If there is one thing you know about hot-button topics in the media, it is that they will always draw attention from people who hope to exploit them for personal gain—especially politicians. The Chicago Bears stadium issue has remained deadlocked for months as Illinois and Indiana wrestle for momentum. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker seems more confident than ever that a deal is close to keep the team in its home state. This largely comes from recent meetings with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Bears minority owner Pat Ryan.
With the fall legislative session around the corner, there is real optimism that a bill everyone can be happy with will pass. One person not convinced of this is Pritzker’s GOP challenger for governor, Darren Bailey. He has insisted that the Democrats support policies that have been driving small businesses and the Bears to search for better homes out of state. Pritzker acts like he’s doing everything to keep the team when in reality, he’s done nothing. Bailey is clearly trying to drum up support from voters by making it sound like he will do everything in his power to keep the team in-state.
Unfortunately, this Chicago Bears stadium plea was exposed as a stunt.
Rick Pearson of the Chicago Tribune reported how Bailey, who tries to sound like a dedicated fan, could even name a single player on the team when asked. It was pretty ugly.
In an interview earlier this month with Mark Maxwell, a reporter for St. Louis’ KSDK-TV, Bailey was asked to name his favorite Bears player. The Republican candidate fumbled.
“Ah, it may be Staley. Staley the mascot came up, and we had a fun time with him on the opening day,” Bailey said, referencing his attendance at the Bears’ Sept. 20 home opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Asked again for a specific player, he cited the team that won the Super Bowl in January 1986 and the “days of Jay Cutler, the days of McMahon and currently, yeah, my mind’s blank. Is it Williams, No. 18?”
An important lesson was learned the hard way.
If you intend to use something for political gain, it might be a wise idea to study up on what you’re talking about. Watch a few games, or just read the depth chart a few times. Bailey couldn’t even be bothered to do that much. That isn’t a great look for someone who claims he’s fit to be the governor of an entire state. It is little wonder most people aren’t taking him seriously as a challenger to Pritzker. If he were, you’d have to think the Chicago Bears would’ve been talking to him about a potential deal. There has been no evidence of this since the midterm elections began.
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Say this for the GOP in Indiana. They’ve handled the situation far better. While they’ve expressed confidence at every opportunity that the Bears will cross the border, they’ve never gone beyond that. They have tread carefully on a subject they know can be dangerous if not handled with care. Bailey comes across as a man desperate for attention. Diving headfirst into the Bears stadium situation felt like an obvious play. He never imagined how much it could backfire.
The path ahead is clear.
All signs point to the Bears making a strong push during the fall session to get a deal done. They seem to have finally built up some real support in Springfield with the right people. Putting Ryan in charge and benching Kevin Warren feels like the decision that kickstarted it. They finally have the right people leading the charge. Almost everything is in place to cross the finish line. All they have to do is collect enough votes in the House and Senate. With Pritzker’s backing, that should be possible.
Then again, it feels like they’ve been close before. If there is one fundamental truth about Illinois politics, it’s that things can fall apart remarkably fast because of constant infighting. The Bears clearly want to get something done soon.
