Daley to Obama: Dibs on Duncan
By Hunter Clauss in News on Oct 31, 2008 8:40PM
There’s been speculation about who would be picked for top federal positions if Sen. Barack Obama were elected (Ald. Joe “Foie Gras” Moore for Attorney General?), and one of the possible selections has Mayor Daley worried. The Sun-Times reported yesterday that the mayor wants Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan to stay put and not take a seat in Obama’s cabinet. The presidential candidate previously consulted with Duncan on a campaign plan for public education. Assuming Obama wins and picks Duncan, Daley says he won’t give Duncan a recommendation. Oh snap!
“If Sen. Obama wants to have him, he could have him. But I would not recommend him because I want to keep him right here in Chicago. We're doing so well. We're on this mission. Everybody's working together. This is a wonderful team they've built up,” Daley said. Daley appointed Duncan in 2001 to improve public education through his ambitious Renaissance 2010 plan, which calls for 100 new schools by 2010. Duncan says he’s still “absolutely focused” on transforming CPS.