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I can understand that she’s frustrated, but wasn’t this a bit much?
Hurt, incensed and moved to tears, mayoral challenger Dorothy Brown on Friday accused state Sen. James Meeks of sexism and calling her a “loser” unworthy of endorsement in her race against Mayor Richard Daley.
“I am not a loser. I am a winner. I am the epitome of the American dream and Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream,” said Brown, clerk of the circuit court.
“To make the kind of statement he made in the face of my hard work — the challenges and discrimination I have overcome in growing up poor and becoming a respected countywide elected official in this town — I see it as a direct disrespect for me as a human being, as a woman and as an African-American.”
Brown said the Meeks insult is particularly infuriating on the heels of the all-but-endorsement of Daley by vanquished mayoral challenger Bobby Rush.
Meeks, of course, said he wouldn’t be backing any losers when asked if he would endorse Brown.
But he didn’t exactly smooth things over with his reply:
“Why would she automatically assume that means her?” Meeks said. “Why would she declare herself as the loser?”
Meeks said his appearance with Daley was not “part of any political campaign of any candidate.”
“For her to take a statement like that and automatically crown herself as the loser, I feel real bad for her for doing that,” Meeks said. “I’ve supported her in every race she’s been in, and she’s a nice person.”
And…
“Just because she doesn’t have a possible chance of winning this particular election, it doesn’t mean my comments are sexist. It’s reality.”
The Chicago Reader’s new blog “Clout City” also covered Brown’s presser and closed with this:
In fact, the toughest question of the afternoon, posed by a veteran sitting on a table to the side, had nothing to do with Meeks or Daley: “You know, Harold Washington once said, ‘Politics ain’t beanbag.’ Do you think you have thick enough skin to do this?â€
Brown gripped the podium and gazed back at him. Maybe she couldn’t get outraged—not on public display, at least—but she could show everyone that she was serious. “Yes,†she said. “I’m in this race to win it.â€
posted by Rich Miller
Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 4:33 am
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I’m even less impressed with Meeks now. He’s being incredibly arrogant with these statements. People like meeks don’t know the meaning of real change.
Comment by Squideshi Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 12:25 pm
I think Meeks said that he was not going to back someone who was going to lose.
That’s a bit different from the way that Brown took it.
Comment by Cal Skinner Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 12:57 pm
Meeks knows who’s going to win and lose? Does that mean the elections are fixed, or does Meeks have a crystal ball? What Meeks is doing with his statements is supporting the status quo–people should support the best candidates–not those who they only think have the best chance of winning.
Comment by Squideshi Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 3:12 pm
The REVEREND Meeks sure doesn’t follow the Golden Rule or Mom’s rule either - “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything.” As a man of the cloth, he should be ashamed of himself for hurting someone by his parsing of words. But then, we all know he can manipulate people and words. Look at how he helped our illustrious get elected again. I think this man is guilty of the sin of prevarication.
Comment by Disgusted Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 4:28 pm
oops, that would be illustrious governor
Comment by Disgusted Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 4:29 pm
“…I am the epitome of the American dream and Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream,”
And humble too!
Comment by JJSpringfield Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 6:17 pm
Rev. Meeks has shown himself to be just another who is willing to sell himself out to the Daleys for the right price. Meeks better hope that the Good Lord is in a really good mood at the time of the Senator’s passing, lest he end up with Saddam Hussein and other assorted former lowlifes.
Comment by fedup dem Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 7:47 pm
Rev. King said….. Meeks just does not get the message… Never Will…. Give your money to the Lord, Ladies.. Give your 10%, in the name of Jesus, Amen…
Comment by Patrick McDonough Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 9:11 pm
She should just take her upcoming defeat like a professional. If the feds look hard at her for fund raising and personnel hiring/firing then she’ll be indicted next.
Comment by theole precinct captain Sunday, Jan 7, 07 @ 10:05 pm
Brown hasn’t exactly been a font of clearheadedness as Clerk… Heckuvalotta judges can’t stand the way she runs the office.
What makes her think she could do better with City Hall? (Or is she just running because she “thought” she could win? Maybe that’s why Meeks’ comments hit her so hard.)
Comment by NW burbs Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 11:20 am
What Meeks fails to understand about Dr. King was that he didn’t do what he thought would be most likely to happen–he did what he thought was right, even at the expense of personal harm to himself. Meeks couldn’t even muster up the courage to endorse Rich Whitney, the one candidate that actively supported his plan for education funding reform.
Comment by Squideshi Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 11:50 am
- NW burbs - Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 11:20 am:
I agree with you and so does a lot of judges and employees of the Clerk’s office.
Now whose really the Sexist One?
Why is it that the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Executive Staff consist of majority if not all women?
From the Clerk, to the Executive Clerks to the Inspector General; all women.
Is it because a number of them are members of the Black Womens Lawyers Association?
http://www.websourceintl.com/sites/bwlaorg/docs/newsletter_sept_2003.pdf
Comment by Whose Really the Sexist One? Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 1:25 pm
If the good reverand doesn’t support losers, why did he support R. Kelly!
It is not who you support, but how you support!
He should of just kept his mouth closed. I’m fed up with arrogant individuals who think they are talking to fools.
We knew what and whom he was talking about, He’s the idiot!
Comment by Another bad Polipreacher! Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 9:51 pm
Rev. Meeks has positioned himself as a unsavory character!
First he wants to convince us that when pulled over by the police, the average black person, gets out of their vehical and tells the police who they are.
Secondly, he wants to convince us that he supports Mayor Daleys Educational Plan only! The mayor has had control of the chicago public schools for over 10yrs, his plan is to sell public schools to his friends and other low bidders, get rid of the Teacher union, and let corporate america rebuild schools. This is the only educational plan mayor daley has.Remember it took a public embarassment on the Oprah Winfrey show, to get them to do something about Harper High School. This was also done by volunteer contractors, not the Board of Education!
Lastly, why would this seemingly intelligent man want to publicly position himself as a political figure, as opposed to a man of God!
Rev. Meeks who do you serve and praise, God or politics?
Comment by The Educational Plan Monday, Jan 8, 07 @ 10:42 pm