By Steve Rhodes
With all the talk about blood libel in the air, you’d think Crain’s would want to avoid a headline like this: “Rahm Emanuel Has Daley’s Will To Power, With An Eye For The Bottom Line.”
It’s bad enough that “will to power” is a Nietzschean phrase associated with Adolf Hitler and other “gangster-statesmen“; it’s even more insensitive when used in association with a Jew, as Emanuel is.
But Crain’s is using term approvingly – probably because veteran political reporter Greg Hinz so approves of Emanuel. Let’s take a look.
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“All indications are that a Mayor Emanuel would downplay attention-getting projects like luring the Olympics in favor of putting more cops on the street.”
Because Rahm Emanuel is not the attention-getting type! Besides, he would never support a project like the Olympics.
On the other hand, he’s so sensible he’ll figure out a way to put more cops on the street. Details to come.
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“Financial razzle-dazzle like Mr. Daley’s asset privatizations would give way to private-sector-style fiscal discipline, Mr. Emanuel has suggested, promising to give details in a February speech.”
Razzle that certainly dazzled the media, which collectively thinks Daley is the best mayor in the history of the planet. Be that as it may, it’s not like Rahm is a big spender. Unlike Daley, he has “private-sector-style fiscal discipline.” Details to come.
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“‘He will fight to make sure Chicago is at the top of everyone’s list. That’s strikingly similar to Rich Daley,’ says political consultant Greg Goldner, who has served as campaign manager to both and has endorsed no one in this election.”
No one else will fight for Chicago’s place on the list! Says Daley’s former campaign manager! Gee, what does Rahm’s wife think?
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“Mr. Emanuel says his financial team would be composed not of City Hall insiders, as was Mr. Daley’s, but of outsiders who ‘have been successful and worked with stressful situations.'”
What, he’s gonna hire folks with FEMA on their resume? City Hall insiders are working on his campaign!
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“On schools, the incumbent mayor’s overwhelming top priority, Mr. Emanuel wants to boost teacher training, link compensation to performance and allow parents to bring in outside management at failing schools. But he talks more often about violent crime, which his website warns ‘exacerbates almost every other problem the city faces.'”
First, the incumbent mayor’s overwhelming top priority was the incumbent mayor. Second, Rahm talks more about crime – at lows not seen in Chicago for 40 years – because he’s exploiting fear for his own gain.
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“Some of that stems from Mr. Emanuel’s emphasis on family – so intense that he became visibly upset when a Crain’s reporter suggested writing a story about his wife.
Rahm’s emphasis on family is so intense! Way intenser than anybody else’s! But, um, why so upset at the prospect of a story about his wife? Is she a spy or something?
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“Both Mr. Emanuel and Mr. Daley share a global perspective, believing Chicago’s economy depends on its ability to attract businesses from around the world.”
No other candidates share a global perspective!
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“With success stories like Groupon Inc. to sell, ‘You have to be an ambassador for outside our borders,’ Mr. Emanuel says. ‘Unlike other cities, we have corporate citizens who are passionate about our city.'”
Other cities don’t have corporate citizens passionate about where they live!
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“Both men also share an inner circle that dates back decades: political consultant David Axelrod, mayoral brother Bill Daley (who just succeeded Mr. Emanuel as White House chief of staff) and David Wilhelm, who led both Mr. Daley’s and Mr. Clinton’s first political races. But outside of fundraisers, relatively few senior Daley hands are active in Mr. Emanuel’s campaign. Those who are include issues adviser Sarah Pang, Chicago Transit Authority Chairman Terry Peterson and red-tape cutter Terry Teele.”
Except fundraisers! But I thought Rahm was going to assemble a financial team of outsiders . . .
And by the way: Terry Peterson. Terry Teele.
No City Hall insiders, though!
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“Whatever its cause, that drive earned him a gig as Mr. Clinton’s chief fundraiser, where he handed out favors such as time with the candidate only to those who produced big numbers, however big their reputations.”
Who says you can’t buy access.
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“‘Even though Rahm didn’t have a business background, he was one of the best investment bankers we ever worked with,’ says GTCR LLC principal Bruce Rauner, one of the many Chicago business leaders backing Mr. Emanuel for mayor. Both Mr. Emanuel and his former clients deny that he traded on his government contacts.”
He didn’t have a business background but we hired him anyway to, um, not trade on government contacts.
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“But the deals he was involved with tended to include firms that are regulated by the government, like Commonwealth Edison Co. in its acquisition of Philadelphia-based Peco Energy.”
He didn’t have a background in utilities but . . . he had government contacts he didn’t trade on.
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Is it any wonder Hinz’s piece is being used on Rahm’s campaign website?
Just for starters, here are a couple that aren’t:
* Rahm Emanuel, Investment Banker
* Rahm Emanuel’s Profitable Stint At Mortgage Giant
I guess Hinz missed those.
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See also:
* Rahm Calls In Favor From Accused Racist To Shore Up The Black Vote
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Comments welcome.
Posted on January 20, 2011