Daley 'excited' about Obama's possible White House bid
“He gives a different viewpoint — a different voice…to the Democratic Party. He understands, coming from the General Assembly, the issues, especially in education. That is an issue that America is not doing well with as compared to other nations — the quality of education we’re giving to our children. He looks at it completely different than others,” the mayor said.
But Daley warned that once Obama takes the official plunge, the star treatment he has received in the national media will end and the scrutiny will begin.
“No one has a honeymoon. You think you have a honeymoon, [but] no one has a honeymoon. He understands that,” the mayor said.
“You have to have passion for this. This is the most challenging position anyone can take. It takes two years out of your life completely…He’s going to be on top of the mountain and he’s going to be in a valley. It’s going to go up and down…He could be a frontrunner and then he could be all the way in the back. He has to have a commitment to stay the course and…focus his issues on what America wants — how we want to re-build America…our image around the world.”
Daley said he’s particularly pleased that Obama has decided to make Chicago the national headquarters for his presidential campaign. That not only guarantees the city media exposure and tourism dollars as it continues its campaign to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. It says something about Obama’s priorities.
“Presidential candidates should always have their headquarters from the city and state they come from. I don’t believe in moving everything to Washington automatically. It doesn’t really represent the candidates themselves and what they stand for,” Daley said.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported last month that Daley has decided to abandon his longstanding tradition of remaining neutral in Democratic primaries to endorse Obama over Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential race.
Daley’s early endorsement of Obama will mark only the second time in 17 years that the mayor has taken a stand in the Democratic presidential sweepstakes before Democratic primary voters have had an opportunity to make their choice.
On Tuesday, the mayor said he would wait until Obama’s official announcement Feb. 10 before making a presidential endorsement. But, the choice between Obama and Clinton has already been made.
“People have to be for a candidate. Hillary Clinton is extremely well-qualified. She understands the issues. She’s been an excellent senator. She has the experience. I’m not against one person. [I’m] for an individual,” the mayor said.
fspielman@suntimes.com