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* The Chicago media is bound and determined to cover every rumor, every possible angle, every twist and microscopic turn of the Great Rahm Emanuel’s triumphant return to Chicago…
* Sweet: Rahm might quit on Friday to launch mayoral bid
* Source: Emanuel close to deciding on whether to leave White House and explore mayoral run
* Emanuel decision near; likely to leave White House
* The Perambulations of Rahm Emanuel
* Rahm Must Decide Quickly on Mayoral Run, Obama Says
* The latest line on mayoral race: Rahm moving, maybe Gainer, too
* Sneed: Rahm Emanuel kept out of Chicago home by tenant?
* Rahm Emanuel Snubbing Luis Guiterrez?
* Gutierrez criticizes Emanuel on immigration
* Rahm “All But Certain” to Run for Mayor
Meanwhile, there are no articles on the governor’s campaign in the city’s news media today. No articles on the US Senate campaign. No columns. No editorials. The general election is five weeks from today.
They are amusing themselves to death with this media frenzy of theirs. It really is unseemly.
* The frenzy is so bad they’re even recycling month-old stories about Emil Jones, for crying out loud…
Emil Jones Jr., the Chicago Democrat who retired more than a year ago as Illinois Senate president, said today that supporters and friends have begun collecting signatures on his behalf for a possible mayoral run.
In an interview with the Tribune, Jones said he is still “just looking” at getting into the contest to succeed Mayor Richard Daley, who is not running for re-election.
“A lot of my supporters want me to run,” Jones said. “I enjoy my retirement, but I will only run if conditions are right.”
When asked what those conditions are, Jones said, “I’m not going to tell you right now.”
Everybody who believes that Emil Jones will actually run for mayor, please, raise your hands. Anybody? Hello? Bueller?
* And while few think that state Sen. Rickey Hendon is a “serious” mayoral candidate, he said yesterday that he’s in the race to stay.
Hendon won every black Chicago ward in the lt. governor’s primary, despite running against Art Turner, who was endorsed by both Chicago newspapers, some bigtime labor unions and Personal PAC. Now, I might agree that Hendon ain’t exactly mayoral material, but he has long championed issues that truly resonate out there. Parking meters, red light cameras, free rides for seniors, the foreclosure crisis, etc. Remember his radio ad? Again, not exactly mayoral material, but he hit the, um, right notes for his community…
Love them or not, Hendon and Sen. James Meeks are the only two candidates out there with definable public policy stands. If anyone thinks that Rahm Emanuel’s campaign will be anything more than safe, poll-tested bromides they’re fooling themselves. But he’s the superstar, so his every tiny move is somehow news. Kinda like when the Beatles used to get the girls screaming at their concerts when they’d just shake their legs a little bit…
For those not old enough to appreciate that clip, watch how these two little girls react to getting Justin Bieber concert tix from their parents for a more up to date example.
This is truly getting embarrassing.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:29 am
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I’ve never quite gotten the media’s obsession with Emanuel. And why does everyone call him Rahm when they call every single other politician by their last name?
Comment by centrist Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:47 am
You have to laugh. The Great Rahm’s triumphant return — he’s getting out before he has to wear the jacket for the election.
Combine a likely Dem trouncing with a lousy economy and the never-ending wars, and he was due to get thrown under the bus by Obama, like every other COS serving a president with anemic approval ratings.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:50 am
Rahm will definitely have a legal challenge since he didn’t maintain a Chicago residency. He’ll have virtually no organizational support since he has gone out of his way to antagonize and irritate everyone who knows him. He’s got money but money can’t buy him love. He’s a loser. Even Axlerod and Obie won’t be able to get him elected in his adopted home town. If they are smart they will keep out of it.
Comment by Bill Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:54 am
After listening to Ricky’s radio ad I didn’t know whether to really laugh or just shake my head.
Comment by Fred Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:59 am
Kinda like the national media covering a certain presidential candidate a couple of years ago, but I digress. If Sneed is correct, I feel sorry for the tenant and his family as I suspect a whole lot of crap will be coming his way if “The Rahm” really wants to live in his house. Has a dead fish been found on the front porch yet?
Comment by Hank Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 8:59 am
I sent Rahm a lock of my hair! I hope he sleeps with it under his pillow….
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:01 am
“Why does everyone call him Rahm when they call every other politician by their last name?”
Could it be because “Emanuel” is a Biblical name frequently applied to Christ himself (see Isaiah 7:14). It would be sort of like someone having the last name of “Messiah” or “Christ” (well, come to think of it, there is a certain politician in Florida named Charlie Christ; do people refer to him as Charlie instead?)
One time, back around Christmas of 2008 when the Blago mess had just hit the fan, I spotted a blog post header that mentioned the name Emanuel, and I right away assumed it was about Rahm and his contacts with Blago… but actually it was a video of a children’s choir singing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. At that point I knew I was spending way too much time reading political blogs
Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:04 am
Can’t buy me love, oh oh no no no
Comment by flabergasted Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:09 am
If you play Rickey’s radio spot backwards, you can clearly hear “The walrus is Quinn.”
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:10 am
Please promise me that I will never see Justin Bieber’s name mentioned on Capitol Fax again.
Besides that, I’m looking forward to Rahm joining the three ring circus that is the mayor’s race. The jousting for position is going to be great entertainment, along with the rattling skeletons just waiting to leap from their closets.
Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:14 am
You want to know why the Chicago media won’t cover the upcoming general election? Because they know the Dems are gonna lose and lose very badly. They are very despondant that conservatives are coming back into office. These left-wing hack “reporters” want to cover the mayor race because they know they’ll elect another Democrat and they want butt-kiss every candidate running for the seat because they worship hardcore leftists.
We conservatives call Rahm “DEADFISH” for his stupid stunt of leaving dead fish on the desks of his most hated political enemies.
Comment by Segatari Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:15 am
Well, I think it is pretty clear that Rahm, Dart & Meeks will be the top tier. Everyone else (Del Valle, Gainer etc.) seems second or even thrid tier. My question is if the top tier stays stable will we wind up with a black candidate and a white candidate in the run-off. If that happens, I can see the local and national headlines now about racial politics in Chicago.
Comment by Niles Township Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:22 am
I don’t want to hold the hand that’s missing half of the middle finger.
Comment by And I Approved This Message Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:34 am
There’s a semi-funny Twitter feed up already: http://twitter.com/rahmformayor
Comment by Lincoln Parker Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:39 am
===they worship hardcore leftists===
Rahm the hardcore leftist. Thanks for giving me my laugh for the day.
Comment by enn Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:39 am
I wonder if Rahm truly has a bloombergesque appeal to his city, or is it more just to the media.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:41 am
Look at Bloomberg’s last re-election numbers. Bloomberg doesn’t have a Bloombergesque appeal to his city — he just has a ton of cash, and he still barely beat his underfunded and unknown challenger. Rahm has cash, but not that much cash. If he runs he’s going to be humiliated.
Comment by enn Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:44 am
The Governors race is a snore, and besides, the State is so broke, it almost is a moot point as to who will get to be in charge of this mess: see the first page of the Trib with non profits begging to be paid…truly sad…the Mayors race in Chicago has huge implications for not only the region, but IL as a whole…business interests must be placated, or IL’s bottom line will sink ever lower…this may be one reason why the media is obsessing about this race…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 9:49 am
Emanuel running for Mayor will finally get the dancing politico into a race where could get his political legs cut off at the knees. I’ll be writing a check to Dart just to see it.
Comment by Louis Howe Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:05 am
It really doesn’t matter what Emanuel’s appeal is at the moment. After millions of dollars of TV ads, he will look very appealing. If Dart hopes to compete, he needs to be out there NOW raising money in the business community.
Comment by Chicago Dem Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:07 am
I think Rahm has two big problems which his opponents will blast away at in ads:
1) Tomczak and his whole crew (the whole hiring trial) going up to Evanston to get him eleccted to COngress.
2) He was the negotiator with the White House and Rod concerning the Sentate seat.
Comment by Jim Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:13 am
We had the same media ‘cult-of-personality’ stuff with Obama, why shouldn’t Rahm get his?
He deserves it.
Comment by Leroy Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:17 am
Did Rickey Hendon have anything to do, really, with getting free CTA rides for seniors? I thought that was mainly a sop Blagojevich demanded in return for a sales tax increase. Not saying Hendon didn’t cast any votes here, but was Hendon the one who originally proposed the compromise, or something? If so I apologize to Hendon. Otherwise, is his mayoral message “I take credit for things I really played no role in accomplishing”?
Comment by ZC Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:20 am
ZC, he was responsible for blocking the repeal.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:31 am
The national Democrat establishment will pull out the stops to get Rahm elected mayor. This support is critical to Obama’s re-election chances in 2012, since if elected, Rahm will control the state party apparatus.
Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:44 am
== since if elected, Rahm will control the state party apparatus ==
I think Mike Madigan may have a little something to say about it.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:48 am
Isn’t much of the “Rahm is leaving as WH COS so he can run for mayor of Chicago!” narrative that is being pushed so forcefully in national media in fact cover for the real reasons he is leaving- a declining presidency, and Dem infighting in Washington over who is to blame?
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:56 am
OneMan,
That sure will be an interesting battle, wot?
Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 11:08 am
–The national Democrat establishment will pull out the stops to get Rahm elected mayor. This support is critical to Obama’s re-election chances in 2012, since if elected, Rahm will control the state party apparatus.–
Cincy, I’m really not following that one.
First, if Obama doesn’t think he can carry Illinois in 2012 unless Rahm is mayor of Chicago, he must as well start picking his library site now.
Secondly, how does Rahm get the “state party apparatus” as mayor, anyway? Does Madigan just meekly walk away in fear of the Mighty Rahm? Sounds out of character to me.
Lastly, I suspect that the “national Democratic establishment,” whoever they are, would be happy just to see another ambitious guy out of the Washington game. More opportunity for them.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 11:08 am
=== Rahm will control the state party apparatus====
Not without Madigans database
Lets not forget that Durbin has ben trying to wrest control from Madigan as well, so Rahm would have to go through Madigan and Durbins fledgin aparatus as well.
Not to mention Rahm does not have the backing of the unions which are a good chunck of that aparatus, and they are not looking like they would hand Rahm anything.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 11:15 am
The races for governor and US Senate are dead stories, nobody except those whom have already deciced how they’re going to vote are still interested in them, it’s just too depressing.
If Rahm decides to run, does Obama benefit? Or does it look like Rahm has abandoned him as far as 2012 is concerned? Stantis had a great cartoon in the Trib depicting this.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 12:38 pm
If Rickey Hendon is the black Sarah Palin, what is Rahm? The Male Hillary? the Jewish Bobby Kennedy?
Comment by kj Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 12:50 pm
He or she who gets the unanimous nod from the government employee unions will be THE candidate. They will provide the campaign financing, the foot soldiers and the voters from the immense bloc of government employees, retirees and their dependents. To get the nod requires promises, and the only promises with the slightest hope of fulfillment and funding must come from the federal government in the form of pension bailouts,laws more favorable to union organizing and promises of more government hiring. Unannointed but serious Democratic aspirants will get a buy-out. Sounds like Rahm Emmanuel gets the winning ticket, but only if the Democrats avoid annihilation in the national elections. If the federal vote totals ensure gridlock or worse favoring Republicans and the President and Congress can’t deliver to the unions, it becomes a street fight with racial overtones. Rahm Emanuel does not appear to have the skill set for open warfare, but he could find a supporting role as kingmaker.
Comment by Cook County Commoner Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:06 pm
Secret Square - It’s Charlie C R I S T not Christ.
Comment by persnickety Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:15 pm
Bill @ 8:54 has it right.
Emanuel has money but little else. No base. No ward organization. No friends. Local Dems never trusted him unless Daley was holding his leash. Don Tomczak (Rich, is he still in the Salvation Army halfway house? https://capitolfax.com/2010/02/18/ryan-asks-for-clemency/) has no army of Water Department employees to deploy on his behalf as he did for Emanuel’s congressional race.
Besides, what’s he going to base his campaign on? Competence? Honesty? Transparency? Likeability?
On top of it all, he’s got a well-deserved reputation for crossing everyone around him to get what he wants. Chicagoans are fatigued by Daley’s arrogance. They’re certainly not going to embrace Emanuel’s.
Comment by A Rahm By Any Other Name... Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:20 pm
No question Rahm has the media machine covering his every step. His decision to leave the White house makes all of this more newsworthy, but these columnists should check at least a portion of their fascination at the door.
Comment by NW Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:39 pm
Bill at 8:54 says Rahm does not have a legal Chicago
residence. anyone else know anything about that? I’ve only
heard that on this blog and a tv snippet on some news channel
today.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:46 pm
Amalia, there will be a challenge, but election residency law is based mostly on intent.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 1:50 pm
Emanuel is capable of being mayor; he’s capable of anything–few people in public service have skill levels that approach his–I could not name one. That said, I think the highest and best use of his skills would be as a leader in the US Congress–who can cobble together coalitions and bring home the bacon to Chicago–not as an executive who oversees the management of city workers. Then again, it’s his life.
Comment by james Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 2:26 pm
Funniest comments section ever today I think … People are stepping up their game.
Comment by Pioneer P. Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 2:31 pm
I completely forgot about Hendon’s primary ad.
I for one, have been giggling all afternoon at the thought of watching a Mayor Ricky Hendon press conference.
Comment by 618er Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 2:34 pm
==but election residency law is based mostly on intent.==
Ask Patricia Bailey about that. Anyway I hope you are wrong. I just can’t stomach that guy.
Anyone south of Madison Street who votes for Rahm oughta be …..
Comment by Bill Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 4:59 pm
–Anyone south of Madison Street who votes for Rahm oughta be …..–
I doubt it.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 5:59 pm
Bill, Bailey’s intent was to defraud. She lived with her mother. The address she used on her sworn affidavit didn’t actually exist. I’ve covered a whole lot of these residency cases, and you’d be amazed how much they can get away with. But the address actually has to exist, man.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 6:02 pm
No candidate currently in the race, and I mean NO candidate, has the baggage that Rahm has, and his dirty laundry (making $15M in a year etc.) is easily understood by the voter. If I were still running races (which I’m not), I would salivate for the chance to take him on. I presume Dart feels the same way.
Comment by Old Hand Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 6:18 pm
Hey: I am the originalChicagoDem…RE has no chance…he is not “Chicago” and will be spit-out like dry gum by all real chicagoans!
Comment by ChicagoDem Tuesday, Sep 28, 10 @ 10:10 pm