Gery Chico is the Right Choice for Chicago

This column was first published here on January 24, 2011.
Edited versions were subsequently published, with permission of the author,
in print and online editions of community newspapers across Chicago.

Despite being a lifelong City Girl---and a City Mom for the last 20 years---I’ve never been very political.

A little strange, I know, in the most political big city in the nation.

But well over a week ago, I got political---at least in terms of the mayor’s race. I volunteered for the Gery Chico campaign.

It was a combination of two things. First, my brewing anger over how the downtown news media continues to ignore Rahm Emanuel’s sexist “tampon” comment.

If you have not heard: Jonathan Alter, Newsweek’s highly-respected national-affairs columnist, wrote a book chronicling the first year inside the Obama White House. Regarding Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Alter had a number of observations. As reported in New York Magazine:

Emanuel’s continual F-bombing is also well documented, if not exactly surprising. During the campaign, according to the book, Rahm told Bill Clinton to "stop acting like the f***ing hack-in-chief." Even Bo, the Obamas’ dog, was a recipient of Rahm’s rage. "A few weeks after the first family got a dog, Rahm Emanuel ripped into Bo, whose household accidents were consuming valuable presidential time in cleanups." Alter reports Rahm saying, "I’m going to kill that f***ing dog." In one meeting with a male staffer, Rahm apparently yelled: "Take your f***ing tampon out and tell me what you have to say."

It’s bad enough that Rahm is a behind-the-scenes bully and crude potty-mouth. But I am truly offended by men who equate womanhood with cowardice. Does Rahm talk like that at home, to his son, in the presence of his wife and daughters?

Most women in the city are unaware of Rahm’s sexist “tampon” comment, thanks to the news blackout by the Loop media. I think if every woman in the city became aware of his sexism, his poll numbers among women would plummet, appropriately.

The second reason the City Mom got political: my increasing respect and admiration for Gery Chico, a straight-talking candidate who has more relevant executive experience, more innovative ideas and more promise of greatness than any other candidate in the race for mayor.

I have always been impressed with his leadership of the Chicago Board of Education. Together with Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, he took a laughingstock school system and transformed it into a “turnaround” model of success.

I like his plans to thwart crime in the city---starting with choosing a new police superintendent from within the ranks and then putting 2,000 additional cops on the street. These steps, along with his plan to ensure that police receive the pensions they have earned, will boost police morale and result in more and better protection for everyone.

Gery Chico has a number of common sensical, well thought-out plans for the City of Chicago. I want him to have a chance implement those plans because I believe they will benefit the men, women and children of our great city.

And to my suburban readers, that benefits you, too. A healthy, thriving, forward-thinking Chicago has a positive impact beyond Harlem Avenue. So while suburbanites can’t vote in this election, you can get involved. You don’t have to be one of Emanuel’s Hollywood mega-millionaires or Washington fat cat friends. You can just be yourself---a nice person from Summit or Justice or Brookfield or Lyons or Oak Lawn or Berwyn or Naperville or wherever. Just check out gerychicoformayor.com and find other ways to get involved. Tell them City Mom sent you.

See you next week…

Joan Hadac is a Chicago news/feature reporter, editor and columnist.

Read her online at www.citymomchicago.blogspot.com