Rahm's leftist opponent wins key endorsement

Chicago's Michigan Avenue

Willie Wilson was the third place finisher is last month's first round of voting in the election for Chicago's mayor. The top two candidates, incumbent Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, will face each other in a runoff in April.

Tomorrow Wilson, an African American, will endorse Garcia. A hard-core leftist, Chuy has been endorsed by the Daily Kos, Bill Ayers, the Chicago Teachers Union, and Jesse Jackson. Wilson is backing Garcia because he favors dumping Chicago's hated but ubiquitous red light cameras--Rahm only wants to dismantle 50 of them--and he supports Chuy's decision to reopen some of the 50 schools closed under Emanuel. Of course neither men have explained how the reopenings will be funded.

If Chuy wins--it will probably be a good move for Chicago--because it will hasten the inevitable. And that is bankruptcy for Chicago. After complete defeat--comes the renewal.