It has been the most difficult decision of my life, but I have decided not to be a candidate again for Cook County board president. Nor will I be a candidate for a third term on the board.
My June 30 fundraiser at Hop Haus, my first since the 2006 primary, is cancelled and I will be returning all checks (or in the case of credit cards, ensuring there is no debit to your account).
I am so grateful to you for your support, your encouragement and your friendship during the last two campaigns and my nearly seven years of service. It means so much to me, and made the decision so much harder.
In January, I joined my longtime friend, Care Pages founder Eric Langshur, in founding a new company, Rise Health. In the ensuing six months we have developed a mixture of services and technology which we believe can improve access, lower costs and improve quality in health care.
President Obama is poised to finally pass national health care reform. But to achieve the goal of universal access, quality and affordability, it will take both government reform and private sector innovation. I have come to believe so much in the potential of our ideas that I have chosen to remain in my role as chief operating officer, and begin a new and challenging journey to help improve our national health care system.
Many of you know that I first ran for the board presidency largely because of the dysfunction in the Health Bureau, which not only robbed taxpayers but effectively rationed care to the neediest and most vulnerable in our society. I wrote a detailed plan to improve access to preventive and primary care and restructure the system.
Because of the administration's gross incompetence and neglect, the Health Bureau is now under the jurisdiction of an independent board. The independent board recently hired a CEO, who is beginning to make systemic changes. The jury is out, but we all hope for its success.
I hope that all of you who supported me will stay involved, and support candidates willing to challenge the old ways.
Thank you again for having given me the opportunity to serve. I will be eternally grateful.
The twist, for those of us up north here, is that Larry Suffredin is now forming an exploratory committee for Cook County Board prez. And because of the new law change, you can't run for prez and commish. So if Larry runs, the 13th is an open seat. As will be, now, Forrest's slot.
Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool has endorsed Mark Pera in IL-03 the the race to unseat machine heir Dan Lipinski. Claypool worked to unseat the Stroger wing of the machine. This endorsement constitutes a natural alliance. As important as a candidate's positions on various issues is their community of support. Candidates can make all the statements they want as to what their beliefs are and we can scan their history of actions and votes all we want. But just as important if not more so are the associations they bring and form. When new issues arise, issues which have to be fit into a value system, often we validate our thoughts through our associations. When Mark Pera garners a Claypool endorsement or speaks highly of a Jan Schakowsky, then the patterns of his associative circle gain clarity.
Forrest Claypool is a member of the disestablishmentarian camp. The camp that seeks to discontinue the hereditary political practices of the Chicago machine.
This started out as a comment on the post about the "machine's" recent choice of Todd Stroger as the Dem nominee for Cook County Board President.
In that post a commenter was lamenting the fact that Forrest Claypool didn't win the primary. Though I voted for Claypool, I never got a chance to vote for for my preferred candidate, Mike Quigley. Not only did I like Quigley better on the issues, but he would have gotten the support of labor, which Claypool had no chance at. Would that have given him the edge to beat Stroger in the primary election? Who can know. What I do know is that I talked to many people who agreed that they preferred Quigley on the issues, but that they were supporting Claypool because he was almost as good and had raised more money. There would be little argument, I think, that it was was Claypool's money advantage that caused Quigley to drop out of the primary -- and the fact that if one of them didn't drop out there would be no chance of beating Stroger.
I tried to go to the IL Board of Elections to look up their financial reports, but their search engine seems to be down. However, it is my understanding that Claypool gained his money advantage due to large donations from a handful of donors (remember at the non-federal level in Illinois there is no limit to the size of the contribution) who gave money to his campaign very early on. I also remember that his final quarter fundraising was not that strong, meaning that his big donors were tapped out early and he did not attract significant numbers of new donors. In other words, big money decided who the opposition candidate would be, corruption and cronyism choose the nominee.
And I am not saying that Claypool would not have been an excellent Cook County Board President, I am saying that he was not choosen by the voters.
"The Deed Is Done" Democratic leaders all but hand over the Cook County reins from father to son, unless voters have another idea. These words appeared on the Chicago Tribune's front page today, July 19, 2006.
As I see it, the people of Cook County have two options: (1) To draft Forrest Claypool as a write-in candidate. Everyone knows how Claypool narrowly lost in the primary elections to John Stroger. There are some who suspect foul-play on the part of the Stroger Camp. Without a doubt, Claypool is the most qualified man for this important slot.Claypool is a respected lawyer and a fine family man. Before being elected a Cook County commissioner, Claypoor successfully served as President of the Chicago Parks System. He is the only one with the intelligence, integrity and experience to become Cook County President.
(2) If you are an unintrenchable Republican, by all means make sure you get out the heaviest vote you can for Tony Peraica who is on the ballot. Peraica doesn't have any of Claypool's qualifications but is far and away my choice over Tod Stroger.
Cook County voters now have an unbelievable opportunity to make some crucial changes in Cook County politics. Changes that will benefit them and their families. Most decent people felt a real sense of loss by Forrest Claypool's defeat in the primaries. Cook County voters are being given a rare second chance to make-up for Claypool's loss, and finally break-away from John Stroger's brand of politics. For the record, Cook County is one of the largest counties and amongst the wealthiest and most influential counties in the Nation. Cook County people are hard working, well-educated and civic-minded citizens. Family earnings in Cook County rank among the highest in the Nation. Cook County people take great pride in their communities and in their homes. It's no secret that Cook County residents pay a great deal in taxes. They quietly go about their business, usually never complaining. If they ever gripe, and rightfully so, it's only if they see their hard-earned dollars wasted by indulgent politicians and their inept, poor management. These hardworking people and their families deserve better than another self-styled power broker of the Stroger line!
It is good news that the election is perceived as legitimate and that, for better or worse, the will of the people has been heard. Unfortunately, it seems like it may take a major foul up to get the general public and the major media outlets to start addressing the problems of voting irregularities and systematic problems.
The next question will be if Stroger stays on the ballot or someone else is picked by the party. My gut, and nothing else, tells me to be on the look out for Stroger's son.
In the wake of the IL-6, erm, result, it is easy to overlook what may become the defining election in Chicago: Claypool vs. Stroger.
With about 50% reporting last night when I went to bed, Claypool was sitting on a 4 point lead (52%-48%). Now, with nearly 90% of the vote in Stroger has reversed the results, leading Claypool 52% to 47%.
Meanwhile both candidates are claiming voting irregularities. Certainly things have gone problematic in Chicago and Cook County, what isn't clear is why or what it will mean. This has the potential of being for the Chicago Democratic machine what IL-6 is to the DC Democratic establishment, only, if possible, worse.
