I
happened to be with a group of individuals this week who are amongst those who
think that Lori Lightfoot and her mayoral campaign are the city’s saviors – the
new vision that is meant to save the very soul of Chicago.
In
fact, much of that conversation centered around the mayoral candidates “Lightfoot”
and “Bigfoot.” Which is the snarky name they’ve developed for Cook County Board
President Toni Preckwinkle’s mayoral aspirations.
THEY’RE
SO EAGER to trash the years of experience that Preckwinkle has gained through
her service as an alderman (the Hyde Park neighborhood) and as the county board
president.
You
certainly can’t say or do anything that implies Preckwinkle might actually have
a clue about the causes of the city’s problems, and that Lightfoot might not
actually be ready to take on the role of occupant of the fifth floor office
suite at City Hall.
Otherwise
known as da mare’s office.
They
get rather touchy if anyone dare suggests anything negative about the one-time
federal prosecutor and member of the board that oversaw investigations into
police misconduct.
PERSONALLY,
I WONDER if Lightfoot is the enforcement type who might be best suited to the
role of inspector general – doing the investigations into incidents where
things get screwed up and making suggestions as to what ought to be done to
resolve them.
While
“Bigfoot,” which was meant to be a derogatory slur referring to the six-foot
politico whom some in government circles have used the phrase “Tower of Blunt”
to refer to.
Although
I’m wondering if this is a phrase whose meaning ought to be turned upside down –
as in Toni is the experienced one who ought to be the municipal boss while Lori
might just be too touchy and sensitive to handle the post.
I
couldn’t help but think such unpleasant thoughts when I learned Thursday of the
tiff taking place between Lightfoot and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
IT
SEEMS THAT White has endorsed Preckwinkle’s mayoral bid, saying, “We need
someone who’s going to run the city of Chicago who has experience.”
Which
led Lightfoot to lambaste White as some form of political hack, saying, “Toni
Preckwinkle is the epitome of those entrenched political interests, so it’s not
surprising to me that she is seeking people who she has worked with for
decades.”
That
caused White on Thursday to retort, “Lori Lightfoot seems to feel like she has
to attack everyone who disagrees with her. That’s no way to get things done and
that’s not what Chicagoans expect in their elected officials.”
While
Preckwinkle herself felt compelled to call Lightfoot’s comments about White, “disgusting,”
while saying Lightfoot is “point(ing) fingers and attack(ing) her critics.
I’M SURE THE core of Lightfoot supporters
are upset that Preckwinkle would say something so nasty. They may be going
about as we speak claiming this is more evidence that Toni is a political hack
who needs to be replaced – forgetting that the worst thing that happens to her
in the April 2 run-off is that she remains as county board president AND Cook
County Democratic chairwoman. She ain’t going nowhere.
But this kind of behavior does make me
wonder – not so much about Lightfoot (who on paper isn’t all that different on
the issues from Preckwinkle). But about the Lightfoot backers; who may have
created an image of her in their heads that Lori can’t help but fall far short
of!
Is there a legitimate reason that
Preckwinkle went into this election cycle as the pre-emptive favorite amongst
the mayoral candidates? Should we really be quick to dismiss her for the
favorite of the segment of the electorate who seems to want to vote for the
political “flavor of the month?”
Could it be that if Preckwinkle truly is “Bigfoot,”
that she is taking on as her opponent Lori “Lightweight?” Lightweight and
Bigfoot – the very thought of all the nasty rhetoric those nicknames will
inspire is enough to make me shudder about the upcoming month of an election
cycle we will have to endure.
-30-
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