Ald. Hairston On Mayoral Run: Nuh-Uh

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Aug 11, 2010 2:50PM

So that report from the Sun-Times' Fran Speilman that Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) was considering a run at Mayor Daley? Seems now Hairston is saying Speilman misunderstood and that she's not really that serious about challenging the "vulnerable" incumbent mayor. Hairston told ABC 7 she had received phone calls from supporters congratulating her on the challenge but that it was a misunderstanding. "That is really reassuring to know that there are people behind you. But, you know, right now, I'm focused on the aldermanic piece ... I am running fo re-election. I am not giving up my seat to run for anything else." This is, of course, a change from her quote to Speilman: "But, I won't rule anything out. You always keep your options open."

Not that it completely closes the door. Hairston also told ABC 7, "For something of this magnitude, you would have to have the organization, you would have to have the plan, you had to have the money, you'd have to able to get out there on TV now." Well, we don't know what kind of money Hairston's sitting on but even the mere passive mention of "I'm thinking about maybe running but not really" has been enough to garner her plenty of attention in this city.

Of course, it'd be nice if someone (other than Jay Stone) would just grow a pair and say, "Yes, I'm running for mayor," because the longer they wait, the harder it's going to be to give us a viable opponent - if that's even possible at this point - to Mayor Daley who, no matter what the polls say, could announce he's running for reelection the day before the filing deadline and still garner 70 percent of the vote. So come on, people. Get it together. Run or don't but stop teasing us.