Dinner's on Me

[READER]( It’s hard to remember how invincible Mayor Rahm seemed when Karen Lewis cut him down to size back in 2012. He’d just roared into town from his gig in the Obama White House, determined to prove how tough he was by picking on the weakest and most vulnerable of Chicagoans. Classic bully. In his first year, he closed mental health clinics in high-crime areas, doled out contracts to his charter school cronies, and told Karen Lewis—recently elected president of the teachers union—that her members would have to work longer for less. ’Cause he was the boss and that’s just the way it was going to be. Unlike other political and labor leaders, Karen resisted. That led to the great teachers strike of 2012, and one thing leading to another, you might say Rahm’s never been the same. He’s now such a pariah in Democratic politics that President Biden wouldn’t put him in the cabinet. No matter how much Rahm begged. I’ve been thinking about that teachers strike since word broke that Karen died this weekend. Back then, I didn’t see it working out the way it did—didn’t even think there would be a strike. I thought someone in the Obama administration would make Mayor Rahm cut a deal with the union. ’Cause the last thing Obama needed was a teachers strike in his hometown on the eve of his reelection campaign. Guess I overestimated the common sense in Obama’s White House. Or underestimated the stubbornness of Mayor Rahm. In any event, I was foolish enough to make a dinner bet with Karen. I said there’d be no strike. And if I’m right, your treat. And if I’m wrong—dinner’s on me. You might say it was the dumbest bet I ever made. On the night she claimed her victory, Karen walked into the old Carson’s Ribs on Wells like the newly crowned champ of Chicago. When the waiter came with the menus, she said let’s start with cocktails. Then she looked at my oldest daughter, who had joined us, and said: “Don’t worry, Hannah—dinner’s on dad . . .” And so it went for the evening. “Have the steak, Hannah—dinner’s on dad . . .” And “let’s have some wine, Hannah—dinner’s on dad . . .” And so on and so forth through coffee, dessert, and cognac. Yes, cognac. “Don’t worry, Hannah—dinner’s on dad.” On top of everything else, Karen Lewis was one of the greatest trash talkers—ever. In retrospect, I’m glad I lost that bet. That sumptuous meal—cocktails, wine, coffee, dessert, and cognac included—wound up being my little way of saying thank you, Karen Jennings Lewis, for being there when Chicago needed you the most. Sincerely, Reading some vintage Karen Lewis stories from the vault . . . Like[this one]( . . . And [this one]( . . . And [this one]( . . . [Mick Dumke]( on Republicans . . . [Heidi Henry and Murri Briel]( the Heartland Mamas—on Adam Kinzinger . . . [Dave Glowacz]( with audio clips and analysis of the latest City Council meetings . . [Losing count]( For nearly 20 years, the United States was on the verge of adjusting the census and eliminating the Black undercount. By [Emeline Posner]( [@emelpos]( [Hidden figures]( Health officials aren’t addressing—or even tracking—the impact of COVID-19 by gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. By [Andrew Davis]( [Issue of Feb 4-17, 2021 Vol. 50, No. 10]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) 1971 Chicagoans have relied on the Reader for trusted alternative coverage of our city. The Chicago Reader is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization which means our survival is in your hands. In order to continue to be your trusted alternative voice of Chicago, we need your help. If you can donate just $5 today, we can show the world that community funded, independent journalism is the future. [DONATE TODAY!]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2021 Chicago Reader Store, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Chicago Reader Store Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader Store 2930 S. Michigan Ave.Chicago, IL 60616 [Add us to your address book](