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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot left many “speechless” with a bizarre announcement that she was deploying a “cowboy” to get an accurate count for the U.S. Census.
The Democrat mayor left many scratching their heads after a video message that defied the left’s politically correct talking points, as she compared herself Monday to the mayor of Gotham City in Batman and sent out the “Census Cowboy” to communities in an effort to get residents to fill out their 2020 Census forms.
Giddy up, Chicago. I’m calling on the Census Cowboy to help improve our Census response rates across Chicago. Make the Census Cowboy proud by filling out the Census today at https://t.co/tt2S9ojTmW. pic.twitter.com/eT2e6V74uk
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) July 13, 2020
“Giddy up, Chicago. I’m calling on the Census Cowboy to help improve our Census response rates across Chicago. Make the Census Cowboy proud by filling out the Census today,” Lightfoot tweeted Monday along with a video of her announcement.
On the same day that 13 people were shot, three fatally, in the city, and as Lightfoot warned that she would reinstate restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19, she addressed the apparently pressing issue of Census completions. Aiming for a 75% response rate in the city, Lightfoot announced that she was sounding a “distress signal.”
“When I was a kid, I loved the Batman TV show. And when the city of Gotham had a real difficult challenge one of the things the mayor there did is he called out and he sent out the distress signal to Batman,” she said at the news conference.
“So, we are doing something similar for the census,” the mayor added, donning a bright green cowboy hat and introducing the Census Cowboy.
Adam Hollingsworth, known as Dreadhead Cowboy, appeared with his 13-year-old horse Prince, carrying a Census flag and riding out to applause while the Lil Nas X hit “Old Town Road” played.
“We need everyone to step up,” Lightfoot had said during the press conference. “Let’s do this Chicago. Let’s make the Census Cowboy proud.”
In some Chicago communities, only 40% of residents have responded by filling out the form for the census which is taken every ten years, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The deadline for this year’s census in Oct. 31 and Lightfoot is determined to make every person count.
“Don’t let them win,” Lightfoot said. “We win by making sure we are counted.”
For anyone wondering, the mayor’s spokesperson Pat Mullane told WTTW that the cowboy will be “compensated for his time, however, he is not being paid by the city,” but by Chicago’s not-for-profit economic development corporation, World Business Chicago, which is chaired by Lightfoot.
It didn’t take long for responses to the mayor’s announcement and the appearance of the Census Cowboy to pour in on social media where many decried Lightfoot’s priorities amid the problems in the city.
Chicago experienced another violent weekend as 64 people were shot, 11 fatally and President Trump was prompted to compare it to a “war zone.”
“It’s worse than Afghanistan. It’s worse than any war zone we’re in by a lot. It makes them look tame by comparison,” Trump said Monday during a law enforcement round table at the White House.
“So we’re not going to let it go on,” he added. “We’re not supposed to … uh supposed to wait for them to call, but they don’t call. We’ve asked Chicago, ‘Would you like us to go in and help?’ and they don’t want to say anything. And we’ve called many of the cities, ‘Would you like us to go and help?‘”
“President Trump doesn’t know the first thing about keeping this nation’s cities safe,” Lightfoot fired back.
Perhaps she is thinking of calling in her own cowboy cavalry.
I’m rarely speechless….. https://t.co/kYwZdvmcHn
— Mickey White (@BiasedGirl) July 14, 2020
Does the census cowboy also protect Chicago citizens from gun violence?
— Ryan (@kekambasballa) July 13, 2020
I believe that’s cultural appropriation.
— Mike Whiskey❌ (@mnwybs) July 14, 2020
Thought you were on to something there with putting up the “bat signal” to help with all the shootings in Chicago every weekend (several of which are young children). But instead you give us the Census Cowboy. You cant make this crap up.
— Chris (@ChrisMarq05) July 13, 2020
She needs the Giddy Up Cowboy fighting crime.
— MagaWildcat9 (@MWildcat9) July 14, 2020
this is perfect since it feels like the wild West when people running up and down the highway shooting at each other with guns in broad daylight
— 133681 (@361336rigs) July 13, 2020
Is Census Cowboy going to do anything about the Homicide Hoedown taking place in Chicago? I guess you’ve given up trying to get people to take you seriously, is that it @chicagosmayor?
— The Lucky Templar (@FortKester) July 14, 2020
People gonna NOT fill it out just to see if they can get the cowboy to show up
— GG Slider 📅🎂🎁 BLM (@DeadsyDoll) July 13, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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