Bill Ruthhart and John Byrne
Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Long before he became a congressman, federal judge or presidential adviser, a young Abner Mikva walked into the 8th Ward committeeman’s storefront office to volunteer for the 1948 election.
When Mikva had no political connections to speak of, the ward heeler responded with a now-infamous line that sums up the clout and cronyism of the city’s vaunted Democratic machine: “We don’t want nobody nobody sent.”
A look around the Chicago political landscape these days, however, shows the nobodies are faring quite well.
The last two Cook County Democratic Party bosses suffered embarrassing losses to political newcomers for county assessor and mayor. A congressional seat held for decades by a powerful establishment family now belongs to a progressive outsider. Several longtime white machine politicians have been defeated by first-time candidates of color.
Bill Ruthhart and John Byrne
Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Long before he became a congressman, federal judge or presidential adviser, a young Abner Mikva walked into the 8th Ward committeeman’s storefront office to volunteer for the 1948 election.
When Mikva had no political connections to speak of, the ward heeler responded with a now-infamous line that sums up the clout and cronyism of the city’s vaunted Democratic machine: “We don’t want nobody nobody sent.”
A look around the Chicago political landscape these days, however, shows the nobodies are faring quite well.
The last two Cook County Democratic Party bosses suffered embarrassing losses to political newcomers for county assessor and mayor. A congressional seat held for decades by a powerful establishment family now belongs to a progressive outsider. Several longtime white machine politicians have been defeated by first-time candidates of color.
The change in Chicago politics is being driven by generational, ideological and demographic shifts, with federal law enforcement and organized labor providing major assists.
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If Pritzker keeps acting like a boss without actually being one, well, he could end up like the guy he replaced. One term and done.
Illinois Republicans are already mocking the governor for his string of politically embarrassing losses while quietly preparing to skewer Pritzker for what the latest L means: Even members of his own party won t give him the power he wants.
Not even at the promise of access to inherited money in Pritzker s piggy bank. It shows that J.B. Pritzker has continued to make enemies in the party, and that s no good for the governor or his agenda, state Rep. La Shawn Ford said. He goes in with knives, and people don t forget feeling the cut. … That s going to hurt his ability to get things done and keep people [in the party] from wanting him to be successful.