The Daley News
By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 4, 2007 1:50PM
One thing we've learned in our time as a font of synopsis, synthesis and snark of local news and events, is that when Da Mare gets in the press, it's all at once. And yesterday was no exception. After being gone for two weeks, Daley had a little bit to say about the Cline resignation, the recent settlement of patronage hiring, and the indictment of Al "Dirty" Sanchez.
Daley indicated that after "the mistakes of the past," he's glad that the city has reached a settlement of a federal court order that restricts political hiring. Speaking to an announcement that was made March 21, when Daley was out of the country, he told the Tribune "I wanted to make sure that we were moving forward building on the hiring reforms already put in place to give an applicant the same chance to get a city job regardless of politics," because patronage is a problem that is caused only by a few bad apples, and not a whole system.
He also commented on the indictment of former Streets and San commissioner and former HDO leader, Al Sanchez. "I know Al Sanchez, a Vietnam veteran.... I know Al Sanchez, Southeast Side [native] — very proud of his family. I know Al Sanchez [who] worked very hard at the city as a laborer, worked his way up.... Every storm he was out there and, during the summer and winter he was out there, and that was the Al Sanchez I know." This has been a recurring motif with Daley as his closest friends and advisers have fallen on their swords for him. When Robert Sorich was convicted, Daley told the press what a great guy he was. In fact, making sure that those few bad apples have a soft landing when they get out of prison is part of the larger strategy to ensure that they don't sing to the feds in exchange for a lighter sentence.
The resignation of police Supt. Philip Cline came Monday in the wake of police abuse here in Chicago (that can't be good for the Chicago 2016 Olympics bid). After praising former police Supt. Philip Cline for a job well done, Daley declared "I think it's time for a change." He also laid down the rules for the cops (and the rest of us), telling the Sun-Times "[w]hen you're relaxing in a bar, when you're relaxing in a church, when you're relaxing walking down the street and when you're in your home, you should not use physical force against anyone because of an argument about the White Sox or the Cubs or the Tribune or the Sun-Times."
And, since Hizzoner isn't just presiding over a city rife with corruption and out-of-control cops, he took a moment to acknowledge that Sam Zell, who will purchase the Chicago Tribune for $8.2 billion, is a great business leader. When we leave town for two weeks, we usually come back with some foreign coins, off-brand antibiotics, a few pictures and some fun memories. But when Daley leaves town, he comes back to a press corps that is salivating for mayoral commentary.
Image via mayors.org.