Rahm is gonna rock this town.

[LoZoccolo]

:bounce:

[Erose999]

1. Glad I don't live in Chi-town. n/t

[joeybee12]

3. Same here...I'd have to spend all my time campaigning against this a**hole..nt/

[Xenotime]

19. Where are your progressive values?

[JackRiddler]

2. If by that you mean sink like a rock, I'll agree it's likely.

Good that he's delusional enough to test his popularity in a general election, rather than continuing to play the prime wrecker on national "change."

[LoZoccolo]

4. He won three congressional elections. n/t

[JackRiddler]

10. That's one district (North Side, mostly rich neighborhoods) out of the EIGHT that cover Chicago...

And this is before his "fucking retarded" actions at the White House earned him the love of unions, progressives, black groups and pretty much anyone else who'd be voting in a Chicago Democratic primary.

Delusional is the only word for his decision to run for mayor, although perhaps the real story is that he was pushed out or otherwise needed a credible face-saving hobby after leaving the White House.

Not that anything is impossible, events might conspire to get the rich man through the eye of a needle and all that.

Nevertheless:

Over-under for Emanuel's share of Democratic primary: 16 percent.

Schadenfreude quotient: Priceless!

[ieoeja]

13. He is running to replace a mayor who privatized street parking.

So I wouldn't write him off. I would like to. But if the machine decides on a candidate, and decide it is him, then he is in.

That north side district he represented, and where I live, is one of the more liberal districts. But he was hand-picked by Daley, Ed Kelly didn't oppose him, and he was pro-civil rights, so the machine and community got behind him.

You're right in that the district is not very pro-labor. Ed Kelly would have been. But he was nearing retirement, and labor has fallen off the political map. I get periodic surveys from the DNC. And even when Dean was chairman, I never once saw "labor/unions" among the "rank these issues by importance" options.


On the plus side, according to everything I have ever read, everybody hates the fucker! He will probably use his ties to the White House to convince them that he can bring home more federal dollars.

But I wouldn't bet on his ability to do that. Everyone knows he refused to endorse Obama during the primary. And that his hiring was part of bringing the Clinton group into the campaign. Ergo, they were clearly not that close. His replacement by Obama's former Chief of Staff from the Senate sort of screams that Obama is bringing in *his* people now.

[JackRiddler]

16. Thanks for this summary of his campaign's prospects - interesting.

Yes, if he's coming with goodies from DC that's a big asset for him.

However, no major empirical study is really necessary to test the hypothesis that, as you say, "everybody hates the fucker!" It's hard to imagine such an anti-charismatic not becoming the target of a lot of cutthroat action on his own side.

[KamaAina]

20. Labor has fallen off the political map IN CHICAGO??!!

:wtf: :scared:

[ieoeja]

22. Unions do well in Chicago. So here it's not on the map for a good reason.

There have been some losses. Daley privatized everything he could, but the privateers are required to abide by Chicago pro-union laws. The unions did lose some contracts regarding conventions. And, of course, the city is full on the charge to destroy the teacher's union.

And they let WalMart have a couple of trial runs in which WalMart does not have to unionize locally. On the other hand, they do have to let in union contractors for building, etc, something WalMart refuses to do elsewhere.

Some think they are trying to break the cop union as well. But that is just cops being whiney because the head cop has the audacity to fire cops who get caught breaking the law instead of ignoring the wrong-doing and "having our backs" like cops are supposed to do. Show a video to the whole world showing a 300lb cop beating the shit out of a 100lb female bartendar because she refused to serve him a drink, and our cops don't think he should be punished?!? There is absolutely NOTHING a White Chicago cop can do -- they don't seem to rally so much when a Black cop is caught in corruption -- that thousands of their fellow officers will not rush to defend.

And, ironically, the cops claiming this is Daley's attempt to break their union are primarily Republicans. But that's because some things are more important than a paycheck, like hating Gays, Mexicans and Blacks.

[leveymg]

5. Rahm's probably depressed, and could stay stoned for a l-o-n-g time.

Enjoy your retirement from national politics. Have one on me.

[jaxx]

6. I wish I still lived there, you are going to have some fun.

Rahm might just be a good mayor of Chicago, he's got the guts.

[City Lights]

7. ...

:puke:

[Bluenorthwest]

8. His 'run' will be the comic relief we have been needing!

So much fun, so much fun....

[Fumesucker]

9. Stray cat was supposed to post that OP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj13YE5TnmE

:hi:

[riderinthestorm]

11. Love him or hate him, he'll definitely shake things up here and that's a good thing

It will help Luis Gutierrez and Jesse Jackson Jr. and the rest run a better campaign. He'll push them to being better candidates with clearer agendas.

I honestly doubt he'll win. He's coming from too far back in the pack but one thing about Rahm, he can raise money so I don't count him out. He'll be a player in the campaign for sure and I don't think that's all bad.

[kysrsoze]

15. It will be good as long as he loses. I want Tom Dart or Luis Gutierrez

[terrya]

12. I'd rather dig up the moldering corpse of Richard J. Daley..,.

and put that back in City Hall instead of that piece of shit Rahm Emmanuel.

[kysrsoze]

14. I have no intention of voting for his DLC-ass. Chump.

[DainBramaged]

17. I now hide this thread.....

[deaniac21]

18. Well, I'm certain that he will clean up Chicago politics!

:eyes:

[alcibiades_mystery]

21. I'll be voting for him

:thumbsup:

My former rep and future mayor.

:-)

[deaniac21]

23. I'll bet all the "f***ing ret**ds" will too!

[deaniac21]

24. Are there any politics dirtier than Chicago politics. I think no.

[Zhade]

25. You misspelled "fuck".

NT!

[marmar]

26. Like a nuclear weapon.

:nuke:

[mix]

27. I fear for Chicago's working people.

Score one for the DLC!

[Tatiana]

28. We'll see who the unions (especially the teachers) get behind.

Rahm has his work cut out for him.

I think he'll get the budget under control, if he gets in.