Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Deserves to be Retired

Chicago will not be electing a mayor this week – and at least that is not likely.  The upcoming election will determine which two candidates will face off in a runoff election. 

It is almost certain that Paul Vallas – former head of the Chicago and Philadelphia school systems — will be one of them.  He leads the pack, according to recent polls, with a 32 percent plurality.  The other contenders are in the teens or single digits.

The closest to Vallas is Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson at 18 percent.  It is notable that incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot is in third place with 13 percent.  If that holds up, she will be out … out … out.  That would give her yet another unique accomplishment.  She is the third black mayor, the second woman, and the first lesbian.  If Lightfoot is knocked off in round one, she will be the first incumbent not to be on the ballot in the final round.  

Odds makers and pundits are predicting that Lightfoot will lose.   Chicago-based Democrat strategist David Axelrod predicts it will be Vallas and Johnson in the runoff.  I would take that one step further.  Lightfoot deserves to lose.

I have been involved in Chicago politics – as a campaign advisor, political activist, civic leader and even as a candidate – since my high school days.  I would declare Lightfoot to be the most incompetent mayor in my lifetime.

I would say the “worst” mayor, but that would depend on what is being judged.  In my own opinion, the worst mayor in my lifetime was “da boss,” Richard J. Daley.  I pick him because his racist policies have left a continuing tragic impact on the Windy City. 

While he was not personally the most corrupt mayor, he allowed unprecedented corruption on his watch – and was too tolerant of organized Crime.  He is the Mayor that Martin Luther King traveled north to confront.  He is the mayor of the “police riot” outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention – and yelling an anti-Semitic profanity at Connecticut Senator Abraham Ribicoff.   But … I digress.

Not only is Lightfoot inept and incompetent, but she is also tone dear. 

She seems to be oblivious of Chicago’s enormous crime problem.  She does not seem to see the exodus of citizens and businesses – much less doing anything about it. 

Like Nero fiddling as Rome burned, Lightfoot has shown a flare for the theatrical – karaoke singing, dancing and adorning costumes. (The photo of Lightfoot atop this commentary is her at a press conference regarding Covid-19.)  She seems to be a manifestation of a clown character on the old Mary Tyer Moore Show, whose theme phrase was “a little song … a little dance … a little seltzer down your pants.”

We will soon learn if the Lightfoot show will be closed down for lack of audience appreciation.  We can only hope.

So, there ‘tis.