A brave heckler
Friday, Dec 4, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* More like this, please…
As Daley began to speak, he quickly was interrupted by a heckler at the rear of the crowd. “What about the parking meters?” the man shouted, referring to the controversial long-term lease of city meters that sent rates soaring this year.
Daley took it all in stride, smiled and said, “I know. They are doing very well, thank you.” Then he chuckled, and repeated, “They are doing very well, thank you.”
The crowd laughed along
They’re doing well? For whom? What arrogance.
And that was some real guts displayed by that heckler. I can’t recall Daley being heckled at a public event since he was elected mayor. He’s made himself such an imposing figure that nobody dares speak against him. I wonder if the heckler’s car was towed.
* Meanwhile, Sneed is reporting on some Daley musical chairs…
Word is CTA President Richard Rodriguez, who was appointed by Mayor Daley in February, may be leaving to return to the private sector.
Word is Daley’s chief of staff Paul Volpe may become the next CTA chieftain. (Volpe, who was the mayor’s point man on the parking meter lease deal, once called City Inspector General David Hoffman’s claim of a $974 million taxpayer loss on the deal “ridiculous.”)
Word is City Aviation chief Rosemarie Andolino may become Daley’s new chief of staff.
Word is Pat Harney, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff, may become the city’s new aviation chief.
* Despite everything else, I certainly hope Mrs. Daley will be OK. She’s one heckuva human being…
Mayor Richard Daley today said his wife, Maggie, is doing “very well” but that he does not know her prognosis as she continues radiation therapy for cancer.
The mayor made his first public comments since last night’s disclosure from his office that Maggie Daley will be getting around in a wheelchair because of her latest treatment for cancer.
More…
“She’s doing very well. She’s having meetings today about afterschool programs. . . . She’s had many setbacks. In all families, you have setbacks. But the family comes together [to] be able to defeat any setback in life. . . . Her commitment is to be able to defeat this.”
* Related…
* Daley adds bitter twist at French market opening : Mayor Daley on Thursday used the grand opening of the Chicago French Market to browbeat aldermen who wanted him to erase a massive budget shortfall by borrowing from the $1 billion stashed away in tax increment financing districts.
* Hinz: How to get Daley’s Christmas gift to you: To get your money, click on this link, look for the “property tax relief” button, and download the application. Submit it at the addresses listed below, enclosing a copy of your tax bill and a photocopy of your picture ID. The link will go live on Monday, Dec. 7, with applications due no later than March 31, 2010.
* Chicago Budget on the Books, Despite ‘Pokes’
* Mayor lauds wife’s spirit after latest cancer setback
* Daley says his wife is a ‘fighter’ bent on beating cancer
* Maggie Daley Being Treated for Bone Cancer
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 9:48 am:
At a City Council meeting once, I was talking with some staffers in the anteroom behind the chambers. All of a sudden, I was shoved hard from behind, practically knocking over the coffee table.
It was one of the mayor’s bodyguards. Apparently, I had been blocking the path to the Little Mayor’s Room. When I started to protest that all he had to do was ask me to step aside, the bodyguard made like “there’s more where that came from.”
Arrogant is a the word for it.
- The Doc - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 9:51 am:
Paul Volpe at the helm of the CTA would be further evidence that the administration has little use for or interest in a viable mass transit network, and that Daley’s bench is really, really thin.
- fedup dem - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 9:56 am:
These proposed personnel moves sound like an attempt to rearrange the deck chairs on board the Titanic. Of course Daley’s bench is really thin. Who in their right mind would want to work for this petty tyrant these days?
- Loop Lady - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 10:13 am:
Whatever your opinion of Daley is, his wife is a brave quiet lady, fighting for her life right now…wish her well in her battle…on the other hand, Daley seems to be running low on go to people of late…
- OneMan - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 10:15 am:
I was there and I missed that.
And no, it was not me…
- Hank - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 10:22 am:
I wonder if the heckler’s car was towed…….
No, but a bulldozer carved an “X” in his front yard last night!
- The Doc - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 10:25 am:
==Who in their right mind would want to work for this petty tyrant these days?==
Fedup dem, I see your point, but with unemployment numbers where they are, I’d think that number is quite high.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 11:06 am:
Mr. Big Stuff - Knight, enhanced by VanillaMan
(Oh yeah, ooh)
Mr. Big Stuff
Who do you think you are?
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my vote!
Now because you run our town,(oh yeah)
And have a corrupt staff, oh yes you do now
Do you think I can afford to give you my vote? (oh yeah)
You think you’re better than everyone else?
Mr. Big Stuff
Who do you think you are?
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my vote!
Now I know all the lobbyists I’ve seen you with
I know you busted our city, bit by bit
You make us cry, when we park our cars
When we try to find a job, you don’t give a whit.
Mr. Big Stuff, tell me tell me
Who do you think you are?
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my vote!
I’d rather give my vote to a guy that cares about me(oh yeah)
Than to be fooled around again by you
Cause when I cast my vote, I want respect in return (oh yeah)
Now I know this is a lesson Mr. Big Stuff you haven’t learned!
Mr. Big Stuff, tell me
Who do you think you are?
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my vote!
Mr. Big Stuff
You’ll never find your ethics!
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re didn’t even get the Olympics!
Mr. Big Stuff, tell me
Just who do you think you are?
Mr. Big Stuff
You’re never gonna get my vote!
Mr. Big Stuff
- Northsider - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 11:42 am:
The Doc @ 9:51 is absolutely correct: We will never have the transit system we should until City Hall takes the issue seriously. The CTA is in critically bad financial condition, and — if Sneed is to be believed — Mayor Daley is prepping a new round of musical chairs for God knows what reason(s). World class cities have world class transit systems. We’re just sliding further toward the third world, thanks in large part to this “Who cares?” attitude that created this mess in the first place.
Is there any serious candidate for mayor — and by this I do not mean do-nothing, backbench congresscritters or 400-pound preachers in shiny suits — on the 2011 horizon? Please?
- state employee dreaming of Vermont and/or Canada - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 1:19 pm:
CTA has given layoff notices to 1,200 drivers and workers. Also routes and service to be cut drastically by 2/09.
Third-world, Titanic. I agree.
- George - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 1:50 pm:
Richard Rodriguez may have been asked to leave. From what I have heard, his (short) tenure has been quite rocky.
- Chicago Guy - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 4:08 pm:
I don’t think this is a case of Daley not taking CTA seriously. You may not like them or think they did a good job, but you have to admit that the Mayor has confidence in Frank Kruesi and Ron Huberman. He wasn’t sending over his second stringers. Likewise for Paul Volpe. He has been the City budget director, CFO and now Chief of Staff. Not bad credentials. Likewise the Board chairs, Valerie Jarrett and Terry Peterson, are certainly heavy hitters with a lot of experience.
And sorry, but I just don’t believe that there are professional transportation managers who can walk in and turn around the system if given a chance and backing.
Bottomline, the problems at CTA aren’t because of lack of interest or being treated as a “b” team. (I think McPier is another story)
- Independent - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 5:52 pm:
Kruesi was at the CTA more as a political buffer for Daley. Daley said in the mid 90s that the CTA had lost its constituency and basically washed his hands of it.
The possibility of the poor condition of the CTA jeopardizing the Olympic bid gave Daley religion, at which point Huberman was brought in.
- Amalia - Friday, Dec 4, 09 @ 8:48 pm:
re Daley musical chairs….god help us.