Feb 27, 2007 6:34 pm US/Central
Daley Confident His Record Will Win Him Reelection
Challengers Say City Hall Corruption Needs To End, And Daley Needs To Go
CBS 2's Mike Flannery and Dana Kozlov contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Mayor Daley's opponents were up early and voted hours before he did, but he says he's confident.
As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, Daley predicts that voters will give him and his 18-year record a good grade at the polls.
Of all the big city mayors in America, Daley is the longest-serving and, arguably, the most powerful. Like his father before him, he's made the name Richard Daley virtually synonymous with the city he runs. But today, he said, the voters are boss.
"Grades are only given on Election Day," Daley said. "That's when people will decide basically on your candidacy."
As his challengers cast their ballots, though, they argued that voters should give the mayor a failing grade, pointing to scandal and criminal convictions of city officials.
"Most people understand that corruption in city government begins and ends with Daley. And that's why it's necessary to change administrations, now," said challenger William "Dock" Walls.
Walls did not have the luxury of a big budget for his campaign; his ads didn't hit the air until Monday.
Walls was an aide to the late Mayor Harold Washington. Tuesday morning, Walls was optimistic about getting a majority of the vote, and unseating a political powerhouse.
"Change is possible and change is necessary, and we need 55 and a half percent to keep me consistent with what I've claimed," he said.
The Walls campaign is counting on support from progressive whites, reformers in the black community, Hispanics and Asians.
Mayoral candidate Dorothy Brown also says someone needs to reign in corruption at City Hall.
"We have had over 40 people indicted and convicted. I want to rid City Hall of crime and corruption," Brown said.
As CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports, Brown has been confident that she can win Tuesday night. She says she feels like it is her day, and she seems hopeful that many voters will buy her message that it's time to restore integrity to the mayor's office.
Brown and her daughter cast their votes early at 88th Street and Clyde Avenue. She was greeted warmly by many at that South Side polling place.
Since she launched her campaign, Brown has talked about putting an end to corruption in City Hall.
Despite her efforts, though, she failed to secure any major endorsements. The biggest, perhaps, was getting the backing of the Chicago Firefighters Union.
Daley, accompanied by his wife, Maggie, and daughter Lally, arrived at a Near South Side church on a day he hoped to make history.
It's become a familiar routine for the mayor, greeting each of the election judges at his local polling place. This time, he chose the new touch screen system to cast his ballot.
There were no curtains for privacy, and at one point, Daley's press secretary, Jackie Heard, had to move cameras peering over his shoulder.
As the mayor spent about three minutes on his ballot, the first lady, with a bit more protection from prying eyes, made her choices and then both came outside to speak with reporters, saying he was less concerned with records than accomplishments.
Assuming Daley is re-elected, he re-stated his top priority.
"Education its getting better but want to refocus everyone to do a better job," he said.
The man who has not debated an opponent since 1989 declined to respond to his foes and seemed to be looking past them.
"I'll compare my city to any other city in America right now," Daley said. "If you didn't have any passion for the job, then you should never ever seek re-election or stay in office."
Should he win and serve another term, he would break his father's record of 21 1/2 years in office and would become Chicago's longest-serving mayor ever near the end of 2010.
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