* The national Republicans are playing a game of “Gotcha” with President Obama over the Chicago teachers’ strike. The President’s spokesman said yesterday that Obama hasn’t “expressed an opinion on how [the strike] should be resolved. We’re urging the sides to resolve it.” Fox News, of course, fans the flames…
Mitt Romney and his surrogates are accusing President Obama of quietly giving Chicago teachers the green-light to strike, as the historic stand-off affecting nearly 400,000 students enters its second day.
The cable network didn’t back up that lede with any quotes, even from people who wished not to see their names used. Instead, they quoted GOP leaders slamming Obama for not getting more involved…
“We stand with the children and we stand with the families and the parents of Chicago because education reform, that’s a bipartisan issue. This does not have to divide the two parties. And so, we were going to ask, where does President Obama stand? Does he stand with his former Chief of Staff Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with the children and the parents, or does he stand with the union?” [Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan] asked. […]
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said that by “refusing to condemn” the strike, Obama “has sent a clear message that the hundreds of thousands of children who are suffering because of this strike take a back seat to his political allies.”
Julio Fuentes, a member of Romney’s education policy group, called the strike “just yet another example of President Obama refusing to lead on matters of pressing concern to our nation.”
* Rush Limbaugh, however, let loose…
This school teacher strike in Chicago? Let’s just see how long this thing goes on, and let’s see how it gets solved. Anybody want to bet against me that Obama’s the one that gets credit for this, in a few short days? Anybody want to bet that there might be a little bit of violence and finally Obama will have to move in and do something? He and Rahm will figure this out so they get credit for solving it. Because, I tell you: There is no union that is gonna go on strike right now for the express purpose of harming Barack Obama.
Quite the contrary.
Any union who thinks their actions would end up hurting Obama will delay or put off those actions. I don’t think Rahm’s gonna beat up the teachers; I just think he’ll talk to the gangbangers and say, “You know what I told you about ignoring the kids? Well, forget it for a couple days.” No, I’m just kidding. I just kidding. I’m just telling you, we know the alliance between the Democrat Party and Obama (more so than Rahm, but nevertheless Rahm’s part of it) and the unions. […]
This school teacher strike in some ways may be like the environmentalist wackos. The environmentalist wackos sue the EPA, then the EPA settles with them. It’s an inside-outside game. The EPA claims it had no choice but to settle on certain terms. Here the teachers strike, Rahm Emanuel eventually says he had to give them much of what they wanted or the kids would still be out of school. That’s what’s gonna happen. And Obama, I’m not predicting it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama inserts himself in the mix here somehow to bring reason and compassion. Not to the point that Rahm is hurt. It’ll not happen in a way that makes Rahm look incompetent. No, no, no. They will do it working together.
* Rush can probably be forgiven for not knowing the CTU very well. The union has some radical elements which don’t care about national political implications…
In 2010, the Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE), led by President Karen Lewis gained control over the CTU by winning 60% of the vote in a run-off election. CORE ran an aggressive grassroots organizing campaign, and took a strong stance against school privatization. CORE accused the incumbent United Progressive Caucus (UPC) of capitulating to corporate interests, silencing dissent within the union, and collaborating with the city to prevent union out reach at schools
Also back in 2010, CORE protested Obama’s education policies…
More than 100 teachers organized by CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators) protested the visit of President Barack Obama to Chicago on August 5, 2010. The teachers assembled with picket signs at the Chicago Art Institute and then marched down Michigan Ave to the Chicago Cultural Center, where Obama was speaking. Signs read criticisms of Obama and his education plan.
* On to the live coverage. BlackBerry users click here. Everybody else can just watch..
- Downstate Illinois - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 9:46 am:
Considering they’ve admitted it’s an illegal strike (see their statement), then Emmanuel should take a page out of Reagan’s playbook and treat them like air traffic controllers.
It would certainly do wonders for the education system.
- former state employee - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 9:46 am:
Could someone, anyone, please put a sock in Rush’s mouth….
- Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 9:47 am:
Yesterday, I was surprised to see so many of the support staff employees outside of closed Chicago Public School buildings. There were crossing guards stationed at most adjacent intersections while there were no students in school. I know that some schools were open for activities and some provided free lunches for children, but many buildings were empty.
- the Patriot - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 9:49 am:
This is not a bi-partisan effort. One of the many gripes of the teachers is education reforms which include a new mandaroty teacher evaluation process. Pat Quinn and Mike Madigan forced this legislation through and the union leadership signed off on it..
The Chicago teachers are asking for a raise 3-5x that of many downstate districts. How can the state say funding is equitible if Chicago teachers get 4-5% and down state teachers get 1-2?
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 9:51 am:
There goes Limbaugh, once again convincing me I am on the right side of this. Which is not Emanuel’s side.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:00 am:
Still think this can be a big winner for the President…
“The Chicago Public School system is working to provide a real evaluation system that had real implications for teachers who fail to perform to the high standards we expect for those who teach our children.
No system to evaluate teachers is going to be perfect and any system will require modification but now is the time to begin this process where real accountability comes into play.
I encourage the Chicago Teachers Union to get behind this plan”
I think it would score him big points with moms in swing states IMHO.
- Steve Bartin - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:00 am:
Karen Lewis doesn’t care about national politicians, she cares about getting her members a better deal. It’s the perfect time for her to strike : right near a Presidential election. Rahm Emanuel is up against someone with a brain.
- Shore - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:08 am:
For those with the 2014 bug, Bruce Rauner made one of his first tv appearances last night on wttw discussing the strike with john tilman, a liberal professor and one of the ctu leaders. I was extremely unimpressed and the first words that came to mind were andy mckenna and john schmidt. There’s more money there than charisma and he really made little to no effort to engage or debate and mostly sat there while the teachers union guy pummeled his background (the word billionaire came up several times). Looked like a spend $10 million and end up in 4th place type candidate.
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:09 am:
Love the blog Rich, but I hate to see blowhard Limbaugh requoted on it. It pains me that Rahm wasnt able to work the phones 24/7 for Obama yesterday because of the strike. BO needs the help.
The strike isn’t coming at a convenient time for either Rahm or BO. Will they be able to make political hay from it? Maybe, but when you talk about helping preserve the middle class at the DNC, and your former COS helped to bring about the first teacher strike in Chicago in 25 years, I’m getting a very mixed message.
- James the Intolerant - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:14 am:
Downstater, if all 30,000 teachers were fired, how would this improve the education system? There is no proof that non-unionized charter teachers are getting any better results. I would love to see your success at educating some CPS students.
- areopagetica - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:18 am:
Time magazine blog says the teachers are lying in public about what they privately seek:
“In public, the Chicago Teachers Union uses generalities to describe its demands, with the union president, Karen Lewis, saying the teachers want a “fair contract.” But according to one senior Chicago official with direct knowledge of the negotiations with the union reps, “Their public rhetoric has almost nothing to do with what’s happening at the table.” Media accounts indicate that the city’s latest offer was to raise teacher pay 16% over the next four years, but the senior city official and other sources with knowledge of the negotiations say the union demanded raises that would amount to at least a 35% salary increase over three years as well as guaranteed jobs for any teachers who get laid off as Chicago’s schools downsize.”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:28 am:
We should all be thankful for the wisdom of Rush Limbaugh. He cares about the kids.
Can you imagine Rush Limbaugh’s America?
I was down at the Board of Trade yesterday as the strikers were mustering for the rally. I was struck by how young most of them were, many young ladies in their 20s.
We’re going to find out soon whether Emanuel has game, or if he’s just a fund-raising PR machine. Got a job to do, cousin.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:29 am:
Mitt Romney to me is probing around, looking for a soft spot at which to attack Obama. Post-convention polls are favoring Obama, at least national polls are. Romney is hoping this strike becomes a national issue that will stop Obama’s momentum, but if it’s resolved quickly, it could backfire on Romney. Romney also said a few months ago that we don’t need more teachers, firefighters and cops, right after Scott Walker won the recall election, so Romney’s statements should be evaluated in this light.
- School Reformer - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:30 am:
Rahm should reopen all High Schools immediately as charter schools. There are people and teachers waiting for approval to operate charter schools. Even if it is just for Senior classes. 45-50,000 kids already attending charter schools. That number will continue to grow. Once it comprises a majority of Chicago students, the CTU will become a bygone entity.
- overcooked - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:37 am:
It appears that the CTU is using the Presidential election as leverage to get a quick and better deal out of Rahm before it gets too embarassing for the President from Chicago.
- Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:38 am:
Growing up in Chicago, when CPS teacher strikes were occurring with greater frequency, the Catholic schools and other private schools experienced a surge in applications or students transfers after every strike.
I am not sure if that would be the case now since tuition costs have soared over the past quarter century. Private schools were more affordable back in the day.
- MrJM - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:39 am:
Rahm has already lost by having the first teachers’ strike in a generation within his first few months as mayor. Of course he could still make the teachers loose more and/or worse.
But out of the gate, Rahm lost control of his city and regardless of the outcome, he will never be able to record his fight with the teachers as a win.
– MrJM
- Esquire - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 10:53 am:
@Mr.JM:
I think that you may be right. I think Emanuel also may have hurt himself by trying to continue to make time to play at national politics when Chicago has had so many critical issues at home.
This may not have been an ideal time for the mayor to be campaigning and fundraising around the country. One example: Emanuel looked hypocritical campaigning against Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker while he was facing similar problems at home and taking some of the same measures that Walker did against unions like the CTU and others.
- Shore - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 11:10 am:
I disagree with Rush, but that’s where a large part of the country gets its news and take on the issues and he drives a lot of conversation on the right, especially with new issues like this where most people outside of the city and especially conservatives don’t know what to make of this and haven’t heard of the issue before. The right and romney seem extremely extremely confused by the issue. Rush thinks its a plot to help obama, Paul Ryan sides with Rahm against the teachers, Romney backs Rahm but trashes Obama and the teachers, the RNC backs Rahm and CPS but trashes the city as just chicago, the teachers union and obama.
I have absolutely no idea who is winning or losing but it is nice after 12 years of debate in Illinois mostly about corruption or 2 years of DC doing nothing to see actual debates on issues and policy not the us attorney or political procrastination driving the news and discussion.
- Skeeter - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 11:17 am:
Rush is going to predict that the strike is going to turn violent?
That’s pretty darn crazy, even by Rush standards.
- cover - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 11:30 am:
One of the pics in the live Twitter feed shows a banner that says, “Democratic Party: Where Are You?” That protester raises an interesting question, given the traditional alliance between unions and Dems, when it’s Rahm Emmanuel on the other side of the table. I’m still not sure who (if anyone) will be the winner of this labor dispute, but I’m sure there will be lots of losers. There is a clear risk to the Mayor and President Obama that each of them, either separately or together, could fall into the loser category.
- Boone's is Back - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 11:54 am:
I can’t wait to see polling on this- particularly if it is segmented by ward or region of the city.
I think that Karen Lewis and CTU have really overplayed their hand on this one. I work with a lot of Union people and many of the comments I hear go like “I’m a proud union member, but do not support CTU. This is a joke. They have the second highest salary in the country, and look at their poor results.”
Moreover I don’t think people are getting a coherent message from CTU as to what they want, and this brings them back to the monetary issue- and the 16% pay increase. It doesn’t cast Lewis in a very good light.
Moreover- you then move to teacher evaluations and the merit based issues, and I think the averagre Chicagoan and CPS parent says- “hell yes, just like I have to do good at my job, they should too.” Should be a very interesting week.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 12:08 pm:
I’m sure the national Republicans will be going bonkers when the Evergreen Park and Argo teachers walk out next week. Pathetic. Romney and Ryan would be better served criticizing the President for the situation in Syria rather than Chicago’s little hiccup. Talk about wrong priorities.
Is there no message discipline on the right anymore? I thought they wanted to make this election a referendum on the economy? Why do they keep bringing up irrelevant issues like this? It’s fine with me, but it’s no way to run a campaign.
And I predict, regardless of how this strike turns out, Obama will receive 70+% of the Chicago vote and 90+% of the union vote in Chicago. Let’s see Rush swallow that pill.
- Mouthy - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 12:26 pm:
CTU is an IFT local. I’m surprised that I haven’t seen anything from them.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 12:30 pm:
Well some would argue that the second or third largest district in the nation going on strike is a bit different than the Argo district. Also with the president’s connection to city and the fact his former chief-of-staff is the mayor does have some political relevance…
As much as you obviously detest Rush most people who understand politics realize Romney’s comments about the strike are not aimed at voters in Chicago.
In case you haven’t noticed being tough on teacher s and public employee unions has generally been a winner the last couple of years.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 12:48 pm:
Hey OneMan, don’t tell Romney but it’s the economy, stupid.
PS: thanks for firing up our base across the country!
- OneMan - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 12:59 pm:
Yeah because Romney saying “He stands with parents” is one of those things that is going to anger the steel worker in Ohio…
It seems to me if you want to fire up the base, I don’t know, perhaps have your actual candidate take a position….
Then again when the news about the CTU protesting at a 9-11 event gets out, that is going to create some fire in the base as well….
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 1:20 pm:
Don’t you find it at all ironic that Romney is basically endorsing Rahm’s position? I mean, how awkward is that? Up is down, white is black, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria. Not even Rush could get past that inconvenient truth, so he concocted his goofy conspiracy theory to help his listeners wrap their brains around this strange turn of events.
And yes, by all means, please let’s blow the 9/11 CTU protest out of all proportion and have it dominate tomorrow’s national news.
Only 8 weeks until the election OneMan. Any day your side isn’t talking about the economy is a day the President is winning.
- Cook County Commoner - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 1:20 pm:
This strike makes no sense unless there is an internal power struggle at the CTU and President Lewis needed to show spine and prove she was worthy to retain her salary. The CTU doesn’t care anymore about President Obama than it does the children and parents who are the big losers here. In Illinois it’s always about the money and power.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 1:22 pm:
===This strike makes no sense unless there is an internal power struggle at the CTU and President Lewis needed to show spine and prove she was worthy to retain her salary.===
You don’t know Lewis very well, do you?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 1:26 pm:
Is Fox News suddenly Us Weekly? Jeez. What a sham to call themselves journalists.
- frustrated GOP - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 3:07 pm:
Maybe I have missed this in the last four years, Has anyone looked at the initiatives and record of the last CPS school cheif, Arnie Duncan, and the impact he has made to fundamental change to the national education policy. the Sec of Ed, did more with little federal money in changing state laws toward education then any any republican sec of Ed. The race to the top was the best use of competitive bid money to change state laws I can remember. (maybe Liz Dole’s use of trans dollars to get drinking age to 21 would compare)
Where did he see the failures of the current system and realize the way to change it? Chicago!
This strike ends when the Union gives in to something everyone else in the State of Illinois has already agreed to. Principal hiring, and the current evaluation model. The mayor isn’t going to give in on this, nor should he, and most professional educators should be on his side. the system CTU wants doesn’t allow to removal a bad teacher.
- Teaching moment - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 4:38 pm:
Wow just saw the march in the loop.
Hang in there teachers you look great.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 5:20 pm:
47th Ward-
I could actually see Rahm Emmanuel as a Republican 30 years ago. He is essentially a Blue Dog D who grew up in suburbia and is comfortable among the 1%. When taking the reins of power, the tendency is to become “The Man” even if you fancy yourself the champion of the downtrodden. Our governor has been learning that lesson as of late.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 5:37 pm:
Six, my views today might have made me a Republican 30 years ago. That was a much different Republican party, with leaders like Bob Michel and Chuck Percy and Jim Thompson, none of whom could be nominated by today’s Republicans because they would be seen as too liberal. I miss those kind of Republicans.
The Mayor has to govern and that involves tough choices. Romney has no idea what he’s in for if he somehow manages to win.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 5:49 pm:
I wonder how the state workers going out on strike as well would look on the Dems ? I believe they will be next.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 6:22 pm:
47th-
I get it, and right wingery has not generally succeeded in IL except as an occasional fluke (see P. Fitzgerald). This was historically the state of moderation, compromise and cronyism, with an occasional knocking of heads, and Emanuel fits in, and would’a fit in the old days. Too bad he had to start off his term with an unusual degree of head knocking.
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, Sep 11, 12 @ 6:42 pm:
Anonymous: I hope Quinn is paying attention and it doesn’t come to that. It’s even worse for state employees in that Quinn has given raises due to workers in some agencies and continues to stiff everyone else. How can he possibly justify this? He can’t.