Rahm Emanuel, who is taking the lead in a re-election campaign as Chicago’s mayor, really wants the Obama Presidential Library to be located in Chicago. Even when Obama’s Foundation questioned the bid from the University of Chicago because it was on park land the University didn’t own, like magic, an ordinance, which has the support of much of the City Council, approved the transfer of 20 acres of land in either Jackson or Washington park for the site of the future library. The foundation is also considering bids from Columbia University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Illinois at Chicago, which has a prospective site on the West Side of the city, according to the Journal Standard.
However, what lies behind the bid may be Chicago business as usual. Some Chicago residents think it is a “done deal” with emergency meetings for the land transfer suspected as having been orchestrated, according to the NWherald. It was notable that the supporters of the transfer were heard when the cameras were rolling, and opposing voices were only heard when the news crews left.
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The Chicago Sun Times noted that President Obama, while endorsing his former chief of staff for one more term as Chicago’s mayor, makes no bones about the fact that Rahm may not be the easiest guy to deal with. Obama’s radio ad has the President saying “Let’s be honest, at times the guy can be a little hard-headed.” But it is really out of love, “He loves our city, and he believes every child in every neighborhood should have a fair shot at success. That’s why he fights as hard as he does.”
