>Little noted in the massive glowing coverage of the Democrat convention was a speech by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. I found his remarks memorable for only one thing he said. Referring to the overall tone of the convention, he said, “We don’t want any criticism.” That is pretty much the way he runs Chicago.
There is no doubt that the latest Daley to rule Chicago wants Barack Obama elected. Seems natural since Obama comes from Illinois. But it is more than favorite son parochialism. It is more than the advantage in procuring those federal funds that comes with having your own President. The biggest benefit, however, is the firing of that pesky reform-minded, highly effective, crusading U.S. Attorney who keeps a rather impressive “to be indicted” list — and many observers think Daley is on it, along with Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Most of the local folks, who watched Obama rise as a machine candidate, without the slightest inclination for reform, expect that once in the White House, he would drop any pretense of reform for politics the way he learned it — the Chicago way.
>Most politicians seek major Hollywood endorsements. The folks with stars on the door functio
n like barkers at a carnival — to get the crowd in the tent for the main show. Celebrities, however, often start to think they are being solicited for there opinions and knowledge. It is a little like a guy hired to play a doctor on television starting to give out medical advice at cocktail parties.
Whenever we think that movie star endorsments should be taken seriou
sly, something happens to remind us that their opinions are formed in a world fantasy more often than not with the help of reality distorting drugs. To wit: At the recent Democrat convention, actress Dana Delany (right) was asked who she hoped to meet as she traveled the cocktail party circuit. She was hoping to run into Mayor John Lindsay (left) of New York. Uh. Hmm. Maybe someone should tell her that — and break it to her gently — John Lindsay (A) was a Republican, (B) was the FORMER mayor of New York (by many years – 1966-1973), and I say “was” because (C) he has been dead since 2000.
Maybe she remembers Lindsay from some movie portrayal. It isn’t all that easy for those folks to distinguish fact from fiction.
On The Starboard 