* Rahm Emanuel has been asking Twitter denizens to send him questions, comments, etc. via the #TellItLikeItIs hashtag. It’s apparently part of his “listening tour.” He’s calling the Tweets and responses a “data driven effort” to find out what’s on everybody’s minds. OK. Whatever.
I posed this question…
So, how about telling us who you’re supporting for county assessor? That might tell us a lot.
Our longtime commenter and blogger’s blogger OneMan followed up…
I too am curious who you are supporting in the assessors race..
No response. Actually, there aren’t many real responses. Nobody’s asking many serious questions. So if you have a Twitter account, click here, if you dare, and pose a question to Rahm using the #tellitlikeitis hashtag in your question. Maybe he’ll even answer. Report back if you sent him a question and if whoever is running that Twitter account actually talks back.
* Here’s a suggestion…
A new report claims Chicago has the most dangerous neighborhood in America, although the neighborhood in question is not particularly infamous for crime.
The report by geographer Dr. Andrew Schiller for the commercial real estate site NeighborhoodScout.com said a neighborhood identified as “W. Lake St.,” located on the Near West Side and bounded by Kinzie Street on the north, Washington Boulevard on the south, Damen Avenue on the east and Western Avenue on the west, is the most dangerous neighborhood in the country.
The report claims that the chances of being a victim of a violent crime in the neighborhood are 1 in 4. It says the neighborhood sees 257.72 crimes per 1,000 residents.
But official police statistics seem to show a different story. The “neighborhood” named the most dangerous in the report corresponds directly to Census Tract 280500, which ranks toward the middle for crime among city neighborhoods.
So, the supposedly most dangerous neighborhood in the country isn’t even close to the most dangerous neighborhood in Chicago? Somebody’s “data driven effort” just failed.
* Meanwhile, Rev. Sen. James Meeks continues his own listening tour by actually sitting down and talking with real, live human beings…
In a move sure to surprise many people, but one that also signals just how serious he is about running for mayor of Chicago, Ill. state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) traveled to Boystown Oct. 5 to meet with several LGBT leaders at the offices of Equality Illinois. […]
“One of the things I was asked was if I would keep the office of the mayor’s liaison to the LGBT community and the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame,” Meeks said. “I was very surprised that people would think that I would do away with that office or the Hall. It’s very important to me and the city, and I would definitely keep that.”
Meeks also said he told the leaders that he would support efforts to lessen bullying against LGBT students in schools. Education has been an issue that Meeks has focused on as a legislator – he threatened to run against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2006 over education funding and has pushed comprehensive legislation to revamp the state’s tax system in order to fully fund public schools.
I think I much prefer the old school social networking to the “data driven effort.”
* Rahmup…
* New mayoral poll puts Emanuel, Dart far ahead
* Emanuel gets temporary address near downtown: spokeswoman
* Emanuel gets a Chicago condo
* Rahm Addresses Residency Question
* Mayoral Hopefuls Remind Rahm He’s Not the Only One
* VIDEO: Welcome Back, Rahm
* Black community looks for mayor candidate
* Brown: After Daley, watch for power to shift
* Back home in Chicago for his mayoral bid, Rahm Emanuel was met by jeers from the supporters of his rivals
* Emanuel snags Ben LaBolt as communications director for mayoral campaign
* Water board member stakes out city clerk run
- Eugene - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:22 pm:
Question for Rahm Emanuel. When did you find out about Freddie Mac’s accounting irregularities?
- MikeMacD - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:23 pm:
Where did Mr. Emanuel vote in this past primary election and what address did he use?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
I was certain that “most dangerous neighborhood” in the country rating didn’t pass the Eyeball Test. There are many more dangerous neighborhoods than that in Chicago. Has this Big Brain ever been to the South Bronx, Camden, Jersey City, East LA, Houston, Ft. Worth, El Paso, etc.?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:30 pm:
Anyone besides me read “Rahm Addresses Residency Question”? Did I miss something?
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:31 pm:
Sorry, 2:30 “Anonymous” was me
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:34 pm:
Why is Odelson claiming you need to be an “Illinois” resident for one year? Did he mean “Chicago” resident?
- dave - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:36 pm:
Anyone besides me read “Rahm Addresses Residency Question”? Did I miss something?
No… that article says nothing about Rahm addressing the residency issue. But he (kind of) addresses it in the video.
He actually addresses on his website:
http://www.chicagoforrahm.com/blog/got-residency
- Reggie P - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:48 pm:
The most dangerous neighbor in America is mostly old factories and tear downs.
- Bill - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 2:48 pm:
Rahm didn’t answer your question because he probably doesn’t know who’s running for county assessor. I think he might remember who Madigan is. Maybe he should call him. I’m sure Maddie doesn’t want Dart even though they are both from the same tribe. He’s had the same problem with Little Dick and Quinn, who he accused of not being Irish at all. He has always wanted to be the biggest little Irishman.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:02 pm:
That Twitter Account does not appear to be officially sanctioned by the campaign. There is no Twitter Link on their Campaign Website.
- Objective Dem - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:15 pm:
As a starting point, I’m definitely not anti-Rahm. But one observation is Rahm’s campaign manager is not from Chicago. Now it is announced that his communications director is from the burbs and DC. I’m sure they are very smart and capable but this is a local race and there is a lot of very local issues that congressmen and senators don’t touch or know about.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:20 pm:
So… Pat Horton is unable to advocate for City of Chicago sewer improvements in her current position as Commissioner of the MWRD? And she will better be able to advocate for sewer improvements as City Clerk? And evidently you can’t work now at the City Clerk’s office if you are gay so she will extend “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to the Clerk’s office? What silly positions. She is in way over her head and is simply running to give Rickey Hendon more juice.
- Conservative Veteran - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:25 pm:
For assessor, I’ll vote for Sharon Strobeck-Eckersall. She’s the only candidate, in that race, who is a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer. She was the Evanston Township Assessor for 11 years.
- Eugene - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:27 pm:
Rahm’s campaign will allow many powerful special interests who he did favors for(as Chief of Staff) to make campaign contributions. Does Rahm really want to be Mayor or just cash in before becoming a high paid lobbyist? I encourage all to read Objective Dem’s post. Is Rahm really serious?
- Cynic Al - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:32 pm:
@ Eugene — If Rahm wanted to be a lobbyist, he could easily make the jump right from the White House. Moreover, he’s already made a good deal of money in the private sector, so I can’t believe this is his motivation.
Rahm said that he wanted to be mayor well before Daley announced he wouldn’t run. Have you considered that maybe Rahm’s running for mayor because he actually wants to be mayor?
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:33 pm:
Eugene: Rahm doesn’t have to become Mayor to cash in — in fact, he probably is losing money being Mayor — before he was a Congressman, before he was WH COS, he was making tens of millions.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:54 pm:
@Cynic Al - That’s Rahm’s problem. He has a passion to be Mayor. I want somebody that has a passion for Chicago.
- cover - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 3:59 pm:
Rich, I agree that the “old-fashioned” networking, where the candidate meets real people in person, is a better way. Social networking would be a great supplement (but not a substitute for) to in-person networking, because the candidate can’t be everywhere at one time, and even engaged citizens can’t always make it to a candidate’s forum or town hall meeting.
- Cynic Al - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 4:26 pm:
@ Anonymous — And which of the candidates fits your criterion of “passion for Chicago”?
I’ve lowered my standards I want someone who’s smart and not corrupt (but I’ll gladly settle for one of the two).
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 5:07 pm:
Someone should create a Twitter account: @RahmsDeadFish (like PatQuinnsBrain), and use some of the stuff here.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 5:21 pm:
I think Rahm believes the Internet and on-line networking will work for him like it did for Obama. But, I don’t think many voters in Chicago are as involved in this type of communication, compared to the nationwide response Obama got.
- Objective Dem - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 6:28 pm:
Wensicia, I think your comment makes sense. Obama did a great job at bringing in new voters and new money using social media. But I agree that Chicago seems different. I don’t see it being cool on campuses to be a Rham Facebook friend. And telling people to twitter ideas will turn off a lot of people as elitist and exclusionary. Chicago is going to require pressing the flesh.
- scoot - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 6:46 pm:
Rahm - What about Meigs Field??
- Phil N - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 8:00 pm:
May I remind people of Sen. Meeks “hell house.” Doesn’t sound like a friend of the LGBT community to me.
From the Suntimes, “http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/117630,CST-NWS-HELL31.article”
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/117630,CST-NWS-HELL31.article
- Marty - Wednesday, Oct 6, 10 @ 11:29 pm:
I’m guessing that the “most dangerous neighborhood” screen was to take some crime stats and divide by population, so a neighborhood that attracts huge crowds (like United Center) but doesn’t have a lot of residents will look bad… but that stat is pretty meaningless.