The American Spectator : Resident Rahm

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Resident Rahm

By R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. on 12.2.10 @ 6:08AM

Is there any competing with his 90,000 signatures?

WASHINGTON -- My campaign for mayor of Chicago against Rahm Emanuel is getting underway. I already announced on Sean Hannity's nationally televised program and have Sean's endorsement. After careful consideration, Rush will undoubtedly be aboard and Mark Levin and, of course, the Tea Partiers. Moreover, I already have two major newspapers endorsing me, the New York Sun, which was very kind in noting my talents and relative integrity compared to the opposition, and the Washington Times -- also very kind. Neither had a good word to say for Emanuel. Perhaps more endorsements are coming. Frankly, I would not be surprised if both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times endorsed my candidacy. I am as clean as a hound's tooth!

One can understand the antipathy of the press. It generally sides with good government and clean politics. Rahm's connections with the disgraced ex-governor Rod Blagojevich are a matter of record. You will not catch me on the telephone with Blagojevich. Then, too, Rahm has a way of running out on people. He ran out on President Bill Clinton in October 1998, leaving his advisory position at the White House just before the big lovable lug of a President was impeached. He ran out on President Barack Obama in September, giving up his chief of staff post just before the poor sap lost sixty plus seats in the House of Representatives in the greatest midterm rout of either party since 1938.

One thing that has not been given proper attention is that Rahm acted on the spur of the moment. On September 7, Mayor Richard M. Daley surprised everyone and declined to run for reelection. That was when Rahm jumped in, thinking he could reclaim the home that he had leased to Rob Halpin, a patriot, in 2009. Proof of how recent Rahm's decision was to run for mayor is that Halpin signed a lease extension in September. A few days later Rahm made his decision and with his usual charm thought he could bully Halpin out of the house. Now Halpin himself is running for mayor, and the 59-year-old real-estate developer made clear his hard feelings toward Rahm when he told the Wall Street Journal, "Maybe I'm just as tough as Rahm."

What makes Rahm's residence problem all the more curious is that that after he left Clinton's White House he made a cool $18 million in a little over two years on Wall Street, a personal fortune that in Chicago raises no eyebrows but to most Americans sounds like the infamous "revolving door." So why was Rahm so greedy? Why could he not keep his home open? Was it lack of forethought? No intention of returning? Did someone make off with that $18 million?

Thus far there are no lawsuits questioning my residency in Chicago, which is very similar to Rahm's. We have hardly spent a night in our hometown since 2009. That is in breach of a law that requires a candidate to reside in Chicago for a year before running for office. For his part, Rahm has attracted several lawsuits challenging his residency. The most formidable is from Burt Odelson, a Chicago attorney and expert on election law. He represents two petitioners, Walter P. Maksym and Thomas McMahon. They never were treated as rudely as Halpin by Rahm, but they apparently do take the rule of law seriously. Rahm has not lived in Chicago for a year. His home is inhabited by Halpin. Case closed.

As for Rahm and me, he is listed near the top of the declared candidates by the Chicago News Cooperative and has 90,000 signatures. I am listed near the bottom with no signatories, not one. Where did Rahm get 90,000 signatures, and why the nice round number? As for my signatories I have no friends in the unions or riding the city's garbage trucks. I have made no political deals and am beholden to no interest groups. I rest my case. I am as clean as a hound's tooth! Maybe that will be my slogan, a sketch of a hound's tooth. Need I say more?

About the Author

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of the forthcoming The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn't Work: Social Democracy's Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives' Road to Recovery.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (30) | Leave a comment

E Fluvius Maximus| 12.2.10 @ 7:19AM

Well done, sir! As a Chicago Reagan Democrat, I flock to your standard. Having had some experience in Chicago politics, I know where some bodies are buried-if you are looking for voters, that is.
Also, I have figured out how to determine when Rahm is lying: His middle finger starts to grow back.
Our slogan: Nuke the Asian Carp!

Alan Brooks| 12.2.10 @ 8:16PM

It was funny how Queen Palin thought Rahm was somehow insulting her baby by saying "retards" in reference to leftists!
Now we know her vulnerability.

MoeBlotz| 12.2.10 @ 7:28AM

El Rushbo may speak favourably of you on his radio program,but He does not endorse candidates. My sister passed away many years ago when she lived in Chicago,I will ask her to vote for you.

Alan Brooks| 12.2.10 @ 8:19PM

I hope Tyrrell loses so badly he will make Buckley's candidacy against Lindsay seem as a winner.

Connie| 12.2.10 @ 7:42AM

Rahn is a typical Democrat!!! The rules are made for the "little people" not me and I don't mean in stature!! Good luck in your run for Chicago mayor - ha.

Chris| 12.2.10 @ 8:00AM

I almost moved to Chicago, and once spent a week there. That qualifies me to vote there so I will also vote for you.

Conservative_Monster| 12.2.10 @ 8:49AM

I can spell Chikago ... does that count?

Ray| 12.2.10 @ 9:31AM

Despair not, Mr. Tyrrell, about the number of signatures on someone else's candidacy petition, for those signatures are not votes and it's no guarantee that this person will win the election. Just worry about getting the required number of signatures on your own petition, as you need those far more than Rahm needs the tens of thousands unnecessary signatures on his own petition.

Career Soldier| 12.2.10 @ 10:19AM

Living in SW Michigan, I know where Chicago is (we can smell it), so does that qualify me to vote there?

Early Riser| 12.2.10 @ 10:26AM

Alas, I can't vouchsafe the votes of deceased kin but I do own a bicycle and can pedal my votes to wherever needed. Please list the precincts most in need of, um, arithmetic augmentation.

Pat Hickey| 12.2.10 @ 10:50AM

Shucks, Bob! I woulda dragged the kids out up an down the blocks armed with clipboards and crayons. You woulda got a ton a signatures on Rockwell, Maplewood, Campbell and on Western over by Keegan's Pub.

The Least some Catholic League ( Leo, St. Rita, DeLaSalle, Brother Rice & Mount Carmel) guys could do for a Fenwick Knight!

cuban pete| 12.2.10 @ 12:21PM

Pat:
Isn't Fenwick's nickname the Friars?
Right now the Catholic League needs to figure out how to beat Maine South.

Pat Hickey| 12.2.10 @ 3:25PM

Absolutely correct. Mea Culp, Pete and Bob!

cuban pete| 12.2.10 @ 3:43PM

A minor slip.
Great to hear from a Southsider-former Sheriff Sheahan's neck of the woods.

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.2.10 @ 11:45AM

Emmett,
You can't win there.
(smile)

Tim the Enchanter| 12.6.10 @ 3:22PM

Congratulations, Ken! First post of yours that I've seen where you're NOT spamming your book!

Golby| 12.2.10 @ 12:37PM

If my hounds' teeth are any indication I would recommend a different slogan.

wolflen| 12.2.10 @ 1:44PM

your way to clean & honest...you will never win..in fact you wont even get on a ballot...no unions behind you..no acorn folks...no dead people...no ex-currupt-office holder endorsements...its chicago...

CalMark| 12.2.10 @ 2:46PM

I previously lived in a very nice neighborhood, directly across the street from several cemeteries.

As a former Chicagoan--less than 5 years ago!--I feel entitled not only to vote, but to bestow upon you the votes of my former neighbors across the street , who, being dead, should not mind in the least.

Too Many Tims| 12.2.10 @ 3:12PM

I changed planes at O'Hare last year. Can you send me an absentee ballot?

GENE HAUBER| 12.2.10 @ 3:24PM

90,000 signatures, why not 250,000 signatures??
In Chicago and dealing with democrats, just pick a number that the opposition probably can't beat and there you are.

Will the media question it?? DEFINITELY NOT.
I would bet any rookie handwriting expert could tell you, w/o much trouble that the membership of the local community organizing CLUBS would account for most of the signatures and dead people would provide the rest. Oh, excuse me for this oversight......there are enough TOTALLY IGNORANT AND TOTALLY ACQUIESCENT PEOPLE IN ANY LARGE URBAN AREA TO BRING UP ANY NEEDED SLACK IN AN "EMERGENCY" LIKE THE DAY OF THE ELECTION...........THINK BARS, FREE BOOZE, PAYMENTS, CHARTERED BUSSES AND OF COURSE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF "ASSISTANTS".

ONLY IN democratic AMERICA WHERE BIG CITY CORRUPTION IS PROTECTED BY THE CONSTITUTION, HUH??

c. j. acworth| 12.2.10 @ 6:59PM

Mr. Tyrell, if you are elected, will you, like another great conservative magazine publisher many years ago, demand a recount?

bluecollarbytes| 12.2.10 @ 7:15PM

as a citizen of the world, which includes Chicago, I'm curious what the social safety net there is like, in case I decide to move there long enough to offer my vote?

Chris| 12.4.10 @ 9:51AM

One thing is certain, you can't have a gun, so I'd suggest road flares and gasoline

Deninor| 12.2.10 @ 11:27PM

Can anyone win in Chicago without the backing and expertise of the printing trades unions? You know, the folks who print the ballots.

arlo price| 12.3.10 @ 10:48PM

My town in Kansas has an Illinois Street which makes us eligible voters in Illinois, Dorothy, TOTO and myself will be proud to add our names as signatories.

Will| 12.4.10 @ 7:28AM

Dear Mayor Tyrell, please keep "bringin" the Chicago follies!, I for one, can't understand why non-State media has not exploited the rich vein of material that is Chi-town with documentaries, expose's, broadsides etc. In-depth accounts of the anoited one's early years in the notoriously corrupt city, connections to mob/union money, that sort of thing. I also changed planes in O'Hare once, re-elect Tyrell!

Chris| 12.4.10 @ 9:46AM

Mr. Tyrrell, As a former resident of the 11th Ward[Daley's] for 25 years, prior to leaving 10 years ago, I'd keep my attention to the "26th Street Crew" of La Cosa Nostra" all Daley's boyhood school chums and in particular Alderman Edward Burke. See Big Government .gov and search for the 3 articles on their site. Click and read every link.

These articles speak for themselves including fixing Murder Cases with his wife sitting on the Illinois Supreme Court and how she got there through Fraud.

Good Luck, your going to need it to avoid slipping on the garlic infused olive oil. Chicago voters will NEVER Learn, they vote for their own demise in every election.

BxOutkast2008| 12.4.10 @ 5:14PM

Problem is...when they fcuk up, especially in the national elections they screw us ALL, not just themselves. I have no problem with Chicago remaining a fetid fever swamp of "Demorcratic" rule, but i damn want a free zone I can run to away from that crap.

weddingdress| 7.15.11 @ 5:18AM

In-depth accounts of the anoited one's early years in the notoriously corrupt city, connections to mob/union money, that sort of thing. I also changed planes in O'Hare once, re-elect Tyrell!