It could be a long wait yet for Rahm Emanuel and many other local politicians who pine for the chance to run for an open mayor’s seat, Mayor Richard Daley’s brother William said Wednesday.
“I believe Rich runs again,” William Daley told the Chicago News Cooperative. “I’m not guaranteeing it. I don’t know for certain. But that’s my gut instinct.
“Would I be shocked if he didn’t run? No. Would I be shocked if he did run? No. If I were a betting man and this were Vegas, I would bet on him running.”
Mr. Emanuel, the White House chief of staff and former aide to Mayor Daley, stirred up a firestorm of political and media chatter with his comments this week that he aspires to succeed the mayor — whenever the mayor decides to step down. For months, Mr. Emanuel has mentioned this desire to many people in Washington, sources told the CNC.
William Daley, the former U.S. commerce secretary and longtime political adviser to the mayor, said he was nonplussed to learn that Mr. Emanuel would like to be mayor. Mr. Emanuel was a congressman representing much of the North Side from 2003 until joining President Barack Obama’s administration last year.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” William Daley said of Mr. Emanuel’s mayoral dream. “Lots of people have wanted to be elected mayor for a very long time, and only two people other than my brother and my father have succeeded.” Jane Byrne and Harold Washington are the only other politicians who have won mayoral elections in Chicago in the past 55 years.
William Daley declined to comment on how he thinks Mr. Emanuel could fare in a race for an open mayoral post.
A Chicago Tribune poll last year showed Richard Daley’s popularity at its lowest level since he was first elected in 1989. Still, no serious candidates have emerged to challenge him next year. The city is mired in its worst fiscal crisis in decades, while the mayor has faced heavy criticism for leasing the city’s parking meters to a private company that is benefiting from higher rates at 36,000 street spots across the city.
The mayor’s brother sought to tamp down speculation that Richard Daley, who turns 68 on Saturday, could be weary of being mayor.
“You would have to be an idiot not to be frustrated,” William Daley said. “It’s a tough time to be mayor, governor or in any executive position, with the way the economy is today.
“But he is out there every Saturday. He is still doing the stuff he has been doing for 21 years.”
Mr. Emanuel’s comments came during an interview with Charlie Rose that aired Monday.
The mayor did not make any public appearances today and has not yet responded publicly to the interview.
Mayor Daley, as well as William Daley, similarly sought to play down speculation last year that he could retire because the city’s bid for the 2106 Olympics was rejected. At that time, Mayor Daley mocked reporters for allegedly declaring him a political dead man walking.
“You wrote my obituary, didn’t you?” the mayor said at a news conference in October, after returning from the International Olympic Committee vote in Denmark. “I don’t know why you already put me in the grave …. I know you’re all planning it, but don’t worry.”
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 5:12 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Daley’s Brother: Mayor Wannabes In For A Long Wait / Chicago News Cooperative
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