Good Thursday morning, Illinois.

TOP TALKER

IT’S NO SECRET: Some campaign surrogates for Joe Biden are being viewed through a different lens since the president’s viability to stay on the ticket has been questioned.

Gov. JB Pritzker is among Biden allies who appear to be cautiously positioning themselves to run for president in 2028 — or maybe sooner if the job opens up.

Their Challenge: How to stick by their word to support the president while also showing they could be strong contenders themselves.

For his part, Biden has insisted he won’t drop out of the race, and standing by him are Pritzker, Vice President Kamala Harris, Govs. Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom and Transportation czar Pete Buttigieg.

“It’s an extremely tricky situation for all of the candidates who would like to succeed Joe Biden, including the governors,” said a veteran Illinois political observer who was granted anonymity to speak freely. “No one wants to be seen as the person who is telling grandpa publicly you have to take away his car keys — if you also want to follow grandpa and own the car. Nobody wants to alienate Joe Biden’s base because they know they will need them later.”

Read the full story: For Biden allies, the 2028 race begins now, by POLITICO’s Liz Crampton, Adam Wren, Myah Ward, Christopher Cadelago and your Playbook host

RELATED

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will keynote the Illinois Democratic Party Gala on Sept. 27. The gala is the party’s marquee fundraising event and designed to galvanize Illinoisans as they head to Election Day.

— COLUMN: Act of desperation? Biden’s team checks delegates for loyalty, by POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin

— POLL: Biden and Trump tied despite debate, as 67 percent call for president to drop out: “Vice President Harris fares as well as Biden against Trump,” by ABC’s Gary Langer

— MONEY: Dems fear Biden’s fundraising is ‘cratering,’ by POLITICO’s Elena Schneider

— HOT MIC: "I don't like where we are," Pritzker was overheard saying, via CBS Chicago. (Is anyone really happy where they are?)

THE BUZZ

THE BIG GUNS: The governor, Chicago’s mayor and business community announced a milestone in trying to fight crime. Business leaders have raised $100 million to support “on the ground work” to support programs that combat gun violence. That fundraising started a year ago. And the state has kicked in $175 million to help as well.

The announcement follows a brutally violent weekend that saw more than a hundred shootings in Chicago.

Big quote: “Gun violence I think is a cancer that’s destroying the soul of our city,” former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, who now runs the gun violence prevention group Chicago CRED, said in announcing the funds raised. “If we’re honest with ourselves, our collective response has clearly been wildly inadequate.”

The Tribune’s Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner have the story.

If you are Arne Duncan, Playbook would like to hear from you. Email: [email protected]

WHERE'S JB

At the Emerson Park Transit Center in East St. Louis at 11 a.m. to attend the opening of new St. Clair County Public Safety Center — At Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville at 2:15 p.m. to attend SWIC Manufacturing Training Academy ribbon cutting.

WHERE's BRANDON

At the Sheraton Grand Riverwalk Hotel at 9 a.m. for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment summer symposium — At the Chicago Police Department Headquarters at 10:30 a.m. for the department’s Star Case Ceremony — At Dyett High School at 1:15 p.m. for the One Summer Chicago press conference.

Where's Toni

No official public events.

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: [email protected]

SPOTLIGHT

GOING OFF SCRIPT: Gov. JB Pritzker got a little emotional Wednesday during a bill signing for the Healthcare Protection Act.

Pritzker first introduced the bill during his State of the State address. Its goal is to ban prior authorization for crisis mental health care, improve access to primary care physicians and end unchecked rate increases.

How Pritzker described it: “For too long, insurance companies have used predatory tactics to make an extra dime at the expense of Illinois consumers,” the governor said before pausing.

“I’m going to digress from my speech just a little,” he said and shared the story of a friend who called shortly after Pritzker introduced the bill. The friend’s daughter had tried to commit suicide twice.

After the second attempt, Pritzker’s friend was in the ambulance with his daughter trying to call the insurance company because they needed prior authorization before she could be admitted to a hospital, Pritzker recalled.

“They denied him prior authorization,” Pritzker said. “And he had nowhere to go. He had nothing. He could not take his daughter home. It was the only hospital that could take a patient like her,” said Pritzker, choking back emotion. “He was lucky. He knew the president of the hospital … and was able to make arrangements for himself. But almost nobody has that ability.”

“I think about that a lot,” Pritzker said to the hushed crowd.

The issue is personal for Pritzker, who has shared the story of his mother “self-medicating” to deal with her own mental health issues.

Joining Pritzker to celebrate the bill, which is called the first of its kind in the country: House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, state Sens. Robert Peters and Laura Fine, state Reps. Anna Moeller and Bob Morgan, Illinois Department of Insurance acting-Director Ann Gillespie, Rush hospital CEO Dr. Omar Lateef, Shriver Center on Poverty Law’s Stephani Becker, the Illinois State Medical Society’s Dr. Piyush Vyas, and Bill Smith, founder and CEO of the nonprofit mental health advocacy group, Inseparable.

BUSINESS OF POLITICS

— Illinois’ Trump delegates head to Milwaukee at a time of upheaval in the state Republican Party: “Illinois Republicans prepare to celebrate former President Donald Trump’s nomination as recent infighting has mired the state party,” by WBEZ’s Alex Degman.

— Retiring state Rep. Dan Caulkins, a Republican from Decatur and member of the conservative Illinois Freedom Caucus, is urging Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy to delay his resignation. “My concern is that the selection process is rushed and ill timed,” he said in a statement. The Republican State Central Committee is scheduled to vote on a new chair Friday. Here’s memo, via Lee Enterprises’ Brenden Moore.

— Trump campaign isn’t getting involved in the Illinois GOP chair’s race, according to the Illinois Review

CONVENTION ZONE

— Canceling Chicago police officers’ days off before DNC is ‘a recipe for disaster,’ union boss says: “Canceling time off kills police morale at a critical time before the Democratic National Convention, John Catanzara said. But the police department said the cancellations are only made to ensure sufficient staffing, and officers are given advance notice,” by the Sun-Times’ Tom Schuba.

— Metra service to O’Hare is about to get much better — for the DNC, at least, by the Tribune’s Sarah Freishtat

CHICAGO

— Chicago Public Schools proposes $9.9 billion budget for next school year: “[It] closes a roughly half-billion-dollar deficit mainly by cutting central office expenses — but does not yet include raises for teachers and principals whose unions are negotiating new contracts with the district,” by Chalkbeat’s Mila Koumpilova.

— 2 Chicago nonprofits get $16M to expand clean energy job programs on South, West Sides: “The 548 Foundation and HIRE360 will use the funds awarded through the state’s Clean and Equitable Jobs Act to create more opportunities for graduates of their apprenticeship and training programs,” by Block Club’s Francia Garcia Hernandez.

— Despite mandate, Chicago lead pipe replacement is 50 years away: “New Environmental Protection Agency rules are supposed to make U.S. water lead-free. But Chicago, with the greatest lead pipe burden, is emblematic of the tremendous hurdles ahead,” by Bloomberg’s Linda Poon and Kiel Porter.

— Fact check: Viral tweet wrongly claims Brandon Johnson blamed Richard Nixon for Chicago violence, by the Sun-Times’ Katie Anthony

...SWAMP THINGS...

— Downstate man who wore Revolutionary War costume and gas mask at Jan. 6 riot gets 2.5 months in jail: “Derek Nelson’s defense attorneys say his head “was full of nonsense, discontent, and conspiracy theories” in 2021, but is now ‘squarely focused on his love of God and family, respect for the rule of law, and regret for his actions,’” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel

Reader Digest

We asked when you’ve received a personal note from a lawmaker:

Matthew Beaudet, the former Chicago Buildings commissioner: “Nice notes from Mayors Daley, Emanuel and Lightfoot after successful projects.”

Mimi Cowan: “When I was a candidate for Will County Board I sat next to a nice gentleman at a political meeting who engaged me in conversation about my race. I later received a handwritten letter (multiple pages) with encouragement and tips (and a donation) from state Sen. Pat McGuire.”

Daniel Goldwin: “Rep. Brad Schneider sent me a text complimenting me for my answer to the Reader Digest question posed Monday.”

Kevin Lampe: "When I was 11 and collecting political signatures, Sen. Chuck Percy replied and sent a card with his. The letter arrived with the edges charred. It was on UA flight #553, which crashed near Midway Airport, killing Congressman George Collins and Dorothy Hunt, the wife of E. Howard Hunt."

Jim Lyons: “I received a birthday card from my alderman. I'm trying to figure out how he knew.”

Jim Montgomery: “When I was first elected to office, I received hand-written notes from Sen. Dick Durbin and state Sen. Penny Severns … with very nice words of encouragement and advice.”

Erika Poethig: “At the 1996 DNC, I gave directions to a gentleman I met at an intersection. He introduced himself as Sen. Bob Graham. Afterward, I wrote him a personal note and he replied with a two-page letter, detailing our conversation and an invitation to the Senate Dining Room. Given his extensive diaries, I imagine that our conversation is documented somewhere in his archives.”

Rodrigo Sierra: “When I became Mayor Richard M. Daley’s deputy press secretary, Ald Ed Burke sent me a note handwritten in Kelly green ink welcoming me to my new post and wishing me success. When I left that role, he sent me another handwritten note (same Kelly green ink) thanking me for my service.”

Timothy Thomas Jr.: “I was very touched to receive a personal note from Sen. Durbin upon my retirement that was obviously not a form letter based on the specifics he referenced.”

NEXT QUESTION: What’s the craziest thing you did on a dare? Email [email protected]

THE NATIONAL TAKE

— Nervous world leaders fret over what the Biden chaos means for NATO’s future, by POLITICO’s Eli Stokols, Alexander Ward and Jonathan Lemire

— Judge signals he’s likely to dismiss Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Erica Orden

— Google makes changes to privacy oversight, worrying policymakers, by POLITICO’s Alfred Ng

EVENTS

— Aug. 8: Minyon Moore, the chair of the Democratic National Convention, headlines an Ida B. Wells Legacy Committee fundraiser. Details here

TRIVIA

WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Rob Christie for correctly answering that in 1944, dozens of residents of Mattoon, Ill. reported encounters with an unidentified figure that came to be known as the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.

TODAY’s QUESTION: What is the practical reason President Abraham Lincoln wore stove pipe hats?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Champaign County Board member John Farney, lieutenant governor’s office senior adviser Robert “Rob” Baren, New Democrat Coalition Executive Director Anne Sokolov, political consultant and LGBTQ rights activist Richard Streetman, Tech Talent Project Comms Director Charity Greene, Investigative Project on Race and Equity Advisory Board Chair Susy Schultz and National Endowment for the Arts Chief of Staff Ra Joy.

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