Some of the aldermen trickling into the City Council meeting the day after the election looked a little ragged. Many of them are Democratic ward committeemen and had stayed up waiting for the new $50 million balloting system to spit out the final returns. “All the committeemen are tired today,” said Third Ward alderman Dorothy Tillman.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The aldermen, who will be on the ballot themselves in February, also seemed relieved, even cocky. Over the past year, as federal investigators scrutinized City Hall and a court-ordered monitor started overseeing city hiring, some of them had wondered how well they’d do without Daley’s political army. Now they’d seen that however diminished that army was, the candidates it supported still won.
James Balcer, alderman of the clout-heavy 11th Ward, was giddy about the outcome of the election, especially after a boy sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” to start the meeting. “It’s so great that you sang the national anthem right after an election,” he said. “This is what makes our nation great–we can vote!”
Daley got at least as many accolades. “Mr. Mayor, I want to congratulate you on a fine appointment,” said Rey Colon, who’d defeated a Daley-backed incumbent to become 35th Ward alderman in 2003.
“You know how important this appointment is,” said Natarus. “Some other person who wants to run for mayor wanted to make a similar appointment and was rejected.” He meant Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who’d been trying to put together his own rainbow ticket with himself in the mayoral slot. He’d talked to 22nd Ward alderman Ricardo Munoz and Cook County commissioner Mike Quigley about running for city clerk and treasurer, but neither of them would commit to the idea. Last Thursday Jackson announced he wouldn’t run after all.
