Such
a facility would be a significant site to bolster Chicago tourism, along with a
way of memorializing the time period during which Chicago had influence over
the White House and Washington-type activity.
IF
ONE LOOKS at the other presidential libraries that exist in this country, one
sees that it is a way in which men who work their way up to the presidency wind
up acknowledging the people back home – paying tribute to the people who knew him
when he was a nobody, yet voted for him anyway!
Yet
Chicago is being made to beg to be the site of the future Obama facility in a
way I doubt any other city has ever had to do.
I
don’t doubt that the people with Columbia University who have put together a
proposal to attract the museum/library to New York City have an enticing plan
that would be worthy of the future facility.
Yet
an Obama library and museum located in New York would be unique amongst all the
other facilities – by which U.S. presidents dating back to Herbert Hoover have
their legacies on display to the public.
THEY
USUALLY GET located in home towns, capital cities or college towns significant
to the particular president’s home state.
While
I understand Barack and Michelle Obama have already said they do not plan to
immediately move back to Chicago upon the completion of his presidency early in
2017, the city still has so much of a tie to Obama’s career path.
Even
the President William J. Clinton library and museum got put in Little Rock,
Ark., even though the former (and potentially future) first couple never
returned to live there – instead preferring the New York suburbs.
But
for Obama, we’re being put through a circus routine – being forced to “up our
bids,” so to speak, to benefit the presidential foundation that ultimately will
choose the future Obama library/museum site this spring.
WHICH
IS WHY the park district had to hold hearings Tuesday and again on Wednesday to
determine how to appease the people who hate the idea of park district land
being used in any way for any Obama project.
It
almost feels like Chicago is being extorted for more, more, more!
When it’s over, you just know many people are going to think this is some sort
of political fix – as though Chicago was offered a chance to bolster its bid
while interests in New York and Hawaii were being considered on the merits of
their proposals made late last year.
Will
we hear Columbia officials complain later this year that they would have been
willing to offer more, if they had been given the chance to amend their bids?
INSOFAR
AS THE desires to use sites in Jackson and Washington parks for an Obama
library/museum, I’ll be the first to admit those are prominent South Side parks
that are not living up to their potential.
Perhaps
the future museum presence can help bolster those locations somewhat.
Although
it seems like a lot of political gamesmanship Chicago has to endure – with Mayor
Rahm Emanuel being put through a lot of political strain to ensure he doesn’t
suffer the embarrassment of becoming the former White House chief of staff who couldn’t
even keep his former boss in their shared home town.
That,
most likely, is what this week’s hearings are truly all about!
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