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The big news yesterday was that Daley would run for relelection. Lined up at city hall with all the aldermanic candidates was none other than Terry Peterson, former Chicago Housing Authority CEO and Daley's campaign manager, carrying less than 25,000 signatures to put Hizzoner on the ballot. This is a far cry from past campaigns when Daley surrogates would arrive with nearly a quarter million signatures.
While some have speculated that filing light like this indicates a weakening of the Mayor's street organization, and the machine's ability to turn out people to work for the Mayor (and thus their own job), the truth is a little murkier. While it is true that the recent crackdown by the feds on city hiring has changed the dynamic a bit, one need only look at the recent Cook County Board President race to see that the machine is still as powerful as it always was. While Daley and his minions didn't run at full force for this, it wasn't really necessary. In fact, we think that it was to his advantage to play it cool, so as not to alienate people that might have considered voting for not only the opposition, but more importantly Aldermanic candidates that the Mayor is backing.
Besides loyalty in the wards, Daley will continue to support Robert Sorich as much as he feels he can, and make sure he has a soft landing when he gets out of prison. The same will happen in the county, with Beavers and Stroger making sure that Gerald Nichols is well taken care of. If either one of those guys rolls on the Mayor or his organization, he stands to lose a lot.
Other behind-the-scenes dealings include bringing on Terry Peterson to run the campaign. Word on the street is that he is being groomed to take over when the inevitable happens (Daley is in his 60's). This is all part of the bigger strategy to shift the power base south, and deeper into the black community (watch the race between Darcel Beavers and Sandi Jackson to be a marquee one this season). As an added benefit, by playing penny-ante economic development in the black wards and backing black candidates, the Mayor gets to divide and weaken the unions and part of their coalition, especially the ones that the Mayor perceives as causing the most trouble for him and his organization. It may look like Ftizgerald and voter anger is closing in on the Chicago Machine. We wouldn't bet on it.
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Kevin.
I don't know which neighborhood you got your "word on the street" from but it might be "bizzaroville".
The idea that Mayor Daley is grooming anyone to take over once he leaves office or dies is crazy. If he were to groom anyone it would likely be his brother Bill, another family member....likely a nephew, or a pasty faced south side Irish type to be named later.
He might support black candidates for any office..........but not the Mayoralty. He might put black technocrats like Peterson into various positions, but not mayor.
I agree with Holy. Actually I heard through the spook vine that Darth Daley's son is being groomed. He's in Iraq now earning his hero creds, while out of harms way in the Green zone. Course I bet if Darth's son inherits city hall, no one will complain like the did with Todd Stroger
And by the way only in Chicago could WBEZ,and the Chicago Suntimes do stories leaked by The CHA Resident's Journal and The Better Government Association about Terry Peterson trading CHA contracts for campaign donations to his 17th ward ( with no CHA housing)organization and still get picked to run Darth Daley's campaign? And I guess this corruption was relatively minor because it never reached Fitz's Office
May I introduce Mr. Patrick Daley. Afghanistan war veteran, Chicago GSB MBA, son of Richard M. Daley, grandson of Richard J. Daley, and your mayor starting in 2015.
The only real question is whether the current mayor will hold out until then, or if he'll step down and we'll get a Bilandic/Byrne type to hold the fort for four years.
Ohhh My God!!! Richard Daley is a short little guy. Usually Mayor Daley stands on a high box for pictures. What was the name of the old small dictators of Germany and France Daley reminds me of?
Chicago Bucktown Public Square-Epilogue 2044
http://groups.msn.com/ChicagoBucktownPublicSquare/epilogue.msnw
The Mayor's Successor? As mentioned above.
Joe Lake
The Mayor's successor as mentioned above?
Joe Lake
The Mayor's successor as mentioned above?
He's in Iraq now earning his hero creds, while out of harms way in the Green zone
I have no love for the Daleys, but do not disparage Patrick Daley's service. Last I read in the paper he was an US Army Airborne Ranger, hardly someone "out of harms way".
More to the point of Patrick being groomed to take over: it is widely known, or at least I thought it was, that he is a Republican and has stated he is a Bush supporter.
" do not disparage Patrick Daley's service. Last I read in the paper he was an US Army Airborne Ranger, hardly someone "out of harms way".
"he is a Republican and has stated he is a Bush supporter."
Miller I've always said Daley is our second republican mayor and he is building that base quite nicely thanks to pin stripe patronage. When his son is put forwad, the base will be ready.
And I think its important to consider if Daley sudden burst of patriotism
Isn't coming from his keepers to compensate his past boorish behavior including armed violence against some Pilipino youth at his summer home,
And every US Army Airborne Ranger, is not in harms way i.e. Daley
And I deeply resent when some one says I don't have a legitimate right to question
any aspect of the farce going on in Iraq
While I do not want any American to be in any war of any sort, I read the papers and I see our brave brothers and sisters die in foreign lands. I hope you understand the sad truth, Clout applies in the Army also, Patrick Daley will have a gravy ride, just like all of Mayor Daley's family and friends. A few sit-ups, a fancy clean uniform, ordering some peons around, and maybe a march or two. Mayor Daley will not talk about Patrick Daley so why should we. Bush is afraid to send Patrick Daley to war, George Bush knows send the "others" to do our country's dirty work. Patrick Daley use your head and duck out of the front line, Chicago and Mayor Daley want you to ride your time out nice and easy and get back and hopefully find a nice partner and settle down. Just let me know when Mayor Daley will debate some black candidates and show some respect for the people that die for our freedom.
I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. Mayor Daley's clout does not reach that far. One doesn't double volunteer for an elite special forces unit and then get protection due to political clout. If Jr. wanted to simply play Army he could have chose something other than the Rangers to join.
And I deeply resent when some one says I don't have a legitimate right to question any aspect of the farce going on in Iraq
I didn't question your "right to question" the Iraq war. I said don't disparage the service of someone who volunteers for the Infantry.
Look at the facts, Mayor Daley would be an absolute idiot if he did not use his clout to keep Patrick Daley out of the front line. Daley's reach includes push for Obama as a candidate for president of the United States. Patrick Daley is the "Elvis" of the army and will enjoy an easy ride. Mayor Daley was in the armed forces by if you remember was unarmed. Also Patrick Daley should come out of the closet on the "Gays in the Military Issue". Mayor Daley a "Catholic" and is pro-gay. Why is Daley quiet on this issue?
Richard I got nice Marine Reserves spots for Richie, Bill, Michael and John during the Viet Nam war, so why would'nt the current Mayor do the same for his son ?