Chicago

Let's start with this morning's statement from Dan Cantor of Working Families Party after it was abnnounced last night that Emanuel's mega-money campaign failed to clear 50% in his reelection bid:

Early voting has begun and election day in the Chicago mayor's race is February 24th. If no one gets a majority there will be a runoff April 7. The hope is that progressive reformers Chuy Garcia and Robert Fioretti will hold the much-disliked Emanuel under the 50% mark and force the runoff. Most polling indicates that Emanuel's support is in the low 40s.This week, former Mayor Richard Daley endorsed Rahm Emanuel for reelection.

The city of Chicago was founded by a black man.  But you knew that already, right?

Yesterday 4 horrible reactionary Blue Dogs-- Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Dan Lipinski (IL), Jim Cooper (TN) and Gwen Graham (FL)-- broke ranks with their fellow Democrats to vote against Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Graham is new to Congress, but very ambitious and eager to jump to statewide office as soon as she can by proving how "bipartisan" she is; the other 3 vote with Boehner on crucial issues far more than they vote with Pelosi anyway.

Last spring and summer there was a hopeful stir as polling showed several candidates could beat Rahm Emanuel's bid for reelection. For various reasons, none of them decided to make the run. But as of last month, another candidate has stepped up to the plate, Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Chicago Teachers Union and other progressive groups have already endorsed him.

The Sun-Times mayoral poll shows Rahm Emanuel being decisively beaten by two possible opponents, both progressives.

RT | June 23, 2014 The streets of Chicago, Illinois will soon host some state-of-the-art new technology, but privacy advocates have concerns about certain data collection tools coming to the Windy City. According to a report published on Monday by Chicago Tribune reporter David Heinzmann, a system of data-collection sensors will start being affixed to […]

Many years ago, I was new to the big left blogger listserv and had the temerity to harshly criticize then-DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel. The push-back was overwhelming, one progressive blogger going so far as to suggest I might be a Republican operative. The left blogosphere has matured since then and Rahm and corporate Dems like him regularly come under more thoughtful scrutiny than they did back them.

If you read DWT with any regularity, you already know that not all the worst villains in American politics are Republicans. And even worse than bungling junior crooks like Steve Israel, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Joe Crowley, is the slimy gonif the three of them emulate and aspire to replicate.

I’ve been coming to Chicago forever, but always just for a day or two. The first time was when I was only a teenager and visiting an aunt in St Louis. Another time, it was to take a physical exam for now-defunct Midway Airlines. I was trying to get a job as a baggage handler. The day before, though, I had been at a Philly party where someone handed me a joint. Never one to refuse heartfelt hospitality, I inhaled, but somehow this didn’t prevent me from being hired by Midway.