[Peace-discuss] Emanuel's and Obama's base

Wed Nov 22 14:40:46 CST 2006

Kass's analysis is well taken. Tribune politics dictate that it muckrack at a local and state level, but not at a federal/global level, with a focus on political rather than corporate corruption. It provides fodder for investigative reporting and good Chicago tough-guy journalists like Kass (and Royko), without challenging the basis of the system. For what it's worth, Kass is avidly pro-war and his patriotic sentimentality knows no bounds; he doesn't have any problems with Emanuel/Obama at that level.

  DG

"C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu> wrote:
  [All politics are local, claimed late Democratic Majority Leader 
O'Neill, so it's at least interesting to look at the local politics of 
some of the Democrats striving to neutralize the Nov. 7 antiwar vote. 
(For the particularly noxious behavior in this regard of Rahm Emanuel, 
see Cockburn & St. Clair, "NeoCons and NeoLibs Take a Big Hit, as Voters 
Say No to Bush, War and Free Trade" 
.) The person who sent me this 
column comments, "No politician comes from Chicago to the big time 
without the approval -- even aggressive approval -- of criminal elements 
in Chicago. The political careers of Adlai Stevenson and Paul Douglas 
were launched by Jake Arvey, who was a close associate of the Chicago 
mafia and instrumental in mob control of Las Vegas." --CGE

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0611220202nov22,1,7207743.column?coll=chi-news-col

Emanuel makes a point of airing peeve
John Kass
November 22, 2006

Powerful U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Tomczak) just hates it when I use the 
D-Tomczak reference in my column.

He made that clear the other day, after another round of post-election 
interviews, in which no one offended him by invoking D-Tomczak. Other 
subjects were discussed, including the congressional Democrats pushing a 
much-needed ethics policy through Congress, and naturally, Emanuel's 
vast political cunning and acumen.

But no D-Tomczak.

"And you're the one who's going to bring it up, right?" Emanuel told me 
on Tuesday, bringing it up before I could.

Then he whipped out his index finger, pointing it at my chest as we 
stood in the middle of the Tribune newsroom. Emanuel wasn't yelling and 
his finger wasn't jabbing me--much. It was a theatrical gesture to let 
colleagues who were watching know just how much he hates it when I 
identify him as U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Tomczak).

"So, you're going to bring it up?" he said, feisty.

Rahm, you really can't stand the D-Tomczak thing, eh?

"You're right," Emanuel said, with a sort of grin. "You keep mentioning 
him [Tomczak] in connection with me in your column. That bothers me, 
because I'm more than that."

Perhaps.

Emanuel is the political operative being credited these days with the 
Democratic takeover of Congress. He's ruthless and hardworking and, in 
victory, deserving of post-election applause.

But if City Hall had not sent Don Tomczak, the corrupt city water 
department boss, to Emanuel's congressional campaign in 2002--and 
Tomczak's political army of hundreds of city workers who stumped the 
precincts with the promise of overtime--then Emanuel wouldn't have 
narrowly defeated a local grass-roots Democrat.

And Emanuel wouldn't have been in a position to bask in all the national 
media love.

The national media narratives involving Emanuel and another Chicago 
Democrat, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Rezko), have already been approved 
and written.

They're scripts to congeal the national mind, not to be deviated from in 
polite society. So you're not supposed to mention the soon-to-be 
imprisoned Tomczak around Emanuel. And never, ever mention the indicted 
Chicago political Real Estate Fairy, Tony Rezko, to Obama, or ask if 
Rezko sprinkled magic fairy dust just as Obama purchased his fine home 
for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than the asking price.

So, the national story lines have been completed, and uttering "Tomczak" 
or "Real Estate Fairy" is considered almost rude.

But in federal court the day before, I watched four of Mayor Richard 
Daley's underlings sentenced to federal prison for their roles in 
amassing giant and illegal patronage armies of city workers who pounded 
the precincts for the mayor's candidates, including Emanuel.

The four underlings were sentenced for their roles in circumventing 
federal anti-patronage court orders and rigging thousands of tests and 
job applications to build those armies of city workers, the salaries and 
overtime paid for by Chicago taxpayers. That investigation continues 
reaching up the political ladder.

Two are said to be cooperating with the FBI. Two others are playing the 
tough guy for now, including Robert Sorich, the mayor's 
behind-the-scenes No. 2 at Daley's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

"I stand before the court and my friends and family to let them know I 
am not a broken man," said Sorich, defiant, though he was given a 
46-month prison sentence. "As I stand before them, I am a lucky man 
because I have their support. I have tried to do my best and I have 
tried to be fair."

If the FBI has time on its hands, it might want to look at the Chicago 
Transit Authority. The CTA has a huge payroll, with political hacks 
retiring from City Hall with full city pensions, only to get second jobs 
at the CTA, also with full CTA pensions.

Weepy mayoral apologists argue that Daley underlings shouldn't be sent 
away to the Club Fed in Oxford, Wis. But patronage armies are political 
guns, projecting power and control. They provide leverage for the 
friends of City Hall, men who've made fortunes hauling in taxpayer money 
in deals involving trucking, insurance, real estate, waste, wrought iron 
fencing, development and on and on.

And all I wanted to know from political operative Emanuel was this: Who 
sent Tomczak's army?

"Who?"

Yes, was it Mayor Daley? Or Billy Daley, or [mayoral brain] Tim Degnan? Who?

"I don't know."

Of course you do.

"That's your question?"

Yes, that's the question, I said.

"No, that's your question," Emanuel said, repeatedly declining to 
answer. "That isn't `the' question. That's `a' question, it's your 
question, not my question."

If he's more than (D-Tomczak), it's quite possible that he's 
(D-Philosopher).

----------

jskass at tribune.com

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
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