RAHM ROMPS – AT 9:23 A.M. ET:  Chicago will soon elect a new mayor, another opportunity for voters to meet their ancestors at the polls.  It appears at this time that the Obama-Chicago axis will be strengthened.  From The Politico:

Of the candidates for Chicago mayor, former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun has benefited most from the recent shrinking of the field, but former Rep. Rahm Emanuel still leads by a healthy margin, according to the first poll released since state Sen. James Meeks and Rep. Danny Davis dropped out.

Emanuel had 42 percent of likely city voters in the poll to Braun’s 26 percent second-place showing — a 16-point lead — according to the poll conducted for the city’s Teamsters union council and reported Friday by the Chicago Sun-Times.

The vote is scheduled for February 22nd.  If no candidate gets more than 50 percent, a runoff will be held in April.

Chicago is a racially charged town, with raw, 1960s-style racial politics.  There were originally three African-American candidates, but two dropped out so the black community could coalesce around one.  That one, Carol Mosely Braun, is possibly the worst candidate in the entire history of human elections, here and abroad.  A former, and hopelessly inept and corrupt U.S. senator, and a former, nondescript ambassador, she has ethics issues aplenty.  The idea of coalescing around one candidate for ethnic reasons is dubious enough.  But that candidate? 

Rahm Emanuel was Obama's chief of staff.  He's never run anything large.  But, on balance, he's the best candidate, and watching his furious, take-no-prisoners manner will be great political theater.

The Republicans have no chance this year in the mayoralty race.

I have an affection for Chicago.  I went to college there, and it's a great town, if you have a bulletproof vest.

January 8, 2010