10 Comments

Chris, nice to see you continue to branch out in subject matter. Interesting piece. One lesson, especially for executive positions in government, is that a dynamic candidate might not have the skills to lead as an exec.

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Gregory stated “Being positive is a winner. Lightfoot was always complaining about her rivals, her enemy, the media, and eventually people tune that out, even if you've got a point.

Along those same lines, you can't take everything personal. In politics, there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interests.”

Now who in presidential politics does that sound like?

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Two comments in and someone is already tying her demise to former Pres. Trump. The comment section never misses an opportunity!

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If you’re referring to my comment, I wasn’t “tying her demise to trump”. I was repeating what the reporter thought were the reasons why she lost and felt the parallels to how trump acts were striking.

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I love these articles, thank you!

I think Mayor Lightfoot just couldn't get out of her own way and it felt like she picked fights nonstop her entire tenure. Only allowing POC to interview her felt like such an unforced error in dealing with the media.

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Thanks. I really like these articles that give information on political figures.

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This is a great article, and I would like to join the chorus* requesting more content like this.

* I admit that if you want the chorus to stay on key, you should keep me out of it.

One IMHO relevant fact about Lightfoot's mayoralty, one not mentioned in your piece, is the fact that she had never run in an election (you know, the kind with the voting public) or held any office with a significant executive component* before the first round 2019 mayoral election.

*(closest probably being deputy chief of the Chicago Department of Procurement Services for a few months)

"Some of her aides think one of the worst things that happened for her is winning by a landslide because it meant she thought she won because of her, without understanding the broader context she won under."

This seems like a frequently recurring pattern (perhaps someone has written a book about that as a pattern?). I can see it happening sometimes with losing candidates as well.

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Thank you, Chris, for a Sunday treat! These "conversations" you do about subjects I just might skim are insightful and much appreciated.

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Liked this piece - insightful and enlightening. Also made me appreciate your writing style a tad more. 🤪

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“Hot-tempered, profane, wildly entertaining”

“Always complaining about her rivals, her enemy, the media”

“In politics, there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interests.”

“You can’t be mean to everyone who tries to help you.”

“…have to be clear about their vision and mission.”

“You I have to have clear, articulated values, and execute on them.”

Parallels to Trump?

On the other hand, unlike Lightfoot, Trump won because of Trump, i.e., “the magnetic cult of personality.” And, God forbid, he may do so again.

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