Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley will be vulnerable in the 2011 Municipal Elections. Let us count the ways. Chicago Sun Times reporter and City Hall veteran Fran Spielman did in a recent story.
The city's parking meter privatization fiasco drove Daley's approval rating to an all-time low -- and most of the $1.15 billion windfall was drained to fill a massive budget shortfall.
Daley's Olympic dream went up in first-round flames. Chicago learned it's losing talk-show icon Oprah Winfrey, two major trade shows at McCormick Place and the $2.5 billion deal that would have privatized Midway Airport.
One of Daley's staunchest City Council supporters was indicted after wearing a wire for more than a year. A former top mayoral aide was convicted. Another committed suicide.
Yes, the parking meter fiasco. The Chicago Olympic dream where he managed to drag President Obama into the picture. Oprah Winfrey retiring. Trade shows leaving town. Midway Airport. Indictments. Even suicide, according to Spielman.
And now there is this loose talk about Rahm Emanuel ready to jump into the 2011 Municipal race as a candidate for Mayor. The plan, according to Sally Quinn of the Washington Post, is to serve for 18 months as the President's Chief-of-Staff.
Emanuel is said to have told people that the chief-of-staff role is an 18-month job and that he is considering a run for mayor of Chicago.
The item was buried deep into her column as if to say, "Oh, by the way, did you hear that Rahm Emanuel is running for Mayor of Chicago as soon as he is through helping the President, he's gonna be Mayor of Chicago." Rahm Emanuel is a close political and personal confidant of Mayor Daley, so if he is actually loose talking like that, it must have been discussed.
And the only conclusion that can be drawn from all this is that Mayor Richard M. Daley has already decided to call it a career soon.
And that, I would argue, would be a very good idea.
I have been supportive of the Mayor all these years and believe he has accomplished a great deal. It appears now, that it is time for change in Chicago government.
Many of the changes Daley made starting back in 1989, were the right changes and he was a breath of fresh air after a period of uncertainty following the death of Mayor Harold Washington. He implemented a critically-acclaimed community policing program, reformed the public school system, beautified the city by planting thousands of trees, improving the city bond rating, and decorating medians on public streets, among his many accomplishments.
In recent years the negatives are continuing to pile up and weigh heavily on Daley and on the citizens of Chicago. Richard M. Daley would be remembered for all these great accomplishments if he bows out gracefully. But, if he overstays his welcome, that great legacy could be wiped out. We hope that Daley will choose wisely.
Chicago City Hall Examiner and The Chicago Grassroots Political Examiner.
John is the author of an upcoming book that discusses the early years of Barack Obama in a narrative first-person account, Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it.
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