Word: royko
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...Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago, Royko...
...along, Royko insists, Daley never abandoned the original set of convictions he grew up with, though as his power increased, it became prudent to appear at least polite to other values. It did not astonish Royko when the mayor stayed inside his modest Bridgeport bungalow-he still lives there in his eminence-and not even the curtains twitched during the few nights in 1964 it took his neighbors to give the heave-ho to two Negro students who moved in a block and a half down the street...
Consequently, Royko confesses puzzlement that Daley's most consistently loyal constituency is in the black ghetto wards. Their loyalty, though, may be due to the diligence of Democratic precinct workers, who remind the voters that the continued receipt of welfare checks is somehow inextricable from the franchise. Then, being thorough in their work, says Royko, they accompany the voter into the polling booth to make sure he does not forget...
...Royko's account leads inevitably to the 1968 national Democratic Convention, when the delegates were welcomed by signs proclaiming YOU HAVE ARRIVED IN DALEY COUNTRY! Daley was misguided, Royko says, to order his cops to shag Abbie Hoffman's Yippies out of the south end of Lincoln Park. The city, he contends, could not have chosen a better place to quarantine the protesters than the one they chose themselves. Instead, the police stormed in and all the world's TV audience gaped at the resulting riots. The author, indeed, may be guilty of some small taint...
Within two days, even city hall became aware-with surprise-that the mayor's words had appalled many people outside his special world. However, Royko notes, the official strategy chosen to turn away public wrath was right in character. "It was damn bad reporting," the mayor's public relations counsel said, mildly chiding the press as he presented them with a classic non sequitur: "They should have printed what he meant, not what he said...