# Chicago Mayoral Election 2015

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [January 4, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985 "2015-01-04T22:46:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 7

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### Author: ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/121 "2015-03-12T03:09:39Z")

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> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> It’s a parisan magazine that has always been anti-Emmanuel…

I don’t, as a rule, pay much attention to French publications covering American municipal elections.

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/122 "2015-03-12T04:09:57Z")

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> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> I don’t, as a rule, pay much attention to French publications covering American municipal elections.

_Langue de boeuf, Monsieur!_ La Belle France, she is ze land of Napoleon and De Gaulle! Ze French **know** zis “Chicago Way”!

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### Author: ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/123 "2015-03-12T06:34:48Z")

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> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> I don’t, as a rule, pay much attention to French publications covering American municipal elections.

Well, \*Chicago \*is a French word after all. Why else would the “shhh” sound be spelled with a CH?

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### Author: ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2015, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/124 "2015-03-12T13:32:00Z")

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[Mayor’s buddies and teacher pension money? What could possibly go wrong?](http://www.ibtimes.com/chicago-teacher-pension-money-invested-rahm-emanuels-friends-donors-1843104)

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/125 "2015-03-12T16:13:11Z")

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> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> Well, \*Chicago \*is a French word after all. Why else would the “shhh” sound be spelled with a CH?

Actually, [it is](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago#Beginnings).

> [@](#):
>
> The name “Chicago” is derived from a French rendering of the Native American word shikaakwa, translated as “wild onion” or “wild garlic”, from the Miami-Illinois language.[16][17][18][19] The first known reference to the site of the current city of Chicago as “Checagou” was by Robert de LaSalle around 1679 in a memoir.[20] Henri Joutel, in his journal of 1688, noted that the wild garlic, called “chicagoua,” grew abundantly in the area.[17] During the mid-18th century, the area was inhabited by a Native American tribe known as the Potawatomi, who had taken the place of the Miami and Sauk and Fox peoples.[21] The 1780s saw the arrival of the first known non-indigenous permanent settler in Chicago, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, who was of African and European (French) descent.[22][23][24] He is commonly known as the “Founder of Chicago.”

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### Author: ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/126 "2015-03-13T00:43:57Z")

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Look, BG, you’re “wasting your time” with facts and analysis, because “voters don’t want to hear this.” “Never mind” their personal abilities or track record, “never mind” that Rahmbo has been an objectively terrible mayor (which, considering how useful he was to the national Democratic Congressional campaigns some years ago implies the Peter Principle in action).

Rahm’s a Jew. So “he’s good with money.” Even if he isn’t really.  
Chuy is a Mexican stereotype, he’s even named Jesús. So he “must not be” good with money. Or even smarter than an IQ of 99, or whatever the top level for a Mexican “is.”

You’ve been very helpful with all these facts, but it “doesn’t matter.”

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/127 "2015-03-13T01:27:26Z")

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> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> And frankly I hold The Economist to a much higher standard of impartiality then ITT and I doubt I am alone in that.

Impartiality != credibility.

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### Author: ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/128 "2015-03-13T18:55:16Z")

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All this aside, the Chicago Tribune released a poll today giving Rahm a 51-37 lead. Even if the undecideds all break against him (and they won’t) he’s still looking to be the winner.

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### Author: ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/129 "2015-03-13T19:01:47Z")

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Meant to add a [couple pull quotes](http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-83046099/)…

> [@](#):
>
> The survey had Emanuel at 51 percent to 37 percent for Garcia with less than four weeks before the April 7 runoff election. Both candidates have gained around 5 percentage points since the first round of voting last month. Another 11 percent of voters remained undecided in the poll, which was conducted March 6 through Wednesday.  
> […]  
> Now in a head-to-head matchup against Garcia, the poll shows Emanuel’s support rebounding among black voters, a group viewed by both campaigns as a major key to winning next month. Among African-American voters, 52 percent backed the mayor, 31 percent supported Garcia and 15 percent were undecided.  
> […]  
> As expected, Garcia continues to fare much better with Hispanic voters at 58 percent support, though Emanuel still had about backing of about one-third of Latino voters.

It also talks about Emanuel’s job approval rating rebounding above 51% but I don’t want to over-quote.

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/130 "2015-03-16T16:46:24Z")

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[6 reasons Emanuel might lose.](http://www.salon.com/2015/03/16/rahm_emanuels_achilles_heel_6_reasons_he_may_lose_his_reelection/)

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/131 "2015-03-16T16:47:50Z")

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> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> Most importantly though, they did not explain how Garcia is going to fund his proposals.
> 
> Can you explain how he will?

> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Why don’t you give us some estimate of what [his proposals](http://www.chicagoforchuy.com/issues) will cost? You seem to be simply assuming it will be a lot by municipal standards and that the city budget under Garcia will be bigger than under Rahm, but you have given us no actual reason to think so.

> [@Lochdale](#):
>
> Yes it is. When he runs on a platform of lavish spending . . .

> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> You have yet to show that.

I repeat.

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/132 "2015-03-16T19:12:33Z")

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[SEIU reverses decision to remain neutral, endorses Garcia.](http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17747/seiu_state_council_reverses_course_endorses_jesus_chuy_garcias_run_against)

> [@](#):
>
> Most of the city’s labor movement still has not come over to Garcia’s side. But the decision of several key locals to move to his side in the last few weeks leading up to the runoff could provide a much-needed boost of financial resources and boots on the ground for the progressive challenger, who is reported in a recent Tribune poll to be trailing Mayor Emanuel by double digits.
> 
> In January, _In These Times’s_ David Moberg explained why the majority of the city’s labor movement was sitting out the race. Moberg noted, however, that there was a chance union leaders might be willing to shift their position.
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > But some may jump into the race if Garcia’s campaign takes off. Sources familiar with the thinking of SEIU Local 1’s leaders say there was enthusiasm for [Cook County Board President Toni] Preckwinkle and [Chicago Teachers Union President Karen] Lewis, but less for Garcia—even though they see him as a friend—because he entered the race so late that his campaign does not seem viable. “If Chuy were even 30 percent viable, we’d be with him,” one source said. “Nothing would make us happier than to take Rahm out. But we’re not tilting at windmills. If we’re going to take a shot at the king, we’ve got to kill him.”
> 
> Some of the city’s union leaders appear to think they may stand a chance at taking the king out, after all.

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### Author: ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/133 "2015-03-16T22:34:37Z")

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They’d be wrong. The buzz that I heard this weekend was that the Jesse Jackson and Willie Wilson endorsements have hurt Garcia as they are injecting race into the campaign. Admittedly , this is among my peer group but even when it came up at a north side bar on Saturday, the endorsement of Jesse Jackson was poison.

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### Author: ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/134 "2015-03-17T05:29:31Z")

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> [@dalej42](#):
>
> They’d be wrong. The buzz that I heard this weekend was that the Jesse Jackson and Willie Wilson endorsements have hurt Garcia as they are injecting race into the campaign. Admittedly , this is among my peer group but even when it came up at a north side bar on Saturday, the endorsement of Jesse Jackson was poison.

Well, the endorsement of Jesse Jackson could help him sew up the all-important hypocritical womanizing illegitimate baby-daddy vote.

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### Author: ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/135 "2015-03-17T15:31:06Z")

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Good thing Rahm knows what he’s doing with the city budget. You know, stuff like taking the city from a [$70 million deficit to a $700 million](https://madmimi.com/p/af9df5?fe=1&pact=28873979446).

But don’t worry, it’s not like he’s doing anything risky like interest-rate swaps. In fact, [he even said so himself](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-mayor-bond-swaps-met-20141113-story.html#page=1). Nope nope, the teacher retirement funds are AOK [where they are right now](http://www.ibtimes.com/chicago-teacher-pension-money-invested-rahm-emanuels-friends-donors-1843104).

Oh look, another one of his hedge fund buddies stands to make a [killing off that DePaul](http://chicagoist.com/2014/04/09/rahm_emanuel_kenneth_griffin_citade.php) arena deal. And of course, these are [“neighborhood” development](http://www.wbez.org/news/emanuel-counts-surprising-projects-neighborhood-development-111685) projects.

Garcia gets a lot of flack for not having definite answers when it comes to the budget and I do agree that he’s being way to vague on that end but he doesn’t have full access to everything going on yet. Rahm’s plans for Chicago have been bullshit all along and another 4 years of handing more city money to his rich pals is going to sink us that much further.

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### Author: ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/136 "2015-03-17T16:42:14Z")

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The Chicago Tribune absolutely skewered Garcia.

> **[By 6:15, the debate between Emanuel and Garcia was as good as over](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-emanuel-garcia-mayoral-debate-chicago-0317-20150316-story.html)**
>
> Rahm Emanuel and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia debate which of them is best-suited to be mayor of Chicago.

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### Author: ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/137 "2015-03-17T17:04:44Z")

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> [@dalej42](#):
>
> The Chicago Tribune absolutely skewered Garcia.
> 
> [http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-emanuel-garcia-mayoral-debate-chicago-0317-20150316-story.html](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-emanuel-garcia-mayoral-debate-chicago-0317-20150316-story.html)

Of course they did. The Trib is the 1%. Did you follow the papers during the strike?

The Trib has an agenda in this race. Don’t be naive.

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/138 "2015-03-17T17:23:03Z")

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> [@Airbeck](#):
>
> Of course they did. The Trib is the 1%.

At least since [Colonel McCormick.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._McCormick) (“Not that he was ever a colonel of anything, he was just coloneliferous.”)

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### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/139 "2015-03-17T17:26:36Z")

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> [@dalej42](#):
>
> They’d be wrong. The buzz that I heard this weekend was that the Jesse Jackson and Willie Wilson endorsements have hurt Garcia as they are injecting race into the campaign. Admittedly , this is among my peer group but even when it came up at a north side bar on Saturday, the endorsement of Jesse Jackson was poison.

Do blacks agree?

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicago-mayoral-election-2015/708985/140 "2015-03-17T18:11:16Z")

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> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> Well, the endorsement of Jesse Jackson could help him sew up the all-important hypocritical womanizing illegitimate baby-daddy vote.

Who cares about that? MLK was a womanizer. JFK was a womanizer. Jackson’s great days might be in the past, but I’m sure most AAs and many whites still respect him, and I’m sure he deserves it.

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