I am the new executive director of chicago ideas. Being born and raised this amazing city and now raising my own family just down the street come i feel incredibly proud to call myself a true blue chicago in. Anybody else feel that way . [applause] the makes me even prouder to know this team that works each and every day to challenge our city in the world beyond to share ideas and inspire actions and ignite change. Chicago ideas is all about piquing curiosity and pursuing connectivity so in that spirit i would like you to turn to a person you dont know and introduce yourself and share why you are here tonight and share your most trusted source of political news might be. It could be an oxymoron. [laughter] i will give you 60 seconds. [inaudible conversations] it will be tough for me to try to get this room back. So if i can, everyone. I love you are getting to know each other. Theres plenty of time after the program. This is also a good time witnesses a good time for me to take a quick check of your cell phone to make sure they are silent. While you do that, i would also like to mention chicago ideas would not be possible without the support of our fantastic members. Like to take a moment to thank all members of the audience. Those who are not members you may think why mia not a member . What do i get . Im glad you asked. Yearround benefits like complementary tickets , ticketing pre sales and member only experiences throughout the city. In fact we have an event coming up in april the members who enjoy the pre sale benefit may be interested to hear about although i cant go into specific details because the announcement is on wednesday i can tell you we have a 15 time grammy awardwinning performer who plays the piano as a hobby with their new book you could say the girl is on fire. Maybe but that is as far as i can go but Member Benefits will make that presale opportunities spectacular. We have some great stuff coming up. Consider a membership. And now on to the main program tonights conversation will be one you will not soon forget. If you hear something that resonates we encourage you to share your thoughts with your Digital Community using chicago ideas. Are we doing tonight . It is friday night. On behalf of all of us thank you for being here. Lets give a round of applause. [applause] i cant tell you how excited i am to be here tonight kicking off the tenth anniversary. Ten years. Over the past decade its been amazing to see the impact chicago ideas is had on our city and around the globe. They brought us words of politicians and poets and authors and philosophers and the list goes on all challenging us to think a little different. Tonight is no different we are joined by two chicago leaders who will discuss the role of the city and the mayors who beat them that will continue to engine for change in the country and in the world with mayor rahm emanuel. [applause] this will be fun. We have so much to cover. This depends on what your idea of fun is. [laughter] i feel fine. Good. It looks like the medication kicked in. [laughter] i want to start that you have a new book obviously we will talk about it i want to start with how this book opens which is the beginning is about family and your grandparents and it pulls you and immediately because its so compelling and then to ask him the very young age from Eastern Europe with those houses that were in black and white and voted down you said as we sacrifice and struggle to see things we thought we would never see again. You are going to work hard to get an education and make something of yourself. Its one thing to say that but how is it or how does that shape you not just in theory . We know you are not being subtle but doubt in the tv room in our house was grandmas purse grandma sophia my mother side her purse and they are for what 7 inches and 4foot 8 inches. They packed a punch it was their passports and then the blackandwhite photos of relatives of those that never made it to america. Weather my uncle or my one my father side they never made it so the message is basically and remember these eyes are staring at you so it is a very haunting image and a reminder of our responsibility. That was a very important part of our life and the other part about my mothers father if you look he is 6foot 4 inches 300 pounds Eastern European steelworker, meet cutter amateur boxer. I do not have any of that dna. [laughter] i didnt get any Eastern European side. [laughter] he meets my grandmother on the west side and if you know your history of chicago all the Jewish Community non german is on the west side all the others on south shore German Jewish and everybody else. They get married my mother moves to albany park and every sunday everybody went to the house. This is your whole life. Every sunday. Third floor kids are running around people are screaming and they all argue about politics everybody is yelling and screaming and grandpa said it was called that because he would bang on the table when he wanted to get hurt. But what about this piece of making something of yourself looking at you and your brother brothers. But part of that goes to. Any of the famous doctor. I would not recommend his bedside manner. [laughter] i dont want to get too close because my dad just i i will start but they races with a sense of responsibility to do something with your life. Were they saying this to you . Yes. It was explicit. Now i was a total slacker because when you walk into her house it is the refrigerator side everybody comes in our house right there. The report card and it would stay up until the next one and then you would see as and then you would see mine. [laughter] but my parents you did not miss dinner you had to be home for the sabbath at 6 00 oclock we had shabbat dinner and guest and family members and we discovered ufc fighting you could not sit and listen. You had to participate so grandpa retired grandma is very sick he spends his whole life in chicago but wants to die in israel. So he had to wait to get his papers for two years and lived with us. Theres a funny story about that. He didnt read the papers or get a fourth grade education and that was his way to say i love you. But the hitting and the yelling. But this was a big piece. Is is covered by blue cross boot blue shield . [laughter] i get the grandfather that is a vivid visual but then you say it surprised us all that you were quiet and pensive child. I just cant believe that. [laughter] im not making it up. Up until when . They took me for testing because i wasnt talking for a long time i was a very quiet child. But the biggest change in my life occurs later at 17. I lost my finger and it gets you special parking. [laughter] i lost my finger i did not go to the hospital and to bone infections and five blood infections i did not go to the hospital under save my life i lost three roommates who all died. Its not like the clouds opened and the sun comes through but in those seven weeks i walk out 20 pounds lighter but im a change person mostly seek and my mom and dad. I came out determined to make every day count and i would do something with my life. So your voice was louder . I actually found the purpose for my life i thought about Early Childhood psychology and i was working on a campaign i said this is what i want to do with my life. Knowledge jump to politics since 1980 you join the Clinton Campaign the rest is history. I just love the city of chicago. [laughter] its like home. [laughter] that is so scary. If you get yelled at for a year straight you can imitate it pretty good. [laughter] what did you learn from him . In your backpack i could be here for eight days he is one of the most incredible then and he had a capacity and then to the window part of the cabinet room but with the chinese and the ministers everything is literally typed out. They are having trouble the chinese are here in clinton goes let me tell you how you do this. He walks the chinese premier how to handle selling this back in china and how to handle it the chinese premier everything is literally choreographed no free moment starts laughing hysterical when youre done with this president come in as an advisor to me. [laughter] he had the capacity to walk in anybody elses shoes politically and understand the policy. He was gifted so what did you take away from that that you could apply to make you better . Up and tell him i was always doing politics. Bill clinton has something that i think is relevant to the book that he always said the biggest thing that is always underappreciated in politics is ideas. If you understood ideas you can make politics and i would take this away and this is true about everybody but for mayors and governors and president s, you have to be idealistic enough to know why you are doing what you are doing. [applause] but go back and think about great president. What you write about yes kennedy and reagan and Roosevelt Lincoln does not start as an abolitionist hes to moderat moderate, to compromising he knew how far he could get ahead and is constantly doing those politics but he knew what he was doing was wrong but he waits because there is a battle that he announces but you have to know why you are doing what you are doing. And clinton and all chief executives that clinton taught me and i immersed myself in policy from him which is why this book in the articles i wrote are all about policy because you have to have ideas to illuminate what you will do and then be tough enough to see those ideas all the way through and theres things i talk about about chicago but was very influential. But its interesting because you say as a mayor , you have to have ideas. You have to get things done. There was nowhere to hide. They will come to your home and find you. [laughter] and they did. They know you are. So the future of society right now is with the mayors and cities. The basic premise of the book of why i ran but also i believe my whole career until this moment was a president Clinton Congress and president obama when the mayor ship open and mayor daley decided not to seek reelection come if you grow up in chicago the mayor is the office. I was on one trajectory in congress but i wanted to run for mayor. Do people think that was odd in dc . They called me and said why would you leave chief of staff . You have an unbelievable platform. And davis is very involved with the city. The mayor of chicago . You dont get it. In there was a premonition so one third of the book is a center of gravity about politics to move out of washington or brussels or out of london. Part of it is dysfunction but distance and dysfunction that is against all the strings intimate, immediate and impactful. We have been here before. What is interesting about this moment, natalie things were turning the local governments were picking up more real estat estate. Because local governments are leading the charge on immigration. And from the welcoming city dealing with citizenship they are taking a leadership rather than income inequality i will give you one example on research i write about Mike Bloomberg who has this wonderful idea of Cornell University and ten years later new york is now rifling the west coast we are not doing it with the discovery center. Research centers the mayor would come up with an idea for a while local governments always existed it is taking on more things that the federal government. Thats good or bad . I like to answer your first third questions. [laughter] but one quick thing one third is urban politics than the famous Winston Churchill quote said how do you think history will treat you had you know . I plan on writing it. [laughter] so thats what it is. Is it good or bad . It is both simultaneously if you think of where you work or live or play what school your kids go to hell you get from home to work, all of that is your local government the National Government disneyland and the potomac. That is number one. Number two is i have been to thousands of conferences high school is no longer enough you have to have two years so we came up with staffing of cabinet members with a scholarship. [applause] 8000 kids have done it louisville Oakland San Francisco just to name a few. Now we have 8000 kids and growing in chicago that have already used it. Do you think betsy divorce has called and said forget chicago but all the mayors and seven governors come out to washington. I want to hear about it. I think that is horrible. On missing Free Community college is the most important but thats the top three in the United States of america if you think three quarters of seven cities in the United States is the equivalent of the sarah was the High School Education for the 20th Century Congress had a hearing on the secretary of education and there are multiple cities and states. I did the research for this book and i was shocked and it does tell you everything that going into world war ii the highest education United States of america 90 percent of men and women have a High School Education the only other army in world war ii before the war is over roosevelt announces the g. I. Bill. I know a lot happened but a High School Education begins with the g. I. Bill the rest is the american century. We have not done anything. Now im proud in the city for the scholarships every college and university is 20 through 50 percent off tuition i would like the federal government, i dont think they will never do it but if they said any city or state that adopts this we will double the pell grant , then you can really take the idea like it is universal. But this is chicago see you cant wait. You have to move. Bernie says wipe out all the debt. How do you square that . This is not to attack bernie but because you asked,. [laughter] i think taxpayers should pay for my three kids to go to college. We can afford it. With income inequality is really masquerading as a diploma device. If you have a diploma divide in this country of those 8000 kid kids, 81 percent are the first one of their family to go to college. The retention rate and the Completion Rate are double and triple than normal community colleges. I happen to think you go to high school you get it. I dont know if im right or wrong. You talk about how you debated that. It came down to money and other issues for what we do that is different we do all transportation so that would make a real difference. And i highlight the kids. Was education your northstar . First of all you are not invite 400 people out of your house every morning so this gets back to be idealistic enough and tough enough to get it done. So one anecdote is the chicago strike. It was seven days we had an agreement so then it lasted nine days. So think about it this way you are a mayor and put yourself in the chair. My life would have been easier if we have the shortest school year in the United States i could say this is tougher than i thought, my life would be a hell of a lot easier and my familys life but i thought it was a mistake if you wanted to break the cycle of poverty to throw in the towel is 80 percent are poor you dont come up with a shorter day are Shorter School Year and over the 40 percent and the question with those contracts tried to get this done. Now do we decide to endure strike together . I thought it was not only a linchpin but on the other hand i thought we would change the trajectory of the education that you had to have a full school day go back to 2011 with three more years of classroom time so when i gave up i said it would be an educator. So that and my interest in education i then thought it was important to me that is an example of something and thats a lot of pressure to name names of people who are dear and close to me and politics. Did you ever waiver on the strike . It was pledge that i made. I thought it was a cornerstone to the reforms that we needed for education. Number three, i didnt want to have the strike but the difference i was willing to have a strike. Its not what i wanted but i made nothing i achieved i did not do without a mistake and that mistake was six months before hand. We had no money. The mayor has the authority you could unilaterally cancel a pay increase. We were in 2114 percent 4 percent 4 percent. Finances were such a position we did not even do a budget before we walked in so i have Corporate Accounts so why unilaterally one i unilaterally cancel that i put karen and her back to the wall and i own to that. That was my mistake. I owned this. This is my mistake i should have called her to say we dont have the money you ran for the office. Soccer. Im not doing anything to help you but also think back six months prior to that i was in springfield and a change the law of the contracts she has her members and she cooperates and then i take the 4 percent. So i cornered her theres other things that she did that violated some trusted agreement agreements. That said i made it worse by that 4 percent have given her a chance and i didnt do that and i own that. But at the end of the day no regrets on the ad issue. You got it done. I got it done. No regrets. But the other thing to remember is so in 2015 the teachers went an entire year without a contract it was over to talk about that seattle working relationship that we would communicate we had a great relationship and we tried to get those contributions and she could not get it to work an entire year 2015 and to figure out a compromise president obama president clinton so the teachers give to percent toward the pension and in the 83 deals there were budget problems and set i will give you one year that started in 83 and never changed we started to get all new teachers with the work i reach out we have negotiations now im fast forwarding a lot of information but we come to the agreement all legacy teachers will stay we got a contract but that was the big issue and we worked our way through a very good working relationship that is the first communication i got when i got off the podium. Why did you decide not to run . So i could sit here and do this interview. [laughter] i love the job. More importantly the job and what you can do so i get elected to congress 2022 years later nancy says take over the democratic triple c and then take back the house and not become caucus chair do all that from 2006 and then we get that. And Auto Industry and then i run for mayor and basically in the last ten years and there are two major turnarounds. And i was exhausted and i know one thing chicago is not albuquerque or tucson. But the other thing that i know third terms are snake one snakebite bloomberg was not great mayor koch governor cuom cuomo, there is one dash the mistakes roosevelt makes so somebody asked me at the end of the day you never bring disrespect to the name. I spent 25 years in public life one thing i have never done is hired a lawyer. I got close a couple times but i never hired a lawyer. [laughter] that was delayed it was selfevident i realized that i knew enough about myself and the truth is in the third term you are not as good as you thank you are your staff is as tired as you are you will make a mistake and accomplish a lot of what i wanted to do it was hard conversation because i love the city and i love the job. Did your family want you to stop . It was divided. How did you manage the stress on the family . 90 percent goes to amy. She kept the house, the family, family, and the kids they were in a place of love. It is interesting. [applause] we set up a rule when i was elected to congress we have friday night shabbat dinner and two dinners at night and travel time we did overseas with the kids so we could do things as a family. You continue that tradition. Yes. By 18 i was shocked my father learned in only six years i now replicate what i would do as a parent for my father. But it is interesting. But when i look at the time from congress i would say look at being mayor and chief of staff of what ive been exposed to, i have always believed in family. I have become a bigger zealot of family and i dont mean ozzie and harriet. I think when i look at my kids and the love that we provided and the grandparents we have been fortunate enough. And i have come to the conclusion i am in a believer in the mentoring program and i fought hard to expand those. But i am a believer in government it can help them provide a child but it does not love a child. My dad said he never saw a child spoiled by too many kisses or hugs. Never. [applause] so i look at all my time and i come away from public life thinking more how do we support it to be clear im not talking about ozzie and harriet but how do you support family. When you think about what i think and why mayors are running your three mayors running for office come i think one of the Biggest Challenges is alienation. What else leads to the depth of despair was suicide at unprecedented levels. And only amir knows how to find places of faith and notforprofit to create a place of belonging and belief and those of the hardest lessons to play a central role to give young adults a sense of belonging. Defining family and that way you are talking about community . I think its both family in the sense of family but anson uncles and grandparents for those that networking can provide. How do you put them back together . We have lots of broken homes and they are desperate. What is interesting take schools and education and then to become a Community School and Nutritional Program to do more things than it used to do but now you have to have a lot more resources i also think its the right thing to do because children and families need that kind of support. And not every child does that only through places of worship but through the schools which is why the program is so authentic because without it not every child will have the chance. Theres other things i would talk about. With president ial politics our political system is written in conflict we have had periods of time with those conflicts that have erupted we killed 600,000 in the second inaugural in the worst depression but just trying to figure out. That is really different that is why the opportunities of cities that is our real problem and people try to create a place of belonging that only enhances the role. Does that change politics forever . Can we recover . Yes. If you think about not who is president but how hard is that for whoever that leader is and then to fight for the ideas in the way that restores what you are talking about. A lot of people have always said obamas reaching out his hand but his ability whether at the summit or other things was unbelievable strength with the course of politics. His graciousness was an asset not a liability but it was a cultural asset. I do think if they think about it from a policy standpoint, i have advocated this to the other book that i wrote National Service that is very important. [applause] i know everybodys politics but diversity is our strength. You cannot have that be a strength if you dont have the foundation we cant have that is liability if you dont agree. Now look, here in chicago you have 147 languages in Public Schools a lot of background so you can so creating a National Service it can be americorps six months minimum. First of all its like 6000 kids in the city of chicago. Okay. There goes americorps. Absolutely. I do think the country needs it. Once again we have to create a generation whether our kids all the backgrounds in different parts of the country to have one shared experience and then translate that why do libraries and parks . Regardless of background or race you have a shared experience that only a city or a Public Entity can create. That is very valuable especially at a time where we all migrate to her own community and race and education et cetera. So having that Common Foundation so it can be used against us. What is the afterlife of the mayor . Like walking down the street, going to restaurants i imagine you wake of the three day super frantic. First of all this is the first Time Starting from clinton forward or obama forward you would be waking up. Because of blackberry and cell phones yes. [laughter] im getting the hairy eyeball from amy. [laughter] so as mayor and happens in the city with significance. What does that look like when it doesnt exist . But then you go through your enactor, arent you . [laughter] its like this. That fast . I am in new york. I know you. So i will give you one funny story so the kids and i like to go to the final four so then you go to the back as the mayor. So we go to the final four in phoenix and then go through security im doing a family trip so i take no security. Massive lines i said what are people doing . This is what people do you should run for another term. [laughter] so it doesnt matter with parks or library or public safety. And then i was down with a client and i get text from the Washington Post we need your edits in one hour. You are editing a piece on impeachment so it is a bit frantic in that sense. Do you see any do over . Also why word not to the 4 percent i wouldnt change my commitment to have that agreement on something but the 4 percent i still would go through because of foundation but schools close and this needs about public policy. That the budget was so bad that you have kids schools year in and year out or level three not one or two years but a decade. And that you wouldnt want to do to anybody. And then you get a report that says 110 of them. So finances are a mess and kids are trapped in the school and you should check 110 of them. But you have to make sure these kids are safe so how do you see through . Some people advocated per year but ten over five years is just extending the pain and one example is four years later when we consolidated three high schools, we built a New High School the screaming for three was no less on the volume been screaming for 49. And to me, all i do know is 95 percent was to go to high school. Today inglewood is overprescribed in doing a new building new facility in my view probably slightly better but i dont thank you could change that. I would give you one anecdote so there was a receiving school i like to see whats going on because the mayor is coming. Clean it up. I was in the eighth grade class the young kid says to me you moved to me and i was really upset and i just wanted you to know that so im really glad that i came here. And he said i really want and said will you give our commencement . I said i only do high school but if you introduce me and tell everybody that story. [laughter] but dont mess up our lives at the schools dont shut the schools. And for those that are not performing and then obviously you could go through this but here is the one thing i will say all the on mayors have up on that stage. You have mistakes. Thats the only way you will succeed. I know its true but if you go through president ial history we are lucky kennedy failed because if you had reversed the order what kennedy learned is that they dont know what they are talking about and that bay of pigs they bombed the hell out of havana. We know the first term, when. If you filled, he applied going forward, and no legislature, has debts, like the mayor. Its not an accident. If you look at it, mayor bloomberg, they have all had issues on public safety, and they own those failures and theyve applied it going forward. That is not true of others. On it to a superfast event but i want to ask you a couple of questions. Im just be in a restaurant line. Dont worry about it. You have a hobby. What is it. I have five of them. Crazy about exercise. Here hobby. Reading books. I read two great books. In the shadow, jack, george bushs legal counsel, jacky o brian with the irishman. And remember when, signing that paper, is a legal document. And then susan neiman wrote this book, what we can learn. From the holocaust. It is the study of what the germans do to adapt and integrate the holocaust into the culture. And what we can do in london as it relates to slavery. When its good, is phenomenal. Parts of it, that is a great book. Pretty most admire. In history. Anyone, today, and i hate you all equally is what my mother used to say. [laughter]. I love president clinton and president obama. The grace date present with ever had was was lincoln. The greatest leader, i would probably have to save Martin Luther king because he proves, we think about it, and when you print all of the biographies, he was 35 years old. And he went mama tomato with the president. Against culture, and hes doing it with its ability and only the power of his mind and words. It was an incredible accomplishment. Best advised. Was my fathers, which i again want to state that you learn all the things you never want to do and then you repeat them. As he would say, rabbi, famous quote is who are you if you are not for yourself or you and if not now, when. Note that you become an adult, requesting life is to answer that question. Horse advice. Worst advice have ever received. Worst, my father again. [laughter]. What are you doing. Last one. [laughter]. Nobody knows who this guy said. A lot of that you live by. Monothis also comes from my family. If you believe in something, you cant leave anything in the pocket. It also stanford if you believe it is something, you are all in. Ladies and gentlemen. [applause]. We have a surprise for you. There is someone here they you know. And his name is doctor terry. Dante thewhere is he. Always eat, he is coming up here. [applause]. Have a great night and thank you so much. [applause]. [background sounds]. Book tv continues now on cspan2. Television for serious readers. [background sounds]
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.