Two Man Race for Cook Co. Board President

By Amy Hart in News on Dec 20, 2005 7:59PM

County Commissioner Michael Quigley has dropped out of the race to become County Board President and is throwing his support behind fellow commissioner Forrest Claypool by becoming chairman of Claypool’s campaign.

The Tribune offers a love letter to Quigley today, praising him for his “unselfish act” in dropping out of the race and his “passion for repairing Cook County.” Can’t you almost hear Barry White playing softly in the background?

This sets up a mean spirited campaign between Claypool and current president John Stroger. How mean, you ask? The Sun-Times has the reaction from both campaigns following Quigley’s decision:

Stroger … voiced confidence that he would prevail for a fourth term while taking a shot at Claypool. "I will win because everybody knows I have been truthful in my life and in public," Stroger said. "I can't say that for some of those who want to run against me."

Claypool, Mayor Daley's former chief of staff, said Stroger presides over a juvenile detention center where young offenders are "beaten to the point of unconsciousness," a Provident Hospital where patients "have died due to the incompetence of staff" and a forest preserve that is "an environmental embarrassment."

So we are left with reform vs. more of the same (plus expensive cigarettes)... and plenty of fighting words.

And, yes, we know that Republican Tony Peraica is also running for County Board President, but, ummm... how can we put this without sounding mean? A Republican has about as big of a shot of becoming Cook County Board President as Vince Vaughn does in getting a toll road named after him.