The Stroger beat
Friday, Sep 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Claypool refuses to play ball.
Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool said Thursday that he will neither endorse nor vote for Ald. Todd Stroger for County Board president in the November election.
Claypool, who lost the Democratic primary in March to Stroger’s father, said he objected to the way Todd Stroger was selected to replace his stroke-stricken father on the ballot. Claypool said Todd Stroger also lacks the “executive ability” to pursue reform at the county.
“I have very real concerns about whether Todd Stroger is going to be the type of president that I think my supporters–and the type of people who want change and reform–want in Cook County,” Claypool said.
Claypool got 46.5 percent of the vote in the March 21 primary. Stroger won, even though he had suffered a stroke a week before the election. He retired July 31.
The Sun-Times has this:
Claypool, meanwhile, unloaded on Democratic leaders, who he says have “thumbed their nose at the taxpayers” by putting Stroger on the ballot over better choices and “arrogantly manipulated the system for their benefit and the benefit of outsiders.”
Stroger is the nominee only because his father, longtime board President John Stroger, suffered a stroke a week before the primary, and party bosses picked him to replace his father months later.
Claypool said party leaders deceived the public about Stroger’s health to secure his victory and ensure they would be picking a replacement.
Claypool also said Todd Stroger’s record “doesn’t show he has the executive ability to step up and pursue reform.”
Meanwhile, Stroger spoke to Proviso Township Democrats and said this:
“I’m not sure what the Machine is. I’m independent of the mayor. He’s got his thing; the county has its thing.†Later he said, “Political hiring is a thing of the past.â€
- anon - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:09 am:
“Political hiring is a thing of the past. has he read the news lately? or does this mean he will not have to offer proviso dems any of the 4000 jobs traced back to the 8th ward
- Doug Dobmeyer - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:28 am:
And good for Forrest! Living in the political fifedom of Cook County is like you read about in the Middle Ages or the worst governments in Europe.
The fact that John Stroger ran for reelection when he was clearly unable to govern after his stroke - the family and politicos who circled his wagon lied to the public and Todd Stroger was thrust into the position supports the fifedom government.
Clearly this 2006 and we deserve better government than what has occurred here.
Doug Dobmeyer
Publisher
Today’s Issues
www.dobmeyer.com
- Truthful James - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:56 am:
No matter who wins — Todd or Tony — the Board will be safely in Democrat hands ready to vote on a Daley basis
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:14 am:
‘And good for Forrest! Living in the political fifedom of Cook County is like you read about in the Middle Ages or the worst governments in Europe.’
Doug, I saw that movie! It was cool when the Forrest guy walks is to all the bosses and throws the dead deer up on the table and then eats with them and then the girl says,’You speak treason!’ and then the guy says ‘Fluently!’ That was cool!
Sure would, Forrest!
- Wumpus - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:26 am:
Hooray for the Gidwitz of Democrat non-reforming, reformers and non-insider insiders. If he had courage, he’d vote for Peraca if he at all agrees with him. The lies from the Castroger camp mad ehis last week of campaigning inneffective and fangless.
- Cassandra - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:51 am:
So, Claypool is hoping to achieve what by the outburst? He did have the option of simply not making an endorsement and keeping his mouth shut.
His 300,000 supporters are supposed to understand what….they should vote for Peraica anyway? They should stay home? They should write in Claypool’s name?
Clearly, he is still running for something, but what?
- fedup dem - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:54 am:
I can’t believe that Toddler Stroger actually said “I’m not sure what the Machine is.” That is the biggest insult to the intellegence of Cook County voters to come out of his mouth yet.
- Niles Township - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:06 am:
I’m all for Forrest having the guts not to back Toddie. When will Cook County get a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Certainly not when a few dozen party hacks decide who the next president is!
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:11 am:
Ok, let me get this straight….a sore loser refuses to back a toady much to the delight of a clown….Yep, that about sums it up.
- Deb Dumont - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:27 am:
Now what are the Dems gonna do?
- Bluefish - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:50 am:
Smart move for Claypool. This should allow him to better position himself as an “independent” in 4 years. If Cook County ain’t ready for reform yet, they will be after four years of the Toddler.
- PalosParkBob - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:20 am:
Most important is that Claypool wouldn’t make this kind of a statement without acquiescence of his base power brokers (Daley and Madigan).
Is this really a signal to the Dem rank and file that Daley and Madigan ground troops needn’t stump for Stroger?
All Peraica needs to win, in addition to Junior trying to speak and articulate a coherent thought, is for the signal to go out to the Dem faithful to vote for whoevever they want.
Is this what just happened?
This is getting verrrrrry interesting!
- HANKSTER - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:22 am:
Fedup Dem: I believe Todd Stroger doesn’t know what the machine is, I believe it because I dont think Stroger knows much of anything.
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:42 am:
Stroger may have genuine trouble explaining and defining “the Machine” the same way a fish would have trouble explaining and defining water to a goat.
The fish is constantly immersed in water so it has no frame of reference to understand the absense of water.
However, Stroger’s ignorance of what real people live like–people who can’t pull the levers of the Machine to get what they want–casts doubt on his claims about being for the working man and the poor.
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:46 am:
PalosParkBob, what is the evidence Claypool would need approval from Daley and Madigan to criticize Stroger?
- Tom - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 11:10 am:
PalosParkBob: I don’t think Daley would have minded if Claypool beat John Stroger in the primary. Daley endorsed Stroger but didn’t exert much effort on his behalf. With close Daley allies Axelrod and Emmanuel stumping for Claypool it sent a signal that it was OK to support Forrest.
I can’t see a scenario in which Daley wants Peraica to win. If Stroger wins, John Daley and William Beavers would be in control. If Peraica wins it would signal a voter revolt which could carry into February.
- Brangelina Pitt - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 11:36 am:
I wish Claypool would’ve won. I don’t know how Todd Stroger is going to handle this job. Actually, I do know…he’s going to have everyone else running it for him. This is just too rich. I’m moving to Kendall County!
- Anon. - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 11:56 am:
Meanwhile, Stroger spoke to Proviso Township Democrats and said this:
Rich posted:
“I’m not sure what the Machine is. I’m independent of the mayor. He’s got his thing; the county has its thing.†Later he said, “Political hiring is a thing of the past.â€
I’ll bet half his Proviso audience died laughing, and the other half who didn’t get the joke ran home to check their mailboxes for pinkslips!
- Anon - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:18 pm:
What can you say about Forest Claypool? That he is a sore loser? That he is for “reform,” whatever the hell that means? The only thing thta would have made his loss better in the primary was if he had lost to a dead guy like John Ashcroft did.
- PalosParkBob - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 12:22 pm:
Carl:
As far as “evidence” that Claypool had the Daley sanction to go against Stroger, we haven’t had the FBI set up a surveillance, yet.
Consider this, however. Next Spring Hizzoner may be facing a serious challenge from Jackson Junior.
The South Side political base for Jackson is centered largely on County jobs and contracts following Shakman.
Peraica will do business with Daley people, and almost ceratinly “clean house” of all those Strogerian patronage workers on the county payroll.
This will weaken Jackson’s base of foot soldiers.
If Jackson can’t promise county contracts because of a Peraica/Daley Alliance, there goes a lot of fundraising clout.
Unless Stroger makes a deal to support Daley in the mayoral race, a lot of dominoes will fall.
Tom:
Hizzoner is fending off an “aldermanic revolt”, after the Big Box ordinance, that is a much bigger threat to him than a taxpayer revolt.
Having the Ward bosses and alderman being bought off by the unions to support the ordinance is an indication that county patronage can protect alderman from Hizzoner’s retributions against city workers.
Remember, Hizzoner has owed the unions nada since they supported Jane Byrne.
If Daley can make Ward bosses and county workers “kiss the ring” to keep their jobs, it’ll go a long way towards defanging the aldermanic revolts.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 1:05 pm:
PalosParkBob:
Your analysis of this situation is mind-numbingly naive: “Peraica will do business with Daley people, and almost ceratinly “clean house†of all those Strogerian patronage workers on the county payroll. This will weaken Jackson’s base of foot soldiers.”
You assume that 1) Jackson’s foot-soldiers are Stroger foot soldiers. That is nonsense. And if I got fired by Tony Peraica vis-a-vis Daley, don’t you think I would work HARDER for Jackson in order to get back in?
2) The Daley’s hate Tony Peraica. Mayor Daley does not and will not desire a motivated black voter base. If Todd should lose to the wing-nut Peraica, the Black voter base will take it out on Daley.
- times r a changin - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 2:10 pm:
I am surprised but impressed by Claypools candid comments I hope more Dem leaders that are fed up with crook Co machine politics come forward. Stroger is just about patronage jobs for unqualified or do nothing hires reform is needed hopefully the US attorney does it if the voters dont
- PalosParkBob - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 3:53 pm:
Anonymous:
One thing I’ve learned in the few decades I’ve been involved in South Side politics is that politics makes for very strange bedfellows.
Politicians will act in their enlightened best interest when it comes to power. That’s why we’ve only got one “Republocratic” Party in Illinois.
If Tony has something Hizzoner wants, and hizzoner has something Tony wants, there WILL be a deal. Bank on it.
IF the Toddler loses, Jackson won’t be able to get the Cook County worker Patronage army their jobs back. If they back Jackson and he loses, they’re muerte as far getting city jobs.
If Jackson wins,Shakman will really cut down on how much Patronage he can dish out, particularly considering the Sorich scandal and “Blago’s list”.
It’ll be really interesting to see how the “everyone for himself!” situation in Cook County Dems will play out this fall and spring.
- Lakeview Voter - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:21 pm:
The Toddler. I love it. Can this name stick, please? I say they put it in the AP Style manual as acceptable on first reference.
- Bill - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:27 pm:
Bob,
Palos Park is not the south side, its Iowa.
- Bill - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 4:38 pm:
…and, Bob, the Strogers and the Beavers seriously dislike the Jacksons. Your premise sounds like that of a republican from the affluent suburbs who thinks that all black politicians are must be allies.
- Larry McKeon - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 5:07 pm:
I like Forrest Claypool and their is no question about the widespread corruption and extensive political patronage in Cook County government. I supported him for board president.
He is at least partly hypocritical in that he is a hard-core member of the 47th Ward Regular Democratic Organization headed up by Alderman/Committeeman Gene Schulter who’s only interest is in how many jobs he could get out of Claypool for his patronage-rich organization. If elected, Claypool would be expected to produce jobs for Schulter fledgling organizastion and his self-centered pompous grandiousity.
- Larry McKeon - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 5:10 pm:
I wish the blog had a spelling checker.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 6:31 pm:
Larry,
For royal and shore! My blind eyes and stubby fingers added to a loitnin’ fast delivery rally looses up my spelling. Apologies all around.
- Wumpus - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:37 pm:
West side blacks vs south side blacks hold the key to the black vote. There are really two voting blocks.
- Ignatius J. Reily - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 7:52 pm:
Love that souseside accent– in the writing too– its known as the Tavern School Style– it’s all the rage up in Evanston. Those northshore pols take correspondence courses– to impress the Big Man. It’s big on Rush Street too– until the real practitioners from the old neighborhood show up–then its time to “hit it” fersher.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 8:19 pm:
IJR,
Honor Bright?
BTW - Greatest comic epic ever written -’Mother, go bake yourself another bottle of wine!’
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:02 pm:
Always time for wine cakes!
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:09 pm:
IJR,
I salute you handle as it signals solid judgment and discerning nature! For you my friend:
The agitation would take the form of many protest marches complete with the traditional banners and posters, but these would say, “End the Middle Class,” “The Middle Class Must Go.” I am not above tossing a small Molotov cocktail or two, either. In addition, I would studiously avoid sitting near the middle class in lunch counters and on public transportation, maintaining the intrinsic honesty and grandeur of my being. If a middle-class white were suicidal enough to sit next to me, I imagine that I would beat him soundly about the head and shoulders with one great hand, tossing, quite deftly, one of my Molotov cocktails into a passing bus jammed with middle-class whites with the other hand. Whether my siege were to last a month or a year, I am certain that ultimately everyone would let me alone after the total carnage and destruction of property had been evaluated. (105-06)
- Truthful James - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 9:36 pm:
I can play it if somebody would hum the tune
- Ignatius J. Reily - Friday, Sep 8, 06 @ 10:30 pm:
The Prefect must not be monitoring this late…what no redactions?
- Pol judge JJ - Saturday, Sep 9, 06 @ 8:00 pm:
I can’t vote for Toddler if he doesn’t know what the machine is.
Jackson Sr. is the one who wanted to name the hospital after Stroger Sr.–3rd world health care for Blacks who don’t have insurance like Stroger and Jacksons