The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

Today in Rahmageddon: "The Rahmformer"

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 13, 2010 2:00PM

Rahm Emanuel is nothing if not a savvy politician. Dan Mihalopoulos at the Chicago News Coop reports today that Emanuel has been casting himself as a reformer since he started his "You Guys Sure Bitch A Lot" "Tell It Like It Is" listening tour of neighborhoods last week.

“I think I’m part of a reform that is necessary, from our schools to our streets,” Emanuel told Miholopoulos at a campaign, sorry, "listening tour" stop in Bronzeville yesterday. He also has the vague campaign promise rhetoric down pat already, saying that, if elected, one of his top goals would be "opening city government to its citizens."

Before we start envisioning a return to the early democratic experiments of the Greek city-states, let's remember that this listening tour is a campaign and that, behind the scenes, politicians familiar with Emannuel's modus operandi know that "reformer" is hardly a term to describe the longtime political power broker.