We’ve been writing about Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s racist policy which she clarified this week: that she would only be granting 1 on 1 interviews to “Black or Brown journalists.”

Lightfoot was so racist and tone-deaf she apparently thought this approach would be viewed as stunning and brave.

But media was not happy with her at all. We pointed out how it was backfiring on her, big time.

A Latino reporter for the Chicago Tribune who had been granted an interview by her, asked her office to lift those race restrictions and when they said no, he canceled on the interview. “Politicians don’t get to choose who covers them,” Gregory Pratt said.

I am a Latino reporter @chicagotribune whose interview request was granted for today. However, I asked the mayor’s office to lift its condition on others and when they said no, we respectfully canceled. Politicians don’t get to choose who covers them. https://t.co/YMW8M8ZgJm

— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 19, 2021

Other reporters who were POC wryly pointed out how Lightfoot had blown them off when they tried to interview her.

I wish Lightfoot's office would have granted one interview to our @city_bureau budget team last year who were mostly young women of color covering policy. Instead, they declined every. single. interview. request. and complained about multiple FOIA requests. https://t.co/i1OXNiXqWj

— Sarah Conway (@sarahanneconway) May 19, 2021

So, not only were people calling her out on her policy, but this was also revealing she had a record of blowing off journalists — including those who were POC.

Now that she’s dug this huge hole for herself, what are her options?

Apparently, just keep on digging.

Lightfoot is now trying to “explain” her position more. As if she didn’t already shoot herself in the foot enough.

.@chicagosmayor Lightfoot defends filtering out journalists based on their skin color: “As a woman of color, as a lesbian, it’s important to me that diversity is put front and center.” pic.twitter.com/m6yZPsWmEb

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 20, 2021

“I think, in this one day, when we are looking at the two-year anniversary of my inauguration, as a woman of color, as a lesbian, it’s important to me that diversity is put front and center,” she said, defending her position. “If I, as the black woman mayor, the first ever, don’t challenge us – the collective us – to do better, to really make sure that, in every institution, it reflects the diversity, and nuance, and texture of our city, then shame on me.”

Then truly, shame on you, Mayor, because when you are avowedly blocking people because of their skin color; you are not talking about diversity, you are being racist.

She’s judging people based on the color of their skin. It’s the opposite of diversity. You’re not challenging “us” to do better; you are just straight up doing worse. Really, stop already. You’re just making it worse, when you try to defend this nonsense.

The interview suggests what this is really about is a media avoidance strategy — that she just doesn’t like coverage that she’s gotten from some outlets.

Charles Thomas, a political reporter for many years in Chicago, who is now retired, called Lightfoot’s effort a “distraction” in the video Tom Elliot shared.

“Instead of talking about crime, talking about disarray in her administration, talking about education, talking about city finances,” he said. “We’re talking about this.”

That’s exactly it. She thought this would distract, and she thought she could control who could interview her. Instead, it’s brought her even more negative attention, on top of the issues she’s already failing to deal with.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is more worried about the color of a reporter's skin than the 13 people shot and 3 killed in her city yesterday.

— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) May 20, 2021

Lori Lightfoot is a racist. Not a reverse racist just a good old fashioned racist. (AKA a progressive.) https://t.co/3Ga27nSwoo

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) May 20, 2021