in cook county - if you want to run for office in the democratic party - you need the blessing of the cook county democratic party
To get the blessing --you follow their rules..you throw down some money to the party coffers, then you are responsible to get a certain percentage of ballot signatures...and the party will get their people to get the rest...once the signatures are collected...you then file to run in the race....once the party sees who the challengers are...it is an unwritten rule that you challenge the signatures... anyone who attempts to run in cook county knows this game...if you don't - you don't belong in the game...about 10% of the signatures will get bounced - can't read...wrong address...William signed the sheet - Bill - but his voters registration card says William...bounced....it is amazing...but the game has been that way for decades... The rule is to see how many signatures are required to get on the ballot-differs each type of office--then challenge about 25% more than they need... hope that the signatures bounced will bring it up to over the minimum...plus...there is a lawyer you are paying to make sure the challenges that are approved...is legitimate..or can be proved as legitimate and put back in play -- for a state senate race - probably about 10 to 15 grand in fees, and actually more usually. anyone not ready to play the game..or get the party backing..doesn't have a dog in the race... This I will tell you...seriously...if he wasn't willing to follow the rules of the game..he didn't stand a chance of getting elected...
The tribune reporter knows that, but doesn't say that..the poor shmucks who tried to run against him knew that, but don't say it...
Daley machine is a fallacy--old wives tale... he rules the city - the county he has some influence...the state very little....His old man was a different story - why Ryko called him -Da Boss- but that is a couple decades ago..
there are other main stage players in the state that you and most people in the state of IL don't know about...and would only know if you were actually involved in the political game .. Obama played the game the way it is supposed to be played in cook county...whether its liked or not...to play in the playground of cook county...get ready to fall off the monkey bars....
