Pritzker's A Turkey For Saying He Might Travel For Thanksgiving

CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker keeps getting in his own way.

While trying to inspire folks to obey his coronavirus edicts with warnings of catastrophic consequences — overflowing hospitals and dying grandmas, to name a few — he bungles the message by acting like an elitist above his own rules.

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Last week, after shutting down indoor dining statewide — and less than 24 hours after announcing he had been exposed to the COVID-19 virus — social media videos showed Pritzker parading on crowded Boystown sidewalks, posing for selfies, with revelers celebrating reports that Joe Biden had won the presidency.

On Monday, the billionaire rookie governor kept his string of personal pandemic gaffes alive — fueling social media chants of “Rules for thee but not for me?” from his most viral critics.

During his daily coronavirus news performance, just a few days after urging Illinoisans to "please travel only if necessary," Pritzker said he hasn't decided whether he'll travel for Thanksgiving against his own advice.

"I don't know what my plans will be, but I'll certainly be happy to share," Pritzker said during his daily pandemic news performance. "I think you already know, we have a place in Florida. So, yeah."

The governor, of course, was referring to the $12.1 million equestrian estate down the horse trail from Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Bill Gates in Wellington, Florida. That's where Illinois first lady M.K. Pritzker hunkered down during her husband's first stay-at-home order.

Back in April, you might remember, the governor threw a tantrum when asked about the obvious irony that the state's "All-In Illinois" slogan didn't appear to apply to his wife and daughter.

"It used to be that we kept our families out of it," Pritzker said in April. "My official duties have nothing to do with my family. So I'm just not going to answer that question."

That was just the first display of the billionaire governor's mid-pandemic hypocrisy that his most vocal distractors have used against him ever since.

Sadly, for Illinoisans, Pritzker still hasn't learned the obvious lesson: The most effective leaders set a good example and share in suffering. Pritzker leads by executive orders and, when challenged on his failures, deflects blame and makes threats.

Still, let's commend the governor for telling the truth: He's comfortable with his hypocrisy, even amid a global public health crisis.

The man of many mansions said he hopes to celebrate Thanksgiving in Illinois, as he's advised the citizenry to do as coronavirus cases spike. He's just not sure that's the right decision for his family.

Even though he's considering a second stay-at-home order, the governor might want to celebrate Turkey Day in Florida, where bars, restaurants and Disney World are open for business, and mask-wearing remains a suggestion.

Or the Pritzkers could travel to one of their mansions in Wisconsin, where the COVID-19 outbreak rages, and there's no enforceable laws against partying in a packed bar.

It's possible Illinois' first family might jet-set to their place in the Bahamas, home to the off-shore trusts that the Tribune reported allows the Pritzker family to avoid taxes on its immense fortune.

Pritzker just doesn't know yet.

As for the rest of us, though, Pritzker's mind is made up: Rebellious Illinoisans better start following his rules unless they want hospitals to "get so overrun that your sick and your dying have nowhere left to turn."

The billionaire governor doesn't have to worry about those kinds of consequences.

When you're that rich, the nearest open hospital bed is always just a private-jet ride away.

Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, wrote and produced the Peabody Award-winning series, "Time: The Kalief Browder Story." He was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docu-series on CNN, and a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary, "16 Shots."

More from Mark Konkol:

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• Why Did Pritzker Party In A Crowd Despite His Coronavirus Advice?
• Gov. Pritzker Has Nobody But Himself To Blame For 'Fair Tax' Fail
• Pritzker's Political Winter Coming After Voters Reject 'Fair Tax'
• If Voting Results Throw You In Pit Of Despair, Be Like Pastor Bob