Beltway gossip scribe Mike Allen’s Politico Playbook is a daily compendium of political news, messages from corporate sponsors, birthday shout-outs, and who was SPOTTED last night at Café Milano. Its vacuous obsession with who’s up, who’s down, and what’s “driving the narrative” is also a daily reminder of just how morally bankrupt Allen’s worldview is. But today’s Playbook is nothing short of appalling in its rank cynicism and insensitivity.

The backstory: Karen Lewis, the head of the Chicago Teachers Union and a bitter rival of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has announced that she will not challenge the mayor next year after all. Lewis, who has been hospitalized for more than a week, has brain cancer, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

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Not all Chicago media outlets have confirmed Lewis’ diagnosis, but we’ve known since the middle of last week that she has a “serious illness,” and even longtime foes like the Chicago Tribune editorial board have sent Lewis their best wishes.

Allen, however, reacted to the ailing Lewis’ announcement by proclaiming “Mayor Rahm!” the “PLAYBOOK WINNER OF THE DAY”:

Good Tuesday morning – midterms are three weeks from today. PLAYBOOK WINNER OF THE DAY: Mayor Rahm! Chicago Tribune 2-col. lead, “Lewis bows out ... Ailing union chief’s decision eases Emanuel re-election bid,” by Rick Pearson, Juan Perez Jr. and Michelle Manchir: “Karen Lewis, the ... combative and charismatic leader of the Chicago Teachers Union, will not run for mayor, significantly boosting Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s chances to win re-election next year.” http://trib.in/11i2P4m

Allen wasn’t the only sociopath write for today’s Playbook. The newsletter concluded with “A message from JPMorgan Chase & Co.”