CHICAGO, Illinois — Billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker is enjoying playing host in his hometown this week and will get a primetime speaking slot Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention.
Of course, Pritzker will play second fiddle to Barack Obama, whose ascendancy to the White House in 2008 was partially bankrolled by the powerful Pritzker family. The former president and his wife, Michelle, are scheduled to close out the second day of festivities inside the largest arena in the country.
Putting on the Pritz—With Fries
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The Illinois governor hosted a collection of A-list journalists across print and TV news on Monday for an exclusive, off-the-record lunch of the kind presidents offer news anchors before a State of the Union address. But this wasn’t in the White House and there were McNuggets and fries on the menu being offered by the billionaire, a well-known fast food fan.
The event, hosted at McDonald’s swanky, recently refurbished global headquarters in Chicago’s West Loop, included conjoined The New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, and columnist Maureen Dowd (fresh off accusing the Democrats of running a coup against Biden); CNN anchors Kaitlan Collins and Abby Phillip; ABC News anchors Jonathan Karl and Martha Raddatz; and CBS News anchors Tony Dokoupil and Robert Costa. Fox News anchor Bret Baier and NBC News reporter Yamiche Alcindor were also in attendance, sources tell the Daily Beast.
The Golden Arches Weren’t Enough?
Pritzker, who combines fast-food fanaticism with Democratic powerbroking and Chicago boosterism, wasn’t just cozying up to McDonald’s. He also had some beef to talk with Donny Franks, AKA Stephen Colbert, who brought back the Late Show character for a one-off reboot. Also chowing down on a dog Chicago-style was AOC. No sign so far of better-known Chicago food icon Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto from FX’s The Bear, AKA Jeremy Allen White.
Losers Row
Pritzker will be among several contenders who Kamala Harris considered choosing as her running mate who will speak on Tuesday, according to Politico. Others who earned plum speaking slots include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona; Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
Perhaps all the veepstakes, err, non-winners will have a chance to party together at Pritzker’s Tuesday night at the Salt Shed featuring a concert with John Legend. It’ll compete for guests with Liz Plank’s “Hotties for Harris” party dedicated to abortion rights which is a mile outside the United Center.
Once attendees actually made their way to the United Center they stumbled on an arena tailored to content creators, delegates, politicians, lobbyists, big donors and reporters alike.
Multiple merchandise outposts were stationed on the convention’s first floor, while some of the venue’s concession stands sold baskets upon baskets of chicken tenders. Outside the Center, a large “Emily’s List” sign fronted a painted mural of Harris, just steps away from the CNN-Politico Grill.
Who’s Got the Beef?
The Grill is housed inside a makeshift venue across the street from the arena, split between a speaker’s hall for conversations with newsmakers and a restaurant-style seating area featuring white picnic tables and delicacies from Chicago staples including Garrett Popcorn and hot dog joint Portillo’s. (One server told the Daily Beast that attendees generally opted for hot dogs, prompting this reporter to try one. Daily Beast Rating: 7/10)
The venue prompted a hodgepodge of characters, giving CNN CEO Mark Thompson the chance to chat with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); biographer Walter Isaacson to sit with Crooked Media’s Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett; and D.C. political consultant Tammy Haddad to mingle with CBS’ Robert Costa. Anderson Cooper also made a rare appearance before he anchored primetime, agreeing to nearly every request by a person desperate for a selfie.
Politico’s Jonathan Martin, fresh off a conversation with Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), said he was excited for his conversations this week with the ubiquitous Pritzker and a recently candid Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Asked what he thought of Pelosi’s book, Martin admitted, “I gotta read it—soon!”
The partnership is the second this year between the two outlets after a previous run at Milwaukee’s Republican National Convention last month. Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami told the Daily Beast that her communications chief Brad Dayspring came up with the idea to have the outlets join forces, and the outlets’ pairing made sense as the two “complement” each other.
The Holts Fly the Friendly Skies
Monday’s hottest ticket was a party sponsored by United Airlines atop the historic Willis Tower, ironically a day after some of those same people struggled to make it to the city on United flights in the first place. The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey fashioned former Virginia governor Terry McAuffile’s name tag onto his own suit jacket, while Lester Holt and his son Stefan Holt—an anchor for Chicago’s NBC affiliate WMAQ—were engaged in a hearty conversation with United board member Edward Shapiro. (Holt, however, wouldn’t comment on Harris’ reluctance to speak to the press.)
“My wife’s going to be jealous she didn’t make it,” Shapiro said to his group of friends as he posed for a selfie with the NBC icon.
The biggest topic of the convention: Will Beyoncé be there or will it be a case of DNC-ya?
Mario Anzuoni/ReutersGuests munched on sliders and downed cocktails ranging from Illy-based espresso martinis and United’s “unofficial” drink of the DNC: Chicago’s Malört spirit. (Daily Beast Rating: 0/10).
The hot topic? Will Beyoncé actually make a long-rumored appearance? CNN’s Kaitlan Collins was “apathetic” but The New York Times reporter Astead Herndon was eager to see her.
“I paid a lot of money to be in the ground level of FedEx Field for Renaissance,” he said. “I would love paying nothing to see her on work hours.”
These Two Are Never Getting Together
There is only one Taylor on everyone’s lips at the DNC: The Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz. And like her more famous namesake (Swift), she is in a feud—with The New York Post’s Jonathan Levine, who revealed that she posted a selfie from the White House with “War Criminal :(“ written under Joe Biden. Taylor called it a lie but is now being investigated by WaPo executives. Sadly a rumored confrontation at The Spectator’s party did not materialize: Levine skipped the conservative magazine’s gathering and suggestions that Lorenz would be there were wide of the mark. Still three nights for it to happen.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this diary incorrectly claimed that Chris Wallace was “double masked” and had “heated words” with a pilot when his flight was delayed. This was incorrect. We are happy to make clear that Wallace spoke briefly and civilly to a pilot and was wearing one mask.
