For the third time in four years, a prominent Chicago Democrat was replaced--post primary election--by a son of the incumbent. First Congressman Bill Lipinski swindled the voters in 2004, then Todd Stroger was chosen out of 5 million Cook County residents to replace his ailing father in 2006, and now State Senate President Emil Jones, a key mentor to Barack Obama--has conned the voters of his district and anointed his son as his replacement on the fall ballot. Obama and Jones the Elder are pictured above.
Emil Jones III faces perennial candidate Ray Wardingley, a Southwest Side Chicago Republican. A decent man, but Wardingley used to run for office as Ray "Spanky the Clown" Wardingley. Which reminds me of the XTC song,
Dear Madam Barnum. The final line of the chorus is "I resign as clown." But such a thing is not possible--once a clown, always a clown. Look for Emil Jones the Next Generation to coast to victory in this heavily Democratic district.But primogeniture--son replacing father without an election--is not how democracy is supposed to work. Except in Chicago.
Since Barack Obama is too busy not commenting on the failure of the University of Illinois to release to the public the Chicago Annenberg Challege records--or to call for their immediate release, he won't be able to comment on this development in his hometown.
Remember: Not only did State Senate President Emil Jones create much of Barack Obama's Springfield résumé, Jones remarked about Obama in 2003: "I'm gonna make me a US Senator."
And now he'll make his son a state senator. The con is on.
Related posts:
Anger growing in Chicago over Emil Jones' nepotism scheme
More on Emil Jones' bait-and-switch
UPDATED: Obama mentor Emil Jones to announce retirement today
Obama's state legislative record--he got a lot of help
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