling @FoxNews

What a coward @Munchkinsnana

They don't, and btw, they can't. Loser.

That they were from CA and NY does not diminish the fact that they were Americans, and they voted for him. Even if only symbolically, him winning the popular vote by 7 million ballots disproves the idea that he did not have popular will on his side

He is Risen!

As an American, I am 100% for other Americans protesting peacefully, whether it's the inaptly named "No Kings" rally, Pro-Life marches, Black Lives Matter or the old massive Tea Party rallies. If you are unhappy with something, or even happy with something, march, scream, honk your horn and protest to your heart's content. Peacefully (which it seems the No Kings protests are). As much as I'm a 1st Amendment guy, I'm also.a Law and Order guy. The minute the peaceful protest becomes not peaceful, whether it's Jan 6th, the violence done to ICE officers in Chicago and Minneapolis, or the George Floyd riots, I'm for law enforcement doing whatever it takes to end the violence. You have a right to protest anything you feel a desire to protest, peacefully. You do NOT have the right to assault law enforcement officers, loot, or burn down buildings. You just don't. You also don't have the right to block traffic on a public street. Your right to protest does NOT supersede my right to travel where I please, especially, but not only, in the case of a medical emergency. The free state of Florida passed a law allowing, under some circumstances, drivers to plow through protesters blocking traffic. I support that. No matter if you're a liberal or a conservative protester, stay out of my way. If I didn't choose to participate in your public display, don't try to rope me into it. In other years, I have attended big protests, not to carry handmade signs joining their cause. I can't stay away from a good circus, plus I believe there is something to be learned from even the most lame-brained protest. I like to hear what people say, even, maybe especially, at a large gathering. There is something to be learned from everyone, even if you disagree with their main reason for protesting. That seems to be a lost art in today's America. I'm trying to revive it, one person at a time if that is what it takes.

Show me a sore loser, and I'll show you a loser. To see why Democrats are successful in Illinois and Republicans keep their losing streak going, look no further than the actions of the candidates in both parties who came up short Tuesday. Democratic runners-up called the winners to concede and congratulate them, appeared on stage Tuesday night to give gracious concession speeches and immediately endorsed the winner. That's how winning parties conduct themselves. Republican runners up, not so much. Illinois Republicans had a "unity lunch" yesterday to try to get their act together. Two of the losing Governor candidates, and four of the losing US Senate candidates chose not to show up. I recommend they swap out their pacifiers and get a diaper change. That's how losing parties conduct themselves. I played a lot of pick-up basketball back in the day. As with politics, pick-up basketball "ain't beanbag," as they say. There are sharp elbows involved. I threw some myself and took some in return, even to the head (some people think that explains a lot). But what happens if you lose a pick-up game? Do you pout, complain, and try to trip the other player(s) while leaving the court? Only if you're an eight-year-old juvenile. Adults pick themselves up, wipe themselves off, congratulate the other player(s), shake their hands, and say "I'll get you next time." I have no tolerance for sore losers, in sports, politics or life. And no time for them. Don't compete if you aren't prepared to lose. Losing isn't the end of the world. Being a sore loser is.

Nice coverage of my latest poll in the Illinois US Senate race. Thank you @ABC7Chicago @nbcchicago @cbschicago @fox32news @WGNNews @LtGovStratton @CongressmanRaja @JulianaStratton @ILDCCA @illinoisdems @FoxNews @CNN @RCPolling @cnxpoll @FiveThirtyEight @thehill @NateSilver538 @CookPolitical @50plus1news @nytimes @washingtonpost @AAPOR @Gallup @cnnpolls @YouGov abc7chicago.com/illinois-ele…

Don't confuse reputation with character. Reputation is what other people think you are. Character is what you actually are. The two are rarely the same.

This kind of lowering of the bar is not acceptable. @ILGOP @CookCountyGOP @CrainsChicago @ABC7Chicago @DonTracyForIL @CongressmanRaja @NBCPolitics @MaryAnnAhernNBC @tahmanbradley @WGNNews @fox32news @DarinLaHoodIL @FoxNews @CBSNews @CapitolNewsIL @capitolfax

The Rev Jesse Jackson died. Cue the partisan hacks. He did some great things. This is where my Republican friends get their knickers all in a twist. We'll come back to that. I disagreed with him on some issues. I know that in today's uber-divided time, we are supposed to hate people we disagree with. Except I don't roll that way. He was a flawed man, as are we all. Let's get this out of the way up front. Here is what his critics will say: He embraced Communist and Socialist dictators all over the world who brought poverty, misery and death to millions of their people. He had numerous affairs on his wife and a child out of wedlock. He slurred the Jewish people, calling them "Hymies" and New York "Hymietown." He faked having MLK's blood on his shirt. He embraced what some will say are "shakedown" tactics to further Operation Push's goals. He brandished the word "racism" as both a shield and a weapon. Some or all of that is true. Here's what he also did. He was the first viable Black candidate for President. That may not be important to some of you, but it is to millions of Americans. I'm not a fan of quotas, or DEI to use the vernacular of the day, but the fact that 44 out of 45 Presidents have been white men, and 42 of them are white Protestant men, isn't something to brag about. He led a movement that ended segregation in public libraries. It's hard to even imagine now, but not very long ago, people with darker skin than mine were not allowed to go into the same public places, including libraries, as people who look like me. If you don't think ending that hideous practice was important and historic, we probably shouldn't be friends. His organization, Operation PUSH, fed hungry children. Lots of them. They helped needy people find jobs, housing, health care (including mental health care). Lots of them. He negotiated the release of hostages held by hostile governments in every corner of the globe several times. Long before he was a Presidential candidate, he inspired a generation of young people. His message to schoolchildren, sometimes long forgotten by the shine of the national spotlight, was to stay in school, stay off drugs, and to believe that no matter what life throws at you, you can be or do anything you set your mind to do or be. His life was the embodiment of that idea. His visits to schools across the nation, leading students in chants of "Up with hope, down with dope," and no matter who you are, what you've done, how horrible your family situation is, "I am somebody," are the stuff of legends. His is a mixed legacy, as will be the legacy of every person reading this, certainly including me. It's easy in this age to be all in or all out on political figures. Personally, I choose to find the best in people, and believe the best in them, while not dismissing their blemishes. I'd like people to treat me the same way. RIP, Rev Jackson.

Now Trump is going to force Democrats to come out for higher credit card interest rates.