Quote:
Originally Posted by 10023
Not exactly a shining example of success as a precedent though. Popularity doesn’t mean anything really. It more highlights just how bad Preckwinkle is.
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The reason I think she will be successful is that she is actually an incredible leader. I saw it with my own eyes, she had everyone on the same page in the crowd. Cheering growth for business. Cheering an end to mistrust between the community and the police. Cheering a good education for every single child in the city. Hitting all the points that I mentioned above which are the real issues threatening the solvancy of this town. I mean you hear people on this forum all the time calling for Chicago to do something to attract more immigrants, she actually called for that. Not only that, but she called for more migrants (i.e. rich educated yuppies) as well.
This is the first time a mayor of Chicago has openly run on smashing the long-standing aldermanic privilege system. This is the first time in like 70 years someone not born and raised here has been elected. This is the first time in forever that someone who has never held elected office has won. This is the first time since Harold Washington that a mayor has won every single ethnic group in the city.
Most importantly this is perfect timing. Rahm made a lot of tough choices and did a lot of divisive heavy lifting to open cracks in the facade of clout and corruption in this town. Now we have a former federal prosecutor as mayor who has boldly threatened to basically have anyone and everyone who is corrupt arrested. This may very well be the end of machine politics in Chicago. That alone opens the door to finally leveling the playing field for everyone who wants to live, work, or do business here which is what this city really needs more than anything else.
PS, based on what I saw last night, Lori is headed for national politics at some point. She is almost Obama smooth in her style and message. If she can deliver two terms of real progress in Chicago I can see her becoming senator or someday trying for president.