Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Chicago, USA

Daleyism going nationwide:
Obama's campaign has exhibited a disturbing and consistent tendency to squash dissent, rough up his critics, conceal records (medical and state senate voting records, for starters), enlist police powers for political ends, aid and abet in voter registration fraud, and pull the race card. This is worse than the old politics, which was a code word for "Clinton-Bush politics." The closest analogy I can think of is Richard Nixon.
The danger, therefore, is not that Obama will be a recycled, cynical liberal. It is that, given the latitude afforded by a compliant media and a Democratic Congress, the temptation to abuse power will be overwhelming. It's the Chicago Way, after all.
The Clintons elevated such masterful practicioners of Chicago-style politics as Rahm Emanuel, John Podesta and Sidney Blumenthal. Now, the Chicago crowd will run the whole show.

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