Who Will Follow Daley -- Someday?
Another Daley post especially since he has just won re-election this year with just about 73% of the vote.
Governing.com's blog has a post about who might suceed Daley. In this post there are a few oddball names that have popped up as Daley's successor...
There's no heir apparent -- familial or otherwise -- although Governing's executive editor and Chicago native Alan Ehrenhalt reminds me that it wasn't clear early on that the younger Daley was capable of taking up his father's political mantle, either. To many observers, the more likely candidate was his brother Bill, but he went into law and business, eventually serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration.Hmm I don't know about all that. Especially Clinton, but what do you guys think will happen with Daley during his sixth term. Do you think he'll go for his seventh term? Do you think he will hang it up after 2011? Or perhaps who might make a great mayor in the future?
We started kicking names around here on the 13th Floor, and our short list includes U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (a former city alderman who declined to challenge Daley this year) and Chicago Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey (click here for more on her political/managerial savvy).
My colleague Zach Patton suggested Barack Obama might be interested in the job -- if he loses the Democratic presidential nomination to Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Or, I responded, perhaps Clinton -- if she loses to Obama. After all, she has stronger personal ties to Chicago (being born there and raised in suburban Park Ridge) than New York.
17 comments:
Levois,
I believe that Terry Peterson could be the man to fill those shoes.
Don't ask me; ask US Attorney Fitzgerald! He may still have the final say.
It's hard to imagine Daley voluntarily giving up power even after six terms. He seems more like a Fidel Castro type... I think the only way he quits is if he's convicted or defeated -- or if he dies, of course, but let's hope for one of the other two options instead of that.
My money is on Junior as the next mayor of Chicago, whenever that may be...
Whoever, runs for Mayor of Chicago should note Courtney Greve's singular report for the Daily Southtown -
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/276465,dst_swsidevotes_228.article
I think this is Daley's last term, voluntary or otherwise. This has little to do with whether he's doing a good job as mayor. Rather, there's too long of a line of people who have waiting too long for the chance to have more influence on the Fifth Floor.
The run up to the mayoral election, with Gutierrez and JJJ dropping out, had the same feel as the last elections of other long-serving elected officials: there was this unspoken sense that Daley gets one last shot. I remember when Yates ran for his last term, there were pretty clear indications that some potential candidates for the congressional seat were willing to hold off running against Yates to let him break the record for service in Congress, but that they would not hesitate to run against him the following election if he did not step down. I'm kind of sensing the same dynamic here.
Unfortunately, Daley didn't have any real competition. And it didn't help that Dorothy Brown decided so late to join the race, basically dividing the black vote... All to the benefit of The Machine.
As long as Daley wants the job, the job is his. Any delusions to the contrary are just that. What Daley haters are almost pathologically unable to admit is that he is a damn good mayor who has had an incomparably positive effect on his city.
Compared to what, anonymous? He is an autocratic ruler with a spotty record at best. How's the CTA operating? How are the Chicago Public Schools? How is the blue bag program doing for the environment? It may be true that the job will be Daley's for a long time still, but that's because he's the head of a powerful, corrupt political machine that is starting--just starting--to be dismantled.
@Levois: I've heard Luis. I've heard Rahm. I've heard JJJr.
Rob. I love your blog. I think you're a fair cat. But seriously, the [Obligatory Litany of Reasons to Hate Daley] is getting old. Props to you for bringing out the blue bag program. Remember, Chicagoans genuinely like having fake recycling programs. We don't really want to recycle, either.
The cta is falling off the rails!
The schools suck!
Torture!
TIF's!
Jesus. You folks need something new. Or at least, produce a meaning full result (like him not winning with 70+% of the vote) with the old stuff.
State Representative Eddie Acevedo could be Mayor after Daley.
I am surprised that no one has yet mentioned Miguel Del Valle. It seems to me that he's gunning for the job.
When Daley decides not to run again its time for Tom Dart!
At 64, he's a relatively young guy, and 70% of the electorate things he's worthy of the office. He'll run again in 2011 as long as he's healthy.
One thing's for sure: When he decices to call it quits, it'll be a big huge mess.
Patrick Daley.
Love live the King. The King is dead. Long live the King.
May the dynasty rule on into perpetuity
Senator Tony Munoz could become the Mayor.
or Senator Iris Martinez
Tony Munoz's brother punched someone in the head a couple of days ago at the Chicago Department of Water Management. I think his name is Martin, a former gangbanger, a Pro-Daley type. You can take the guy out of the gang, but you can't take the gang out of the guy. I think Frank Coconate would make a great Mayor, do you?
deValle makes sense
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