Chicago Daily Observer

From the Daily Herald

As the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination battle winds down (despite Hillary Clinton’s massive West Virginia victory) I would like to present “eight” key steps to Barack Obama’s apparent nomination victory.

• Summer 2007—In the multicandidate debate at Soldier Field sponsored by organized labor, most of the Democratic candidates seemed in awe of Clinton. She oozed confidence while the others, including Obama, appeared shaky. However, my notes from the debate mentioned that Clinton generated little positive passion about her candidacy—rather, she played on her experience and the inevitability of her nomination victory.

Richard M. Daley (RMD) has been Chicago’s mayor for eighteen years. In three more years he will break his legendary father Richard J. Daley’s (RJD) Chicago mayor longevity record. Though father and son share many similarities – it is the differences that are most striking and revealing about the current mayor.

RJD in 1973 (his eighteenth year in office) was trying to hold onto power as forces loomed to challenge his reputation and authority. Nationally, he had been embarrassed by both the 1968 and 1972 Democratic National Conventions, statewide, newly elected Democratic Governor Dan Walker had declared war on him and his political organization and locally, opposing political forces were gathering strength in the north lakefront wards and in the far southside middle class black communities. Lastly, the threat and reality of scandal hovered over some of the mayor’s closest allies. To be sure, RJD withstood all of ... Read More...