STUMP » Articles » Chicago's Rahm Blames Poor Numbers on Shitty Economy (and not Dem Legend Daley) » 17 August 2014, 15:38

I won’t mind losing my election. Those grapes were probably sour anyway.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Thursday blamed the economic squeeze on the middle class for his 35 percent showing in a Chicago Tribune poll that also shows him trailing Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis.

The Tribune’s findings are similar to the results of a Chicago Sun-Times poll that showed the mayor with 29 percent support overall and only 8 percent from African-Americans. The Sun-Times also did a more recent head-to-head poll that put Lewis in the lead in a one-on-one race.

“There’s tremendous economic stress in people’s lives, which is why I’ve pushed for the minimum wage, which is why I’ve pushed for policies to make sure our small businesses have a fair chance and an equal chance with big companies,” the mayor said.

“You have to have a set of policies in place — from pre-K to community colleges to playgrounds to parks to after-school activities — to give everybody a chance to not just look at the gains, but know that they have a future in those gains. We’re not where we need to be. We’re not repeating the mistakes that got us into the problems. But we’re not at the pace or place we need to be where everybody’s feeling an opportunity that they have a chance at a middle-class job.”

Of course, not all that long ago, Rahm had some self-awareness:

Three months ago, Emanuel responded to his dismal showing in the Sun-Times poll by acknowledging that he had alienated some Chicago voters with his polarizing style.

The mayor said he would benefit politically from being “smoother around the edges,” adding, “Thank God the election is not today.”

…..
Compared to that rare moment of candor and self-reflection, Emanuel’s response to the Tribune poll sounded canned and rehearsed.

Frankly, his saving grace is that who the hell wants the shit job of mayor of Chicago?

Well, let’s check:

The first involves his refusal early on in his administration to do the politically smart and honest thing and explain to Chicago that the reason he was being forced to make unpopular decisions was due to one guy:

Former Mayor Richard M. Daley, Rahm’s benefactor.

Remember the White House bait-and-switch that brought Rahm to the fifth floor of City Hall?

Daley was in serious political trouble, the city turned against him, voters were sick of the corruption and the cost, and the scandalous parking meter deal was killing the former mayor.

The oligarchs — the money guys Rahm could always reach for Democratic political cash — realized that they could lose the city with Daley. And so the switch was made.

If he had done that, that would have meant poisoning the position for anybody. “Hey guys, the money has run out, it’s Daley’s fault and… well, nobody is going to have fun in this place.”

(Remember when mayor of Chicago was Obama’s dream job? Wouldn’t it be a hoot if he ran for that position (he’s not going to, but a black-hearted person can dream))

And Rahm was being forced to eat a scatological fiscal sandwich Daley had prepared for his successor.

But rather than brand the problem as Daley’s, Rahm did an amazing thing. He refused to mention Daley’s name. Even now, he vaguely refers to “the past” as if it had no name, no author. His discretion became so ridiculous that it’s mocked as “He Who Shall Not Be Named.”

Thing is, none of the Democrats can just out and blame Daley.

Because what Daley did is what they would love to be able to do themselves. They would like to pretend the good times are still rolling, so that maybe, just maybe, they could set up their own slush funds — I’m sure that’s why union boss Karen Lewis is eyeing the spot. Karen Lewis didn’t get where she is because she was a naif.

Lewis isn’t as wealthy as Emanuel, a multimillionaire who made his fortune during a short stint as an investment banker. But she makes more than $200,000 a year and has an ownership interest in three homes, records show.

That includes vacation homes in Hawaii and in the upscale “Harbor Country” area of southwestern Michigan, where Emanuel has a second home, property records show.

Lewis, 61, has said she has launched an informal exploratory committee in anticipation of a possible mayoral run in February’s election, when Emanuel will be seeking a second term. Last week, Lewis put the odds at “50-50” she will run.

It is pretty hilarious watching a couple really rich liberals try to compete on being more “of the people”.

Regarding her pay, Lewis said, “I’m not going to apologize for it. I don’t think that’s wrong. I did what we are told to do. You are supposed to go to school, become educated. I have an Ivy League diploma. I have two master’s degrees. I’m a board-certified teacher.”

Well, then, I guess she showed me. I have only one masters degree, and no Ivies to my name. I guess she really deserves that money. And I don’t.

(note: my total gross cash income is less than Lewis’s, but it’s not that much less. I do work for a governmental entity, part-time (UConn))

But let’s get back to Daley. I have written about Rahm’s run for mayor before, and his relationship to Daley. I had forgotten about a particular interlude at the beginning of his mayorship:

But hey – what’s this extra thing he wants to pay for?

‘Is Rahm nuts?

‘Mayor Rahm Emanuel today said the city has an obligation to pay for former Mayor Richard Daley’s legal defense if he is sued for alleged police brutality conspiracies that happened under former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge.

‘The city will not, however, run up unnecessary legal bills to defend Daley or Burge, Emanuel said.

‘“We’re not going to be reckless and let the meter run legally,” Emanuel said.

‘Really? Why don’t we stop this one before it even starts then.

‘Who was Daley working for when all of this allegedly occurred? Does Rahm even remember Daley’s title at the time?

‘•Cook County State’s Attorney

‘Chicago wasn’t employing him at the time, nor signing his checks. So what the hell is Rahm doing promising to pay for Daley’s alleged actions?’

To be sure, if it was when Daley was Cook County’s State Attorney he has absolute immunity, and my understanding is that the civil complaint is based on when Daley was mayor.

But frankly, I don’t see that with all this scrounging for spare change in Chicago’s couches, that Rahm can make a great case that the less-than-pristine Daley should be defended with the tax dollars of Chicago.

But I guess he’s hoping for the same courtesy when he’s ex-mayor.

Daley’s main activities of late have been excellently-timed medical issues. Maybe Rahm’s “help” was not needed.

But as I said back when Rahm was given the green light to run for mayor, despite obvious residency issues:

I still don’t know why he’s going for this.

If Daley is running away, you should take that as a sign that some serious shit is hitting the fan.

Rahm is not as smart as I thought. But I guess hooking himself to Obama’s star should have been a sign of that as well.

I don’t think Rahm is really very smart, because if he were, he’d realize not being mayor when the inevitable bankruptcy is declared would be a good thing.

Compilation of Chicago posts.