We just finished watching Mayor Richard M. Daley’s welcoming speech for the Democratic Convention. Despite numerous negative news media reports comparing 1968 to 1996, Mayor Daley has kept focus on the present, presenting Chicago to the rest of the nation as a world-class city that we residents sometimes take for granted.
Considering the fact that Democratic relations with Springfield are not always cordial, the mayor avoided partisan politics by thanking Gov. Jim Edgar for his help. This was a first-class gesture by a man who has his eye on the big picture, who understands that America was built by neighbors rolling up their sleeves and pitching in for the good of the community, even if they didn’t always share the same agenda.
As lifelong Chicago residents, we have seen this city go through numerous social and economic changes, from the never-forgotten 1968 convention to the Council Wars of the early 1980s, and never have we been prouder to be Chicagoans than right now! Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for making our city a national treasure.
