Cook County Assessor Thomas Hynes said Thursday that he has lined up support from five regular Democratic ward committeemen, as he continued a campaign to force Ald. Edward Vrdolyak (10th) out of the mayor`s race.
Hynes` efforts to publicize his regular organization support prompted a top aide to Vrdolyak to charge that Hynes has support from political leaders he can ”influence or threaten” through the power of the assessor`s office.
Hynes, at a radio show taping, said that he has new commitments from the following committeemen: State Sen. Howard Carroll (D., Chicago), of the 50th Ward; Ald. Thomas Cullerton (38th); and Thomas Lyons of the 45th Ward.
Hynes, the 19th Ward committeeman, had previous commitments from 43d Ward Democratic committeeman Ann Stepan and U.S. Rep. William Lipinski (D., Ill.), committeeman of the 23d Ward.
Also Thursday, Hynes was endorsed by Democratic precinct captains in the 47th Ward, according to Edmund Kelly, the ward`s Democratic committeeman.
”One or two of the precinct captains thought Vrdolyak could be a strong candidate, but when the vote came down, it was unanimous for Hynes,” said Kelly, the former Chicago parks superintendent.
Kelly said he would go along with his precinct captains.
The rush by Hynes to line up regular organization support brought a rebuff from Vrdolyak and a sharp retort from the alderman`s top aide.
”What Hynes is doing is simple. He`s got (Cook County State`s Atty.)
Richard Daley people and people he can influence, or threaten, and people who make money off the assessor`s office,” said Joe Novak, Vrdolyak`s political strategist. ”What these committeemen are doing is in the best interest of their pocketbook.”
Vrdolyak said the endorsements came from the same ward leaders who failed Byrne in her comeback bid.
”Lipinski`s endorsement was no surprise. Hynes is part of Rich Daley`s faction and these are the same people who gave us Harold Washington four years ago,” Vrdolyak told reporters after talking to students at the Latin School, 59 W. North Blvd.
Vrdolyak, committeeman in his 10th Ward, is claiming the support of no other committeemen. And he insists that he hasn`t tried to line up support, even though several ward leaders said they had been contacted by Vrdolyak since the primary.
Vrdolyak also argued that the impact of committeemen has dropped considerably in recent years, particularly in a high-visibility race such as the one for mayor.
And though the mood of ward workers may change in six weeks, some ward leaders said that that Washington may be unstoppable.
”Who cares?” one committeeman said when asked if he would support Hynes or Vrdolyak. ”If they both stay in, what difference does it make?”
”The actions of an individual committeeman, I don`t know if they`re all that important in a high-visibility race,” said Lyons, of the 45th Ward.
”Together, though, they can still have an impact.”
Committeemen can provide bodies, at least one per precinct, sometimes more, to carry literature and personally urge a vote. And in the unofficial campaign between Hynes and Vrdolyak for the pole position against Washington, they may provide the appearance of momentum.
Vrdolyak, Hynes and Republican Donald Haider tried to create their own momentum Thursday with another whirlwind day of campaigning.
Hynes said that he would retain Chicago Police Supt. Fred Rice, a resident of Hynes` Southwest Side neighborhood, and gave a vote of confidence to school board President George Munoz and school Supt. Manford Byrd.
Representatives of the 28,000-member Chicago Teachers Union, however, voted Thursday night to support Washington.
Hynes scoffed at the scheduled appearance this Saturday of Democratic National Committee Chairman Paul Kirk on behalf of Washington. ”I don`t think his endorsement will have any impact on this election,” Hynes said at a taping of ”Chicago News Conference,” to air at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on WMAQ-AM. Vrdolyak told about 400 students at the Latin School that little has been done by Washington to address a huge dropout rate in the city`s public high schools.
”These children are for the most part minorities, who don`t have all the advantages that you have,” Vrdolyak told students of the exclusive school.
”Nobody has been doing anything for these children except spending money, sending a check and maintaining their life. But there has been nothing done for their spirit, nothing done to prepare them for a future.”
Haider launched his longshot general election campaign with blasts at Vrdolyak and Hynes, and later picked up words of encouragement from Gov. James Thompson and O`Grady at a Republican rally.
Haider said Vrdolyak ”is more or less behaving like an unleashed moral missile, trying to tell us he`s a good guy,” and said that Hynes ”is trying to tell us he`s awake.”
