Explain please - Obama and Richard M. Daley

[jacksonian]

In 2007 Daley ran for mayoral re-election in Chicago. It was a key race, Daley was facing corruption charges and was feeding millions of dollars out of the city treasury to real-estate developers. A win in this election would set him up for life. A coalition of Hispanics and blacks began to be formed to challenge Daley, and a bid by Rep. Gutierrez was floated. He was interested.

Then the wind was taken out of the sails of this effort by an very early Obama endorcement of Daley. Daley knew a Hispanic-Black coalition would never get off the ground in the face of Obama's support, got to Obama, who was glad to quid pro quo. In the face of no support from the biggest black politician in Illinios the drive floundered, and Gutierrez withdrew from the race. Daley cruised to re-election.

Daley, I might add, is one of the most pro-war Dems in the country, and one of the most RW when combared to his constituents. Ever since his legal troubles started Daley has really expanded his use of TiFs to give city tax money earmrked for things like education to private developers. Obama didn't even wait to see if the stop Daley movement had any legs - he chopped it off at the knees as quickly as Daley wished. I never expected him to get on the anti-Daley bandwagon - to be real it was a politcal longshot at best - but to quash it so readily so early, giving it no chance to come together, well, it smacks bigtime of politcal expediency.

Today I see Daley advisors, like Axelrod, all over the Obama campaign. And Daley's federal court-imposed hiring restrictions have weirdly gone away, with the judge just last month, after years of overseeing the city hiring, reversing herself and ruling that restrictions are no longer the proper use of the law even though nothing - the hiring practices - has really changed. A rather odd ruling, thinks me.

Or maybe not. Anyway, can someone please explain why Obama likes Daley so much? I notice the argument Daleys have been running Chicago corruptly since the Eisenhower days didn't seem to carry much weight, nor did Daley's decidely pro-war position.

edited to change Daley middle initial.

[madrchsod]

1. i doubt they do

in chicago to survive one has to at least act friendly for one`s self interest...fitzgerald is still looking at daley but can`t get to him

[jacksonian]

3. but look, who's the corrupt mayor and whos the popular Senator?

The question is really why didn't he just wait until the others at least had a chance to organize and test waters? Why do just exactly what Daley wanted? An endorsement could have always come later, what would Daley do, complain?

It doesn't make progressive sense to me.

[papau]

2. it's pay back for Daley making Obama a Federal Senator via defeating the Hynes Chicago machine in

the Dem Primary.

We have a Chicago Daley Machine small step get along with the GOP fellow getting the "defeat the DLC" college/leisure time college/and self employed crowd very liberal vote.

Amusing if you step back and enjoy the game without really caring about the outcome.

[jacksonian]

4. and look who lost in the quid pro quo

people of Chicago facing record tax hikes and the Daley people elected for life.

[jacksonian]

5. hmm, funny the Obama people are ignoring this

I am still looking for something where Obama fought corruption and did something about it. The 2007 mayoral election was a good test, in my book he failed it. Maybe I am missing something?

[Occam Bandage]

7. Try the ethics reforms he sponsored and passed in the Senate--the most comprehensive since

Watergate.

[DaLittle Kitty]

25. THIS IS Being Ignored Because of The Corporatist MSM... This Crap Will come Out In The General....

The Squeaky Clean Candidate Was Edwards... NOW.. we are stuck w/ the MAX BAGGAGE candidates... Not My fault Koolaide drinkers!

[jackson_dem]

52. Good question, but they refuse to admit that St. Obama has a record

[Occam Bandage]

6. Wait. You're asking why Barack Obama didn't challenge Daley?

:rofl:

You're not familiar with Chicago politics, are you?

[jacksonian]

12. I live in Chicago

and have for 23 years. I know city politics like the back of my hand.

No, am not asking why he didn't challenge Daley. I'm asking why he made it impossible for anyone else to. He didn't need to support anyone anti-Daley, all he had to do was stay quiet for a little while and give people a chance to gather support. It was the fair thing to do for his constituents. He didn't do it.

I don't understand giving such a corrupt pro-war politician a total electoral pass. Obama was the instrument that did that.

[Occam Bandage]

15. So do I. And you and I both know

that in Chicago politics, you do not get ahead unless you play the game when the game wants you to play it. Realistically, Daley isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and he certainly isn't going to go down to a Democratic challenger. He has too much power in the party, and patronage and support are too important. Obama's support of Daley didn't change a thing when it came to Daley's electoral "chances," and it kept him in the good graces of the people he used to propel himself into the Senate.

[jacksonian]

17. when he did this Obama was already in the Senate

and I disagree. Obama's endorcement stopped anyone from even thinking about runnig. Obama is the most respected politician in Illinois. Way more than Daley. And all those people tying to gather around Gutierrez were big Obama supporters.

And now look at Obama's weakness with Hispanics in this cycle. Perhaps cold-shouldering Hispanic political organizations here and cutting the rug out from Gutierrez doesn't help him in that regard?

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

8. I should clarify...

Richard J. Daley is the elder of the two, and served from 1955-1976. The current mayor is Richard M. Daley, who has served since 1989.

Sorry to split hairs. :)

[jacksonian]

13. you are right

[Enrique]

9. Obama was still in Hawaii when Richard J. Daley died

i think you mean Richard M. Daley. :-)

[IndieLeft]

10. Daley didn't need Obama

Daley isn't going anywhere until he decides to. Call him corrupt... but he does a hell of a job with this city.

I lived in Detroit for 5 years before I came to Chicago. Let me tell you, there is no comparison between the two.

I can go out at night, and not worry. The streets are clean. The city is beautiful. There is tons to do.

Yeah, Daly might be corrupt, and Obama might have endorsed him, but quite frankly, I don't care. He does a good job. He keeps the people here happy. It's just Chicago Politics.

[ieoeja]

11. Just part of the machine politics.

Nothing new or exciting to that. Also, for the record Richard's brother, William, took over the floundering Gore campaign late in 2000 and brought it back to win (Florida cheating aside). So they are a pretty good bunch to have backing you if you want to win. Obviously better than the old Clinton team.


FYI: as a correction to your OP, Daley was/is not facing corruption charges.

As to "running Chicago corruptly since the Eisenhower days", Old Man Daley was one of the most heavily investigated politicians in history. And those investigating him, particularly Mike Royko, concluded Daley was clean as a whistle.

The valid criticism of the old man would be that he did not do his job when it came to policing his own. He did nothing to stop the crooks around him. On the flip side, he didn't help them either.


As to Richard M. Daley, yeah, he is just about as rightwing as it gets. Privatize everything so you can blame all problems on the company you hired, instead of taking responsibility for making everything work himself. He even privatized an Interstate highway! You know Republicans had to be green with envy when he pulled that one. Sort of a Nixon/China moment: only a Democrat could privatize an Interstate highway. Had a Republican been the first to try that, we would have screamed to high heavens about how utterly insane it was.

His son, Patrick, at least has the decency to openly admit being a Republican.

[jacksonian]

14. Daley is still under federal court order

relating to city hiring practices.

[ieoeja]

18. You mean the city, county and state are under federal court order.

The suit was filed in 1969. It was resolved in '72 under Old Man Daley then modified in '79 and '83 under Harold Washington. No major changes have been made to the hiring rules since Richard M. Daley's election in '89.

http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1138.html

Was this intended to back up your claim that Richard M. Daley was facing charges of corruption last year? Because a court order and a charge of corruption are hardly the same thing.

[Occam Bandage]

16. Nothing--but nothing--sums up Daley to me like this.

[ieoeja]

20. While I agree with shuting it down, he should have done it correctly.

He is extraordinarily imperious. Can you imagine Daley as President?

:scared:

[theboss]

21. I don't think any Daley has ever wanted national office

They all seem to believe that being monarch of Chicago is a much better job than anything else available.

[apnu]

24. Sure it is, Chicago is easy to understand and deal with.

Even state politics (such as they are) are easier to deal with than the national mess. Daley the Planter is smart enough to know when he's got it good.

[mopinko]

26. everyone wants a dem with balls, then they hate it when

they use them. the day he did that was the day i became a daley fan for life. fulfilling the burnham plan was the best thing that has happened to chicago in a hundred years, with the exception of the election of harold washington.

[apnu]

23. Right on, its all about the machine. You have to live with it to truly understand it. (nt)

[theboss]

19. Who in their right mind would challenge a Daley in Chicago?

I'm not saying it is noble or ignoble. But if you decide to take on the Daleys, you are basically choosing your destiny. If Obama wanted to be a marginalized "reform" politician, he could have taken on Daley....lost like everyone loses to the Daleys....and been marginalized as a fringe element for the rest of his career.

Or he can be a realist. In Chicago, the realists have won every election since Mrs. O'Leary's cow.

[jacksonian]

27. nobody had to take on Daley

So you're saying without Daley's pro-war, anti-little guy backing Obama would never be running today?

Shoot, he wants Hillary to buck the vast majority of voters in NY on the IWR vote (who were 80% in favor at the time), but Daley is too big a force to be moved?

[theboss]

31. I don't think I would go that far

But I will say that pissing off a Daley is not a good way to have a long-lasting political career in Illinois.

I honestly think that any Democrat needs to just accept Chicago politics for what it is at this point. Chicago voters have had since 1955 to change things. You get half a century with me. After that, you live with your choices.

[BlackVelvet04]

28. Doesn't bode too well for him taking on the rightwing machine. n/t

[theboss]

32. The right-wing machine can't make him a dark-horse for city alderman

Daley can.

I admit that it's sad in a lot of ways, but 1) Daley is actually a very good mayor and 2) Chicago is Chicago. What ultimately would be the point of taking him on when he is unbeatable on that turf?

Whatever the right-wing machine is - and I honestly don't really know what you are talking about - it's power is laughable compared to the power of the Daley Machine inside borders of Cook County. You might as well ask Obama why he hasn't cured cancer yet.

[BlackVelvet04]

35. Being present doesn't impress me..... n/t

[jacksonian]

38. missrepresenting my point

He didn't need to take anyone on. I said that right out in the OP. But shitting on anyone who does when Obama had the politcal cover to stay out was not taking anyone on, it was the exact opposite of that. It was admitting whose pocket he was in.

Obama has no need of the Daley machine to get elcted or do anything he wants in Illinois. It's Daley who needed Obama, not the other way around. To increase his sway over the Daley machine, all Obama had to do was not endorce until closer to the election - that is wise politics, even Chicago-style wise politics. That was the reality in 2007.

[Nailzberg]

22. RIchard J Daley died in 1976

And even so, Richard M Daley was already elected for life. He's handily won election in 1989, '91, '95, '99, and '03, so it's ridiculous to credit Obama for getting him reelected '07.

As far as the Senate race, Daley did not back Obama. He has asked multimillionaire Blair Hull to run against Peter Fitzgerald. When Fitzgerald announced he would not seek reelection, and the democratic primary field grew, Daley declined to back anyone. His brother John endorsed Dan Hynes. Richie's chief of staff, Gery Chico, was seeking the seat himself.

[jacksonian]

30. middle initial corrected in OP

nothing you said explains why he rolled over so nicely when the time came. He didn't/doesn't need Daley. Daley needed him to thwart the oppositon.

The key here is why he didn't wait just a little instead of delivering exactly what Daley wanted.

[JVS]

42. "No sir, Mayor Daly no longer dines here. He's dead sir."

[mopinko]

29. daley won with 70% of the vote and deserved to.

obama had nothing to fucking do with it. man, talk about grasping at straws. tarring someone for being associated with some of the greatest dems in american history? yeah, keep lookin'. this dog ain't gonna hunt, either.

[jacksonian]

33. I ain't hunting dogs

I am looking at Obama's political character. If he can't do anything but play nice with Daley I have a hard time seeing his progressive bonafides.

Shoot, every statewide politican in Ill runs as far away from from Daley as they can. Ususally that's the key to win the state - I'm not with Richard. Not Obama.

Greatest Dems in American history? Daley? You need medication bad.

[theboss]

37. So why did Gutierrez endorse Daley?

Why did Bobby Rush endorse him?

The people who are actually his so-called rivals endorse him. Yet, Obama is to blame?

[jacksonian]

39. because after knees were cut off

he had little recourse. Which was the point of the Obama endorcement.

[theboss]

43. Aren't they bigger cowards then?

They didn't need to flat-out endorse.

[jacksonian]

48. after Obama's endorcement chopped off the movement

Gutierrez is not a statewide politician and needs a less than adversarial relationship with city hall to stay a viable politcal force in the city. Once there was no backing, he saw no need to be branded the anti-Daley, and instead of having whispering campaigns balmed on him, he backed the mayor.

If Gutierrez was running for Pres, this might be a point. Might, mind you because the situation on the ground had changed by then - but then he's not running for Pres. Gutierrez caved to overwhelming political reality, the reality that was created by Obama's premature endorcement.

The facts on the ground at the time made Gutierrez' endorcement necessary politcally. The facts months earlier were different facts and made Obama's endorcement look like a a sell-out.

[theboss]

49. Or maybe it was just an endorsement

Is thinking that Daley is the best mayor for Chicago (which is probably true) and that being friendly with Daley is good for an Illinois political career (definitely true) a sell-out?

Maybe Obama actually views Daley as the best option?

[mopinko]

41. yes, the greatest.

i don't really care what you think. i happen to have been around a long time, and have never seen this city more vibrant and booming. or run more fairly. perfect? no. i doubt such a thing exists. getting better every day? sorry to disappoint you, but yes.
singling out obama is just plain stupid. and desperate.

[jacksonian]

45. you love these tax increases, right?

And your position on TiFs is those poor developers need the money even if have to starve the schools and infrastructure to do it, right? And those fair, fair, Chicago cops that Daley keeps covering up for?

Chicago's a nice city, and a good place to live. Whether that's Daley's doing is argumentative - I tend to think Daley ha a good first couple of terms, but now is politically lazy and drifting into "corruption because you can't get me anymore", but we're not supposed to be getting into that here. Point is, it was sellout politics for Obama not to at least wait a little and give his supporters a little room to see what they could do, and Obama is the subject of the day.

It was the Chicago equivalent of superdelegates deciding the race for the machine.

[mopinko]

51. i think tiffs are a great economic development tool

it would be nice if they were more transparent. but i think they work fine, and are smart. i have yet to see what i think is an honest evaluation, one that includes the tax revenue from areas adjacent to the tiffs. i think that would show them to be a net revenue increase.
i am, personally, sick and tired of seeing dems slimed for imagined crimes in bush's america. when i drive through downtown chicago, i am proud to be a dem. when i drive through neighborhood after neighborhood, and see new housing, new business, new infrastructure, i am proud to be a dem. and am not so spiteful as to look at that and resent people who are making money. drive around the city, why don't you? count the new schools, count the new libraries, count the thriving businesses.
and i got no problem with paying taxes. they are being well spent in my opinion. ymmv.

[theboss]

34. By the way, what does it matter if a mayor is pro war?

Daley is not his old man. His dad actually had the power nationally to prolong a war, because he could pick a nominee. The son does not have that kind of power. He can only be a cheerleader nationally.

[stillcool]

36. sounds like politics...

Obama and the Illinois Political Machine
By DEANNA BELLANDI, Associated Press Writer
Monday, February 26, 2007
(02-26) 11:22 PST CHICAGO, (AP) --
Democrat Barack Obama piled on the praise last month as he stood beside Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and embraced the mayor's bid for a sixth term.
"I don't think there's a city in America that has blossomed as much over the last couple of decades than Chicago, and a lot of that has to do with our mayor," Obama said, supporting Daley ahead of Tuesday's city election.
It was a switch from a year earlier, when the Illinois senator brushed off questions about endorsing Daley and said reported corruption at Chicago's City Hall gave him "huge pause."

What happened in the meantime? Obama decided to run for president.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
While Obama prides himself as an independent-minded Democrat, he's maintained relations with important parts of the establishment, from remnants of the legendary Chicago Democratic machine to the city's leading black politicians.

Yet as an outsider who came to the city as an adult, he doesn't owe his political fortunes to ward bosses and can claim distance from the political corruption for which the city is famous. He's ruffled feathers in the past by taking on incumbents or bucking his party's anointed candidate in a statewide race, but he has also mended fences and now has Illinois' most important politicians lined up to support his run for president.
--------------------
Rush said Daley, for one, can be helpful to Obama because of his national reputation. Daley's brother, William, who headed Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000, has already signed on as an Obama adviser.
-------------------------
Yet Obama still didn't always stick to the party line, most notably last year when he rejected the party-backed candidate for state treasurer to support a political newcomer, putting him at odds with the state Democratic chairman, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago.
--------------------------------------------
Attorney Gery Chico, the Daley former chief of staff who lost to Obama in the 2004 Senate primary, said Obama has been under increasing pressure to play a role in local races and it's smart for him to get in the mix.
"You don't want to go the route of Al Gore," Chico said. Gore famously didn't win his home state of Tennessee in his failed bid for president in 2000.

This article was originally published on February 1, 2007 for The Nation.
Obama's Media Maven
-----------------------------------------
Axelrod is known for becoming close to his candidates, and indeed, he has become Obama's closest political adviser, talking strategy daily and producing the two videos recently posted to Obama's website. Reclining in a chair in his Chicago office the week before Obama announced the formation of his presidential exploratory committee, Axelrod was subdued, seemingly exhausted, but intense and hyperarticulate. Like Obama he speaks with what can seem a refreshing frankness, though just a few hours later, going over my notes, it was clear that he had remained scrupulously on message.

Axelrod's firm, AKP Media, which he runs with his partners John Kupper and David Plouffe, has handled a series of high-profile national and state campaigns, from John Edwards's 2004 presidential run to Tom Vilsack's and Eliot Spitzer's gubernatorial races; but for much of its two decades the firm's bread and butter has been mayoral races, with a particularly strong track record in electing black candidates. Indeed, ever since working on the re-election campaign of Chicago's Harold Washington in 1987, Axelrod has developed something of a novel niche for a political consultant: helping black politicians convince white voters to support them. With Obama's bid for the presidency, Axelrod's skill in this area will face the ultimate test.
Christopher Hayes is the Washington, D.C. Editor of The Nation.
http://www.chrishayes.org/articles/obamas-media-maven /

[jacksonian]

40. And I guess you're saying all this scratching other's backs

would never have happened if Obama had waited two months to endorce Daley?

Poppycock. The real story is that Obama caved to Daley's wishes. Bigtime. The question isn't whether or not he should have supported Daley, but when. Because the real independent politcian would have waited a little longer and still gotten what he wanted, with better feelings from those on the other side, too. He threw away a little point he could have been making to Hispanic voters today.

[theboss]

44. What other side?

Daley got 70 percent of the vote in .
Obama got 70 percent of the vote.

Who exactly is opposed to them?

[jacksonian]

47. Well, neither had any real competiton

or maybe you're thinking Alan Keyes was a tough race.

You really think Illinois is 70% Dem? No way Daley would have had 70% running against Gutierrez, but we'll never know, will we?

We're not referending on the 2007 mayoral race. The question is why did Obama do what he did? He sold out to Daley is the most logical answer.

[stillcool]

46. I'm not saying anything...

I believe the article speaks for itself. I'm sure there are some who are very offended by his choice.

[hill08]

50. judging by

his backers, Obama's administration promises to be one of the most corrupt

[theboss]

53. Christ, a Daley ran Gore's campaign

And he's a saint here.

The Daleys are not personally corrupt. They never have been.

The problem with the Daleys is that they tend to have a blind eye towards corruption among their backers. Obama has never shown that tendency.

There is no problem in using the Daley and the Daley Machine as long as you realize that it is a weapon that is dangerous for the user. I trust Obama to be mindful of that.

You know, if the Clintons new approach is get holier than thou about their associates, this campaign will go down the toilet in a hurry.

[Yossariant]

54. Daley's campaign manager has endorsed Obama today. David Wilhelm also managed

Blagojevich's campaign.