Is Stroger off the ticket?
Is Stroger off the ticket?
Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times
June 28, 2006
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
More than three months after suffering a serious stroke -- and winning renomination in spite of it -- Cook County Board President John Stroger is expected to withdraw this week and ask Democratic ward bosses to replace him on the November ticket with his son.
Ald. William Beavers (7th), self-declared spokesman for the Stroger family, has already started lining up votes for Ald. Todd Stroger (8th) and appears to be well on his way to securing a majority of the weighted votes of 80 ward and township committeemen to place the younger Stroger on the ballot, sources said.
The complex political deal calls for Beavers, powerful chairman of the City Council's Budget Committee, to replace John Stroger as county commissioner and for Todd Stroger to replace his father as president of the board, where he would have no vote. Until the election, John Stroger would remain in office. If Beavers wins the seat, he would resign as 7th Ward alderman on the condition that Mayor Daley appoint his daughter to replace him.
Beale wants to hear more
The deal was worked out after Beavers repeatedly refused overtures to replace John Stroger as board president.
Beavers, 71, has long made known his desire to retire and install his daughter -- now his chief of staff -- as his successor. He has told committeemen who wanted him to replace Stroger as board president that he's worried how his health would hold up in such a "pressure-cooker" job. By serving on the board, but not as president, Beavers gets to ease into retirement and watch the younger Stroger's back, sources said.
"That's what John [Stroger] wants. Beavers is somebody who can protect his son and be like a go-between" to those who know the ropes in county government better than he does, said one ward boss, who asked to remain anonymous.
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said Beavers approached him Tuesday and asked if he would consider supporting Todd Stroger. Beale said he told Beavers he would consider it, pending a call from Todd.
"I need to hear from Todd about what his wishes are and what his father's wishes are. If the president says he would like to see his son as his successor and [he believes] he's qualified, I think we have to support that," Beale said.
"The African-American community came out overwhelmingly in support of John Stroger. He was elected to continue to lead this county. If he feels that someone is strong enough to succeed him in that position, we have to honor that. [House Speaker] Mike Madigan anointed his daughter. [Former Cook County Assessor] Tom Hynes anointed his son. [former Rep.] Bill Lipinski anointed his son. So why can't John Stroger anoint his son?"
County Commissioner John Daley, the mayoral brother who chairs the County Board's Finance Committee, has told several ward bosses he is on board with the deal. With Todd Stroger learning on the job, John Daley's position as Finance Committee chairman is expected to be even more important.
Neither Beavers nor Todd Stroger could be reached for comment. Earlier Tuesday, Beavers could be seen huddling with fellow aldermen behind the City Council chambers. When a reporter asked once again whether he would be willing to replace John Stroger, Beavers smiled broadly and said he was awaiting a signal from the board president.
'Todd is weak'
John Stroger suffered what his doctors described as a "serious" stroke the week before the March 21 primary. The condition cast a pall over the campaign of challenger Forrest Claypool, but seemed to galvanize party leaders in general and black elected officials in particular around John Stroger's candidacy.
Their support carried the veteran Democratic warhorse to victory with 53.5 percent of the Democratic primary vote.
That same sentiment could carry the day for Todd Stroger -- even though he invited competition from Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Commissioner Bobbie Steele by telling the Chicago Sun-Times early on that he was qualified to succeed his father and was confident of victory.
Todd Stroger subsequently made matters worse by telling the newspaper that his mother wanted her husband to retire, then refusing to reveal details of John Stroger's medical conditions -- even after he was rushed back to the hospital twice in 10 days.
Earlier this month, Todd Stroger even went so far as to use the federal statute that protects the privacy of medical records to fend off questions about his stroke-stricken father.
But all of that is expected to be forgotten out of respect for John Stroger.
"Everyone knows Todd is weak, but out of deference to John Stroger, they'll go along with it so long as Beavers is over there to help," one ward boss said.
Another committeeman agreed that Todd Stroger would "probably get the support he needs because of what people feel about John. The work that John has done in the community -- the dedication he has shown. People are going to feel an indebtedness to do it. I think the numbers can be put together. People are willing to let him come on the job and learn because of John."
As for the verbal missteps, they taught Todd Stroger a valuable lesson, the committeeman said.
"I guess when Todd made the statements he made, he had not thought about it. He didn't expect people to respond the way they responded. That was a great lesson for him," the ward boss said.
With Beavers at the County Board to help him, Todd would be wise to "keep his ears open and be very cautious not to make mistakes," the committeeman said.
Contributing: Steve Patterson
Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times
June 28, 2006
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
More than three months after suffering a serious stroke -- and winning renomination in spite of it -- Cook County Board President John Stroger is expected to withdraw this week and ask Democratic ward bosses to replace him on the November ticket with his son.
Ald. William Beavers (7th), self-declared spokesman for the Stroger family, has already started lining up votes for Ald. Todd Stroger (8th) and appears to be well on his way to securing a majority of the weighted votes of 80 ward and township committeemen to place the younger Stroger on the ballot, sources said.
The complex political deal calls for Beavers, powerful chairman of the City Council's Budget Committee, to replace John Stroger as county commissioner and for Todd Stroger to replace his father as president of the board, where he would have no vote. Until the election, John Stroger would remain in office. If Beavers wins the seat, he would resign as 7th Ward alderman on the condition that Mayor Daley appoint his daughter to replace him.
Beale wants to hear more
The deal was worked out after Beavers repeatedly refused overtures to replace John Stroger as board president.
Beavers, 71, has long made known his desire to retire and install his daughter -- now his chief of staff -- as his successor. He has told committeemen who wanted him to replace Stroger as board president that he's worried how his health would hold up in such a "pressure-cooker" job. By serving on the board, but not as president, Beavers gets to ease into retirement and watch the younger Stroger's back, sources said.
"That's what John [Stroger] wants. Beavers is somebody who can protect his son and be like a go-between" to those who know the ropes in county government better than he does, said one ward boss, who asked to remain anonymous.
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said Beavers approached him Tuesday and asked if he would consider supporting Todd Stroger. Beale said he told Beavers he would consider it, pending a call from Todd.
"I need to hear from Todd about what his wishes are and what his father's wishes are. If the president says he would like to see his son as his successor and [he believes] he's qualified, I think we have to support that," Beale said.
"The African-American community came out overwhelmingly in support of John Stroger. He was elected to continue to lead this county. If he feels that someone is strong enough to succeed him in that position, we have to honor that. [House Speaker] Mike Madigan anointed his daughter. [Former Cook County Assessor] Tom Hynes anointed his son. [former Rep.] Bill Lipinski anointed his son. So why can't John Stroger anoint his son?"
County Commissioner John Daley, the mayoral brother who chairs the County Board's Finance Committee, has told several ward bosses he is on board with the deal. With Todd Stroger learning on the job, John Daley's position as Finance Committee chairman is expected to be even more important.
Neither Beavers nor Todd Stroger could be reached for comment. Earlier Tuesday, Beavers could be seen huddling with fellow aldermen behind the City Council chambers. When a reporter asked once again whether he would be willing to replace John Stroger, Beavers smiled broadly and said he was awaiting a signal from the board president.
'Todd is weak'
John Stroger suffered what his doctors described as a "serious" stroke the week before the March 21 primary. The condition cast a pall over the campaign of challenger Forrest Claypool, but seemed to galvanize party leaders in general and black elected officials in particular around John Stroger's candidacy.
Their support carried the veteran Democratic warhorse to victory with 53.5 percent of the Democratic primary vote.
That same sentiment could carry the day for Todd Stroger -- even though he invited competition from Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Commissioner Bobbie Steele by telling the Chicago Sun-Times early on that he was qualified to succeed his father and was confident of victory.
Todd Stroger subsequently made matters worse by telling the newspaper that his mother wanted her husband to retire, then refusing to reveal details of John Stroger's medical conditions -- even after he was rushed back to the hospital twice in 10 days.
Earlier this month, Todd Stroger even went so far as to use the federal statute that protects the privacy of medical records to fend off questions about his stroke-stricken father.
But all of that is expected to be forgotten out of respect for John Stroger.
"Everyone knows Todd is weak, but out of deference to John Stroger, they'll go along with it so long as Beavers is over there to help," one ward boss said.
Another committeeman agreed that Todd Stroger would "probably get the support he needs because of what people feel about John. The work that John has done in the community -- the dedication he has shown. People are going to feel an indebtedness to do it. I think the numbers can be put together. People are willing to let him come on the job and learn because of John."
As for the verbal missteps, they taught Todd Stroger a valuable lesson, the committeeman said.
"I guess when Todd made the statements he made, he had not thought about it. He didn't expect people to respond the way they responded. That was a great lesson for him," the ward boss said.
With Beavers at the County Board to help him, Todd would be wise to "keep his ears open and be very cautious not to make mistakes," the committeeman said.
Contributing: Steve Patterson
posted by Carlos T Mock at 8:27 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home