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* Emanuel is being endorsed by a major African-American politico…
Rahm Emanuel’s campaign says the Chicago mayoral candidate has earned an endorsement from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
Emanuel campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said Monday morning that Emanuel would receive the endorsement from White. Emanuel has already received endorsements from the city’s two major daily newspapers, The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times.
* But Emanuel is also being supported by some folks who are not exactly on Jim DeRogatis’ friend list…
For knowledgeable music fans, two things jump out from the list of donors to the campaign of mayoral frontrunner Rahm Emanuel. The first is the contributions from the two top executives at Ticketmaster/Live Nation, the monopolistic giant that has become the most reviled entity in the music business.
Executive chairman Irving Azoff, the notorious “Poison Dwarf” of the music industry and a man who’s been pushing concert ticket prices ever higher since he started as manager of the Eagles, gave the campaign $10,000. And CEO Michael Rapino, as ruthless a figure as the music business ever has produced, gave $5,000.
The second fact that leaps out is that no fewer than 15 employees at William Morris Endeavor, the Hollywood super-agency run by Ari Emanuel, have donated a total of $141,000 to his brother Rahm’s campaign. Not coincidentally, William Morris co-owns Lollapalooza, which has a tax-free sweetheart deal with the city of Chicago that keeps it in Grant Park through 2018.
Never nurturing to begin with, the waning days of the Daley administration have been a singularly dreadful time for the city’s relations with the music community. The dismantling of the Department of Cultural Affairs has cast uncertainty on the future of music programming at Millennium Park, and when the push to privatize the free summer music festivals resulted in a stellar proposal that could have created Chicago’s answers to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Daley abruptly reversed himself and arbitrarily rejected it.
*** UPDATE *** From the Emanuel campaign…
Given his brother’s position at WME and on the board of Live Nation, Rahm would ask the City Council to appoint an outside negotiator to handle any negotiations with these companies so that there wasn’t even a question of favoritism.
* Meanwhile, Gery Chico’s campaign will receive the endorsement of several labor unions today. From a press release…
International Union of Operating Engineers
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 9
Sheet Metal Workers Local 73
Ironworkers Local 1
Laborers’ District Council of Chicago & Vicinity
Painters District Council #14
* The Sun-Times looks at candidate finances today. This passage about Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins kinda jumped out at me…
Watkins, a community activist, declined to answer questions about why she lives in a house that’s owned by a church whose leader is heavily bankrolling her mayoral run. Also, she has donated sizable chunks of her income to one or more charities that she declined to identify.
* Related…
* Chicago mayoral candidates focus on job growth, tax policies - Head tax, TIF districts and easing of red tape top most candidates’ lists: A recent Tribune/WGN-TV poll makes it clear that such ideas pack plenty of voter appeal. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they favored the sometimes-controversial practice of enacting business tax breaks to keep jobs from leaving the city, while just 27 percent said such financial carrots were unnecessary.
* Q&A with Miguel del Valle: Touting a scandal-free resume
* “Chico 2.0″ launches on iPhone
* Mayoral candidates back business in Arab American forum
* ADDED: New video: Alderman Ed Bus shovels out Chicago
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 12:35 pm
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…And, apparently, nobody cares.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 1:48 pm
Jesse White is a sweet pickup for Emanuel. He’s like the Good Housekeeping seal.
The dude is golden. If you recall the Blago/Burris/Senate seat flap, his political instincts and goodwill are sublime.
He refused to certify Burris for the Senate, after Durbin, Reid, Quinn, et al backed down from their tough talk.
Yet even after White stood his ground, Burris felt compelled to go on radio praising him.
Pretty sweet.
I might be wrong, but didn’t Jesse, at one point, agree to term limits? LOL. He’ll be there until the Cubs win the World Series.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 1:59 pm
===He’ll be there until the Cubs win the World Series.===
There’s no election this November.
Comment by Obamarama Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:02 pm
I’m still working on a tumbling joke, but it ain’t happening today. Mondays are like that. My personal observation is that Thursdays are the best comment days here. Maybe by then I’ll come up with something funny enough to post about White’s tumbling with Emanuel. Or maybe VanillaMan can work up a Boy George diddy.
Tumble. Rumble. Rahmble. It’s in there somewhere…
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:02 pm
Actually, I think today’s question has pretty much distracted everybody.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:06 pm
Yeah, I’m not a state employee, so I’m staying out of the QOTD pie fight.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:07 pm
I knew it would get some attention. I didn’t anticipate it would be so intense. Should’ve known.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:08 pm
God bless Alderman Ed Bus!
(Now can my mother have her garbage picked up again?)
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:09 pm
When something feels like a done deal, it is hard to say much more about it.
About Watkins:
It seems like this could be the case that this minister believes in her and is a huge sponsor of her work and wants to see her reach higher office. Kind of like political patronage.
Depending on how people describe it, it can sound strange. But models of support in the religious community can be like this. Like Rainbow PUSH for example. I also remember reading that this is a warehouse building with multiple occupancies. Or, maybe CMB is right and it is a cult!!!
I doubt it though. I have been trying to follow Watkins and she seems like a smart person fully engaged in civic life and a straight talker who has a great grasp on public policy. She said that she hasn’t dealt with LGBT issues much before, but she is learning fast and has progressive views. She doesn’t seem bound by religious ideology the way Meeks did. I agree with Washington, she should run for state rep.
Comment by tired of press Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:11 pm
===About Watkins:===
The problem here is that CMB and others have accused Watkins of being in a cult.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:14 pm
The problem here is that CMB and others have accused Watkins of being in a cult.
And that has what to do with her living in the house or her pastor (and his wife)?
Comment by dave Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:23 pm
Has Secretary White ever endorsed someone who lost in the primary? Can’t think of anybody…
Comment by soccermom Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 2:27 pm
Jesse White has credibility with a lot of voters. This is one endorsement that might actually make a difference.
Comment by Aldyth Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 3:28 pm
Who’s next, Santa Claus, Jesus, Ditka? How much help can one guy get?
Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 3:43 pm
Please, STL, don’t give them any ideas.
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 3:44 pm
Thanks for deleting my comment on the QOTD. The truth hurts.
Comment by Bill Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 4:22 pm
One thing I like about Jesse White is that he doesn’t always support whatever candidate Bobby Rush gets behind, who then accuses everyone who doesn’t support his choice of betraying the black community.
Comment by Wensicia Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 4:28 pm
You’re quite welcome, Bill.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 4:37 pm
I am a little puzzled by White’s endorsement. I understand that he endorsed Mendoza for city clerk, but is White suggesting that there is no Hispanic qualified to hold as high of an office as mayor? White is friends with Chico and Del Valle, but didn’t respect either enough to remain neutral?
I think that Chico is more qualified than Emanuel. I cannot recall if it was the Sun-Times or the Tribune, but in their endorsements of Emanuel, one paper referred to Chico’s body of work on behalf of Chicago as “stellar.” I agree. Similarly the other paper had high-praise for Chico. In neither case did the endorsing paper really speak all that or as glowingly of Emanuel. I think anyone who did a careful reading of the two endorsements caught this as well.
Hispanics helped to Mayor Harold Washington over the top and of course they have supported White over the years to get where has gotten, and Jesse White pulled this stunt today when there is an extremely qualified candidate like Chico?
$12million sure does buy a lot of support.
Comment by I'll keep Jesse White in my prayers Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 6:28 pm