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Question of the day

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Illinois

Sneed hears Mayor Rahm Emanuel is in a twist over who he wants to be the next governor of Illinois.

Sneed is told:

◆ Rahm is indebted to Dem gubernatorial hopeful Bill Daley, who helped convince his brother, Mayor Richie Daley, to retire, and helped engineer Rahm’s transition into the office.

◆ Rahm is not a big booster of Gov. Pat Quinn winning re-election.

◆ Rahm is this/close to GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Rauner, and their families have been known to spend holiday time together.

◆ Translation: A top source inside the Dem party tells Sneed: “Rahm’s candidate is really Rauner. He’ll never publicly back him. . . he’s a party guy. But, in his heart. . .”

I believe she’s probably right.

* The Question: Do you think Mayor Emanuel will ever endorse either one of those two? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

survey tool

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:23 pm

Comments

The question at the end of the day is… What is best for Rahm and by extension the city of Chicago to some degree… That is what is going to drive Rahm.

Comment by OneMan Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:26 pm
He’ll pull a Richie and do all of his endorsing behind the scenes. It was an interesting strength of Daley’s to keep his mouth shut on the topic.

Comment by Belle Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:27 pm
What OneMan said. Endorsing in the D primary would be foolhardy for a Chicago mayor. If the general is particularly close then so would endorsing in the general.

Plus I don’t even see what an endorsement would do for the supposed beneficiary that non-public fundraising cannot do without the hassle/hurt feelings.

Comment by Will Caskey Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:28 pm
He will never endorse a Republican and will not endorse anyone in the Democratic primary. After the primary, he will endorse the Democratic candidate regardless of who it is.

Comment by Anyones Guess Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:40 pm
I personnally don’t see him risking playing favorites behind the scenes, and having details of that “behind the scenes” play come out, because if any details of that “play” were to become public, his re-election bid as a democrat is toast, especially if the details indicate any smidgen of support for Rauner.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:44 pm
===because if any details of that “play” were to become public, his re-election bid as a democrat is toast===

Meh. You can’t beat somebody with nobody.

Also, Daley actively backed George Ryan behind the scenes. Never hurt him.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:45 pm
Yeah, I think Emanuel will do what’s best for him, personally. I think that his approach on everything. I have no idea what that would be in this case.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:47 pm
In the primary, won’t endorse either (or anyone on either ballot).

He’ll endorse whoever wins the Dem primary, because he is a loyal partisan. If Rauner win’s the GOP nod, he’ll work behind the scenes to at least mitigate his endorsement of the Dem.

But I’ll note that it’s not just about loyalty. Hizzoner is savvy enough to know that his endorsement would be a kiss of death to Rauner, as he’s already going to have a JBT-style “RINO” issue to deal with.

Comment by grand old partisan Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:49 pm
You missed one option - he’ll endorse the Democrat but quietly help Rauner if he’s the R nominee.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:52 pm
From the mayor’s perspective, Bill Daley and Bruce Rauner are the same person. That Daley is even in the race is, I believe, in no small part because the Mayor wants a new governor.

If the fall ballot pits Daley v. Rauner, Rahm wins.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:53 pm
Sorry, I meant to add that I voted for the 4th option, no endorsement but behind the scenes help.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:53 pm
RAHM: “I am for anybody who is willing to work for the success of the City of Chicago. We do not have to agree on every issue, other than a lifetime holiday for the City of Chicago!” Translation: I will not throw my friend & fellow strategist/Rauner under the bus (even for the party); I will NOT give Daley credit for my success; and I will not give Pat Quinn any reason to withhold my paycheck!

Comment by Really? WOW! Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 12:54 pm
47th Ward has it covered.

Comment by Ann Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:00 pm
“Twin Win?

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is this/close to having his cake and eating it too, no matter the slice.

To wit,

Rahm could have Bruce Rauner AND Bill Daley as the Nominees for governor in 2014, and that means good news for Rahmbo, but will Hizzoner come out and back them?

Upside - Rahm on board, either campaign, early on, or after a nomination is won, only strengthens the City’s hand.

Downshot - Rauner is seen too cozy to Dems and in the GOP Primary, that could sink a Rauner ship… Daley can’t be too close to Rahmbo, Bill Daley doesn’t need another reason for voters downstate to not vote ‘Daley’

Buckshot - Rahm knows a thing about money and politics and both Rauner and Daley know how to donate, and how to payback too. Even a little help by Rahm might make the difference.

Me thinks Write-in Hopeful Oswego Willy will vote ‘Yes’ because somewhere down the road, Rahm needs favors to call in, no matter what slice of cake Rahm gets to eat.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:00 pm
47th Ward - one correction, from anyone’s perspective, Bill Daley and Rauner are the same person.

Comment by bobby dylan Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:01 pm
Behind the scenes, Yes, is my vote.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:04 pm
He’ll stay out of the primary, then endorse the Democratic nominee. If that is Daley, the mayor will campaign for him and work for his election. If it’s Quinn, Rahm’s involvement will be minimal. He won’t endorse a Republican, but a Rauner/Quinn race could lead to “behind the scenes” help for Rauner. I don’t think Rahm has a lot of foot soldiers like in the old days, so his main asset is fundraising. That can be done in a much quieter way than the old-school machine GOTV operations.

Comment by Snucka Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:08 pm
Rahm stayed out of Hillary vs Obama. Hell stay out of Daley vs Rauner.

But if you have Quinn vs Rauner, Rahm will back Rauner. Publicly. Just because I get the vibe that he sees himself as the new Bloomberg.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:14 pm
Didn’t Rahm say, at the start of the Hillary vs. Barack primaries, that he was hiding under his desk because both were his good friends? And that’s what he did, right? So I think he’ll do that now but MIGHT do something behind the scenes.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:16 pm
Endorsements are mostly overrated - UNLESS they come with money or boots. Rauner will get the money, Daley might get the boots, but no one will get the endorsement.

Comment by Empty Chair Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:20 pm
I voted # 4 but then re-read the post. Because you mention Daley, Quinn and Rauner it could be said that the question is not clear enough. I assumed you meant Daley v Rauner but it could be read differently. Or is it just me?

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:25 pm
#5 because he has no finger to lift.

Comment by Anon2 Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:35 pm
Rahm owes Rauner for the sweetheart deal that made him millions. Having said that, I still can’t fathom how Rauner can help anyone as Governor without a legislative base of support. Quinn couldn’t do it with his own party in majority. Rauner has attacked both parties and “his party” (methinks that is the Bruce Rauner party)is a minority. If you want to know what a Rauner administration would be like - look at Quinn. 4 more years of gridlock aren’t an acceptable option - particularly for Chicago.

Comment by Voice of Reason Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:40 pm
Emanuel has a horse in both camps. He covers his bets because both Rauner and Daley will give him unchecked access to the Guv’s office and will put Chicago interests ahead of the suburbs and downstate. www.norauner.com

Comment by Jon Zahm Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 1:58 pm
I think Rahm is a Democrat in name only, opposite of a RINO. He is anti-union, pro-privatization. Me thinks he will do whatever is best for him.
I don’t know how many boots he has to give to either candidate, but he has the cash.

Comment by James the Intolerant Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:00 pm
Oh, goodie, RINO & DINO…how fun!

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:02 pm
It is a shame that partisanship overrides what is in the hearts of our leaders.

Rahm just lost a whole lot of my respect.

Comment by Anon Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:04 pm
Wait a sec. What did Rahm do here to lose your respect? Get gossipped about by an anonymous source in a Sneed column?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:10 pm
As importantly - what did he do to gain your respect in the first place??

Comment by Voice of Reason Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:11 pm
Sneed is completely wrong here, as usual.

Comment by Tom B. Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:29 pm
Rich asked,

“He won’t lift a finger for either man.”

Which finger?

Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:34 pm
Rahm is a Democrat so he will officially endorse Daley if he wins. I think he’ll remain neutral if Quinn wins the primary.

In either case, a “public” endorsement will allow him to play quetly behind the scenes with Rauner.

Comment by 1776 Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:34 pm
Rich, the missing one! Race you to Wendy’s.

Comment by Dave Thomas Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:44 pm
I meant Arby’s!

Comment by Dave Thomas Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:46 pm
Rahm is a pragmatist first. He will support the man whom he thinks will help him the most. And if it is Rauner, he will do it in the background just most other politicians.

Comment by Nearly Normal Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 2:53 pm
The days of the Mayor of Chicago making that much of a difference in a Gubernatorial race are about over. In the not-too-distant past, the Mayor could dispatch an army to help a Dem in the General Election (or instruct said army to sit on their hands to help a Republican.) But Mayor Emanuel doesn’t have an army like the past Mayors did. And, lastly, there is no upside to getting his hands dirty in a primary and only downside if he does and chooses incorrectly. As the late, great Milton Rakove once penned, “Don’t Make No Waves, Don’t Back No Losers”.

Comment by Knome Sane Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 3:13 pm
Daley and Rauner are chasing the same buck, a lot of whom bankrolled Emanuel.

From looking at reports, Rauner seems to have more Wall Street money and Daley more Washington money.

Some of the LaSalle Street, Gold Coast, North Shore money seems to be going to both of them.

Their circles overlap and it’s good to have generous friends committed to nothing but reform government.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Aug 9, 13 @ 3:30 pm
Rahm is a Party Guy, through and through, and that means an eventual Endorsement of the D’s Nominee, tepid or not, but if SOMEhow the R’s Gubernatorial Hopeful emerges as his Ultra-Rich Bud, Rauner, I’d doubt, at least, that he’d do anything sigNIFicant to publicly snub him or put him down–unless it’s something BLATantly opposed to Rahm’s Personal Mayoral Platform, and even then, it’d probably just be a firm, formal Statement in disagreement (after all, he’s still got plenty of that “RahmBO” left in him after all of those years and fights EARNing him that Nickname)…!

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Comment by Astralized Thursday, Aug 15, 13 @ 7:42 pm