* Man, this is silly…
Senate President Emil Jones Jr. pointed Tuesday to famous political dynasties from Chicago and beyond as he defended his effort to pass his South Side legislative seat to his son, Emil Jones III.
“I recall John F. Kennedy, president of the United States, when he became president, he recommended his brother. Right? And his brother was elected,” Jones said, in an apparent reference to Sen. Ted Kennedy, who followed his brother as a senator from Massachusetts.
“Mayor Richard M. Daley begot . . . Richard J. Daley,” Jones continued, inadvertently reversing the order of the Daley mayors.
Jones also mentioned House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, who helped daughter Lisa Madigan become first a state senator and then state attorney general.
Richard M Daley was elected on his own, as was Lisa Madigan. Yeah, the name was essential and the clout was huge, but they had much tougher races than Emil Jones, III will face against professional clown Ray Wardingly this November.
* The maneuver is far more reminiscent of what Bill Lipinski did for his less than spectacular son, or the Todd Stroger thing, or Bobbi Steele’s son being appointed to her seat, etc.
* The Sun-Times has been trying to reach Threemil for days, without success. This excuse is hardly adequate…
What does Emil Jones III have to say about his candidacy for his dad’s seat?
Nothing.
He has not returned Sun-Times’ phone calls or e-mails. Why? President Jones’ spokeswoman, Cindy Davidsmeyer, said Tuesday by phone from Springfield that Emil III is “still a private citizen, not on the ballot yet. That’s the way he’s conducting himself.”
* The Sun-Times concludes…
You can get hung up on how clout in this town can take a nobody from nowhere and set him up for life with money, prestige and a cushy job, based solely on blood.
Or you can learn to respect an old Chicago tradition:
Some folks — but not you — are special.