Politics a game: Obama plays it well

This letter is in response to yesterday’s opinion column, “”Obama’s corrupt Illinois alliance.”” Since the author thinks he knows so much about Illinois and Chicago politics, I’d like to implore a little bit of Chicago rhetoric to correct him: Check yourself before you wreck yourself. If he were from Illinois, or Chicago for that matter, he would know that although Mayor Daley has been tabbed as a corrupt politician many times in the past, he has remained in office since 1989 and his support is almost universal throughout the greater Chicago area. Why? Because he gets things done! Why wouldn’t Obama want to support a man “”who’s tough, and who makes tough decisions,”” and has had staying power as the mayor of one of America’s largest cities? What other Illinois politician should he endorse? Current democratic governor Rod Blagojevich, who has accepted bribes and is being investigated by the FBI for a laundry list of offences? Former governor George Ryan who sold illegal government drivers licenses and is now serving time in jail? People in Chicago and Illinois are used to corruption and scandal from their politicians, and the reason Daley has had so much success and staying power despite all the allegations of scandal is because he’s still a good mayor and a good leader, and always pays attention to what really matters. Not that other politicians in the state being corrupt gives Daley any excuse, but there are corrupt politicians in every state, and I’m sure all of the presidential candidates have supported or been supported by at least one. What would happen to Obama if he turned his back on all (and there are quite a few) of the corrupt politicians from his home state? I don’t think that would speak well to his loyal steadfast image. The fact is, politics is a game, and Obama is playing it, and playing it well. Obama chose the right politician from Illinois to endorse, and his choices weren’t that great to begin with. Instead of fishing for excuses to finally be the journalist that criticizes Obama by looking down on the people he associates himself with, be a good journalist and criticize him directly, not the company he keeps.

Alex Negronida
journalism junior