Welcome to Thursday! This is Marissa Martinez, state policy and national politics reporter, taking over for Shia Kapos this week. I got a hotdog with everything in honor of Wednesday’s news before heading back to D.C. (Hopefully, next year’s visitors aren’t ketchup people!)

DNC DESCENDS: The Shedd Aquarium was bustling Wednesday with the main players connected to the recent 2024 Democratic National Convention news. Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) — who have all had essential and varying roles in securing the host role — joined Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison to run a verbal victory lap.

Capstone moment: Harrison sang the praises of the Illinois politicians who saw the deal through, particularly Lightfoot, who he called “key” to the process.

It’s also a chance to defend the city. “We have too many things out there in the mouths of pundits and critics who talk about our city in a way that’s unrecognizable to us who live here,” Lightfoot said. “This will help us right that wrong and tell the truth about the best city in the United States, bar none.”

Biden name-drops: During the event, Lightfoot said the “road to reelection [for] Biden-Harris for another term has to go through the Midwest.” Harrison also mentioned the president and VP, saying next year’s event can be the opportunity to celebrate that they didn’t get in 2020 due to the onset of the Covid pandemic. Multiple people touted the convention as an opportunity for Biden and Harris to make a strong showing together again — as nominees.

“We are America,” Harrison told the diverse crowd. “And you will see America on full display when the president and the vice president once again accept their nominations and course over to reelection.”

Also note: During the last in-person Democratic convention — 2016 in Philadelphia — delegates voted to adopt the “most progressive” platform in the party’s history at the time. Now, politicians across Chicago, Illinois and the Midwestern “Blue Wall” want to make the case for furthering that message.

Pritzker, Johnson, Duckworth and others reaffirmed the idea that the Midwest is both key to holding the White House and the region that best represents America.

And the bill? Pritzker repeated that he’s committed to making sure that the convention does not end in debt, but did not answer a question about whether he’d be writing the check (h/t Heather Cherone and Mary Ann Ahern).

Always a Bulls angle: Johnson called himself Steve Kerr for making the last shot in getting Biden to go with Chicago over Atlanta and New York: “I took the final shot, Chicago.” No word yet on who’s the Phil Jackson or Dennis Rodman of the deal.

Some video highlights are here.

JOHNSON TRANSITIONS: On Wednesday, the mayor-elect unveiled his transition team and advisers, with plenty of union experience represented.

Some notable names: Jessica Angus, vice president and chief of staff at SEIU Healthcare Illinois, one of the biggest backers of his campaign, will be transition director. Former investment banker Jason Lee and former executive director of Grassroots Collaborative and Grassroots Illinois Action Amisha Patel were named as senior advisers.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois Executive Vice President Erica Bland-Durosinmi and Conway Consulting Group President DJavan Conway will be intergovernmental advisers. Lawyer and Lightfoot-administration alum Maria Virginia Martinez will be a legal adviser.

Johnson’s chief of staff, among other positions, has not been named yet.

— 2024 Democratic Convention pitched as economic boon for ‘all of our communities, not just a select few’ by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout

— Democrats proclaim Chicago ‘ideal’ setting for DNC convention next year, by Tribune’s A.D. Quig and Rick Pearson

Have a news tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job or any other nugget for Playbook? I’d like to hear from you: [email protected] or [email protected].

No official public events.

No official public events.

Presenting a new mural at Provident Hospital of Cook County at 9 a.m.

— Knudsen locks up full term in 43rd Ward as challenger Comer concedes a week after runoff, by Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout

— Juul Labs agrees to pay $462M settlement to 6 states … of which Illinois will receive $67.6 million, by The Associated Press’ Karen Matthews

— Fake active shooter threats reported at dozen schools across Illinois, via the Sun-Times

— Police board starts considering whether officer who fatally shot Adam Toledo should be fired, by WTTW’s Heather Cherone

— Former top counsel to Michael Madigan takes witness stand at ‘ComEd Four’ trial after prosecution rests, by Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Ray Long

— Stalled Justice: From missing evidence to no-show cops, Cook County court machinery jams at every turn, by Tribune’s Joe Mahr and Megan Crepeau

— Disgraced former pastor of Rolling Meadows church is charged with assault in California, by Sun-Times’ Kade Heather

— Brandon Johnson’s win reflects local and national shifts on education, by Chalkbeat Chicago’s Becky Vivea

— Evanston shooting prompts Northwestern University ‘shelter in place’ by Tribune’s Jake Sheridan

— Five of Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s public safety promises — and obstacles, WBEZ and Sun-Times

— Appeals court keeps mifepristone on the market but sharply limits access, by POLITICO’s Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein

— Feinstein’s condition sparks concern she won’t return to the Senate, by POLITICO’s Chris Cadelago, Jennifer Haberkorn and Katherine Tully-McManus

— The RNC chose Fox for first debate but rankled conservatives by entertaining CNN, by POLITICO’s Alex Isenstadt and Meridith McGraw

— Tim Scott announces presidential exploratory committee, by POLITICO’s Matt Berg

— Why Joe Biden’s whirlwind trip to Belfast went better than it looked, by POLITICO’s Shawn Pogatchnik

State Rep. Joe Sosnowski, Ald. Stephanie Coleman, former Congresswoman Marie Newman, lieutenant governor’s office director of scheduling Kevin Beck, Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy, PR pro Betsy Shepherd, Julie Sampson of Citizen Action/Illinois and SEIU Illinois State Council Executive Director Anthony Driver.

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