'Beirut-On-the-Lake' Memory Looms as Chicago Absorbs Daley Exit

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Thursday, September 9, 2010 (SF Gate)
'Beirut-On-the-Lake' Memory Looms as Chicago Absorbs Daley Exit
Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- The late Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko
correctly predicted what would happen after the city's first Mayor Daley
died of a heart attack in office a few days before Christmas in 1976.
"They'll be kicking and gouging, grabbing and tripping, elbowing and
kneeing to grab all, or a thin sliver of the power he left behind," he
wrote in a column after Richard J. Daley's death that became the
introduction of his book, "Boss." A similar scenario began to unfold after
Mayor Richard M. Daley this week told the third-largest U.S. city that he
wouldn't seek a seventh term, creating a void that Rahm Emanuel, President
Barack Obama's chief of staff, has said he'd love to fill. Politicians,
business leaders and residents expressed hope that this latest Daley
departure won't create political chaos. Chicago can't afford it, facing an
estimated $654.7 million deficit in its $3.39 billion budget for 2011 and
a metropolitan unemployment rate of 10.5 percent in July. "During these
very difficult economic times, the last thing that the 50 aldermen need to
do is permit that type of rhetoric to emerge," said Jerry Roper, president
of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "Business leaders are going to
rally around someone that can keep this city connected globally, someone
who is a leader, someone who is a fiscal conservative." Daley Reign A
Daley has run Chicago for 42 of the past 55 years. Younger voters have
never known a mayor by another name. The period when a Daley wasn't at the
helm during the past half century was marked by political turmoil and
racial tension. Seven years after the elder Daley's death, the city
entered a time residents called the Council Wars. The Wall Street Journal
dubbed the city "Beirut on the Lake," a reference to the political
infighting in a city that sits on Lake Michigan. The 1983 election of
Harold Washington, the city's first black mayor, led to years of political
gridlock, pitting most white aldermen against a coalition of black,
Hispanic and so- called lakefront liberals. As Daley, 68, presided
yesterday over his first City Council meeting as a lame-duck politician,
aldermen considering mayoral bids posed for television cameras in a
conference room behind the council chambers. "An opportunity like this, in
Chicago, only comes around once every generation," said Alderman Joseph
Moore, a potential candidate. "So you would have to be foolish not to at
least take a look at it and make an assessment about whether you are able
to come up with the resources and support necessary to make a credible
run." Racial Politics Moore said he isn't concerned about a repeat of the
racial politics that emerged during the 1980s. "I think we've gone beyond
that," he said. "Not to say race isn't a factor, of course it is. But is
it the kind of incendiary factor that it was in elections past? No, I
don't think so." Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the
University of Illinois at Chicago, said he is skeptical of a candidacy by
Emanuel, a former Chicago congressman. "He doesn't have automatic clout,"
he said. "Not everyone is going to salute and line up to support him."
Alderman Ed Smith also dismissed suggestions that Emanuel, 50, would be an
automatic frontrunner. "How do you all, first of all, give Rahm the key?"
he asked reporters. "There's all kind of people in Chicago. We have
aldermen here who are talking about running, so how can you just say,
'Rahm is the man?'" Divisive Vote Smith said he's not concerned about a
scenario where multiple black and Hispanic candidates would divide the
vote in a city where non-Hispanic whites account for 32 percent of the
population. "I think the black community, if they want a candidate, they
have to find a candidate, just like the white community," he said. Moore,
who estimated it will take $2 million to run a credible campaign, said
voters will be more concerned about finding someone to govern in an "open
and accountable fashion." A frequent critic of Daley, Moore said he
expects aldermen will have more open discussions, more compromise and "a
lot fewer aldermen who are just going to look to the mayor's office on the
fifth floor to decide how to vote." Moore also said the city's fiscal
situation may be "even worse" than the most recent estimates show.
'Toughest Budget' "This budget is probably the toughest budget that this
mayor has ever faced and in fact this city has ever faced, at least since
the Great Depression," he said. "There aren't any more rabbits to pull out
of the hat." Alderman Toni Preckwinkle said the city could use a boost of
democracy following the 21-year tenure of a man who is often described as
ruling with an iron fist. "Council Wars weren't chaos," Preckwinkle said.
"It was democracy at its best, if you ask me. Democracy is messy and
contentious and sloppy." Preckwinkle predicted a dozen or more candidates
will compete for Daley's job and that the Feb. 22 election will be
followed by an April 5 runoff. "This is going to go to April and the two
strongest, whoever they are, will be in a really brutal battle," she said.
Daley sought to calm fears during a news conference yesterday, telling
reporters he remained active and in charge. He said he was confident he
could have won re-election. No-Lose Situation "I knew I was not going to
lose," he said. "Don't say I'm arrogant." Since his announcement, Daley
said he had spoken with Obama, Emanuel, former Vice President Al Gore,
Oprah Winfrey, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and David Axelrod, a senior
presidential aide and former campaign adviser to Daley. "They all called
and just thanked me for 21 years of public service," the mayor said. "We
did not get into politics." Daley said he didn't plan to endorse anyone in
the race and declined to speculate about Emanuel's possible bid. "I think
there will be a lot of candidates," he said. "This is the best job in
America." Robert Gibbs, White House press secretary, said Emanuel's
colleagues in the administration know of his long interest in the mayor's
job. "I have no doubt that he'll take some time to think about what he
wants to do with his future," Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One as
Obama traveled to an Ohio appearance yesterday. "His focus right now is on
his job as chief of staff."--With assistance from Darrell Preston in
Dallas. Editors: Flynn McRoberts, Bob Drummond. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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