Pritzker quips on weight loss, Rahm and 2028 buzz in Washington speech

WASHINGTON – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged his rapid weight loss, joked about former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — another 2028 presidential hopeful — and thanked the press during a speech before Washington journalists and dignitaries on Saturday.

“I’m JB Pritzker, governor of the great state of Illinois, and if you’re seeing me in person for the very first time, yes, I’m the gov who put ‘gov’ in Wegovy,” Pritzker said, referring to the popular weight-loss drug and eliciting laughs at the 141st annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Awards.

Pritzker, who is widely seen as a Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential primary, addressed the speculative chatter during a quippy, joke-filled address.

“As far as my own plans for 2028, here’s what I’ll say right now, I’m 100% focused on the people of Illinois,” Pritzker said. “That’s not just me talking. That’s also a 2006 quote from Barack Obama.”

Pritzker, seated at a head table, spoke to Emanuel among the crowd of more than 560 journalists, media executives, lawmakers, diplomats and military officers in attendance. Attendees included four governors, six members of Congress and several ambassadors.

The Gridiron Club has invited every president since Grover Cleveland to speak — but the Trump administration declined the invitation to provide a speaker.

Gridiron Club President Jackie Calmes alluded to Pritzker’s 2028 ambitions during her speech, joking that he is “already doing oppo research on some of his fellow Democrats.”

“And the governor has competition from his own state — Chicago’s Rahm Emanuel,” Sanders said. “Don’t worry, Governor. I hear you have a leg up on him — and half a finger.”

Pritzker and Emanuel are longtime friends and are often grouped together on 2028 presidential lists.

“When we chatted earlier, Rahm told me to go f— myself, but it’s nice to know that I’m back on his good side,” Pritzker said.

The awards show also featured political parodies, with club members satirizing the first year of President Trump’s second term — as well as the emerging presidential field for 2028. In a Democratic skit, cast members playing Sens. Bernie Sanders and Kirsten Gillibrand pleaded with Americans to vote blue, to the tune of “Take A Chance on me.”

The Republican skit featured cast members playing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt relaying the destruction of the White House’s East Wing, to the tune of “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell.”

“We trashed the East Wing. Don’t like a house museum. We’ll have a flashy Ballroom. Rich donors will pay just to see ‘em,” they sang. “POTUS says it’s got to go. And they won’t know what we’ve done. Til it’s gone.”

The show was co-headlined by Pritzker, who was chosen to deliver the speech on behalf of Democrats, and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who spoke on behalf of Republicans.

Sanders both complimented and chided Pritzker. She offered up advice for a presidential run, including to “do the exact opposite” of what Vice President Kamala Harris did and to “always stay at a Comfort Hotel, not those hideout Hyatts,” poking fun at the hotel chain owned by the Pritzker family.