It’s early morning, and Illinois first lady MK Pritzker is having a cup of tea.
She's relaxing in the aftermath of the hard-charging primetime speech from her husband, Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday, extolling the presidential candidacy of Kamala Harris as the nation’s first woman president.
“It’s finally our time,” the first lady said. “The Democratic National Convention my husband fought so hard to bring to Chicago has become a huge celebration of women!”
And so it has!
Night after night, women have taken primetime spots at the DNC at the United Center.
Consider: “The formidable [former] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is running around the convention in heels as a rock star,” MK Pritzker said. “I can’t keep up!
“And everybody is wearing a Pelosi pin which contains a 'Godfather' movie logo … except it says ‘Godmother!’ This amazing woman is a wonder woman in her 80’s and now Queen of the Convention!”
Consider: “In a week, Gwen Walz, the wife of [Kamala’s veepmate] Tim Walz, had only hours to turn her life around … and she has now become everybody’s definition of a best friend,” said the state’s first lady, stunned when “Gwen” walked by “unescorted” at a private Pritzker party this past week at the Salt Shed.
“It’s like someone threw her in a blender of adorable, kind, non-demanding and considerate,” MK chirped. “She’s the real deal.”
“The whole place just feels of feminine energy! It’s everywhere!”
Democratic National Committee Chair Minyon Moore is wearing Fab Fuschia lipstick from former Obama Administration social secretary turned cosmetics maven Desiree Rogers. And Moore was sporting pink, like everyone else until Thursday night — when everyone is expected to be wearing “Suffragette White” when Harris takes center stage.
The Pritzkers were also huge supporters of Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential bid. “We fought so hard to get her elected,” MK said.
“Now we have a second chance.”
Taking time out for a tour down memory lane, MK said: “People seem to always talk about and praise the men in the family, where all the accolades and the attention goes to them.”
“But JB’s greatest influence in his life was his mother, who taught him values and character, who died shortly before we met,” added the first lady, a product of the prairie state of very Republican South Dakota.
JB Pritzker was 17 when his mother died, while he was at boarding school.
“It left a hole in his heart,” the first lady said.
“His mom was the original feminist before it was cool to be one. And I will never forget one of the first things he asked me when we were first dating … where did I fall on the issue of reproductive choice! Imagine!
“But these issues are really in his DNA,” she added, “And they are front and center at the convention now!”
The state’s first lady also claims the convention is her husband’s kind of place.
“Being with people, getting his energy from people, entertaining people — a really happy guy who wakes up happy and likes to eat popcorn when watching TV movies at home.
“And it’s not unusual for him to sing ‘How Sweet it is,’ by James Taylor in the morning.
“He’s just a happy guy … and a great husband and father.”
