>> Hello and thanks for joining us on the weekend.

Review on the mend of in a cave.

It all comes down to Tuesday and it is not an exaggeration to say that the stakes are high as former President Donald Trump makes his 3rd run for the White House.

>> A lot fired.

Get out.

>> Sometimes using more violent rhetoric against Harris allies.

Let's put her with a rifle standing there with 9 barrel shooting at are okay.

Let's see how she feels about it.

You know, when the guns and trader face Vice President Kamala Harris makes her case in Washington, D.C. >> Where Trump supporters gathered Twenty-twenty before storming the Capitol.

America for too long.

We have been consumed with too much division.

Chaos.

>> And mutual distrust.

And it can be easy.

Then to forget a simple truth.

It doesn't have to be this way.

This is election officials prepare to defend the integrity of this year's election.

Meanwhile, Chicago's mayor says he'll close a budget gap with the property tax And I understand that >> Asking families to lean in yet again.

>> Do a little bit more in order to make sure that their neighbors are not laid off to make sure that we don't have to cut vital City services.

>> Breaking a campaign pledge.

We're gonna make sure that we provide up to 1 billion dollars of new investments over the first term that I serve.

going to do without raising property taxes.

And after only a week on the job, Mayor Johnson forces out his CPS school board president over controversial social media posts.

>> Our week in review panel is Justin Lawrence from Crain's Chicago Business.

Lynn Sweet.

The Washington bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times, Gregory Pratt of the Chicago Tribune.

And Michael, let right of block club Chicago.

Now let's get right to it.

just I want to spend a moment talking about.

Consequences of this election because it seems like every time you hear a race is the most consequential of a lifetime.

This matters.

Every vote counts.

When is this unique?

This is unique because you have a candidate Donald Trump.

>> Who is who is by any measure that qualified to run for office.

Because let me take it off.

We only have, you know, short time here he is election deny or he'd make cereal false claims he materially threatened the life of someone.

That's just his latest one.

And he has scattered thought about what he will do actually governing if he gets a second term.

But by most standards that do not apply here, which is why this is the most important most consequential, including the election charges against him and all the other federal criminal charges against him.

Make this a consequential election.

If he does get re election and polls show he has a very decent chance of doing that on Tuesday.

>> Anybody want to take umbrage with howlin his characterize this and I will add that by the way, not just charges against him.

He is a convicted felon at this point.

>> Well, you know, when it comes to the city of Chicago, a Trump presidency, well, I would potentially be pretty catastrophic in terms of them pulling money from the city in terms of them.

Doing the mass deportations of President Trump's talks to a which would mean which he has said he's going to be bloodied and he's going to be taking out.

Tens of thousands of people from the city of Chicago by force.

So, you know, stakes are certainly high.

>> Certainly high.

And Michael in journalists, we strive to be fair to be objective, is that something that is a challenge or can you sort of assess you know, you, of course, cover local politics.

But as we all read that, that the national media as well.

Just the ability to cover this race.

>> It's when you think about objectivity and the idea of objectivity verse in practice and these past couple of actions being unique the media as a whole being challenge.

Fake news entering the cultural zeitgeist and as a journalist doing your job.

Wow, America has a growing sentiment that what you do lacks integrity and what you do is not the truth.

And that's something where this election is going to be a test of that of journalists to truly be objective in reporting.

The results were reporting the facts and also the elephant in the room, which is election denialism that regardless of what happens on Tuesday to Donald Trump his supporters, he is going to win.

And even if he loses is going to take a lot to prove that he has lost.

And I do not think that Trump will concede any time next week.

I don't see him acknowledging a loss as with the 2020 election.

So it's going to be really odd role is to stick with what is fact to demonstrate whatever result comes from Tuesday's election.

Right now we have polls that show this is going to be a very tight race, particularly in the battleground states.

It appears as if they are neck-and-neck.

it does.

I forgot to add, by the way, my first run at this is racism and sexism.

>> In my list of reasons why this makes this a stunningly.

>> Different election and consequential than anyone.

Polls are close the whole election.

As our viewers probably know by now depends on the 7 swing states.

So it's just down to the wire and there's no I I would not predict anything based on the polls right now.

>> Well, it let's go back to because we did hear some comments said I think still are fairly stunning to hear from the campaign trail.

And this is Trump last night talked about shooting Liz Cheney, the former senator and of course, daughter of the former Republican vice president in the face is campaign saying that he meant to say that she's a warmonger.

Justin, reference saying to what it is like for troops on the battlefield and that she needs to be aware of that is this statement going to change at all the race?

Because it seems like other folks are saying.

We're not buying that.

>> I don't know that it would change the race at this point, right?

Because we know who Donald Trump is.

He's been doing this for 8 years now.

Rates.

I don't know that.

But those is is kind of heinous as they are change people's opinions because I think there they're pretty set in their ways.

But I do think we've become jaded a little bit as a country as journalists, too, kind of talking about how kind of insidious these kind of comments are and where we are as a country.

Obviously, while Trump has been a a shot at during this election, is that there was another attempted assassination.

I think we need to be really clear that that.

Kind of flirting with this kind of violence against your opponent is a really dangerous.

So one of the things that has come up in this election that is important is this new phrase called saying washing and journalist do.

>> And our again, it's worth saying washing is is normalizing horrible things that Trump says as it and glossing over them and accusing someone to you say that the watch to shoot someone talking about someone special called Anatomy mocking all the racist, sexist, a few.

Her fierce and of this solution is to not seen wash but to give it attention or yes, of course.

and here is my point throughout this election, though, it's been a struggle.

>> Journalists are trying to do it and what seems an unfair double standard here is that the bar in terms of how public absorbs this for Trump does seem lowered.

If you look at rally at Madison Square Garden, the people that preceded him things he says that are not true.

False claims that he makes constantly.

And that is what is happening because it comes at you like a fire hose, which means when Harris or Biden says something it gets magnified such as the comment when Biden used the word garbage.

All of a sudden, here it is.

You're you.

You set it up.

Well, the Biden, the Trump people said he didn't really mean to say was shooter in the face.

If you could or have someone do it.

Okay.

They're they're asking for just explanation.

They do not have that same consideration for someone else.

This is tough.

Goes back to the whole kind of ethos of Trumpism.

His supporters say, oh, don't take what he says literally because they know what he means.

But that's only for what he says.

It is not true for anyone else.

Is there any danger in continually amplifying some of more outrageous and in cases insidious remarks?

>> Is that how Trump was given this platform in the first place that really saw him rise?

>> I think there's there's some fair criticism of that.

I think it's when you do it without context.

When you when you don't share the some of the comments, I don't think you can not cover a major presidential candidate because he says something offensive.

I do think that you do have to cover it seriously.

And sometimes you see, you see like and I actually think The New York Times and watching both of them a great coverage.

But every once in a while, you'll see stories that say something.

Mike.

You know, President Trump was weaving when he said he shot someone or he would shoot someone or whatever.

And you're like, just write it straight.

You know?

Don't be cute.

Just write it straight right about what it is.

He said, you know, when when he says this is the last election, you're never gonna have to vote again.

When she said a few weeks ago.

Just run it straight let people know about it.

I remember I think some of the papers were too slow to write about that.

And what the significance of that is.

I thought it was remarkable win.

He recently was talking about throwing poll workers in prison which he made.

made a comment about that and it kind of got lost over.

And so I don't I think that when you cover it is like, you know, he's a constant showman saying all sorts of crazy crazy stuff and by the way, he said here's this crazy thing about imprisoning poll watchers.

And here's this crazy thing about Arnold Palmer's Janet Halley, a and you shouldn't put them on the same You do cover both.

But you have to write about the serious stuff seriously.

And I think sometimes we miss the mark.

>> Let's take an opportunity here from each of the candidates, including Harris during the speech referenced earlier that she gave on the lips of Washington with the backdrop of the White House and then also a closing argument from former President Trump.

>> This is someone who is increasingly unstable.

Best with revenge.

Consumed with grievance.

And he's out front unchecked power.

>> But it's very simple.

>> You can't lead America if you don't love Americans.

That's President.

If you hate the American people which I believe they do.

>> Michael, is that a comment you think that is going to resonate?

Is both campaigns are trying to reach out to these small group of undecided voters.

It.

So president right now, former President Trump is saying Putnam garbage.

>> It's going to bring that Anna.

And for what it's worth.

Trying to apply logic to the politics that Trump is has studying these past elections.

It is really just mind boggling when you think about it.

And there's going to be probably classes taught at universities about this type tactics when it comes to politics between calling someone at a Trump event calling Puerto Rico an island of garbage to the most recent comment that you just played.

It's all I was just shock value in trying to build on that shock value is Greg said the need for contact with this in the same way that at a Trump rally, he recently reference his little secret when it comes to outcome of the election, which some people are viewing as an intention by him to tie Electoral College potentially for house to for the high life.

If talking about that with the House Speaker Mike Johnson, right.

>> And that's why that had so much potential in port.

And still the are Beaker is not right.

So what we're talking about is if the Electoral College is tied, it does get around to Congress and then oh, boy and Congress has tried to London where focus a lot on the presidential race.

But >> we don't know who is going to have control of the United States Senate or the United States right?

The House needs Democrats need 4 seats to may need to hold what they have and pick up 4 seats to take control of the House.

>> seems doable, especially since they have the seats in New York and California, the seats in New York that were seen has won by Republicans by mistake in 2022.

So and the have a decent chance, much tougher challenge to hold on to the Senate now controlled by the Democrats.

before we move on, I also want to circle back to the comments that we heard from.

>> Vice President Harris which she really talked about the danger and calling Trump a tyrant.

Is this a sailing closing argument for her, Greg, or is this something that sort of is a distraction by focusing on Trump and some of her own plans?

>> You I think that in political campaigns you have to persuade, right?

You have to add to all saying is about addition versus some traction.

I think that the people, the people who think Trump is a dictator in waiting or or whatever it is, they think and in that regard that are against Trump, I think that, you know, Harris should probably talk more about issues facing the public that are not Democratic that are not high minded in end, somewhat abstract.

Someone not, you know, so that said she's done plenty of both.

But sometimes I do think that.

You know, the Democrats talk about that too much.

And, you know, there are people >> who have there's just people with real problems of real issues go feeding their paying the mortgage or the rent.

What have I think being in the electoral in politics is a losing recipe.

And I.

So speaking of paying the rent and mortgage just in, we're going to go over to you because Mayor Brandon Johnson this week proposing more than 17 billion dollar budget.

>> That includes a property tax hike despite what he said on the campaign trail.

So why is he flip-flopping on this pledge?

Well, because he pledged also that he would bring in 800 million a billion dollars in new revenue.

He would.

>> Tax financial transactions to and bring in had taxes for each employee and >> and a corporation.

And he's failed to do that.

Most of that is because it requires state action in the state has made it clear that they're not interested in and taking those votes and so he was left very little options and any took what's the easiest path?

And the city of Chicago is to raise property taxes.

It just revenue, perhaps not politically.

Yes, it is difficult politically, but it's the one lever that brings in significant that that the city is always turn to.

And the mayor.

Promise that he would.

He would break that cycle and he's found out a year and a half.

It.

>> He was unable to do so.

>> does he risk losing any public support for reversing this pledge?

It hear him talk a lot about promise is that he made and why he was elected in things like investing in schools and in Des invested neighborhoods.

Does he risk losing an alienating the public by going this route?

>> He definitely does.

And is something where between the dissent within the city Council for the budget, the have about a central Lopez, a voice, his disagreements with the budget.

>> That yellow line, right?

That's a big ally.

And just progressive caucus as a whole when it comes to this budget and thinking about with progressive politics that the idea of moving forward on the social issues, these key issues, you need a stable base in the stable foundation of a budget that is functioning.

So when you think about we think about the schools, we think about treatment, not youth, homelessness, issues all of these get put on the backburner until there is a functional budget that can at least serve the baseline purpose when it comes to the city and to essentially use taxpayer money between property taxes and didn't have funds to solve this issue to the voting public.

This is going to be unveiling Johnson out when it comes to this and thinking about what this means for future budgets realistically, another Johnson term, if he chooses to run again with this campaign promise rolling back and now the taxpayers and the voters going to fund the new budget, presuming it passes.

What are chances of that, Greg?

>> Well, he's he's got a very serious problem.

You know, when you allude to Byron Sigcho Lopez and some of his progressive, some of the left-wing some of the Socialist caucus who are or really Johnson's rider dies.

If they don't vote for it, I don't understand why Matt Maria Hadden are some of the more moderate progressive would vote for, you know, if you can't get your your strongest supporters, other people who are in tougher areas, we're going to get killed.

You know, so I don't I think he's got a real challenge on his hands because he needs to get that under control.

So what's the alternative?

Well, he's he says the alternative was layoffs, right?

And he's not going to take Take that option.

Why is that so wisely politics or I think it's a low bond flick.

He says it cutting workers cut city services.

>> But I think the political reality here is under the city council.

Reality is he he doesn't have the juice to pass a budget in city council.

If the unions are opposed to it, there's I'm speaking just the unions have.

Made very clear.

You know, he he is a union came from the Chicago Teachers Union.

>> But they've made very clear to him that, you know, we are friends, but we are not we're not that friendly right now during budget season.

And if you come for our and our workers, we're going to fight my right.

It's a simple majority ceremony.

So here's the only number that counts.

>> 26 and for him to go into this budget season and not to have that locked up and to know the chaos.

He is on scene right now.

Only makes it more certain that he will not have any good solution won't get the property tax any chance.

That's part of whole plan.

>> kind of like bait it out there All right.

I don't think so.

I think he just was left without other options.

There will be despite called decision knowing that that was going to be this deficit saying no to an inflation tied property tax increase Remember, he also pushed back the budget season by a few weeks.

So he even had a few more weeks to to come up with another solution.

realistically, there was a 900 82 million dollar gap and even if you did it kind of deeply cut the city's workforce.

You and get so much Dave into my few minutes left.

And of course, we have to talk about this ongoing drama, Chicago Public schools because Johnson's newly appointed president of the CPS board, that's the Reverend Michel, a kind of Johnson.

>> resigned after just days on the job after some controversial posts surfaced.

This includes that he called Jewish colleagues appear, quote, drunk with Israeli power.

And he said will live to see their payment and some also tweets described as misogynistic like the quote, sad fact that when a woman earns money, she does not >> feel the need to support her man and her family was this Michael inevitable that the new CPS president was so soon going to be the former CPS president?

president at us.

>> I would say inevitable, but is definitely highlights oversight when it comes to vetting process for new appointees and just the realities of you have a board that resides on a Friday and then the mayor is ready to appoint new board members on a Monday that is rushed and the proper checks and balances when it comes to betting these new members wasn't there just as if any of us were to apply for journalism job.

They would do the simple fact of looking at our social media and probably looking scrolling back a bit.

And when I saw that there were social media posts and then when I saw that some of these POWs from this year, I was thinking who looked into this candidate and it no one do simple fact of scrolling back of someone's Facebook page.

>> Justin, you spoke with the mayor about this.

Yes, he was before editorial board today.

He kind of acknowledge what was clearly obvious rate that he called it a gap in the vetting process.

He did make the distinction that he was not aware of these posts before because I was an open question.

You know, you either didn't vet him and didn't know about him or you did.

And you know about these comments and and still make appointments.

initially he sort of deferred clear about that.

He was he was being unclear and it left people not doing so.

You know, he was he kind of A Corpus said there was a gap.

I think part of it was this S this rushed timeline to get new board members.

And I I think this board passed the most important part of the vetting process is he needs 7 people to do his bidding.

There.

You need 7 people are willing to fire.

Cps CEO Peter Martinez and do whatever sort of budget math is there to solve the CBS.

you know, one of the one of the things that's remarkable to me is is and I think there's perhaps a media criticism here.

>> Of, you know, he has these controversial post.

He also was a disbarred attorney in Ohio.

And we don't seem to that didn't seem to get as much attention and has the standards of public service fallen so far.

Then we don't bad.

And I had somebody has those kinds of issues that at least make them answer for why?

Why is that your choice?

You know, there are 3 million people that live in the city of Chicago.

Most of them, haven't been disbarred.

I was just really this had a lot of problems and it's really a remarkable process that led them here.

>> And we have about 30 seconds left, but just and speck to you.

What if anything, does this mean for CPS?

The board did meet this morning, but didn't really cover president's resignation order.

They talk didn't go into that.

And the mayor is still being cagey about whether or not he asked Peter Martinez to resign.

>> He has.

But, you know, I asked look at it with all this turmoil at the board and and on.

We didn't talk about on Tuesday.

We're going to elect have to hybrid school board.

Yes, we wait until January to solve these issues.

And he said, no, the you know, I have that power right now.

We're going to it.

>> And I have the power right now to say we are out of So our thanks to Justin Lawrence, Lindsey Gregory Pet Michael Lippe truck.

We are back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Tonight's presentation of Chicago Tonight Week in review is made possible in part by and and rich car.

Bnsf railway, Francine and Doctor Anthony Brown.

And the moment, however, progressive philanthropic fund in honor of the moment supporting quality journalism.

Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexandra and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> And that is our show for this Friday night.

The last, of course, before the election.

Coming just days away.

If you want to finalize your ballot, check out our online voter guide that has a ton of information about where to vote.

You can see if you're registered and then while you're there, you can also read up on the candidates were vying for your vote for states attorney for Congress.

Yes, the school board plus all those many judicial seats, you can find it at W T Tw dot com Slash voter guide.

Now for the We can review on them into Vicky's.

Thanks for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good nights.

>> Happy post.

Halloween >> So Justin brought up, yes, we're having a school board election for the first time its another test of whether or not Brandon Johnson's Chicago teachers, union sponsors get the ticket past that they're backing because if they don't, that's another sign political turmoil ahead for the mayor.

Do you think that voters really are that aware of who is connected to us?

2?

Well, >> of the election generally know.

So the answer is still no.

But it's really remarkable how little knowledge there's still people that don't know.

We're having a school board election, which is crazy so much.

>> These candidates don't.

I don't and believe or so at this point.

millions and it's outside special interest in closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death for that is proud to recognize its 20