By John Kass

You want to learn about how politics is played in this Shut Up and Take It State?

Well then, listen to this episode of The Chicago Way podcast.

Dan Proft, co-host of “The Morning Answer” radio program 5-9 a.m. on WIND AM 560 is our guest. He’s a friend, and I’ve sat in on his show, but sometimes he peeves me.

Yes, Proft hates soccer and doesn’t consider the beautiful game a sport, though more than 3 billion people love the sport. He’s a golfer and I’ve never thought golf was a sport either, but an activity for drunken politicians (I’m thinking of judges) at the lovely Beverly Country club.

But who gives two figs?

What does sport have to do with a state that is broken and a city that devours itself?

WGN executive producer Jeff Carlin and I wanted to talk with Proft about politics and media. Jeff is Dan’s former producer, and produced for my shows when the three of us were at WLS.

The question: What about Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who has been backed in the Illinois Republican primary for governor by megabucks billionaire Ken Griffin?

 Proft is backing another candidate, the true conservative in the governor’s race, State Senator Darren Bailey. I happen to like Bailey also. But I am quite interested in Irvin and his Republican Combine handlers because they demonstrate why the Illinois Republican Party is so weak.

At issue here is Irvin’s obsequious support of Black Lives Matter. Media shies away from it as expected, but Proft doesn’t. He deconstructed Irvin’s support of BLM, as reportedly expressed in a candidate questionnaire and Irvin’s weak response.

“From an event the other evening, my broadcast colleague Amy Jacobson was there, and (Irvin) said, ‘My alleged support of Black Lives Matter was because they were going to burn down the city of Aurora,’” Proft said on The Chicago Way.

“Ok, Let’s take that apart. Number one you’re saying that as a government official, you will give into extortionists—because that’s how you described Black Lives Matter, that they were going to burn down the city unless, you provided your rhetorical support to extortionists that threaten violence. That’s your position as an executive?

“And Number 2, excuse me but they were going to burn down your city, and the riots and the looting and the occupation of police precincts and that ‘autonomous zone,’ all that was the summer of 2020. The candidate questionnaire you (Irvin) filled out where you expressed your passionate and enthusiastic support of Black Lives Matter was in 2021. Under what threat were you under at that point, or the city of Aurora?”

I haven’t heard Irvin address the inconsistency. The BLM riots took place in the summer of 2020. So why would he justify answering a 2021 questionnaire that way? Because he’s not a good candidate.

If I were one of Irvin’s Combine Republican consultants taking Ken Griffin’s money, I’d have only one answer:

Ouch, ouchee, ouch, it hurts.

But then, I am a conservative, not an Illinois Combine Republican.

I was not impressed when Irvin fumbled his interview with Fox Chicago’s Mike Flannery. And every day, I grow more unimpressed. Of course, you might just like what the consultants are feeding you. So stick your head in in the oats as they fatten you up.

Do you want real politics or the blah-blah-blah of Combine meat puppets? If real politics are what you want, then listen to The Chicago Way podcast.

Irvin has hit a rough patch. His will be a bumpy ride.

“This is a good example of what happens when you back a cipher, when you back an empty vessel like Richard Irvin who has political ambition and little else, for high office where scrutiny attaches, that he’s not used to,” Proft said.

To listen, just click on the link. And tell your friends to listen, too.

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