"Playin' Fast" In The Mayor's Race

  Gery Chico and Rahm Emanuel offered a "clinic" this week on the tactics necessary to survive the Chicago mayor's race.  

  The other candidates should take notice or risk "catching the vapors".

  Chico planned some time ago to appear Tuesday afternoon at Kelly High School--the former Chicago School Board president''s alma mater--to announce his "education plan".   Chico's new age "chicken in every pot" included the promise that every CPS high school student would be provided a laptop computer by the end of Chico's first term as mayor.

  Emanuel's handlers responded with offers of "one-on-one" interviews with the former Congressman and White House Chief of Staff.  We were advised early Tuesday the sessions would be to be held at the Dodge Elementary School on the city's west side.  Emanuel--without offering his comprehensive schools plan--countered Chico with promises of better teachers and more parental involvement as the centerpiece of his education program. 

  (The "one-on-one" offer turned out to be a joke; not much more than bait.  Each television reporter was given only 5-7 minutes with Emanuel)

  Candidates Miguel Del Valle, Carol Mosely-Braun, James Meeks and Danny Davis had no events to respond to Chico and were no-shows on the afternoon and evening news programs.

   Senator Meeks--who has made education reform the focus of his campaign--was performing his elected duties in Springfield Tuesday during the opening day of the General Assembly's "veto" session.   

   U.S. Congressman Davis was in Washington doing his job at the Capitol. 

  If Meeks, Davis, Mosely-Braun and Del Valle expect to remain competitive, they'll have to stay abreast of each other's major campaign events and make themselves available to respond when necessary.   All should have at least e-mailed statements in response to Chico.

  The event also highlighted what could be a campaign problem for sitting lawmakers Meeks and Davis. 

  The mayoral campaign will move into highest-gear in January and the first three weeks of February, just as the budget-challenged Illinois General Assembly begins in Springfield what could be its most critical regular session in decades.  Can Senator Meeks be in two places at the same time?

  And in Washington, where now-minority Democrats are "circling the wagons" to protect healthcare and financial reform legislation passed during the last session, Rep. Davis will be needed on Capitol Hill as much as he needs to be in Chicago campaigning for mayor.

  Rahm Emanuel apparently had advance information about Gery Chico's event and made sure he would get a piece of Chico's "earned media" on education reform.

  Emanuel gets it.

  They play fast in the big leagues.

 

 

   

Comments

[Lloyd Coward]

Why is it that when reporters mention the perceived front running candidates in this mayorality they don't mention the legitimate candidacacy of William "Dock" Walls?

He is willing and ready to openly tell the public, as well as other candidates who eagerly await to commandere the planks from his platform. Certainly he can articulate exactly what the citizens need in terms of putting people into sustainable jobs, governmental and CPS reform, and representing the citizens' agenda above and against those of corporations.

Are you afraid to give him a fair opportunity to speak to the public? If you are honest with a reply, remember to be mindful in that God is watching!