THE CITY OF CHICAGO
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Founded in 1837
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Population of 3 million
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/about.html
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Always a strong ethnic political presence beginning with the city’s founding
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Most powerful ethnic groups
• Italians
• Irish
• Poles
"It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try
to keep up with Chicago. She outgrows his
prophecies faster than he can make them." Mark Twain, 1883
HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO POLITICAL MACHINE
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1931: Anton Cermak elected mayor
• Unified different ethnic groups
• Marked the beginning of the Cook County Democratic Organization (“Chicago
Democratic Machine”)
• 1940s and 1950s:
• Various leaders and power lessened between elections
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/ph
oto.php?pid=1290
MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY
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Elected in 1955
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Brought the Chicago Political Machine to the height of its influence
• Responsible for helping elected all Democratic Presidents during his time in
office
• Allegedly used funding from programs like the Great Society
• Allegedly utilized patronage hiring
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In office until his death in 1976
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/p
rojects/ftrials/chicago7/daley2.
html
THE DEMISE OF THE CHICAGO POLITICAL MACHINE
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1970s and 1980s: Power was nearly decimated
• Racial tension between whites, Latinos, and African Americans
• Large disputes over housing, desegregation of schools, and urban renewal
http://chuckmancollectionvolume5.blogspot.com/2010/06/pos
tcard-chicago-downtown-lakefront.html
BARACK OBAMA’S WORK IN CHICAGO
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Community Organizer
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Professor at the University of Chicago
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Civil Rights Attorney
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State Senator
http://www.joshuaavram.com/seocontent/communityorganizing.html
BARACK OBAMA’S CONNECTIONS
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Michelle Obama
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Valerie Jarett
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David Axelrod
http://www.whitehouse.g
ov/administration/firstlady-michelle-obama
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world
/americas/obamas-keeper-valerie-jarrett1769821.html?action=gallery
http://www.nytimes.com/20
08/11/08/us/politics/08ax
elrod.html?_r=1
MAYOR RICHARD M. DALEY
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Elected in 1989
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Worked well with Black Chicagoans
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Learned how to win the votes of everyone
• Worked with Chicago Public Schools
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Staff members
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In office until 2011
• Longest-serving Chicago Mayor
http://www.nfbofillinois.org/braille.htm
THE CLINTONS
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Connections with now Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel
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Not connected well with Chicago
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Not well connected with Obama
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/05
/relationships-alpha-beta-women?newsfeed=true
WORKING WITH THE BOSTON POLITICAL MACHINE
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Strong Irish leaders
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Didn’t support Hillary Clinton’s campaign
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Wanted to appeal to a broad range of voters
http://www.cityofboston.gov/
ON THE PATH TO THE PRESIDENCY
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Assisted by the Chicago Political Machine
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Ties with Mayor Daley
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Characteristics
http://barackobamabiography.org/
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Strong supporting groups
INCOME PER CAPITA OF STIMULUS
CURRENT RELATIONSHIP IN CHICAGO
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Strong Relations with the Mayor of Chicago
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Obama’s relationship with Chicago
• Monetary relationship
• Political support
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Holds a relationship at arms length with the overall Chicago machine
QUESTIONS
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Who was Obama connected with in Chicago?
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Which mayor was responsible for the founding of the Chicago Democratic
Machine?
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Do you think that President Obama was able to strike a good balance between
the Chicago Political Machine and those that were not a part of the machine?
What evidence supports your claim?
REFERENCES
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“The Ax-man Cometh.” Economist 28 Aug. 2008: n. pag. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://www.economist.com/node/11965249>.
Bellandi, Deanna. “Obama and the Illinois Political Machine.” Washington Post [Washington D.C.] 26 Feb. 2007: n. pag. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/26/AR2007022600720.html>.
“Boston: A City of Neighborhoods.” City of Boston. City of Boston, n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2012. <http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/default.asp>.
Butrymowicz, Sarah. “Teachers’ Strike in Chicago Won’t Deter Unions from Pushing Hard for Obama in Election.” Huffington Post. HuffPost Education Group,
12 Sept. 2012. Web. 13 Sept. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/12/teachers-strike-in-chicag_n_1877077.html?utm_hp_ref=elections2012>.
Chapman, Steve. “For Chicago Mayor, a Race against Race: Understanding the Politics of the Windy City.” Reason. N.p., 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 09 Sept. 2012.
<http://reason.com/archives/2011/02/14/for-chicago-mayor-a-race-again/singlepage>.
“Chicago History.” City of Chicago. City of Chicago, n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2012. <http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/about/history.html>.
Cohen, Adam, and Elizabeth Taylor. American Pharaoh : Mayor Richard J. Daley - His Battle for Chicago and the Nation. Boston: Bay Back, 2001. Print.
Foulkes, Toni. “Case Study: Chicago - The Barack Obama Campaign.” Social Policy 34.2 (2003): n. pag. Print.
Harris, John F. “Seeking a Graceful Exit.” Denver Post [Denver] 26 Aug. 2008: n. pag. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www.denverpost.com/ci_10302512>.
Krebs, Timothy B. “Money and Machine Politics: An Analysis of Corporate and Labor Contributions in Chicago City Council Elections.” Urban Affairs Review
41.1 (2005): 47-64. Print.
Moynihan, Michael. “The Politics of Irish Boston.” Wall Street Journal [New York] 15 Mar. 2012: n. pag. Web. 09 Sept. 2012.
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304537904577277682135331626.html>.
“Obama’s Keeper: Valerie Jarrett.” Independent [Londong] 10 Aug. 2009: n. pag. Web. 11 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obamas-keeper-valerie-jarrett-1769821.html>.
Remnick, David. The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. Print.
Stirewalt, Chris. “Chicago Teachers Dig In, Increase Pressure on Obama.” Fox News. Fox News Network, 12 Sept. 2012. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/12/chicago-teachers-dig-in-increase-pressure-on-obama/>.