Get short, timely messages from Rahm Emanuel.

Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information. It's easy to stay updated on an incredibly wide variety of topics. Join today and follow @MayorEmanuel.

MayorEmanuel

  1. And now all I can hear is that music, and suddenly everything just fucking...
  2. I can see a thousand fucking skylines, and they are all as motherfucking glorious as the first, and I can feel the touch of my friends.
  3. Quaxelrod flies over, and dips his little head, touching my fading shoe. Hambone just curls softly between my invisible legs.
  4. Carl the Intern can't even make eye contact, but he's reaching out, and I touch his hand. And he says, "I love you," and I say "I know."
  5. And that song's still playing from the car radio, on a never-fucking ending loop from hell.
  6. And I can see myself starting to fade out, and I hear Axelrod whispering the fucking Kaddish quietly to himself, tears streaming.
  7. And then the sky fucking opens up on us, and there's chunks of ice flying down. And it's pretty clear that the party's over.
  8. FUCK YOU, YOU MOTHERFUCKING TIME VORTEX. I FUCKING LOVE DANCING WITH MY FRIENDS.
  9. And we've pulled the Civic over, turned up "Separate Ways," and we're fucking dancing out here on the motherfucking streets!
  10. We're driving down Elston when, all of a fucking sudden Axelrod's radio starts working. It's playing that fucking Journey song!
  11. Picked up Carl the Intern at Lane Tech, after his mathletes practice. Carl's first words: "There's not much time left." Motherfuck.
  12. Knowing I'm entering a time vortex tonight would be a lot more tolerable if I could get Journey's "Separate Ways" out of my fucking head.
  13. Tossing bread to Quaxelrod under the Cortland street bridge. The view from here is motherfucking incredible.
  14. Driving around in Axelrod's Civic, doing loops around the block outside Chico's offices, my ass hanging out of the missing window, laughing.
  15. Watching Axelrod eat at Manny's is like watching Da Vinci paint the motherfucking Mona Lisa: a work of art.
  16. And we sit down and plan out one last, perfect, day: Lunch at Manny's, mooning Chico, tossing fucking bread to Quaxelrod.
  17. And we hug, and I give Axelrod that look that asks, "Are you going to be OK?" And he gives me that look that says "Who fucking knows."
  18. "There must be something we can do..." But there's not. Only things that fucking suck never end: look at laundry, or dishes.
  19. Axelrod looks up, tears filling his eyes and says, simply, "don't go." Fucking time portals are a son of a bitch.
  20. We're sharing a cup together in the crawlspace, and I can tell that Axelrod's trying not to cry by the way his mustache fucking quivers.
  21. They'd better have coffee in the parallel fucking dimension I'm descending into tonight, or I'm breaking right back out.
  22. Motherfucking coffee, I'm going to drink you like there's no goddamn tomorrow.
  23. This party's going to go all fucking night. Fuck you, tomorrow, you're just gonna have to wait.
  24. @michellemalkin Just so we're perfectly fucking clear here: You're a crazy fucking shitwad. Enjoy your night.
  25. And I dive into the crowd, and their hands hold me up, and together we are fucking one.
  26. "But tomorrow is tomorrow, and TONIGHT'S A FUCKING PARTY. LET'S GO CHICAGO!"
  27. "And sure, to save the fucking world I have to disappear into a time vortex tomorrow. But being mayor is about making hard decisions."
  28. "Through everything-- through assholes, through cockholes--I've had two things: The people of Chicago, and my fucking friends."
  29. "I've held the motherfucking pulsating heart of Chicago in my hands, and I know that it beats true."
  30. "I've slept in an igloo and I've slept in a crawlspace and I've slept under a bridge. But as long as I was asleep in Chicago, I didn't care.
  31. "I've learned that this is Chicago and that CHICAGO DOESN'T FUCKING QUIT, NOT FUCKING EVER."
  32. "But to the rest of you, I've talked with a fuck-ton of you and I've learned about your resiliency, about your spirit."
  33. "The motherfuckers that contested my residency, you've got some great days ahead of you, I fucking promise you that."
  34. "FUCK YES CHICAGO! This has been a long fucking campaign. The other assholes didn't stand a chance, but they put up a good fight."
  35. Quaxelrod soars down from the balcony and lands gently on my shoulder. I stroke his downy fucking feathers and begin.
  36. Turns out crowdsurfing your way up to a stage takes a long fucking time. OK, victory speech--let's fucking do this.
  37. I'M FUCKING RIDING ON THE BODIES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF CHICAGO, AND I FUCKING LOVE EVERY ONE OF YOU.
  38. Fuck the fucking champagne slide, I'm just going to jump out of this fucking window and bodysurf to the fucking stage.
  39. Axelrod and I are double-fisting beers right now, smashing the empties on our foreheads. IT FEELS FUCKING GREAT TO BE ALIVE.
  40. Elected mayor tonight. Sucked into a time vortex tomorrow. Might as well KICK THIS PARTY OFF RIGHT FUCKING NOW.
  41. Carl the Intern just ran in, with a notebook full of fucking numbers, his eyes wet with tears. "The time vortex: It'll close tomorrow."
  42. Just think about how much fucking more incredible this would feel if the Bears had won the Superbowl too.
  43. If you have a giant fucking pile of money and a bunch of dumb fucks running against you, DREAMS DO COME TRUE.
  44. Hey Halpin, I'll give you until the end of the fucking night to start packing.
  45. STUPID FUCKS AT WGN CALLS IT TOO.
  46. Quaxelrod's already taking motherfucking a fucking victory flap around the rafters of the ballroom.
  47. Ari's on the mic bringing the fucking noise downstairs. Mainly just bitching out the caterers.
  48. The big plan for tonight: We've got a champaign fountain from the top of the ballroom to the stage. I'm going to fucking ride down it.
  49. These motherfucking robotic vote counting machines are kind of fucking incredible, aren't they?
  50. CNN FUCKING CALLS IT, BITCHES.
  51. The party is kicking the fuck off in the ballroom below. And I'm fucking seven beers in up here.
  52. FIFTY FOUR MOTHERFUCKING PERCENT, BITCHES.
  53. Axelrod's in with the early results: 51 motherfucking percent. Still a long night, but SUCK ON THAT, CHICO.
  54. Jesus fucking christ. Time to start fucking drinking. Axelrod--beer me!
  55. 7:00. Here goes motherfucking nothing.
  56. Time to head in to start watching results. I'm wearing a single glove over my invisible hand, motherfucking MJ style.
  57. Everyone's talking runoff, but I know it's a victory. My fingerstump disappeared this morning and now the rest of the hand is fucking going.
  58. Axelrod and Hambone are standing outside the Civic, Hambone's taking a shit, Axelrod's checking exit polls. There's a fucking metaphor.
  59. Carl and the InternCorps are on balloon duty at the party space. Ari's over there too, rearranging fucking everything. Again.
  60. Sitting in the backseat of Axelrod's Civic practicing these fucking speeches. Quaxelrod's giving notes. So far, he's unimpressed.
  61. @TheFix Ran the idea past Carl the Intern. He says it would destroy the entire space/time continuum. Great fucking thinking, Einstein.
  62. Carl the Intern wrote two speeches for me, one for winning and one for a runoff. There's a lot more motherfucking profanity in the latter.
  63. VOTE, BITCHES.
  64. Get Out the Nap was exactly what was fucking needed. Now we're driving old people to the polls. Ari's hitting on most of them.
  65. Fifteen motherfucking Get Out The Vote rallys and it's barely even noon. Might have to hold a Get Out The Nap rally later.
  66. Anyone that isn't voting today because of the snow is a motherfucking asshole. Or an invalid--OK, you've got a good excuse.
  67. @alexismadrigal I have a motherfucking election to win, and possibly a time vortex to dissolve into. You think I have fucking time to reply?
  68. Axelrod's right. Whatever the motherfucking outcome, we've got a fucking election to win. LET'S DO THIS.
  69. "I don't know nothing about infinite fucking Chicagos," Axelrod says. "I only know this one. And polls have been open for an hour."
  70. And when he says it, Quaxelroad lets out the saddest fucking quack-moan you've ever heard a duck make.
  71. Carl the Intern's filled an entire fucking chalkboard with equations by the time I'm done talking. "Daley's right," is all he says.
  72. @ShiaKapos Yeah, well don't believe everything you read in the fucking newspaper.
  73. I'm drinking coffee and explaining everything that happened last night. Axelrod looks so surprised his fucking mustache might fall off.
  74. HOLY FUCK, if there's any fucking day in the world that I need coffee, it is this fucking day.
  75. And, before I can try to figure out what the fuck Daley's on about, the bag is back on my head, and everything goes black.
  76. "Which means," and he looks at me now there are fucking tears on his face, "that one of you won't survive this election."
  77. And Daley looks at me deadly fucking serious and says, "Which means there are two of you here, in this world, in this time."
  78. Except. Except something feels fucking wrong. "You notice it too," says Daley. "There's one you missing."
  79. And I look and... and it's Chicago--again and again. And tiny, in the corner, peering up at me, is... me. Thousands. Millions.
  80. "There's not just one Chicago. There's not just one you. It's infinite. And we keep the portal," and he gestures for me to fucking look in.
  81. Daley lifts the lid of the grill, his body straining under the weight. And suddenly I don't want to fucking know what's inside.
  82. "The mayor doesn't just run Chicago," Daley says, walking over to the grill. "You need to understand what's really at stake here."
  83. There's a whirring sound and then, up from the center of the dome rises an oversized charcoal grill. What the fuck?
  84. "There's something else." Daley breaks the silence, his voice cracking just a fucking little. He flips a switch on the wall.
  85. "It blooms year-round, thanks to them," he says quietly. And we're just looking, standing, breathing the thick moist air. Together.
  86. I search the ground for three small pebbles. Daley's fucking silent while I place one on each of the gravestones.
  87. Daley points to the headstones. "They're here with us, always. Harrison, Washington, Dad." He chokes up on that last one.
  88. And it's then that I notice for the first fucking time that, nestled amid the stalks of celery are three modest headstones.
  89. He hands me a small pinch of powder and the sharp taste of celery salt crosses my lips. "Our legacy," he says, and points to the stalks.
  90. Daley fucking plucks a stalk. "Care for these. Let flowers bloom. Dry them. Harvest the seeds. Grind them. Mix with salt."
  91. It's so warm and beautiful in the dome--green everywhere--and the air is pungent with the smell of... is that fucking celery?
  92. We're on the roof of City Hall. The wind is fucking strong and the snow stings when it hits my face. Daley heads into a glass dome.
  93. And Daley's gesturing for me to follow him, and suddenly we're out a window and heading up a motherfucking fire escape.
  94. And suddenly Daley's tears are gone, and they're replaced by anger. "Don't fuck all this up. There's so much more than you know."
  95. "And I've made a little calendar of all the secretaries' birthdays. Don't forget." If I didn't know better, I'd think Daley was welling up.
  96. "And Magdalena, she cleans up on alternating nights. If you have shit you don't want thrown out, make sure you put it away."
  97. "So the toilet, just down the hall, you need to jiggle the handle after you flush." Daley's not really making eye contact.
  98. "Look, there are some things you need to know. " I'm here! In his office! In City fucking Hall!
  99. Daley helps me up, his hands fucking envelop my arms completely. "Sorry again, but we needed to talk tonight. Can't take chances."
  100. I pull my head up from the marble floor and there, standing above me, is the massive fucking frame of Mayor Daley.
  101. "Sorry for the drama, but it's not like I could just invite you over here for tea." My fucking eyes start to come into focus.
  102. I'm still blinking, and the light is grinding a migrate into being, when I hear a voice fucking boom out from above me.
  103. I'm fucking gasping when the bag comes off. We've been driving around for an hour, clearly trying to confuse me. It worked.
  104. They're down in the snow, pummeling each other. And I don't even notice the figure behind me until the bag's already over my head. Fuck.
  105. And now we're all standing outside and Axelrod's yelling "LET'S GO, ASSHOLE!" at Ari. He really loves his fucking car.
  106. "Fucking Spielberg alone gave you enough to buy a fucking Beemer, and you're driving around in this shit?" Uh oh--Axelrod's pulling off.
  107. "Hey, how come your fucking radio doesn't work? What kind of piece of shit car is this?" And I can see Axelrod turning red.
  108. "I had no clue that the prerequisite for running for mayor was chopping your balls off." We're stuck in fucking stop and go traffic.
  109. "How come every news clip I see of you, you're acting like a giant walking hernia?" He's here for two fucking days.
  110. "Nice blanket, Linus. Fix the fucking airport once your mayor, OK asshole?" Motherfucking Ari. My brother's here.
  111. Wrapped in a blanket while riding shotgun in the Civic on the way to get Ari from the airport. The wind is cold through the missing window.
  112. The snow's delayed Ari's plane for a couple hours. Probably best if it were delayed until motherfucking Wednesday.
  113. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Whoever thought it was a good idea to have an election in February was a fucking asshole.
  114. Fuck you, snow. Nobody fucking wants you here. Go the fuck away.
  115. Then he had to go running back to the Civic because Axelrod called out that "We need more Corps in sector 2814." What the fuck?
  116. Asked Carl how things were going, and he said "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight." The fuck does that mean?
  117. Carl the Intern and Axelrod are directing the InterCorps from "the command center"--a laptop and a map in the backseat of the fucking Civic.
  118. When I run for reelection, I'm having a motherfucking hand-shaking robot built.
  119. Let's just keep the motherfucking coffee coming, non-fucking stop.
  120. Hambone just brought the schedule: (1) shake 10,000 voters' hands (2) pick up Ari from the airport (3) keep Ari away from voters. Fuck.
  121. Fucking shit fuck. Motherfucking overslept on the last fucking full day of campaigning.
  122. Floating in my basement, watching TV with friends, drinking cold beer, 34 hours before polls open: fucking living the dream.
  123. Also: We've got our beer down under the floodwater, and Quaxelrod dives down when we need new cans. Ice fucking cold.
  124. I mean, yeah, all those people are fucked, but they're going to fucking go down fighting. Also important: Martin Lawrence is hilarious.
  125. And maybe it's the fucking beer talking, but I see those shots from inside the fucking rotunda, and I just get weepy.
  126. We're just bobbing around in this flooded crawlspace flipping between repeats of Martin and news from motherfucking Wisconsin.
  127. @paulgamboa who fucking died and made you the Home Depot?
  128. Duck-taped a TV to the ceiling of the crawlspace and found some pool floats to sleep on. It's like living inside a fucking waterbed: amazing
  129. @lynnsweet You don't want to mess with the black swan, bitch.
  130. @lynnsweet Fuck that shit. Dance-off or nothing, Lynn--you first.
  131. Now let's go dump some fucking Chico signs in potholes brimming with dogshit-infused rainwater runoff.
  132. Two more motherfucking days of this campaign, and if flying through the air free as a bird is the best there is, well I'll fucking take it.
  133. And I hit the mat and stick the landing and everyone's cheering except Jesse White who just gives me this awesome fucking two-finger point.
  134. AND I'M FLYING THROUGH THE AIR AND I WISH THIS MOMENT COULD LAST FOR FUCKING EVER.
  135. And everyone's cleared the way, made a space for me to run at the fucking springboard. And now I'm running as fast as I can.
  136. Now everyone's fucking cheering--Jesse White, the Tumblers, the people eating--and one of the Tumblers calls out, "The runway's all yours!"
  137. The Tumblers are fucking amazing, flying right over the people eating. Each flip brings them closer to the ceiling. Beautiful!
  138. It's too wet to tumble outside, so the Tumblers have set up their mats and springboard here in the motherfucking restaurant. Yes!
  139. Lunch with the Jesse White Tumblers. This gray fucking day just got a whole lot brighter.
  140. Lynn Sweet thinks she's being cute publishing that old photo of me in a leotard. MOTHERFUCKING DANCE OFF, LYNN. LET'S GO.
  141. Quaxelrod's fucking loving it though, bobbing his way around all the board games and action figures floating around down there.
  142. Spent the morning bailing out the crawlspace. Our sleeping bags are fucking soaked. Just fucking perfect.
  143. Holy shit, the crawlspace is flooding! MOTHERFUCK YOU RAIN!
  144. Carl calls them The InternCorps, they're all wearing these fucking green rings. "We'll be fine, as long as Chico's not wearing yellow."
  145. Carl the Intern has been training a legion of volunteers this week. Chicago, prepare to get motherfucking hang tagged.
  146. Coffee! You are motherfucking wonderful! Let me carry you gently in my goddamn belly!
  147. @Dornando If I had the energy to lift this box, I could assure you that you're fucking wrong, you dumb fuck.
  148. Jesus fucking Christ, Samoa crash. I can't even fucking move.
  149. Girl Scouts on Cottage Grove! I am going to fuck up this box of Samoas!
  150. Motherfucking canoe races in Washington Park. Quaxelrod is smoking everyone's ass.
  151. This city is at its absolute ugliest when the snow melts. Fucking drifts of weeks-old Cheeto bags and Snickers wrappers.
  152. With all the snow melted, it takes Hambone about an hour to make it around one fucking block because of the mountains of shit he can sniff.
  153. OK, you sunny, chilly Saturday, prepare to get fucked.
  154. Hey Boehner--fuck you, you stupid orange fuck.
  155. I am the motherfucking donut king this morning.
  156. HOLY FUCK, THE MOON IS MOTHERFUCKING ENORMOUS.
  157. @LakeviewGreg why on gods motherfucking green earth would I follow any of you assholes?
  158. 5:00! Motherfucking Friday fucking night starts right goddamn now.
  159. He also won't let me hang a tire swing from the Hancock Building or sleep in the dolphin tank at the Shedd. Four days of fucking suck.
  160. Axelrod shot down my plan: Greet voters in a little booth under the Bean, because shit looks fucking CRAZY down there.
  161. In strategy sessions all morning. It's four fucking days people, how hard can it be? Show up places, shake hands, don't be an ass.
  162. Holy fuck, by the end of this weekend my shaking hand might just fall clean off.
  163. Up all night last night and this coffee is not fucking helping at all. Five more days of this motherfucking campaign.
  164. Choking down coffee in a Mobil station on the way back from Rockford. It's like drinking motherfucking rotgut.
  165. Waterslides, Feingold, beer brats, whiskey, and some motherfucking crazy-ass Wisconsin Senators. I FUCKING LOVE MY LIFE.
  166. Axelrod fucking owns this waterslide. He's fucking up there, calling out types of cheeses, and sending senators flying down. "Fontina!"
  167. Feingold just showed up with a case of whiskey and a couple of pool noodles. This motherfucking party's going all night.
  168. Hey Wisconsin, fuck you for winning the Superbowl, but your motherfucking Senators are bad-ass.
  169. Holy shit, Rockford sucks. But these Wisconsin Dems are fucking awesome. Beer bongs and waterslides, bitches.
  170. Axelrod and I just loaded the Civic up with beer. We're heading out to Rockford to fucking party with the exiled Wisconsin Democrats.
  171. Ron Majors, motherfucking beer me.
  172. LAST DEBATE OF THE MOTHERFUCKING RACE, I MADE YOU MY BITCH.
  173. Of all the debates I've been to, I think that Ron Majors, Captain Boring, and Fake Arianna Huffington are doing a pretty fucking good job.
  174. If a casino actually ends up in Chicago, I swear to god, I'll never see Axelrod again. Slot fucking jockey.
  175. I want to hire Del Valle to read me bedtime stories. He opens his mouth and a motherfucking Therm-a-rest mattress comes out.
  176. I'm so glad I'm wearing my unicorn T-shirt under this suit. When I get down, I just think of that golden fucking horn, and I feel better.
  177. Oh good, we've reached the "everyone shit on Rahm" part of the debate. It's cool, I'll go get my motherfucking raincoat.
  178. I'm working on a sudoku when the camera's off me, and Jesus fucking Christ, it's making me fucking nuts.
  179. I am still 100 percent fucking positive that this debate would be way fucking better if we were using muppets.
  180. Hambone is still fucking pissed at me for the dog grooming tax. He's been getting extra walks to make up for it.
  181. She might be completely motherfucking crazy, but Braun's new haircut is fierce.
  182. OK, bitches. Let's debate this shit. This shit is so fucking ON.
  183. Wait a second--Del Valle has a motherfucking ventriloquist's dummy... nobody told me there was a fucking talent portion!
  184. I'm walking around backstage just headfaking the fuck out of everyone.
  185. Also, it's fucking disappointing that the League of Women Voters aren't going to let us come in with pyro and entrance music. What the fuck.
  186. Who thought inviting 2000 people to this last debate was a good idea? Might as well have built the fucking Thunderdome.
  187. Jesus fucking Christ, it's fucking nuts with puddles out here.
  188. Holy shit, have you been outside yet? It's fucking warm! Let's do the debate outside, pool-party style.
  189. Debate prep: If someone wheels in that Jeopardy-playing computer, I've got a motherfucking hammer at the ready.
  190. Debate prep: If we end up in a dance-off, those other motherfuckers are fucking done. Black Swan, bitches!
  191. Debate prep: In a pickup game, if it looks like Chico's going in for a dunk, it's better to draw the foul by throwing a fucking elbow.
  192. Debate prep: If it turns into a running race, my size gives me a distinct advantage in the 50 and 100. Distance may be a fucking problem.
  193. Debate prep: If I'm challenged to a motherfucking duel, do it with swords not pistols.
  194. Debate prep: How to deflect all oncoming assaults from other candidates, up to and including being set on fire. Stop, drop and fucking roll.
  195. Axelrod thought that sounded like a good idea, and just took a swing at me. So I'll be the candidate on stage with a shiner.
  196. I swear to fucking god, the prep in the afternoon may as well just be Fight-Club style: free fucking hits, come and get 'em.
  197. An entire morning of prepping for an ass fucking of a debate. Every candidate's last chance to get a shot in. Fuck me.
  198. All day prep for the final debate tonight on a hangover from hell. Someone keep the coffee motherfucking coming.
  199. Today coffee is a steaming cup of fucking awesome.
  200. Axelrod and Carl the Intern are pulling me out of the box. "We heard you screaming from the 19th Ward." I love my fucking friends.
  201. And I'm flying backwards fucking fast, but I hear Curtis yell out "NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS, MAN. WHAT IF YOU'RE NOT YOU?"
  202. And I can't even ask "who" before he he says, "You have to go, man. You have to go right now." And I can feel myself being pulled away...
  203. And he stops dancing and looks right at me and says, so quietly it's almost fucking inaudible, "He's looking for you."
  204. And then Curtis leans in really fucking close and, in a whisper, he says, "There's something else you should know, man."
  205. And suddenly Curtis is singing again, just slow and low, and I can fucking feel the dance come back to me, and then we're dancing together.
  206. And Curtis Mayfield points to the fucking skyline inside his chest and he says, "It needs someone, someone to hold it, someone to love it."
  207. "Chicago is hurting. I can feel it," and he opens his suit and inside is no body, but the motherfucking skyline itself.
  208. "But my brother, it's not life, or stories, that I want to talk about. It's my city. It's Chicago." I'm starting to feel fucking woozy again
  209. "And there are a lot more stories still to tell. Just don't tell them with cheap-ass 'they were all dead' endings." I fucking won't, Curtis.
  210. "You've got of life still ahead of you. Especially if you don't eat old shit you find in a box." Curtis fucking right on on that one.
  211. But then Curtis says, in that beautiful fucking voice of his, "This isn't the kind of story where it turns out you're dead."
  212. And Curtis is just humming now and the bunny is so fucking soft. And you know what, if this is it, this is pretty fucking good.
  213. And the Pat the Bunny bunny comes running over, and hops into my arms. And he's so motherfucking soft, I could pat him forever.
  214. And he's putting his hand on my arm, the one that has the sleeve missing, and for the first time in fucking months, I just feel calm.
  215. And he's singing, really quietly, but it's beautiful. A slow version of "It's All Right." And I close my eyes, and I know that it is.
  216. And out of the wall, just right there out of it, like it didn't exist at all, walks Curtis Mayfield. He's wearing a beautiful fucking suit.
  217. Landed. And I'm in a white room, and there's music playing softly. And there's no wheat, and no dibs tower. There's no fucking anything.
  218. "Look, there's something you need to know, about you. About this..." but my eyes are fucking blurred, and I can feel myself falling.
  219. "We don't have much time," Siskel's yanking me backwards now, and my chest feels fucking hollow as he does it.
  220. And now Siskel is trying to pull me away with his giant fucking thumbs, but I want to stay holding this glowing heart forever.
  221. I'm hugging the glowing fucking heart of Studs Turkel, and it's wet and it's bright, and I can feel all of you beat inside it.
  222. "Their shoulders are broad, but their hearts are fragile. You have to feel the pulse of the city," and he waves me towards the fucking heart
  223. He's floating just slightly above the ground, but Siskel speaks with fucking gravity: "Studs' heart beats for all Chicagoans."
  224. Gene Siskel's smile compete's with the light of Studs' heart. His thumbs are fucking enormous.
  225. A figure walks in front of the heart, its bright light still filtering through his translucent form. "Thumbs up, my friend." Siskel!
  226. I've climbed up to anther landing. Up here, the motherfucking heart of Studs Turkel is shining like a fucking beacon.
  227. It's motherfucking beautiful up here, the sun making this tower of junk glow with the righteous power of millions of saved parking spaces.
  228. We're up above the clouds now. Looking down is just a sea of pink fluff. Actually, it looks motherfucking delicious.
  229. ..CK. I blacked out there. My motherfucking head is pounding. There's that fucking bunny again, climbing ever upward. Here we go.
  230. WHAT THE MOTHERFUCKING FU...
  231. And I can feel myself passing out when Marshall Field floats right up to me, looks me in the fucking eyes and says: "He's looking for you."
  232. "It's a city that doesn't quit. It's a city that never stops believing." And he's humming some fucking tune I can't place.
  233. "At the end of all that horror, we built a city of dreams, my friends and I. They said we couldn't. We did." I'm going to be fucking sick.
  234. "The river, it used to bubble with poison. It killed scores. My friends and I, we reversed it." I'm getting fucking dizzy.
  235. "This city burned once. The screams still haunt me. But my friends and I built it back." His head is floating fucking circles around me.
  236. Field's fucking luminescent mouth opens and he speaks: "If you want to run this city, there's some things you need to know."
  237. You know what? Field may be a motherfucking disembodied head, but he still looks fucking classy. Dapper tie dangling down.
  238. I've reached a landing, though the tower still fucking rises above. A door opens, and the disembodied head of Marshall Field floats out.
  239. I'm probably a mile up this motherfucking tower of milk crates and lawn chairs. All I can see in every direction is wheat ringed by water.
  240. Well, it's either walk back through that field of wheat or climb up this tower of dibs furniture. Motherfuck it, let's head up.
  241. I turn and say, "I don't know what to do," but Sweetness is already gone, the dulcet tones of the Superbowl Shuffle all that's fucking left.
  242. That fucking bunny hops off Payton's back and scampers up the tower, and Sweetness turns and says, "We've run together as far as we can."
  243. We've reached a clearing, and Sweetness turns and says, "We're here." It's a huge motherfucking tower made out of dibs chairs.
  244. We've been running through this wheat field for fucking hours now. It's so hot, I ripped a sleeve off my shirt to wipe away the sweat.
  245. I have the distinct fucking feeling that this is going to be a long motherfucking day.
  246. Definitely Sweetness. He ran by again, this time with the Pat the Bunny bunny on his back. The fucking bunny turned and said "follow me."
  247. Someone just ran by me in this wheat field. He was running fucking fast. All I saw was the number 34. Sweetness?
  248. I remember packing this box, and don't remember fitting and entire field of fucking wheat in here. But that's what I'm standing in.
  249. OK, nobody fucking panic, but this box is definitely getting fucking bigger.
  250. Ate it. And holy fucking fuck, I swear to god the bunny on the cover of that book just winked at me.
  251. I am so motherfucking hungry that I might eat this motherfucking jar of fermented baby food I found.
  252. But really, there are only so many times a guy can read "Pat the Bunny," and this pile of cloth diapers is getting fucking short.
  253. Everyone else must be on day two of my wards tour. Which maybe is a blessing, because today is all the shitty wards. Looking at you, 14th.
  254. There was a shift in the night, and there's something on top of this box now. I can't get it open. Fucking trapped. With no coffee.
  255. Fell asleep inside this box. Have the worst fucking crick in my back and can't really move. Uh, Axelrod? Carl? Hambone? Quaxelrod? Anyone?
  256. Which, admittedly, might be kind of soon because I think I just heard Axelrod pop a fucking beer.
  257. Fuck it: HIDE AND SEEK, MOTHERFUCKERS. I'll get out of this goddamn box of baby clothes when I'm motherfucking ready.
  258. So you fucking play the game the way it's played, right? Isn't that the whole motherfucking point of hide n seek: to not be found?
  259. So really, what the fuck was the point of getting in this goddamn box in the first place? Oh right: because it's a motherfucking game.
  260. GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING TYPOS.
  261. But here's the thing: I could stay in this box all fucking night, and you know who I am at the end it? An asshole in a box.
  262. There's a couple picture books in this box if I get bored. And a big fucking stack of cloth diapers, so I'm good on that end too.
  263. I can hear them calling my name out there, but fuck it. I can lie stiller than the fucking lake on a windless night.
  264. Hide-n-seek in the crawlspace. I am stuffed so far into this fucking box of baby clothes that nobody is every going to find me.
  265. Ward 41 came through with a motherfucking gin jacuzzi. Haven't sat in one of these since Thanksgiving at Ari's.
  266. The next motherfucking ward I visit had better have a fucking swimming pool filled with whiskey.
  267. Ward 39 made a motherfucking mashed potato Sears Tower. It even has working elevators. Fucking incredible!
  268. I swear to fucking god, I will donate $2500 to the charity of your choice if you can come and fix this motherfucking radio.
  269. Driving around these wards would be a whole lot fucking less boring if the goddamn radio in Axelrod's Civic wasn't busted.
  270. Thanks, 29th Ward, for fixing our muffler! Too bad the 31st Ward just smoked your fucking ass with a block-long banana split.
  271. Holy fuck, we're dragging that muffler down the motherfucking street, aren't we? I see fucking sparks out the back window.
  272. Holy fuck: the 28th Ward stole all the remaining snow from the 24th and build a huge luge run! LUGE MOTHERFUCKERS, LUGE!
  273. Bumper boats in the 24th ward. You're in the motherfucking drink, Axelrod!
  274. Hot air balloon in the 22nd ward. I can see motherfucking Joliet from up here!
  275. @wbezacuddy I've got eight hundred and forty-eight motherfucking reasons why that isn't going to happen.
  276. Prize to the first ward that will just let me lie down and take a fucking nap. Maybe push the bed around a little, sing a song.
  277. Word has it the 35th has set up a miniature Tokyo and has a big Godzilla suit for me to stomp it all with. Can't fucking wait!
  278. Holy shit, Ward 26--a human-sized Italian Beef. I'm getting motherfucking dipped!
  279. It's no baby goats, but the 42nd Ward had a pretty good comeback: They're all giving me piggy back rides. Fucking amazing!
  280. MOTHERFUCKING BABY GOAT ALERT. Holy fuck, it's so goddamn cute it hurts.
  281. Jackpot: petting zoo in the 43rd Ward! You are so fucking fucked, 34th.
  282. Got word that the 20th Ward has built a pit filled with fun-sized candy bars for me to jump in. Fucking top that, 27th.
  283. That's it, it's time for a Ward-off. 44 surrounded me with adorable children. The fuck you got, 36?
  284. It would be motherfucking awesome if we weren't changing a tire in front of an old folks' home in the 40th Ward right now.
  285. Quaxelrod's giving me fucking grief about the lack of ponds in every ward. There's a motherfucking lake--appreciate that.
  286. Another upside: Can really flesh out my "Wards that are pieces of shit" list.
  287. Upside of this fucking 50 Wards concept: Pretty much every goddamn stop is a coffee shop. 50 motherfucking cups, let's go.
  288. This would be a lot more tolerable if it was 50 wards in 50 minutes. Just gun the fucking Civic and fly through all of them.
  289. I just visited my hundredth motherfucking El stop. One fucking week more of this shit and then all the pain goes away.
  290. 50 Wards, 50 hours. Whoever the fuck thought of this is most definitely going on the cock-punch list.
  291. Motherfucking coffee, you're all I fucking need today.
  292. Sufficiently drunk to move on to the highlight of my Valentines' night: Throwing chunks of slush into the fucking lake.
  293. Drinking the Carol Marin: bourbon, lemon syrup, bitters, sparkling wine. Delicious, and it'll kick your fucking ass.
  294. Fucking goddamn done with that bullshit. VALENTINES NIGHT COMMENCE.
  295. Personally, I was hoping we could talk a little more about motherfucking musical theater. Spamalot, bitches.
  296. You know what's pathetic? That 70% of this debate is about corruption. Motherfucking Chicago, you're a hard fucking city to love sometimes.
  297. I hope Jody Weiss isn't doing his normal Monday-night drinking game on his name, because he's fucking gone by now.
  298. Motherfucking motherfuck, that question had nothing to do with motherfucking bread crumbs. My ass hurts.
  299. So far Quaxelrod's prep questions were spot-fucking on. My "gotcha" should be about bread crumbs in the parks. Fucking ready.
  300. Basic debate strategy: Sit back and let everyone else motherfucking destroy each other. Chico Tea Party endorsement, go!
  301. Braun's zombie smile is fucking incredible. When I'm mayor, I'm appointing her to the committee of motherfucking crazy smiles.
  302. Next debate, we should do this shit with motherfucking muppets. Del Valle would look incredible.
  303. OK, Carol Marin, let's motherfucking debate this shit.
  304. Fuck this, I'm prepped. How hard can it be: schools, budget, cops, how fucking crazy Braun is. Done, done, done, and done.
  305. Quaxelrod is clearly angling for a news anchor gig, with all his feathered fucking showboating on these debate prep questions.
  306. To be honest, the duck is kicking all of our asses with these fucking questions.
  307. Debate prep: Axelrod's Chico, Carl the Intern in my wife's wedding dress is Braun, Hambone is Del Valle. Quaxelrod? Carol fucking Marin.
  308. I keep starting a card for Del Valle, and then I get about eight percent done and wonder why I'm even fucking bothering.
  309. Valentine for Chico: On the front is a kitty holding a paper heart. Inside it says, "Let's go, asshole. Fuck you, Rahm."
  310. Couldn't find the flowers for Braun. Settled for a box of in-two-weeks-everyone's-going-to-fucking-forget-about-you-again.
  311. There's a motherfucking debate on Valentines Day? How fucking romantic.
  312. I'm trying to track down a bouquet of nobody-gives-a-fuck for Braun. Fuck me if the florists aren't going to be swamped.
  313. Axelrod's fucking into the blood-coffee "It's like I'm Edward."
  314. Carl the Intern's Valentine's surprise was to dye the coffee red. It looks like we're fucking drinking blood.
  315. Hambone, it should be said, is in fucking heaven. That little dog has probably eaten six cans' worth himself. What could go wrong with that?
  316. We're cleaning a few dozen cans worth of pork n beans off the floor of the crawlspace. Escaped in such a hurry last week, we fucking forgot.
  317. Our Grammy party got ruined when we remembered that the Grammys are motherfucking awful.
  318. Fuck you, sun! Don't fucking set on us, you fucking gas-bastard.
  319. Margaritas son jodidamente increíble cierto ahora.
  320. Quaxelrod is soaring around this beautiful blue fucking sky. He's as free as a bird now.
  321. We pulled a Slip n Slide up from the crawlspace. Wet and wild, motherfuckers! Best fucking day ever.
  322. We are grilling every motherfucking thing we can get our hands on. Come over, it's fucking awesome.
  323. Seriously, if you're not outside right now, you're clearly a fucking asshole.
  324. It's absolutely fucking incredible outside. Axelrod's busted out the Speedo, and we're all motherfucking jealous.
  325. We're fucking surfing the remains of the igloo. You served us well, our cold, snowy friend.
  326. HOLY FUCK: We have achieved near-total structural failure of this motherfucking igloo. Abandon goddamn ship.
  327. I ate a fucked-up chicken salad sandwich today, and I've been dealing with my own personal mayoral runoff ever since.
  328. Huh. This whole "living in an igloo" thing is about to get super fucking wet, isn't it?
  329. THIRTY MOTHERFUCKING THREE DEGREES. WE FUCKING MADE IT, CHICAGO!
  330. 29 degrees now? This bitch breaks above freezing, and we're hitting the fucking beach.
  331. Summer loving: We're grilling the fucking coffee this morning. Hickory motherfucking smoked.
  332. This is the first motherfucking morning in a hundred years where I'm not going to end up frozen to a commuter while shaking hands at the El.
  333. 28 degrees? HOLY FUCK, IT'S SUMMERTIME.
  334. And now we're all singing "Power of Love," arms clasped around each other's necks, and fuck all of you assholes, I fucking love my friends.
  335. Axelrod just stood up, poured a little out for dead homies, and started singing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." A-fucking-mazing.
  336. Penny's going solo on Cee Lo's "Fuck You," and she's amazing. Take that, Gwyneth--you fucking ruined Glee forever.
  337. Quaxelrod is quacking his way through motherfucking "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn." Honestly, the verses are tripping him up a little.
  338. This whole fucking world can lick "MY, MY, MY SERPENTINE!"
  339. We're all singing and I'm up on Axelrod's shoulders and my head is scraping against the snow ceiling, and I don't fucking care.
  340. "YOU'RE IN THE MOTHERFUCKING JUNGLE, BABY!" And let me tell you, at that point on this igloo is on fucking fire.
  341. Everyone's cheering and telling me to and I'm just playing it fucking coy. Then I grab the mic and yell, "DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE??"
  342. Axelrod. Pritzker. "Islands in the Stream." That is what they motherfucking are.
  343. Carl the Intern is absolutely fucking killing it on "Tiny Dancer." He said it was for someone special. I wonder who that is?
  344. Axelrod shotgunned a beer and launched right into "Hot Blooded." Motherfucking karaoke night rules.
  345. Karaoke in the igloo tonight. Shit's gonna get fucking nuts. Penny Pritzker's bringing her golden karaoke machine.
  346. Snow stopped, week's done, MOTHERFUCKING BEER O'CLOCK, BITCHES.
  347. Problem is, I'm not entirely sure you can build an airplane out of the shit in my motherfucking crawlspace. FUCK YOU, INACCESSIBLE CLOUDS.
  348. Carl the Intern is sketching out designs for an airplane that we can fly up into these fucking snow clouds. It's motherfucking payback time.
  349. Oh my fucking god, it is not goddamn snowing again, is it?
  350. @juggernautco He's a good puppy. I knew he left it there. Just be glad I didn't light it on fucking fire first.
  351. @adrianholovaty thanks for hosting, and for promising that nerd isn't motherfucking contagious. Still going to for a second opinion.
  352. I'm geolocating my ass out of this fucking place. Here's to a motherfucking geek-free weekend.
  353. Carl the Intern is trying to explain it to me, but if he says "geo"-anything one more fucking time, I'm walking out.
  354. If someone could actually tell me what this motherfucking company actually does, that'd be a big fucking help. Everywhat?
  355. I have completely run out of shit to say to nerds. Maybe I'll just give them a word problem and be done with this fucking bullshit.
  356. For all the nerds I've put up with this week, I'd better spend every fucking day next week being dunked by Derrick Rose.
  357. Hambone brought in today's itinerary: Some motherfucking map company. Great. More fucking nerds.
  358. Axelrod's doing TV this morning, which is a bummer because he was going to help fortify the igloo for the coming melt. Fuck.
  359. So now we have to endure Chico strutting around like a motherfucking peacock because he's only losing by 30 points, huh?
  360. Dear coffee, you are the motherfucking greatest of all of mankind's inventions.
  361. End of a stupid fucking debate means it's time to get stupid fucking drunk.
  362. You know what? Quaxelrod was right: Everyone in this race is motherfucking crazy.
  363. Where have I been scared in this city? HOLY FUCK THIS IS THE DUMBEST FUCKING DEBATE EVER.
  364. We can answer questions just based on reviews we've read about shit? That's awesome, because I have Yelp fucking ready to go. LET'S DO THIS.
  365. Holy fuck, we're saved: invest in nanotech and hardware stores. Can I just walk out? Is that allowed?
  366. And also: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?
  367. Wait a second: What the fuck is a nanotechnology again? Just really small shit?
  368. I swear to fucking god, there are more people asking questions than answering them in this debate.
  369. You know what this day needs? A motherfucking debate. Here we go.
  370. Made it back to the igloo. Eric Schmidt and his fucking Google Goons finally wheeled away when they realized they were missing Stargate SG1.
  371. You know, shit like this never happened back when I was a fucking dancer.
  372. Hiding out under the LaSalle bridge. We can hear the fucking Google Segways overhead, but figure they'll run out of batteries eventually.
  373. Running. Holy fuck, we're running. And we're being pursued by 300 fucking geeks. Geeks with motherfucking swords.
  374. I have no idea what he's even saying, but Axelrod tells me when Schmidt gets to the line, "Madness? THIS IS GOOGLE!" We need to fucking run.
  375. Now Schmidt's giving a speech that Axelrod says is from the movie "300," but I wouldn't know, cause I'm not a fucking nerd.
  376. Schmidt's just wheeling back and forth, yelling, "YOU WANT SOME MORE, BITCH?" I assure you that I didn't even want it the first fucking time
  377. Holy fuck. You don't quite understand pain until you've been knocked on your ass by a nerd on a Segway.
  378. Don't ask me how it happened, but we're out on Kinzie right now getting ready to Segway joust. I'm so fucking fucked.
  379. Schmidt wheels right up to my fucking face and says, "I know what you're thinking: Maybe I should have taken the blue pill."
  380. I might have to do a motherfucking Bing search to figure out a way out of here.
  381. Eric Schmidt just wheeled in on his Segway, and is circling me, tossing fucking headfakes.
  382. Well this is the first talk I've ever given where half of the audience is on motherfucking Segways.
  383. Axelrod just came out in his Tron outfit and Carl is changing into his wizarding cloak. I just look like a fucking chump in a suit.
  384. WHAT THE MOTHERFUCKING FUCK?
  385. I need a break from all this hobbiton, time-travel, multiverse bullshit. Where's my fucking New York Times?
  386. Carl just spent 15 minutes trying to explain what a "multiverse" is. You mean there're other me's? My head fucking hurts.
  387. If I understood half of what was in this speech, I'd feel a lot less nervous. What the fucking fuck is a "persistent data store"?
  388. Axelrod's having me memorize Monty Python lines, "you know, for the nerds," but I think he just wants someone to fucking do them with him.
  389. 3.14159265... great, now this bullshit is stuck in my motherfucking head too.
  390. Carl the Intern is beside himself with excitement though. He's been reciting the digits in motherfucking pi for an hour now.
  391. That said, I may need a chalice of motherfucking mead to help me deal with these geeks.
  392. Hanging out with nerds at Google today. Up half the night building up my elfin sorcerer, in case anyone throws down a motherfucking 20-side.
  393. Nope, screaming didn't help one fucking bit. Going to end up washing that debate down with a pint of motherfucking whiskey.
  394. Forum and debate complete. Now it's time to lock myself in a bathroom and scream for about ninety motherfucking minutes.
  395. The only thing getting me through this bullfuck of a night is visualizing that I'm somewhere else. Somewhere warm. With a water slide.
  396. CODE FUCKING RED: Whoever scheduled me to be at both a candidate forum and a debate tonight is going on my cock-punch list.
  397. Plouffe just e-mailed video of a new ad. I think it's fucking adorable that he still thinks there's a race going on.
  398. Whoever thought it was a good idea to hold a fucking election in February is getting a motherfucking cock punch on the 23rd.
  399. When this fucking race is over, I swear to fucking god, I'm going on a motherfucking vacation somewhere warm.
  400. FUCK THIS MOTHERFUCKING COLD.
  401. Danny Davis just showed up with a sled and a hairdryer. "I'm going to sled your damn Mt. Braun and then melt it into motherfucking nothing."
  402. Axelrod tried it, and I think he woke up half of Ravenswood screaming as he went down. "Ride of a fucking lifetime!"
  403. We've carved out a sledding hill in the shape of Braun's poll trends, but we're all scared to try it: too fucking steep.
  404. @knash99 because it's better than living in a motherfucking crawlspace.
  405. Hambone just delivered new poll numbers. Fifty-four percent? I think I can feel my motherfucking toes again.
  406. Sweet fucking Jesus, thank you for these motherfucking coffee-sicles. They bring icy salvation.
  407. "Five degrees." This whale blubber had better be all they say it is, or we're going to be frozen fucking fish sticks by morning.
  408. Axelrod keeps checking the thermometer and announcing the temperature as it plunges. It's like we're descending into a frozen fucking hell.
  409. Burning whale blubber in the igloo tonight. It's motherfucking warm, but it smells like death.
  410. @chitownpolitics You're motherfucking kidding me, right?
  411. And then the plan is to just lead everyone in chanting "FUCK NEW YORK!" and fucking hi-five the shit out of everyone.
  412. Speech preview: "You can fuck around with stupid shit all you want, but in the meantime New York is making us look like chumps. Again."
  413. Speech preview: "So Chicago, let's stop screwing around. Let's be like the Unicorn on my T-shirt: Fucking incredible."
  414. Speech preview: "Because somehow this town has confused driving fucking cupcakes around with goddamn innovation."
  415. Speech preview: "I remember when Daniel Burnham kicked the fucking world in the nuts. Let's get back to being a town of fucking nut-kickers.
  416. Speech preview: "We're Chicago. Maybe--just fucking maybe--we can build something better than stupid T-shirts and half-off deals."
  417. This is the second time I've been to this place, and they still insist on giving me a tour. It's still just giant fucking boxes of shirts.
  418. So now I'm talking about innovation in a warehouse, wearing a T-shirt with a unicorn on it. Actually, that part's fucking awesome.
  419. Original plan was to do this speech at Groupon, but now everyone thinks they're fucking assholes. Note to self: Lay off the Tibet jokes.
  420. Axelrod fucking loves this place: "I'm voting up 715 different designs with mustaches on them."
  421. Unveiling my economic innovation plan at a novelty T-shirt company. Yes, the irony is so motherfucking palpable you could put it on a shirt.
  422. Riding a Mastodon over to unveil my economic innovation plan. It's so fucking cold even the Mastodon is shivering.
  423. Before you give me shit about my whale blubber coat, I'm pretty sure I saw a Groupon ad that said it was OK.
  424. Now that these fucking blubber coats are finished, Axelrod wants to go hunt sabertooth cats, but I was thinking mastadon ride.
  425. Been carving whale blubber since Carl got back. Upsides: So motherfucking warm. Downsides: It really fucks up a suit.
  426. We've sent Carl the Intern out to harpoon a motherfucking whale so we can use the blubber to keep warm.
  427. Do yourself a favor, and don't look at the motherfucking weather report for the next few days.
  428. MOTHERFUCK THIS FUCKING SNOW.
  429. @BossPrez Nothing a little snow can't fix. And oh look what's falling from the sky right motherfucking now.
  430. Also, he appears to have a pretty fucking wicked concussion. Just fucking perfect.
  431. Axelrod just tried to clear the igloo too, and now we've got an Axelrod-shaped hole in the wall. Fuck.
  432. HOLY FUCK: Carl the Intern can fucking flip clear over the goddamn igloo. The Jesse White Tumblers are going fucking nuts!
  433. Best thing about being endorsed by Jesse White is getting to hang out with the fucking Tumblers. Motherfucking back flips!
  434. @meredithshiner Man, they really have you on the crack fucking assignments, don't they?
  435. Bleach burn remedy: lay down shirtless in the snow. It stings for a minute, but then you don't feel a fucking thing.
  436. You know what doesn't work? Bleach. Now I have a white spot on my blue shirt, and a motherfucking chemical burn on my chest.
  437. Working on my economic innovation plan, but really need a motherfucking mustard out of my shirt innovation plan instead.
  438. @spencerkeys Well that was the most motherfucking depressing thing I've ever read, fucking ever.
  439. Sweet motherfucking coffee, I love you more than I love myself.
  440. Ended up staying up all night rewatching Superbowl XX over and over. My entire fucking day is going to be fueled by coffee.
  441. CUE THE SUPERBOWL MOTHERFUCKING SHUFFLE.
  442. God, XX really was the greatest game that was ever fucking played. Our matching '85 Bears sweaters are aglow.
  443. Christ, we're just watching, rewinding, and re-watching when the Fridge runs in for the motherfucking TD. Go Bears.
  444. Second fucking half of Superbowl XX. I know how it end, but I fucking cry every time. Tears of fucking joy. Go Bears.
  445. God, I fucking miss this you, Sweetness. When you ran the ball, it really was like you were making romance.
  446. Ran into Chico while picking up chicken. He said he was watching "just for the commercials," which confirmed that he's a raging douche.
  447. Picked up a bucket of chicken, and am settling into the igloo to watch a tape of the 1985 Superbowl. Go fucking Bears!
  448. @jpnussba Actually, the aquarium has really pretty shitty sharks, and "jumped the beluga" doesn't fucking sound right.
  449. Things are good here now. We're all going to head out to brunch and then get busy not watching the motherfucking Superbowl.
  450. Man, Quaxelrod really took a good chunk off Axelrod's mustache. What a great fucking duck.
  451. It's over. We're all sitting in the igloo together, sobbing. It's been a hard race. Someone was going to fucking snap eventually.
  452. HOLY SHIT! IT'S QUAXELROD!! That little fucking duck just swooped in and has Axelrod by the 'stache. We're saved!
  453. Jesus fucking Christ, we're all fucking crying here. He's just standing there, quivering, ready to strike. Someone tell Amy I loved her.
  454. Carl the Intern, Hambone, and I are backed into a fucking corner here. This may be it for us. Axelrod's got the shovel up over his head.
  455. Axelrod's yelling "CORN COB PIPE"--swing--"BUTTON NOSE"--swing--"TWO EYES MADE OUT OF COAL"--swing. We are so fucked.
  456. Holy fuck: He's taking fucking swings at us with his shovel now. We're ducking 'em, but he's taking chunks out of the igloo.
  457. Pretty sure Axelrod thinks we're all snowmen. He keeps yelling, "Where's your magic fucking top hat, you snowy fucks?"
  458. Axelrod's gripping that shovel a little too tightly, and ranting about crystalline formations. This might not fucking end well.
  459. Axelrod's eyes are fucking wild, like Shackleton's on his last expedition.
  460. Axelrod is insisting that he has this fucking shit under control, but we're all a little afraid that he's gone a bit snowmad.
  461. Oh great, just what we need: more motherfucking, goddamn, shit-assing snow.
  462. I'm living in a motherfucking igloo, and you assholes choose a piece of shit house like number one? Fuck these fucking House Hunters.
  463. House number one? What the fuck is that bullshit?! I'd give the rest of my fucking finger stub for house number three!
  464. @jrho_jrho Fucking tell me about it. Axelrod just calls that show H&H and changes into his own brown overalls when he watches it.
  465. @jebarton There's a lot of fucking snow here. It just blends the fuck in.
  466. @Shelley723 Live tweet it? Fuck that. I'm going to savor this shit.
  467. House Hunters is on next. Axelrod is motherfucking beside himself. "Which goddamn house are they going to choose?"
  468. Carl the Intern just finished splicing into the asshole's cable, so now this motherfucking igloo gets 148 channels. HGTV, bitches.
  469. @Jen3317 Feel free to ask for you motherfucking money back.
  470. @Lionfisile You really don't fucking understand what the word "rhyme" means, do you?
  471. Shuffling my way back to the igloo now, this frozen foam voting booth is like walking around in a fucking block of wood.
  472. Holy fuck, foam-rubber costumes really stiffen up when you're out in the fucking cold all day.
  473. @KaitlinHenry I hear you. Some mornings are motherfucking funnel mornings.
  474. He started out saying, "This giant foam voting booth is sacred... " Then I tuned him out just like every fucking other time Del Valle talks.
  475. Del Valle just arrived and is taking inflatable Chico to task for double fucking voting. Ha fucking ha.
  476. Great, now Braun's here--regular size--and she's fucking pretending to vote too. Why the fuck aren't there armholes in this fucking suit?
  477. Chico just showed up wearing a huge inflatable Chico costume, and he's pretending to use my foam booth to vote. Fuck.
  478. Visiting early voting centers today. If you want to stop by, I'll be the fucking guy wearing the giant foam voting booth.
  479. Coffee, bitches. The secret is motherfucking coffee.
  480. @maureenjohnson The asshole's lease is up in motherfucking May.
  481. The motherfucking party is in the motherfucking igloo tonight.
  482. Just walked the fuck out of that meeting. Fuck everything: it's Friday fucking night!
  483. More motherfucking meetings. It's cute that someone still thinks there's a race, but it's cutting into my motherfucking Friday.
  484. Chicago fucking Tribune endorsement, bitches! Think of how fucking awesome that would be if anyone fucking read a newspaper.
  485. Motherfucking meetings all afternoon. Don't people understand that it's fucking Friday?
  486. @Tuuvan I always use Scott brand toilet paper when I tell people they're full of fucking shit.
  487. @livingminimal Carl's busy drafting our motherfucking economic plan.
  488. With all this fucking snow, what are the chances of a giant fucking line at Hot Dougs today? Nobody tell Quaxelrod about the duck fat fries.
  489. Finally digging out Axelrod's Civic. Starting to regret not getting the fucking passenger-side window replaced.
  490. Motherfucking Jesus fucking Christ, coffee sure tastes absolutely fucking incredible this morning.
  491. A belly warm with whiskey, a duck and a dog sleeping soundly, and your best friend playing Jovi. Motherfucking awesome.
  492. Sitting in the igloo, passing a bottle around. Axelrod busted out his guitar and is singing Bon fucking Jovi. "On a steel horse I ride..."
  493. Carl even built a little second floor--sorry, "a lofted atrium"--where Hambone and Quaxelrod can hang out. This place is fucking awesome.
  494. @honeychildpleaz Who the fuck died and made you Webster's fucking Dictionary, you stupid fucking asshole.
  495. He built a little fireplace, so we're warm in here. And we can actually stand up--major fucking benefit over the crawlspace.
  496. Carl the Intern did a incredible job on this igloo. It's got a couple little snow desks, a fridge, some fucking ice couches.
  497. Made it back to the igloo. Ran into a total of four people: cupcake driver, a guy on a donut run, and two canvassers for motherfucking Chico
  498. Finally ran into another person. And it's someone driving a motherfucking cupcake truck. Fucking cupcakes.
  499. There are a lot of things I can say I've done with my life. But now I can say I made a motherfucking snow angel on Lake Michigan.
  500. Now we're walking out on the Lake. It's just one giant fucking sheet of grey fucking ice. And it's just the five of us.
  501. The Loop is fucking abandoned. We're swinging from the El tracks like they're motherfucking monkey bars.
  502. Quaxelrod fucking owns the motherfucking express lanes. Waddling like a bad-ass motherfucker.
  503. It really does feel like the end of the fucking world. We're walking down the middle of the motherfucking Dan Ryan right now.
  504. We're all in our fucking Arctic-grade snowsuits, just wandering. Axelrod's eyes are lit up, "It's like we're the last people on earth."
  505. Fuck it, we've all left the igloo, just playing with Hambone in the snow. Plouffe's still on speaker being unin-fucking-telligible
  506. Seriously, this is fucking Plouffe: "I .... hrm... kit... fuck... and... shit... Quaxelrod... log." How the fuck does this fucking help?
  507. Strategy session in the igloo, Plouffe's in over speakerphone. We can't understand a single motherfucking word he's saying.
  508. Motherfucking sweet fucking coffee. We're drinking it in motherfucking snow cups.
  509. Carl the Intern built an igloo, and we're all just laying around in here, fucking whiskied and exhausted. Stay fucking warm.
  510. Jesus fucking Christ, my arms fucking ache from all that fucking shoveling. Quaxelrod can barely lift his little wings.
  511. @MerrittPR For a PR flack, you're actually a terrible fucking liar, you stupid fucking fuck.
  512. Sun's out, streets are mostly clear. MOTHERFUCKING SNOWBALL FUCKING FIGHT.
  513. What's up, motherfucking sun--nice to see you. A little fucking late though.
  514. And we're out. Holy fuck, it's fucking Hoth out here. Axelrod's handing out the goddamn shovels. Let's get digging.
  515. Hambone's done digging the shafts, now Carl'll trigger the implosion and we ride this pork elevator to fucking freedom.
  516. @Rebecca_Bates What's so complicated about an escape scenario involving a dog, cans of pork n beans, and an intern? Oh fuck.
  517. Where did Carl learn all this? "I'm in the Junior Engineering club at Lane Tech." Fuck yes. Hambone, get those paws digging!
  518. Carl's got Hambone tunneling five shafts out, which will result in a "controlled implosion." Yeah, that sounds fucking safe.
  519. I get the pork n beans elevator, but I'm still a little unclear on how we're actually digging the motherfucking escape tunnel.
  520. When he presented the plans to me and Axelrod, he said, "It's pretty simple, really: We're going to Chilean Miner this shit."
  521. Carl the Intern has emptied all the pork n beans onto the crawlspace floor and is welding the cans together into a fucking escape elevator.
  522. Carl the Intern is designing a tunnel to get us the fuck out. "The key is that it doesn't collapse in on itself while we're inside."
  523. A downside to living in the crawlspace under my rented house: We're fucking snowed the fuck in. Not in--snowed fucking under.
  524. HOLY FUCK. IT IS INFUCKINGSANE OUTSIDE.
  525. MOTHERFUCKING THUNDERFUCKINGSNOW ALL UP IN HERE.
  526. Back at the crawlspace, hot toddies all the fuck around. Fucking stay the fuck warm, bitches.
  527. I'M THE FUCKING KING OF THE MOTHERFUCKING WORLD!
  528. Balanced on the roof of this plow cab, riding a fucking ice wave, in the middle of the worst fucking blizzard in a generation.
  529. We caught the wave! It's a fucking twenty fucking footer, all fucking gray and ice and snarl.
  530. ... and we're off the curve and in the goddamn air, flying. The wind and water are like wild animals fucking.
  531. Up on the roof of the cab, heading north down Lake Shore fast. Curve's coming up. Time to hang the fuck on...
  532. @maureenjohnson Like Florida in 1500 fucked.
  533. Me, I've got a fleet of Teamsters, and we're barreling down Milwaukee. ACES FUCKING HIGH, YOU MOTHERFUCKING STORM.
  534. Holy fuck. Unless you've got a fleet of Teamsters to drive you around, STAY THE FUCK INSIDE. It's insane out here.
  535. The plan: We're going to hit velocity on the Michigan Ave curve, launch into the water, and ride a motherfucking 18' wave to victory.
  536. Axelrod just called in from a Teamster truck. "We're going to go surf a plow on the lake. You in?" Fuck yes I'm in.
  537. A giant fucking snowball rolled against crawlspace door. It busted open and out fell Carl the Intern, Hambone, Quaxelrod, and my Oreos.
  538. Plan: When this shit is over, massive fucking snowball fight on Ravenswood. East side of tracks vs west side.
  539. @tailsofrachel there's nothing fucking imminent about it.
  540. Looking out the periscope Axelrod hooked up. I'm pretty fucking sure snow isn't supposed to fall UP. What the fucking fuck.
  541. Sending Carl the Intern out on a sled, with Quaxelrod and Hambone mushing. Hope he's back with the fucking Oreos soon.
  542. Axelrod just came in for a quick check-in at the Weathercenter. His eyes are shining like motherfucking beacons. "This is my time."
  543. Oh fuck. I already ate all the motherfucking Oreos. Thinking about sending Carl the Intern out to pick up more.
  544. @johnfritchey Worst part is when they bump even THAT for storm coverage. Face it: you're fucked.
  545. @maureenjohnson Very fucking fucked.
  546. That's right Chico, Braun, and Del Valle, what do you got? Don't bring a motherfucking shovel to a plow fight.
  547. Axelrod's got a line of Teamsters trucks parked outside and he's attaching plows to them. Motherfucking shovel fucking ready.
  548. Axelrod's outside screaming, "ITS FUCKING HERE! IT'S FUCKING HERE!"
  549. Axelrod's outside just bellowing, "THE WIND IS PICKING THE MOTHERFUCK UP!"
  550. Public Service Announcement: In about three hours, you're going to need a lot of fucking whiskey.
  551. @designhawg We already have fifteen lawn chairs and a motherfucking cast-iron stove waiting on the curb to fill Axelrod's spot.
  552. @dullcatastrophe The backup generators have motherfucking backups. We're covered.
  553. Irish motherfucking coffee for the fucking win.
  554. Report from Axelrod's weathercenter has the big storm hitting later this afternoon. Perfectly fucking reasonable to get drunk now.
  555. Axelrod's built a cubicle out of oversize pork 'n' beans cans. He calls it "the weathercenter." It's been beeping all fucking night.
  556. Sweet fucking coffee. Axelrod had us buy 20 pounds of beans to weather the storm. I fucking doubled that.
  557. @johnfritchey You forgot to buy milk? You're so fucking fucked. Axelrod had us buy 40 gallons, so if you need one, ski over here.
  558. Finished my first two-hour snow-watch shift. So far, it's just really fucking cold. Hambone's up next.
  559. @tigerflight show me the fucking hand on a motherfucking duck or puppy. Fucking fucktard.
  560. The snowsuits Axelrod made for Hambone and Quaxelrod are adorable. Tiny fucking snowshoes. Tiny fucking hats.
  561. Snow preparations finally done. Now Axelrod just passed out our motherfucking sleeping shifts. 'Everyone gets two hours on watch. Everyone."
  562. Carl the Intern just asked if I need him to go Supreme this healthcare bullshit too. The kid learns fucking fast.
  563. @maureenjohnson I'm on motherfucking fucking snow patrol for the next 48 hours.
  564. Is it a preexisting condition when every fucking healthcare opponent is a fucking cancer in my ass?
  565. Fuck Florida, fuck district courts, and fuck those tea-shitting fuck-party assholes. I worked too fucking hard on that bill.
  566. The motherfucking Healthcare law is ruled un-fucking-constitutional? Fuck this motherfucking bullshit.
  567. Axelrod's response? "You want to be the asshole out there shoveling with his hands when we break the 18th,shovel just stop looking."
  568. Axelrod's list calls for twenty shovels, but I've hit six stores and only have eighteen. Fuck.
  569. @lindsayiversen I'd call a motherfucking successful fundraiser last night 'campaigning,' asshole.
  570. Axelrod has Carl the Intern smoking meats down here. This whole crawlspace smells fucking incredible.
  571. "... the fact that I'm on the cover is just pure fucking coincidence." But he's fucking smiling.
  572. I asked Axelrod about the fucking newspapers. "It's for preservation for future generations, in case we don't survive the storm... "
  573. Also on Axelrod's Storm Survival list: 100 copies of today's Chicago fucking Tribune and 100 newspaper-sized picture frames.
  574. Axelrod handed me a shopping list and said, "We don't have much time." The fuck do we need oxygen tanks for?
  575. Got back to the crawlspace and Axelrod's stockpiling canned goods. He just keeps muttering "storm coming." Fuck this shit.
  576. Jesus fucking Christ, I just woke up in the back of the Wilco van. My bongo hand feels like it's fucking broken.
  577. @TopSEO_Experts fuck you and your stupid fucking spam account.
  578. Also, would it fucking kill this motherfucker to smile every now and then? Cheer up, Tweedy!
  579. @RickSigler Have fun voting for Braun, asshole.
  580. So it goes without fucking saying, that he's going out there and playing "I Gotta Feeling," right fucking now.
  581. I told him that he can stuff his fucking guitar up his ass and go play for Chico--he'll make his troubadour ass play Beiber.
  582. But no, Tweedy's pulling this fucking "I'm in Wilco, so I'm going to play Wilco songs" bullshit, like he knows anything about fundraising.
  583. Not saying they're a good band--they're fucking terrible. But if you want people with money to give that shit away, play the Black Eyed Peas
  584. Tweedy's being pissy because he doesn't want to play any Black Eyed Peas songs. What the fuck? People love that shit.
  585. Spent all goddamn day at the vet getting that goddamn Lego out of Quaxelrod. Now running late to Tweedy's fucking fundraiser.
  586. Oh fuck. Quaxelrod just ate Lego Mubarak.
  587. There's a toy standoff in front of the Lincoln Logs Department of the Interior. The My Pretty Ponies refuse to move the fuck along.
  588. @Oscar_Wang fuck you, you stupid fucking shitbag.
  589. A can of Barrel O Monkeys is trying to loot the Lego museum, but they're being stopped by a floppy sheriff doll and a spaceman toy.
  590. A whole crowd of Barbies just set the Ministry of Information on fucking Lego fire.
  591. Axelrod has built a scale model of all of fucking Egypt out of Legos. It looks fucking amazing.
  592. Carl the Intern is wearing my wife's wedding dress under his sheet. "I'm the fucking Ghost Bride."
  593. @kalenski Jesus fucking Christ, Hambone is a motherfucking puppy. Quaxelrod is the duck. Keep up, asshole.
  594. Hambone looks fucking spooky as shit in his ghost sheet.
  595. BOO! You stupid motherfucker.
  596. @alisavino it's not my job to catch you the fuck up.
  597. Just found a box of sheets in the crawlspace. We're going to cut out eyeholes and haunt the fuck out of Halpin upstairs.
  598. Fucking nailed it on take four fifty three. Ring ring, motherfuckers, I'm calling you up.
  599. Motherfucking take fucking one hundred and twenty fucking six.
  600. On take fucking forty-six on these robocalls. I'm this fucking close to biting the fucking head off this fucking microphone.
  601. Text from Plouffe: "Just lube up your asshole then, because you're recording robocalls today. " Fuck.
  602. I mean fucking seriously, you spend five fucking days a week being fucked in the ass by meetings. We really need to make it six?
  603. Motherfucking Saturday meetings need to be constitutionally illegal.
  604. Just opened a box: motherfucking Twister! This night just got in-fucking-sane!
  605. @freejoe76 I'm thinking fucking no on that one, scoop.
  606. Best part of being down here is that I get to wear my grandfather's pleather jacket. I look like motherfucking Fonzie. Aaaaay.
  607. No furniture down here yet, so we're just sitting on boxes passing a bottle. Axelrod found a box of Legos, so he's in fucking heaven.
  608. Holy fucking fuck, it's finally motherfucking Friday fucking night. Longest fucking week ever.
  609. Couldn't find an apartment. Just moving into the crawlspace of my old house. Nobody tell the fucking asshole upstairs.
  610. Out apartment hunting. Again. It's fucking hard to find a place that'll take both a dog and a duck.
  611. Holy fucking Jesus fuck, little Alyssa just pulled a triple flip cannonball to win this shit. Axelrod's pouting in his speedo.
  612. It's Axelrod and this seven-year-old girl named Alyssa in the finals, both tied at 9.8. The whole cleaning crew is here, fucking cheering.
  613. Cannonballs in the motherfucking pool. Quaxelrod is the judge. I got a 7.3
  614. Carl the Intern and Axelrod are in a pancake eating contest. Motherfucking artists at work.
  615. This Holiday Inn Express breakfast buffet is about to get fucked like it's never been fucked before.
  616. "Lets Break out of this fake ass Party / Turn this in to a Classic Night / If we die in each others arms..."
  617. Now we're all crammed in Axelrod's fucking Civic, the ceiling's still dented in, driving down Lake Shore Drive, just fucking freestyling.
  618. Carl just looked at me, and said, "What did you expect? I told you we'd Supreme this shit, so we motherfucking Supremed this shit."
  619. It turns out Carl the Intern and Axelrod didn't crash Axelrod's Civic into City Hall. They went down to motherfucking Springfield instead.
  620. We're all fucking crying and laughing and barking and quacking and the city has never looked more beautiful, and in four weeks I'll be mayor
  621. I'm crying like a baby, because this has been a motherfucking week from fucking hell, and here we all are, on Michigan avenue, in the snow.
  622. And Quaxelrod is fucking flying circles around their heads, and fucking Hambone leapt up onto the roof of the car. And I'm fucking crying.
  623. They're blaring that fucking Peter Gabriel song! And they're fucking smiling fucking huge smiles! And it's snowing. And it's beautiful.
  624. HOLY FUCKING SHIT! There's Axelrod and Carl the Intern, standing on the roof of the goddamn Civic, boomboxes over their heads.
  625. But seriously, that fucking Peter fucking Gabriel song is getting louder. Hambone says I'm crazy, but it's really goddamn loud now.
  626. Anyway, that shits over. One more of these motherfucking things. Then I never have to hang out with those three fucking people again.
  627. You know, in a motherfucking debate.
  628. I don't want to fucking sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed
  629. Hambone thinks it went well, but I hate these fucking things. I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything in a debate.
  630. Goddamn it, there's that fucking song again. Do you fucking hear it? I fucking swear Chico looked when it started up.
  631. I'm about to meet the challenge of changing out of this fucking suit. Almost fucking done.
  632. Hambone fucking drilled me on these goddamn facts and figures. I think I fucking nailed them 99% percent of the time.
  633. Chico thinks he smells fucking amazing, but the rest of us were joking about "eu de Chico" backstage. Right next to him, it's overpowering.
  634. Also, I'm pretty fucking sure Braun is dozing off right now.
  635. I'm stabbing Axelrod's MousekePen into my thigh every time the motherfucking camera cuts away. 17 more fucking minutes.
  636. Alright, bitches, let's debate this shit.
  637. Reached in my pocket and pulled out Axelrod's Disneyland pen. I gave him my fucking heart. He gave me a MousekePen.
  638. Holy fucking fuck, that fucking Peter fucking Gabriel song is back in my fucking head. Just what I fucking need.
  639. Ah, fuck it. TOSS ME ANOTHER MOTHERFUCKING BEER, WE'RE WINNING THIS MOTHERFUCKING ELECTION!
  640. And Carl. Jesus, seemed like that kid's heart just shattered in two on Monday. He'd probably be up on Axelrod's fucking shoulders right now
  641. Axelrod would probably be wearing his beer hat right now, grinning like the motherfucking Cheshire fucking Cat. Fucking where are you?
  642. God, I fucking wish Axelrod and Carl the Intern were here right now. Who's going to hold my fucking feet for the kegstands?
  643. You stupid fucking fucks, have to debate me now. BRING IT THE FUCK ON!
  644. Just ran up to the other sorry fucking candidates and yelled, "MOTHERFUCKING WINNING THE MOTHERFUCKING FUTURE!"
  645. Shotgunning motherfucking cans of motherfucking beer two at a goddamn time!
  646. FUCK THE DEBATE, LET'S HOLD THE MOTHERFUCKING ELECTION RIGHT FUCKING NOW.
  647. Huh. Feel a little stupid about the whole fucking apartment trashing thing now.
  648. Hambone is fucking humping every fucking leg in sight.
  649. MOTHERFUCKING STREET LEGAL, BITCHES!
  650. Why did it just get so fucking quiet in here?
  651. And I totally see Braun strutting around with her fucking rooster. But no goddamn ducks? For fucking shame, man. For. Fucking. Shame.
  652. What the fucking fuck do you mean, no waterfowl in the Chicago City Club? Chico probably got his motherfucking Guinea Hen in!
  653. This motherfucking snow is going to make me look ridiculous if I go out in my tiger T-shirt.
  654. I may just go over in this T-shirt and sweats. The shirt has a sweet fucking tiger on it. Hambone thinks it's bad-ass.
  655. Picking out clothes for the debate tonight. I've got fucking duck shit on most of my suits.
  656. There's that goddamn motherfucking song again. I'm going to stab myself in the fucking ear soon.
  657. Quaxelrod needs a swim, Hambone needs a walk, Pillow Del Valle needs a fluff. Didn't I used to have people that took care of this bullshit?
  658. Quaxelrod thinks we should do more debate prep, but I think it's because he gets a fucking bread crumb when he gets a right answer.
  659. Sweet fucking coffee, you sometimes feel like my only motherfucking friend.
  660. Hey entire fucking East Coast: Yes, your weather patterns are fucking you in the ass. Now kindly shut the fuck up about it.
  661. @andymboyle I miss that guy. Sometimes he'd play the guitar all night. I wish I hadn't told him to shut the fuck up so many times now.
  662. @jason_hardesty you're really not motherfucking helping at fucking all.
  663. @CarmintheB He's a fucking pillow. You're really fucking asking? Holy fucking fuck.
  664. Seriously, this fucking song won't get the fuck out of my fucking head.
  665. @mtroy_hughes Smart people. Hope they keep them out. Motherfuck the motherfucking cupcake trucks.
  666. Debate prep wrapped. I sincerely fucking hope that Chico doesn't lick my face tomorrow as much as Hambone did tonight.
  667. I may have underestimated Pillow Del Valle. He's definitely got some good points about the fucking hotel tax.
  668. I keep getting Peter fucking Gabriel's motherfucking "In Your Eyes" stuck in my fucking head and it's driving me goddamn insane.