Chicago - Mayoral Race - Rahm Emanuel Wins

[the urban politician]

Bill Clinton to Campaign for Emanuel in Chicago

[ametz]

Game, set, match.

[Steely Dan]

Mayoral candidate Danny Davis outlines reform agenda but has few specifics
December 27, 2010
Posted by John Chase at 2:52 p.m.

Mayoral candidate U.S. Rep. Danny Davis today assailed Mayor Richard Daley’s style of running City Hall and said he would make Chicago government more transparent and open if he's elected next year.

“I’d have a far more transparent shop,” Davis said. “I’d have greater involvement and participation coming from these advisory groups and committees that I’d like to set up and have function and operate with.”

Davis listed several reforms he’d make as mayor, although he provided few details about how he’d actually make the changes. The veteran West Side congressman said that as mayor, he’d settle pending lawsuits surrounding convicted former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge, prevent “backdoor decisions” such as Daley’s determination to close Meigs Field and ensure tax increment financing money is used to help struggling communities.

full article: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clou...reform-agenda-but-has-few-specifics.html

[emathias]

Originally Posted by ametz

...
and now they all look like lesser people in Rahm's shadow.

This is a great point.

I don't know if Rahm will be a good mayor or not. But he does definitely have more national stature than anyone else on the ballot and it is odd that none had the cajones or moral backbone to just stand up and say that Chicago voters should decide if he's fit to lead the city.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

prevent “backdoor decisions” such as Daley’s determination to close Meigs Field

Is he serious? Daley's handling of Meigs Field is one his greatest actions of all time. You never see that kind of action from modern politicians, who are more interested in pandering to interest groups than doing anything meaningful for the general electorate.

[Chicago103]

Originally Posted by emathias

This is a great point.

I don't know if Rahm will be a good mayor or not. But he does definitely have more national stature than anyone else on the ballot and it is odd that none had the cajones or moral backbone to just stand up and say that Chicago voters should decide if he's fit to lead the city.

As I said earlier Gery Chico more or less did, he stated that his campaign is not interested in challenging his residency and is focused on issues. Also in a few interviews he has said it is up to the voters and its about issues and not residency. If anything it is Carol Mosely Braun and a few others that made an issue of Rahm's residency.

[Steely Dan]

^ i think the point being made is that if that truly is chico's stance, he should have been MUCH more vocal about it so that he could stand up and look like the bigger man, thus separating himself from the field of other candidates tacitly condoning the residency challenge and coming off as petty and small in the process.

a lost opportunity for chico.

[Chicago103]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ i think the point being made is that if that truly is chico's stance, he should have been MUCH more vocal about it so that he could stand up and look like the bigger man, thus separating himself from the field of other candidates tacitly condoning the residency challenge and coming off as petty and small in the process.

a lost opportunity for chico.

Yeah I suppose you could always say he could have done more to make himself stand out in that regard. My point is that compared to the other candidates he was taking the high road not that he handled it perfectly. Then again one could also argue that the media didn't pick up on Chico enough to really make it clear to people that is how he thinks.

It does seem the media throws a bone out every now and then for Chico certainly compared to the other candidates but a casual watcher of the news media would only hear about Emmanuel for the most part. Sure political junkies like us who watch Chicago tonight every night are well versed in the other candidates but joe transplant living in Wrigleyville voting in a mayor's race for the first time only knows Rahm and that is a big reason why he has the lead that he does. Not that I don't think there are informed Rahm supporters out there its just that his name recognition also got a lot of people to his flock who don't really pay attention much to politics at all, that is why he has such a lead right now.

[Steely Dan]

anyway, here is the candidate list and their status according to the chicago board of elections. candidates who i know have already officially withdrawn are listed in red. there are a lot of names on the list that we never hear anything about from the media (in bold).

• Danny K. Davis - candidate campaign website
• Rahm Emanuel - candidate campaign website
• Miguel Del Valle - candidate campaign website
• Carol Moseley Braun - challenged campaign website
• Wilfredo De Jesus - challenged campaign website
• Gery J. Chico - candidate campaign website
• Tyrone Carter - challenged
• Patricia Van Pelt Watkins - candidate campaign website
• Fenton C. Patterson - challenged
• Fredrick K. White - challenged campaign website
• John Hu - challenged campaign website
• William Walls, III - candidate campaign website
• Howard Ray - challenged
  
  
• James T. Meeks - withdrawn
• Roland W. Burris - withdrawn

source: http://www.chicagoelections.com/dm/general/document_3259.pdf



i couldn't find campaign websites for Tyrone Carter, Fenton C. Patterson, or Howard Ray. If they can't even put together a simple website, why did they even bother to waste their energy collecting the necessary signatures to get on the ballot? it doesn't make sense.

[Chicago103]

My ranking of candidates based strictly on polls, fundraising and personal knowledge from research and attending a candidate forum in early December at UIC. Not based on who I support or think is better or worse based on policy positions.

Top Top Tier-good chance of winning

1. Rahm Emanuel-front runner
2.Gery J. Chico-best chance to defeat Emmanuel in runoff

Mid Top Tier-decent chance of making it to the runoff but not to win

3. Danny K. Davis -top ballot position, black consensus candidate, name recognition
4. Carol Moseley Braun-name recognition with decent support in black community

Lower Top Tier-low chance of making it to run off but can have a significant impact on voting blocks

5. Miguel Del Valle -some name recognition, decent support in Hispanic community

Mid Tier-can steal some votes from other candidates in certain voting blocks and have some impact on election.
In no particular order.

Wilfredo De Jesus -Hispanic equivalent to James Meeks, might get some votes in Latino community.
Patricia Van Pelt Watkins -Black female professional can take some votes away from Carol Mosely Braun thus helping Chico or Davis, mentioned briefly on Chicago Tonight.
William Walls-Black, ran for mayor in 2007 and came in third and last (after Daley and Dorothy Brown) thus some name recognition.

Lower Tier-but showed up at some candidate events

Fenton C. Patterson - Happens to be black but so incomprehensible that people were laughing at him at the UIC candidate forum, also no known website
Fredrick K. White - Old white guy from the neighborhoods with a populist message and website
John Hu - Asian real estate agent with a populist message and website

Bottom Tier-whereabouts unknown to me (and that is saying a lot)

Tyrone Carter - ?
Howard Ray - ?

[ametz]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ i think the point being made is that if that truly is chico's stance, he should have been MUCH more vocal about it so that he could stand up and look like the bigger man, thus separating himself from the field of other candidates tacitly condoning the residency challenge and coming off as petty and small in the process.

a lost opportunity for chico.

Yes, my point exactly. Chico may have said it, may have said it a little louder or more than once, but he needed to be out there slamming it home, every day. His stance during all this dithering should've been "Put Rahm on the ballot and let me at him!" You know Chico's people were working behind the scenes with everyone else trying to bump Rahm off the ballot, exploring every possibility, etc, but it's not as though any public pronouncements would've affected the board's final decision. I just can't fathom why nobody did this, why nobody was more vocal. They were either cowed by Rahm, were afraid that this sentiment might somehow sway the residency decision, or were afraid that it would later come out that one of their people were actively working with Odelson to knock Rahm off, while they were on TV imploring the opposite (I'm assuming that each main candidate had SOMEONE working this angle). I'm certain that an astute politician or an aid brought this up to one or more of the candidates, but it got shot down. It's a no-brainer.

[Chicago103]

Originally Posted by ametz

Yes, my point exactly. Chico may have said it, may have said it a little louder or more than once, but he needed to be out there slamming it home, every day. His stance during all this dithering should've been "Put Rahm on the ballot and let me at him!" You know Chico's people were working behind the scenes with everyone else trying to bump Rahm off the ballot, exploring every possibility, etc, but it's not as though any public pronouncements would've affected the board's final decision. I just can't fathom why nobody did this, why nobody was more vocal. They were either cowed by Rahm, were afraid that this sentiment might somehow sway the residency decision, or were afraid that it would later come out that one of their people were actively working with Odelson to knock Rahm off, while they were on TV imploring the opposite (I'm assuming that each main candidate had SOMEONE working this angle). I'm certain that an astute politician or an aid brought this up to one or more of the candidates, but it got shot down. It's a no-brainer.

Well every single time somebody asked Chico what he thought about the Rahm residency issue he said basically "Neither me nor anyone on my campaign will challenge Mr. Emmanuel's residency". It wouldn't surprise me to hear he might have been asked that question daily. On the stump he only criticizes Emmanuel based on policy positions and the fact he is avoiding candidate forums. If he were to bring up the residency issue on the stump everyday when not asked and say something like "please put Rahm on the ballot" to me that would be so superficial to the point of absurdity. Then again maybe I am not normal, maybe there are masses of voters that want to hear absurd superficiality and also given that even a Gery Chico needs a loudspeaker and cannon to be heard in the Rahm-centric media maybe he could have said more.

At the same time I also think there is something to be said to the theory that Chico was saying it enough its just that the media didn't make a big enough story out of it. I mean just the other day a reporter asked Chico if he thought Emmanuel would make a good mayor and he gave a good calm reply ("there are a lot of good candidates....") but come on! I mean are people really that sensitive about Rahm Emmanuel that its now a bad thing for his political opponents to say anything but "oh yeah he would be a GREAT mayor"?!

[Steely Dan]

Court ruling likely next week in Rahm Emanuel ballot spot lawsuit
December 28, 2010
Posted by John Chase at 1:32 p.m.

A Cook County judge is expected to rule next week whether former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel will stay on the ballot for Chicago mayor.

At a hearing today, Judge Mark J. Ballard said attorneys for Emanuel and citizens objecting to his placement on the ballot will argue their case next Tuesday morning. A decision is likely to follow quickly.

Veteran election lawyer Burt Odelson said the entire case should be finished Tuesday and will only involve arguments from lawyers and no witnesses. That's very different from the somewhat chaotic hearings two weeks ago at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, which ruled Emanuel should stay on the ballot.

full article: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clou...in-rahm-emanuel-ballot-spot-lawsuit.html

[Steely Dan]

and just like that, BAM! race card played.

stay classy, danny davis, you adorably anachronistic dinosaur.



Mayoral hopeful Danny Davis doesn't want Bill Clinton coming to Chicago for Rahm Emanuel
December 28, 2010
Posted by John Chase at 3:50 p.m.

Chicago mayoral candidate Danny Davis today called on President Bill Clinton not to come to town to campaign for Rahm Emanuel, suggesting the former president's good relationships with African-Americans are at risk.

Davis, a veteran West Side congressman, said he is “seriously concerned and disturbed” by the news Emanuel’s campaign released a few days ago that Clinton would travel to Chicago next month to support his former aide. Emanuel worked in the Clinton White House during the 1990s.

“The African-American community has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Clintons, however it appears as though some of that relationship maybe fractured and perhaps even broken should former President Clinton come to town and participate overtly in efforts to thwart the legitimate political aspirations of Chicago’s black community,” Davis said in a statement. “We respectfully request and urge former President Clinton not to become involved in the Chicago mayoral election.”

full article: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clou...-coming-to-chicago-for-rahm-emanuel.html

[Nowhereman1280]

^^^ Does that make Obama and oreo traitor if he supports Rahm? I'll be curious to see if he ever makes a formal endorsement. I doubt he will since many people would frown upon the president getting involved in a non-partisan local election.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

“The African-American community has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Clintons, however it appears as though some of that relationship maybe fractured and perhaps even broken should former President Clinton come to town and participate overtly in efforts to thwart the legitimate political aspirations of Chicago’s black community,” Davis said in a statement. “We respectfully request and urge former President Clinton not to become involved in the Chicago mayoral election.”

^ That's right.

"The African-American community deserves the right to not have to face any real life competition in any of their endeavors, and if you are to stand in the way of that, you shall feel the scorn of our community"

...is essentially what he is saying, and is basically the message a prominent black leader is passing on to the young ones in his community. Way to go, Mr. Davis

[OhioGuy]

Danny Davis has shown his true colors. Clinton wouldn't be coming to Chicago to stump for Rahm unless he believed strongly enough in Rahm's ability to handle the job. But apparently taking a stand means he's against the black community.

I wonder if some of the other candidates will claim that Clinton is against the Hispanic community or against Christians for supporting Emanuel, the non-Hispanic Jewish candidate? I'm doubting it.

[Steely Dan]

^ even if his campaign had a glimmer of hope left, it's all gone now. Danny Davis will not be the next mayor of Chicago. That kind of civil rights era bunker mentality rhetoric may still play to a subset of Chicago's black community, but it's absolutely toxic as far as the rest of the electorate goes.

[Chicago103]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ even if his campaign had a glimmer of hope left, it's all gone now. Danny Davis will not be the next mayor of Chicago. That kind of civil rights era bunker mentality rhetoric may still play to a subset of Chicago's black community, but it's absolutely toxic as far as the rest of the electorate goes.

Agreed, Danny Davis dug his own grave here politically. If anything this makes candidates that are not playing the race card like Chico look better, not to mention Rahm himself.

[Steely Dan]

^ agreed. In fact, right now would be the perfect opportunity for Chico, or Del Valle, or Braun to come out with a strong statement saying something to the effect of:

"I fully welcome bill Clinton to come to chicago and campaign for any mayoral candidate he so chooses. We live in a free and open democracy and I vow not to stoop to the tactics of race-baiting or any of the cynical politics of the old way of doing things to intimidate anyone from exercising their free rights. According to the polls some observers may say that I have a tough challenge ahead of me, but I welcome and relish that challenge because no one ever gets to the top of the mountain by taking short cuts or by making excuses for themselves. Bill Clinton may choose to campaign on behalf of one of my opponents, but I am convinced that as the voters of Chicago continue to learn about my vision for the future of our great city, they will agree that I am the leader our city needs right now to move us forward in this new century.