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The Stroger beat

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In what might be interpreted as a thinly veiled threat to get in line, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley implied Forrest Claypool is risking his political career by not endorsing Todd Stroger. […]

Daley noted that he got over the loss [to Harold Washington in 1983], he sucked it up and he fought for the fellow Democrat.

â€œI didnâ€™t destroy my political career,â€ he said pointedly.

Asked if that was what Claypool was doing, Daley replied, â€œI donâ€™t know.â€

Claypool, however, remained undaunted.

â€œTodd Stroger was not elected by the voters â€¦ but was instead appointed in a back room by a bunch of ward bosses,â€ Claypool said, re-asserting his contention that ward bosses deliberately deceived voters as to John Strogerâ€™s health in order to dissuade anyone from filing a third-party candidacy until the deadline had passed.

* Sun-Times:

“It’s a disservice to Harold Washington’s memory to compare him to Todd Stroger.”

* Daley was endorsing Todd Stroger when he made the above comments. This is how the Peraica campaign responded, according to the Tribune:

The endorsement was hardly a surprise as the Daleys and the Strogers have had a decades-old political alliance.

The announcement brought a sarcastic response from the Peraica campaign.

“In other related breaking news, the sun rose in the east this morning,'’ Peraica spokesman Dan Proft said in a written statement. “The real story in this race is all of the self-identified Democratic voters not supporting Todd Stroger, not the ones who are.”

* And the Tribune’s editorial board tries to whip up some fury.

If the bosses get away with this, they’ll have more than survived John Stroger’s exit. They’ll have installed a successor who could rule–and repay his debt to them–for several decades.

The alternative the bosses dread is four years of Tony Peraica, teaming with other reformers on the County Board to redirect money spent on patronage to improving services for poor people.

The bosses who lied to put Todd Stroger on the ballot figure citizens don’t much care about all that–or about all those FBI agents rooting through county offices. They want to believe that talk of public anger is just protest chatter from whiners too lazy to actually vote.

* Also, the Windy City Times has a pretty good interview of Stroger this week. He comes off a lot better than many are making him out to be. It ends on a somewhat humorous note:

Everyone has been afraid of getting hit by the bus and stepping out in front, which has disappointed me, because I thought that Iâ€™ve always been an aboveboard person. Some of these attacks have not only been on my character, [ but ] theyâ€™ve [ also ] been on me as an elected official, trying to portray me as a puppet, among others. Iâ€™ve been my own person all of my life, which is probably why my dad yelled at me so much. [ Laughs ] I guess part of my problem is since I am my own person, I have the ability to be truly independent. I came from a strong ward organization, and my dad did not call me up and say, â€œYou vote this way today, you vote this way tomorrow.â€ I could do what I thought was right. In that, I didnâ€™t have to talk to a lot of people, so maybe they donâ€™t know me that well.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 9:45 am

Comments

When will the Illinois State Board of Elections start getting serious about campaigns that file “Non-participation Reports” for this election and then turn around and give major dollars in violation of state law?

Case-in-point: Metro Briefs on Page 36 in today’s Sun-Times states that Michael McMahon, a DuPage County Board Member (and cousin of Lt. Gov candidate Joe “Hang Em High” Birkett) gave $10,000 to Tony Peraica after filing a “Non-participation” report on October 16th. And McMahon’s own campaign report shows he only had $1200 on hand in July. Hmmmmmm. Rasing money, filing non-participation reports and doling out $10K to a candidate in another county. Rich, is there something to this or am I missing something?

Comment by What Gives? Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:05 am
Todd Stroger, “my own person”, who almost never crosses Daley. Daley and the ward bosses would not have installed Stroger unless they were certain he would stay in line.

Comment by Tom Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:15 am
I guess Daley thinks everyone need be political. I guess it comes as a suprise to him that someone like Claypool might actually not support Stroger because he knows he is a joke. Maybe Claypool is taking a stand on principal over Daley who just wants to sure up his support in the “Black community” for his own race next year.

Comment by HANKSTER Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:25 am
Claypool continues to impress.

Comment by Phocion Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:29 am
Let’s see Daley said the reason he supports Toddler has nothing to do with politics and his February election, but because Toddler “knows Cook County Hospital, knows Cook County Jail, knows Cook County Forest Preserves.” Might it have occured to the Da Mayor that what Toddler knows of those entities is political hiring, waste, bureaucracy etc., and not what we need which is business minded decisionmaking within the means of the county. Cook County government has been bad for years, but now it is really out of control in so many ways. That’s why this long time Dem will be punching (or connecting the arrow!) for the GOP in this race.

Comment by Niles Township Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:34 am
wow, dan proft keeps track of the sun. our very own cicero dracula.

Comment by anne Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:36 am
No biggie here, and no surprise. The pols are doing what they need to do. Claypool, to his credit, is putting principles over politics, reminding me why I supported him. Democrats need to have higher standards! I guess I share his representation that good policy and good candidates are more important than partisanship.

Comment by Ambulance chaser Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:45 am
Todd is really getting gooey - no doubt he likes ice cream and puppies, too! So let’s declare a “Group Hug”, then move on to the unchanged facts of his incompetence and nepotism. Those North Side Aldermen are engaging in “Ubi Est Mea” at it’s best.

Comment by Bubs Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:58 am
The other GLBT newspaper, Chicago Free Press is NOT endorsing either candidate in the county board race.

Also strange is the CFP endorsement of JBT for Gov. I wonder who’s running the show at Free Press, the Log Cabin Rebublicans?

Comment by Craig Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:06 am
Forrest Claypool is a political pol and protege of Gene Schulter’s 47th Ward democratic machine organization. They got him elected to the county board and he has repaid the organization pols with patronage jobs both with the county and the state.

He has no claim to the staus of a reformer. He, of course, got skrewed by Schulter who is a consumate liar and a total fraud. In my 43 years of public office I have never worked with an elected official as disengenuous and self-serving. It is an embaressment to be in the same room at a public meeting and listen to his self-promotion and dishonesty.

Comment by Larry McKeon Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:09 am
Interesting that the Mayor is wrapping himself in Harold Washington’s aura. Isn’t this the same Richard Daley who abandoned the Democratic Party in l987 to support a third-party candidate, Tom Hynes, who was rallying whites to defeat the INCUMBENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR NOMINATED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN A FAIR AND OPEN PRIMARY?

Comment by Hypocrisy Watch Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:14 am
That seems like a good comeback. Or at least a good try. But I wonder if Todd meant that in a different way than most readers would take it.

Comment by Levois Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:29 am
To: “What Gives”
Since you are on Peraica’s case, you might also want to check out the non participation report of the 8th ward regular democrats. I guess they aren’t going to support Todd Stroger for President of the County Board. Do you believe that?

Comment by Observer Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:32 am
I guess the voters in Cook County want more of the same. Toddy is just a chip of the Old, corrupt, mans block. I say send the youngster packing.

Comment by Buck Flagojevich Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:57 am
Hypocrisy Watch,

Good point

Comment by 2nd That Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:22 pm
Schulter endorsed Claypool in the primary and then voted for Todd at the Central Committe Meeting. Funny how that works.

Go get em Tony!

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:42 pm
While Gene Schulter does generally does a good job in the 47th Ward, and I disagree with Mr. McKeon’s statement, I think Gene is making a big mistake backing Todd Stroger. I believe Claypool got 75% to 80% of the 47th Ward vote in the primary, precisely because people are sick of the Stroger machine corruption. He has angered a lot of people in the 47th Ward. Furthermore, Schulter backed Hynes over Obama and Hynes got creamed. I think Gene is a good guy getting a lot of bad advice. The quickest way for Schulter to become an ex-Alderman is to alienate Forrest Claypool voters. Bad move.

Comment by Alfonse Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:47 pm
The only thing Claypool is doing is not supporting him, because he didn’t get it. Nothing about integrity or honesty from another pol insider.

At least we can get Todd a job as carpool driver for his kids’ school. A job he is actually qualified for and had no help from daddy.

Comment by Wumpus Diva Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:50 pm
Is Claypool really surprised at how things worked out? I mean what party did he think he belonged to? I am a Democrat and I expect others who run as Democrats in the primary to support the winner of the primary. If you don’t like it, don’t run as a Dem; join the “Greens” or start your own party.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:53 pm
Claypool has some stones, too bad he didn’t use them after John Stroger had his stroke. Instead, he went soft and let the Madigans, Daleys, Hyneses, and everyone else screw him. I wish we would be getting ready to elect him rather than these two nimrods. Hopefully he runs again in four years.

By the way, I’m sick of Daley’s B.S. I hope Obama runs for President. He’ll win Illinois and the office without any of the old school help. That is what we need in Chicago and Illinois.

Comment by Heart Broken Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 12:56 pm
paddyrollingstone:

“I am a Democrat and I expect others who run as Democrats in the primary to support the winner of the primary.”

Todd Stroger did not win the primary. Not exactly a minor point in this entire debate.

Comment by Matt Leinart Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 1:03 pm
Daley endorses Stroger.

Game over.

Comment by Real Clear Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 1:40 pm
Real Clear, what makes you say that? What does Daley’s endorsement do to change Todd’s support base? Was there ever a question that Daley would endorse Stroger? I thought the Bears game was over last Monday, too. Although, there is no Peraicalacher.

Comment by Matt Leinart Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 1:45 pm
The crux of Stroger’s demise is the backroom deal and lack of evidence of his father’s endorsement. When Beavers stated he was walking around, everyone knew it was a lie.

I suspect John Stroger has been in a coma since his stroke. I do not think he has actually spoken since his stroke. The “deal” is unacceptable to even the most ardent Democrats. This was the most extreme abuse of power and I am not surprised it is backfiring.

They broke humpty and can’t put him back together in 2 weeks.

GO PERAICA!!!!

Ashur Odishoo
Candidate
State Representative 11th District
www.voteodishoo.com

Comment by Ashur Odishoo Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:03 pm
Matt, the truth will set you free a week from Tuesday. Obviously there was a question whether Daley was going to unleash the army. Those doubts are now gone. And yes, Daley does still have an army.

Comment by Real Clear Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:12 pm
Matt Leinart - Touche’

Comment by paddyrollingstone Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:13 pm
Meanwhile, Bobbie Steele, placeholder for the Toddler, has presented her Forest Preserve budget. The Daleys have Steele firmly in their control and as a result, the always pluckable Cook County taxpayers are about to get plucked again. Steele proposes only “minor adjustments”
in the forest preserve agency, an outstanding patronage cesspool, and yet she also proposes an increase in the property tax levy. The Stroger/Daley property tax increases have started already, even before the Toddler is installed.

Oddly, the Tribune buried this new property tax increase in their Metro section. Hard to believe the Trib wants to help Stroger and Daley keep a low profile on this, but, to borrow a Sneedism, there ya go.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:43 pm
Paddyrollingstone,

What primary election did Stroger win that compels Claypool to support him?

Comment by Hypocrisy Watch Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:45 pm
“Unleash the army” that’s the problem isn’t it? What is the army “fighting” for exactly? To place an inexperienced prince (Todd Stroger) into power so that the county deficit can continue to soar, kids can continue to be beaten at the Juvenile Detention Cneter by 8th Ward hacks, poor service at county hospitals, more FBI investigations, more tax hikes…..I actually feel sorry for Todd, because the same people who served his father so poorly will now likely take advantage of Todd’s inexperience. The Mayor is wrong on this and the Mayor’s arrogance is unfortunate.

Comment by Alfonse Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 2:46 pm
Quite frankly, Poor Ol’ Forrest walked into the Lions Cage Wearing A Pork-Chop Suit.

Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 3:05 pm
The Trib editorial is the first of many pro-Peraica efforts will see from the Tower in the next two weeks. If Stroger does win, I expect the Trib editorial board will throw their hands up in disgust and start writing about how stupid the voters are. Never a good idea for a paper to essentially insult their readers, but what else can they say if their long effort to rid Cook County of the Strogers fails?

Comment by Sammy Esposito Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 3:16 pm
From the Daily Southtown:

Todd trouble
Not only is he neck-and-neck with his Republican opponent, but Todd Stroger apparently is trying to manage a divide within his campaign staff. While not unusual in a heated campaign, the strife has become apparent to members of the media who get conflicting information — or no notice at all — about scheduled news conferences.

The brain behind the operation is Mike Noonan, a Michael Madigan protÃ©gÃ© who was brought on board to right the ship. Noonan is a no-nonsense, intense campaigner whose abrasive nature rattled some of Stroger’s original team members. The team participates in a daily 8 a.m. phone call; Stroger is rarely on the call because he drives his kids to school every morning.

Jennifer Koehler is deputy campaign manager, and Bill Figel is handling communications. Noonan is on leave from his lobbying practice, which is headed by ultimate city hall insider Victor Reyes

Comment by Candid Voter Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 3:22 pm
Real Clear,

Not if they don’t get the day off from the City, County and State for “vacation”, he doesn’t. They did not get the day off for the primary in March.

Interesting story for the press (and others) to investigate?

Comment by Bubs Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 3:27 pm
It should be noted that the county courthouses are closed for the General Election (after all, you have 71 judges up on the retention ballot). So those who work for the Circuit Court Clerk, Public Defender, etc., do get a day off.

Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:20 pm
A win by the young Stroger closes a lot of doors on Forrest. This isn’t about his conscience, its about his career!

Comment by thomas paine Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:28 pm
How exactly did Forrest Claypool walk into “the lions cage in a porkchop suit” anyway? If anything, I think it is the Mayor who looks like the fool here. THe Claypool vote is now the swing vote in this race.

Comment by Alfonse Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:28 pm
Bubs,

The City, the Feds cannot deter any government employee from taking earned vacation time to work for a candidate of their choosing. Now, false sick days and such can be investigated and properly punished. But most of these employees know they will be out working the polls and schedule themselves a day off. The day the federal government punishes an employee for using their own vacation time to work for a candidate of their choosing, be it a machine hack or a tree huging green would be a shameful day in our country’s history.
Secondly, Stroger was near death and beat a superior candidate in March…i think these people had something to do with that…since the candidate himself was not out stumping that week.

Comment by thomas paine Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:36 pm
Thomas Paine

I doubt what you say is true. The fallout of the massive FBI intrusion into Cook County will take place over the next four years. The sins of the father (or his underlings) will be the sins of the son (because of his underlings). My question, is why would more progressive African-American pols support Todd, when they could sit this race out, thus ensuring his defeat and then wait four years to beat Peraica? How can independent African-Americans be happy with this situation? Imagine for one minute if Peraica won. That would force the Democratic Machine to start fielding much better candidates, particularly African-American candidates. A weakened 8th ward may not be a bad thing. It will create competition and better candidates and that’s good for the Democratic party.

Comment by Alfonse Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:37 pm
Stroger won because he had high name recognition and a huge sympathy vote. Claypool had enough sense and respect for Stroger to do the right thing and basically shut down his media campaign in the crucial last week. Claypool was an underdog to Stroger, who was one of the most powerful local African-American pols. in the U.S. How else do get CLinton to do radio adds? The fact is, African-Americans vote in greater numbers in the primary than whites. Claypool had an uphill battle and did surprisingly well given that fact.

Comment by Alfonse Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 4:43 pm
Observer:

Breaking the law is OK because Todd might take funds from the 8th Ward Dems? That’s flawed thinking albiet Peraica’s Way, since he and McMahon did it. I didn’t read that the 8th Ward Democrats donated money to Todd and if they do participate, then they too should be held accountable.

But McMahon, Birkett’s own relative, should disclose how he raised the money that he gave to Tony (like everyone else) and file an amended report with the Elections Board. It’s that simple, it’s the law, and it’s the right thing to do.

Comment by What Gives? Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 5:05 pm
Alphonese,

This clearly is the case of The Forrest walking straight into the biggest tree - Forrest chose the the political jungle primeval and thinks that the voters watch Channel 11. They ( the Voters) talk to people who happen to be their neighbors and are part of the elective jungle, so to speak and they learn who has chosen to walk on the brighter path. Forrest, like other wood-land creatures, wanted to be a player and employed all of the resources out there in the nasty woods. He cut tails for himself and even scratched out a nice vista from which to survey big beautiful lands far ahead. Then he decided to go off the trail and make himself ‘a happy wanderer’ - WHACK! TREE.

Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 5:20 pm
North-side Daley endorsement at this time is revealing. It is way to early to be a pre-election boost– that cames from the big guns a few days before. This looks more like a shoring-up. There is trouble in the field and they seem to know it. This is getting really interesting. Every move betrays a perceived weakness.

Comment by Think about it Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 5:21 pm
thomas paine, I agree that if a government employee wants to take a day of vacation time to campaign that it’s OK, but how many of them do it as a result of coercion or an employer’s “suggestion”?

Comment by Tom Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 6:05 pm
Daley didn’t lift a finger for Harold Washington in 1983! He lost the primary, endorsed Harold, and then did absolutely nothing. A good recount of what transpired is in Gary Rivlin’s Fire on the Prairie.

Comment by StrogerNoonanSameThing Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 6:09 pm
It not just ok, its a lawful and an indispensible quality of a functioning democracy.
On the second point, you, and even Bubs, are correct that coercion and suggestions are wrong and should and have been investigated with rigor by Fitz and Co.
The army of County workers will be out for Stroger Jr beacuse they don’t want the County Budget balanced at their expense under a new regime…the shackman decree and Fitzgerald have helped free the workers from the burden of electioneering, they’ve helped curtail patronage hiring but they can do nothing to stop a candidate like Peraica or even Stroger from eleiminating jobs. So long as one candidate maintains the image of the “status quo” candidate, he or she can count on a large army of support.

Comment by thomas paine Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 6:40 pm
Forrest just needs to stick to his guns and not endorse “The Toddler”. Once the Feds land on Cook County over all of those Shakeman violations (certainly going back all the way to pre 2000), Forrest Claypool is going to be one of just a few people around who can stand up and be creditable.

Daley needs to leave Forrest alone on this one, because with Fed’s digging in like they are, he’ll need to have a clean “reformer” type on the shelf who can come into the game and fix the Cook County mess.

Remember the name “Gerald Nichols” - because he’s just the starting point…

Comment by JUdgement Day Is On The Way... Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 7:33 pm
TP,

Spare me the drama of constitutional analysis. (An “indispensible quality of a functioning democracy”? Wow, how much coffee have you had today?)

This is Chicago, a city with three Municipal Corruption Task Forces operating. Vacations were not given en masse in March. If they are this time, well that’s just grist for the federal mill, isn’t it?

Comment by Bubs Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 9:20 pm
I like Daley and am really disappointed by his insistence in supporting Stroger, but yes, he is the machine (apple doesn’t fall far…). Your Honor, King, there are people in this city who would vote for you without the Strogers, but I guess they aren’t the ‘correct’ people.

Comment by Does this indictment make my hair look bigger? Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 10:48 pm
Bubs, you beat me to that one. Wouldn’t you like to hear Toddler explain that primciple in 50 words or less ? But, I digress.

Let’s remember, friends. The Mayor endorses (Blago) and then he ENDORSES (ok-can’t think of a great one, but you get my point.)

The nod to Todd seemed distinctly lower-case.

Besides, I thought “Rod and Todd” was going to get Todd solidly over the finish line.

Rod and Todd are going to have some ’splainin to do about why one of their shared hacks ended up in the most uncomfortable of places.

Should be one big Love Train by the 7th.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Oct 26, 06 @ 11:02 pm
I’m hearing Blago’s people hate Stroger. They think he is an embarassement. They want as little to do with him as possible. As Stroger starts Alan Keying the race, Blago doesn’t want to be pulled down by the association.

Blago’s people assume they’ll get the black vote anyway and don’t want to lose the Claypool voters by association.

Not a bad idea. Besides, Blago needs to save his money for his defense fund.

Comment by Deck Marker, Potluck & Roly Poly Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 12:09 am
This race between Peraica and Stroger is just about over. The machine can knock on every door in the county 4 times a day, but the voter still won’t vote for Stroger. From East Elgin to the Indiana border, from the north shore to the south shore of Lake Michigan and all points inbetween, the voters are disgusted with the democrat choice for Cook County Board President.

Moderate republican Tony Peraica wins by historical numbers (by Cook County standards) and the Democrats sweep just about everything else.

The Fat Lady is singing.

Comment by Bobby Douglas Friday, Oct 27, 06 @ 9:05 am
did the fat lady have a stroke and die?

Comment by who's laughing now Thursday, Nov 9, 06 @ 1:48 pm