‘Trump’s blood.’ In what The Associated Press describes as “a rare call for violence by an ayatollah,” that’s what an Iranian cleric has demanded on state television in retaliation for the war launched by the U.S. and Israel.
■ Iran’s foreign minister says the U.S. will “bitterly regret” torpedoing an Iranian ship.
■ Suggesting that presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner set a trap for Iran’s leadership, columnist Thom Hartmann recalls that Kushner grew up literally “sleeping in Benjamin Netanyahu’s bed.”
■ The American Prospect’s Ryan Cooper: “Time to end the American-Israeli alliance. Alliances are built on shared interests. Those do not exist here.”
‘Save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately.’ Updating coverage: After that warning from the Israeli military to residents of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, streets were jammed with people fleeing.
■ Meanwhile, Iran attacked Israel.
■ Popular Information: Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been stranded in a war zone …
■ … including a trio of suburban women …
■ … and Gov. Pritzker’s asking Secretary of State Marco Rubio to do something about it.
‘Near carte blanche to proceed.’ That’s what Politico says the Senate has given Trump’s war—with a near-party-line vote to defeat a bill that would have required congressional approval for more of the same.
■ Author and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich: Trump is “actively destroying” civilization’s moral basis.
■ Even as he mourns the death of his wife three weeks ago, columnist Jeff Tiedrich takes a moment to excoriate Trump for failing to “remember that his tyrant Klansman father was born in the Bronx.”
Gas pain. The war’s driving up Chicago-area fuel prices …
■ … and farmers’ fertilizer prices …
■ Columnist Dan Froomkin sees the spread of antiwar rallies as “the green shoots of an anti-imperialist movement.”
Homeland insecurity. Trump’s reportedly been “quietly” asking top Republicans if he should fire his insolent Homeland Security chief, Kristi Noem. (Update: Yeah, he did it.)
■ USA Today’s Chicago-based columnist Rex Huppke: “Half of Americans now say ‘Abolish ICE.’ It’s about time.”
Paging Pam. Amid news that close to 48,000 files are missing from the hoard of Epstein records her Justice Department is under order to release, a House committee has voted to summon Attorney General Bondi to answer questions.
■ ProPublica’s assembled a database you can use to explore financial disclosures and potential conflicts of interest for Trump and his team.
■ Here’s Bondi’s.
■ And a tip of the hat to the winner in those two categories, Block Club Chicago.
‘Flat-out voter suppression.’ Law prof Joyce Vance sees what happened in Texas this week as a preview of Republican efforts to pervert November’s elections.
■ Columnist Eric Zorn suggests that losing Democratic Senate primary candidate Jasmine Crockett suffered the “Streisand effect.”
■ He also praises Chicago congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh for “a clever new commercial that adopts most of the conventions of an attack ad against herself, but turns the accusations on their head.”
■ The Illinois League of Women Voters says all the candidates in a crowded 7th Congressional District Democratic race will be on hand for a meet-and-greet tonight.
■ Facebook’s parent is dumping cash into Illinois legislative races—with an eye on state-level legislation that could hurt its bottom line.
■ Ready to fill out your ballot? The Chicago Public Square Voter Guide Guide is here to help.
Jesse Jackson’s funeral. If you’d like to join thousands likely to attend tomorrow’s service in Chicago, here’s how to get there.
■ His final destination? Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey calls it “a beautiful place that was changed for the better by protest.”
See ’em while you can. Preservation Chicago’s out with its 2026 list of the city’s most endangered buildings …
■ … including Pope Leo’s childhood church.
Worse than they thought. The New York Times (gift link): New research shows that sea levels are already higher than many scientists think.
■ Chicago’s temperatures could approach 70 tomorrow.
■ Complaining of suppression, NBC’s top climate reporter is quitting and going independent.
Thanks, readers … for bestowing first-runner-up honors on Square in the Reader’s annual Best of Chicago poll.
One week from today, March 12. That’s when this year’s National Support Chicago Public Square Day falls, and if you want to mark the occasion by donning your Squarewear—T-shirts, hoodies or caps—act now to get yours delivered in time.
■ You can buy a shirt or hoodie directly here.
■ You can get a $5 off code by supporting Square for as little as $1, just once, here.
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