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| OBAMA: Reminding us he's a Chicagoan? |
So
anyone who is surprised that the president of the United States would get
himself involved in a state senate campaign from a district representing the
part of Chicago that Barack Obama himself used to live and work in doesn’t
comprehend the ways of partisan politics – particularly locally.
I’M
SURE THE fact that Obama is publicly supporting Juliana Stratton for the Illinois
House seat now held by Ken Dunkin is merely the president’s way of saying he
hasn’t forgotten his long-time home city – and still has interests there.
Although
some people are acting all shocked and appalled (and the Chicago Tribune itself
took an editorial stance almost tsk-tsking Obama) at the fact that the
president produced campaign ads praising the merits of Stratton.
I
haven’t seen any spots where Obama trashes Dunkin – although the implication is
that the president’s refusal to give a knee-jerk endorsement to the incumbent
is, in and of itself, a trashing.
One
more public than that moment a month ago when Obama publicly singled out Dunkin
during his address to the Legislature in a moment interpreted by many as the
president publicly holding Dunkin up to ridicule.
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| DUNKIN: Spanked publicly by president |
NEWS
REPORTS INDICATE that Obama got involved in the campaign at the request of
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who hasn’t been the least
bashful about bashing Dunkin – particularly since Dunkin hasn’t hesitated to
publicly criticize Madigan on so many issues.
All
of which has resulted in the desire to dump Dunkin from the Democratic caucus
in exchange for someone who will be more supportive of the caucus’ larger
goals.
Admittedly,
the president usually doesn’t get this involved. Usually, his endorsement for a
local post goes as low as the governor (Obama backed Pat Quinn in 2010 and ’14)
and the mayor (letting it be known in 2011 and ’15 that we should back his
one-time chief of staff).
Now
I’m sure Dunkin is telling himself the voters won’t be swayed. They’re local
people who will see this as some sort of meddling, and perhaps they will turn
on Obama himself.
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| GARCIA: Got similar treatment as a senator |
BUT
DUNKIN WOULD have to be kidding himself if he doesn’t think this could have
some harm.
Because
it reminds me of the 1998 election cycle when Jesus Garcia sought re-election
to a third term in the Illinois Senate. Only to lose the Democratic primary to
Antonio Muñoz – who took a solid 54 percent of the vote.
In
that case, it was then-Mayor Richard M. Daley who decided he’d rather have a
more compliant individual in the state Senate than Garcia – who established
back when he was an alderman that he wasn’t going to be a Daley lackey.
The
then-existing Hispanic Democratic Organization (a group of Latinos that did
Daley’s political bidding) would up working the legislative district so
intensely that they turned out the vote for Muñoz, leading Garcia to a loss and
his period out of electoral politics until he won his current Cook County Board
post back in 2010.
NOW
I’M SURE some will point out the fact that several HDO officials were later
indicted, convicted and did prison time for some of their political activities.
To my knowledge, there’s nothing as sinister involved with Obama’s willingness
to back Dunkin.
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| STRATTON: A presidential beneficiary |
Although
some of the intimidation tactics being employed in that South Side legislative
race aren’t the sorts of things people like to talk about in polite company.
But
as author Finley Peter Dunne’s bartender character Mr. Dooley oft said, “Politics
ain’t beanbag.” Perhaps the outspoken Dunkin shouldn’t be surprised that the
president himself would feel compelled to give him the back of the hand in
response.
And
as for the president getting himself involved? There’s always the words of “wisdom”
of one-time House Speaker Tip O’Neill, who informed us that, “All politics is
local.”
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