Feb. 08--Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.
Topspin
It's Monday, Feb. 8, and a Democratic U.S. Senate campaign that's been somewhat sleepy could come into sharper focus.
The three candidates are set to appear before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board for an endorsement session at noon. Proceedings will be streamed here around that time. We'll be there in our regular newsgathering role.
It's the first joint appearance for U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates, former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp of Chicago and state Sen. Napoleon Harris of Harvey.
There hasn't been much in the way of major TV ads in the primary campaign so far. Zopp has held some news conferences to announce endorsements, and she's got one at 10 a.m. today in Bronzeville with U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.
Duckworth holds a fundraising edge, raising $1.6 million from October through December. That's five times the $314,000 Zopp took in during that time. Duckworth had $3.65 million to begin 2016. Zopp had $714,000. Harris' campaign has not provided money details yet.
After today, Duckworth has said she'll take part in two more forums -- Feb. 16 with the Sun-Times Editorial Board and Feb. 19 for a broadcast debate.
The winner is likely to face Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in the November general election.
What's on tap
*Mayor Rahm Emanuel has no public events scheduled.
*Gov. Bruce Rauner continues his post-State of the State tour with suburban stops in Addison, Wheeling and Lincolnshire.
*City Council Finance Committee meets at 10 a.m. to consider a resolution urging the mayor and corporation counsel to quickly settle a suit filed by the family of Bettie Jones, the 55-year-old neighbor shot and killed in the Quintonio LeGrier police shooting.
What we're writing
*After election rescue, African-American voters sour on Emanuel.
*City to pay $3 million to settle old CPD hiring discrimination suit.
*Emanuel looks to regroup on Lucas Museum after bad week.
*American agrees to put five more gates at delay-plagued O'Hare.
*Cop who fatally shot Quintonio LeGrier sues teen's estate, claiming trauma.
What we're reading
*Massive overhaul scheduled for Chicago Archdiocese.
*Retiring Ron Magers was the gold standard among modern Chicago TV news anchors.
*How a 2014 New Hampshire U.S. Senate race set stage for Trump.
*Inside Peyton Manning's secret investigation of Al-Jazeera documentary.
From the notebook
*Mayor on poll numbers: The Tribune typically doesn't ask politicians to react to our poll findings because it's political science, and the numbers are the numbers. But Friday was the first time Mayor Emanuel was out all week, and velvet-voiced WLS-AM 890 political reporter Bill Cameron asked the mayor what he made of the 27 percent job approval rating the Tribune poll found.
Here is the mayor's response, in full:
"Look, I don't think, the way I look at is, you know I've faced politics in challenging times, but the question is where do I stand at any given moment, where does the city stand and what's the decisions you make, and is Chicago and the citizens of Chicago better prepared for the future, that's how I'm going to approach all our opportunities."
*Meister wins circuit clerk backing: A group of Latino public officials is expected to announce support Monday for attorney Jacob Meister in the three-way contest for Cook County Circuit Court clerk.
The group has labeled itself "Latinos for Jacob Meister." It includes Sen. Iris Martinez, Rep. Luis Arroyo, Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr., 1st Ward Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 30th Ward Ald. Ariel Reboyras, 31st Ward Ald. Milagros "Milly Santiago, 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas.
Meister and Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th, are running against four-term incumbent Dorothy Brown in the March 15 Democratic primary. (Hal Dardick)
*The week ahead: Monday is the U.S. Senate forum (see "Topspin); Wednesday sees President Barack Obama address his former General Assembly colleagues in Springfield at 1:30 p.m., a Chicago City Council meeting and a Cook County Board meeting.
*Eggs-cellent? Taking a page from former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, the Chicago Teachers Union compared wealthy Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to wealthy nuclear power plant owner C. Montgomery Burns from "The Simpsons" during its LaSalle Street rally.
*The Sunday Spin: This week's show, hosted by Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson, was focused on the presidential campaign. Listen to it here.
Follow the money
*The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform's Sunshine Project broke down contributions in the Cook County state's attorney race.
*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash
Beyond Chicago
*Presidential race, Republican side: Rubio is attacked, has hard time responding.
*Presidential race, Democratic side: Even Clinton piles on Rubio.
*North Korea launches long-range missile.
*Obama gun plans amount to little action.
