It gives me a bit of pleasure to learn that Illinois Senate President Emil Jones will retire on top. The 35
-year-member of the General Assembly who has been the leader of the Illinois Senate for much of this decade has decided it’s time to step down from electoral politics.
Why should I care that Jones, who is 72, will retire as the Senate president? It’s because I know firsthand how much Jones’ presence in that leadership position has miffed certain types of people.
I WOULD HAVE hated to see anything that could be interpreted as Jones being demoted, because it would have given those people a perverse joy.
Many of those were people from suburban or rural areas who were dismayed that someone who did not come from their background could possibly be one of “The Four Tops,” that nickname given by Statehouse political geeks to the four leaders of the Illinois General Assembly.
Jones was always the one who people would dump on with their nasty rhetoric. As much as they might hate the thought of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, he has been around so long and been a leader with such a strong base that there was no way to seriously think about deposing him.
Jones, on the other hand…
EMIL WAS THE South Sider who rose from being just another member of the legislature’s black caucus to being the leader of all Democrats in the Senate in 1993. Ten years later, when Democrats gained control of the entire Legislature, Jones became the president.
That urban background caused the suburban and rural types to snipe about him. I personally recall one legislative aide (a staffer who worked for then Illinois House Minority Leader Lee Daniels of Elmhurst) who would routinely belittle Jones as “a waste of oxygen” any time Jones and the other three legislative leaders would meet.
I also remember broadcasters who covered news activity at the Statehouse in Springfield who would claim that Jones was worthless for interviews because his rough, gravelly voice was “incomprehensible” to their listeners, they would say.
Yet Jones is the man who devoted his life in public service to looking out for the needs of his legislative district. When he moved up to leadership positions that required him to take a look at the bigger picture that is all of Illinois, he still did not forget the South Side neighborhoods where he came from.
JONES SHOWED A certain dignity in the way he conducted himself as a legislative leader. It may have helped that he never had to endure the lofty rhetoric of being the “first” African American to serve as state Senate president (that was the late Cecil Partee back in the 1970s).
So it probably was no accident that when Democrats in Springfield got themselves caught up in the kind of partisan infighting that is second-nature to local politics in Chicago, those brawls devolved to Madigan vs. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, with Jones on the sidelines or in support of the governor.
It also was his skills that helped Democrats in the Illinois Senate build themselves up in strength, going from the days of the 1990s when then-Senate President James “Pate” Philip of Wood Dale used to love showing Democrats how irrelevant they were to the situation now – where a 37-member Democrat majority gives Jones the ability to override gubernatorial vetoes and flex some muscle of his own.
And should one-time state Sen. Barack Obama of the Hyde Park neighborhood go on to victory in the Nov. 4 elections, the Jones legacy will gain a lasting impact. It was with Jones’ cooperation that Obama was able to rise from the ranks of just another “schlub” in the Senate to being someone who could run for federal office. How many people can say they seriously had a hand in “making” a president of the United States?
IT IS WHY the sniping that is taking place now on various web sites should be dismissed as the babbling of idiots. Most of it comes from people who are upset that Illinois government is not dominated by a majority with a rural mindset.
These are the same people who are persistent in trash talk about the impeachment of Blagojevich (I noticed one wisecrack on the website of the State Journal-Register newspaper that suggested Blagojevich and Jones should have adjoining jail cells – for what, it was not specified).
So what happens now?
Insofar as leader of the Democrats in the Senate is concerned, there are several incumbent members who think they should rise to the top position. Among them is Sen. Terry Link, D-Grayslake, who is among a group of suburban lawmakers whose cooperation with Jones helped turn the Democratic caucus from a Chicago-only group to one large enough to be a dominant presence in Illinois politics.
THERE’S ALWAYS THE chance John Cullerton, D-Chicago, could rise to the top post, which would have the effect of restoring a member of the Cullerton family (which during the past century has had so many members of Chicago city and Cook County government) to a position of prominence.
There’s even the chance that Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago, will tout himself for the leadership post, thinking himself worthy of challenging the governor, the mayor, a “President Obama” and anybody else who doesn’t genuflect in his presence.
But when it comes to the concept of succession, Jones shows himself to be (above all) a Chicago politico.
His top concern (as reported by various newspapers) is to think of who will take over the Senate seat he has held for 23 years. It appears the Jones family thinks the same way as the families Madigan, Stroger, Hynes, Cullerton and many others (including Daley).
THE OUTGOING SENATE president says he’d like his son (Emil Jones III) to assume his position in the Illinois Senate – representing the people of the Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods.
Of course, there are some obstacles to that happening. Democratic party officials on the South Side would have to agree to let the younger Jones fill the vacancy that would occur when Sen. Jones formally resigns his ballot spot in the Nov. 4 general election. If that happens, the younger Jones would have to win that Nov. 4 election.
Would Jones the 3rd (who is an accountant on the staff of Blagojevich) get the same hassle that Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., got when his father, longtime Chicago alderman and Congressman Bill Lipinski, suddenly retired to free up a spot on Capitol Hill for his son?
He may not. But if he did, that would be about the only chance that the Republicans would have to win that legislative seat.
FOR AS THINGS stand now, the GOP hopeful is Ray Wardingly – the one-time “Spanky the Clown” who has run so many token political campaigns.
Getting to run seriously against an unknown Jones could be the highlight of Wardingly’s political career, even more so than in 1995 when he actually won the GOP nomination for Chicago mayor, making him the token candidate who got smashed by Richard M. Daley.
-30-
EDITOR’S NOTES: Emil Jones is not making the mistake that many political people make (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-emil-jones-retire-webaug19,0,1514613.story) in trying to stick around (http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?MemberID=990) in elective office for too long.
Jones claims he’s not looking for another political position, even if his protégé (Barack Obama) were (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=30629) to win the presidential elections this year.
“Spanky the Clown” just ensured that someone (http://www.raywardingley.com/) will actually pay attention to his token political campaign of 2008.
-year-member of the General Assembly who has been the leader of the Illinois Senate for much of this decade has decided it’s time to step down from electoral politics.Why should I care that Jones, who is 72, will retire as the Senate president? It’s because I know firsthand how much Jones’ presence in that leadership position has miffed certain types of people.
I WOULD HAVE hated to see anything that could be interpreted as Jones being demoted, because it would have given those people a perverse joy.
Many of those were people from suburban or rural areas who were dismayed that someone who did not come from their background could possibly be one of “The Four Tops,” that nickname given by Statehouse political geeks to the four leaders of the Illinois General Assembly.
Jones was always the one who people would dump on with their nasty rhetoric. As much as they might hate the thought of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, he has been around so long and been a leader with such a strong base that there was no way to seriously think about deposing him.
Jones, on the other hand…
EMIL WAS THE South Sider who rose from being just another member of the legislature’s black caucus to being the leader of all Democrats in the Senate in 1993. Ten years later, when Democrats gained control of the entire Legislature, Jones became the president.
That urban background caused the suburban and rural types to snipe about him. I personally recall one legislative aide (a staffer who worked for then Illinois House Minority Leader Lee Daniels of Elmhurst) who would routinely belittle Jones as “a waste of oxygen” any time Jones and the other three legislative leaders would meet.
I also remember broadcasters who covered news activity at the Statehouse in Springfield who would claim that Jones was worthless for interviews because his rough, gravelly voice was “incomprehensible” to their listeners, they would say.
Yet Jones is the man who devoted his life in public service to looking out for the needs of his legislative district. When he moved up to leadership positions that required him to take a look at the bigger picture that is all of Illinois, he still did not forget the South Side neighborhoods where he came from.
JONES SHOWED A certain dignity in the way he conducted himself as a legislative leader. It may have helped that he never had to endure the lofty rhetoric of being the “first” African American to serve as state Senate president (that was the late Cecil Partee back in the 1970s).
So it probably was no accident that when Democrats in Springfield got themselves caught up in the kind of partisan infighting that is second-nature to local politics in Chicago, those brawls devolved to Madigan vs. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, with Jones on the sidelines or in support of the governor.
It also was his skills that helped Democrats in the Illinois Senate build themselves up in strength, going from the days of the 1990s when then-Senate President James “Pate” Philip of Wood Dale used to love showing Democrats how irrelevant they were to the situation now – where a 37-member Democrat majority gives Jones the ability to override gubernatorial vetoes and flex some muscle of his own.
And should one-time state Sen. Barack Obama of the Hyde Park neighborhood go on to victory in the Nov. 4 elections, the Jones legacy will gain a lasting impact. It was with Jones’ cooperation that Obama was able to rise from the ranks of just another “schlub” in the Senate to being someone who could run for federal office. How many people can say they seriously had a hand in “making” a president of the United States?
IT IS WHY the sniping that is taking place now on various web sites should be dismissed as the babbling of idiots. Most of it comes from people who are upset that Illinois government is not dominated by a majority with a rural mindset.
These are the same people who are persistent in trash talk about the impeachment of Blagojevich (I noticed one wisecrack on the website of the State Journal-Register newspaper that suggested Blagojevich and Jones should have adjoining jail cells – for what, it was not specified).
So what happens now?
Insofar as leader of the Democrats in the Senate is concerned, there are several incumbent members who think they should rise to the top position. Among them is Sen. Terry Link, D-Grayslake, who is among a group of suburban lawmakers whose cooperation with Jones helped turn the Democratic caucus from a Chicago-only group to one large enough to be a dominant presence in Illinois politics.
THERE’S ALWAYS THE chance John Cullerton, D-Chicago, could rise to the top post, which would have the effect of restoring a member of the Cullerton family (which during the past century has had so many members of Chicago city and Cook County government) to a position of prominence.
There’s even the chance that Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago, will tout himself for the leadership post, thinking himself worthy of challenging the governor, the mayor, a “President Obama” and anybody else who doesn’t genuflect in his presence.
But when it comes to the concept of succession, Jones shows himself to be (above all) a Chicago politico.
His top concern (as reported by various newspapers) is to think of who will take over the Senate seat he has held for 23 years. It appears the Jones family thinks the same way as the families Madigan, Stroger, Hynes, Cullerton and many others (including Daley).
THE OUTGOING SENATE president says he’d like his son (Emil Jones III) to assume his position in the Illinois Senate – representing the people of the Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods.
Of course, there are some obstacles to that happening. Democratic party officials on the South Side would have to agree to let the younger Jones fill the vacancy that would occur when Sen. Jones formally resigns his ballot spot in the Nov. 4 general election. If that happens, the younger Jones would have to win that Nov. 4 election.
Would Jones the 3rd (who is an accountant on the staff of Blagojevich) get the same hassle that Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., got when his father, longtime Chicago alderman and Congressman Bill Lipinski, suddenly retired to free up a spot on Capitol Hill for his son?
He may not. But if he did, that would be about the only chance that the Republicans would have to win that legislative seat.
FOR AS THINGS stand now, the GOP hopeful is Ray Wardingly – the one-time “Spanky the Clown” who has run so many token political campaigns.
Getting to run seriously against an unknown Jones could be the highlight of Wardingly’s political career, even more so than in 1995 when he actually won the GOP nomination for Chicago mayor, making him the token candidate who got smashed by Richard M. Daley.
-30-
EDITOR’S NOTES: Emil Jones is not making the mistake that many political people make (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-emil-jones-retire-webaug19,0,1514613.story) in trying to stick around (http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?MemberID=990) in elective office for too long.
Jones claims he’s not looking for another political position, even if his protégé (Barack Obama) were (http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=30629) to win the presidential elections this year.
“Spanky the Clown” just ensured that someone (http://www.raywardingley.com/) will actually pay attention to his token political campaign of 2008.
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