HizzonerdaMare

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » December 20, 2006 10:37 am

In case you don't recognize it, that is Chicago speak for "His Honor the Mayor". 30 years ago today, Richard J. Daley, the last of the "big city bosses" died of a massive heart attack. According to Chicago folksinger Steve Goodman, no man "could inspire more love, more hate." This quote sums him up better than most I have read.

Like him or not, he had a profound impact on the politics of the second half of the 20th Century. Flawed? definately. Powerful? absolutely. Corrupt? Unproven. Son Richie has had more indictments from his City Hall than Dad.

Probably quite racist, a large part of his legacy will be Chicago Public Housing, which thankfully has been mostly torn down.

His abject support of the Vietnam war and the brutal assault on the Student in Grant Park during the '68 Democratic Convention further tarnish his legacy. However, from 1955 to 1976 Chicago was "The City That Works" Chicago did not join Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo and other "rust belt" cities of the 60's, Chicago prospered. The good he did, still is felt today in so many ways. I had a cchance to meet him downtown at the Christmas parade and he tossled my hair and gave me a big "Merry Christmas, son" pat on the back as if he were my own "big Irish Uncle"

Good or bad Chicago is what it is today because of this man and as I said, like him or not, few have had such a lasting impact while holding no office higher than mayor. History is kinder to the man than contemporary biographers were (see Mike Royko, Boss)

I don't really know where I place him in my own mind. I have seen him rated as the "6th Greatest mayor of All Time" Guess I would like to see who 1-5 are before I weigh in on that

ejr · Post by **ejr** » December 20, 2006 10:46 am

I just emailed my brother reminding him that he was in town 30 years ago when the Mayor died. For years I worked at a university in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago-many of the people in that community still have a picture of the late Mayor hanging in a place of honor in their homes.

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » December 20, 2006 12:30 pm

like my Uncle Harry's dinning room (city electrician, it was called job security)

ejr · Post by **ejr** » December 20, 2006 3:53 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:like my Uncle Harry's dinning room (city electrician, it was called job security)

yeah, but those pictures are still hanging there (along with a picure, usually, of the Pope.)

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » December 20, 2006 3:56 pm

ejr wrote:
Cubbie Bear wrote:like my Uncle Harry's dinning room (city electrician, it was called job security)
yeah, but those pictures are still hanging there (along with a picure, usually, of the Pope.)

or Moose Skowron

and the Pope would be Paul the VI or John the XXIII (at least in my friends houses on the south side)

ejr · Post by **ejr** » December 20, 2006 4:21 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:
ejr wrote:
Cubbie Bear wrote:like my Uncle Harry's dinning room (city electrician, it was called job security)
yeah, but those pictures are still hanging there (along with a picure, usually, of the Pope.)
or Moose Skowron and the Pope would be Paul the VI or John the XXIII (at least in my friends houses on the south side)

haven't been in those homes in quite a while, but I suspect you are right.

weirdo0521 · Post by **weirdo0521** » December 20, 2006 4:34 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:
ejr wrote:
Cubbie Bear wrote:like my Uncle Harry's dinning room (city electrician, it was called job security)
yeah, but those pictures are still hanging there (along with a picure, usually, of the Pope.)
or Moose Skowron and the Pope would be Paul the VI or John the XXIII (at least in my friends houses on the south side)

At my Grandparent's house on the Southside it was Daley, JFK, and Knute Rockne. I took them when my aunt sold the house in 1998.