European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Richard Daley spurns concept of being the White candidate or in serving As mayor for half the people. To Chicago n.y., mayoral races by w. Joseph Campbell Hartford Courante n Chicago a City of harsh political temperament a race has been joined Between two powerful political legacies one is White one Black. Such is the context of Chicago s third mayoral election in six years an election in which the White challenger is favored to defeat the Black mayor which never has happened in a Large american City. The favorite is Richard m. Daley the barrel chested eldest son and namesake of Chicago s most storied mayor Richard j. Daley. For 21 years until his death in 1976, Daley was the Boss of Chicago s now splintered political machine. An heir to the Black legacy is the acting mayor Eugene Sawyer a sad eyed mild mannered Ward politician thrust into prominence in late 1987 by Harold Washington s fatal heart attack. Washington was Chicago s first Black mayor. They Are the principal candidates in the feb. 28 democratic primary election. Since 1931, owing to the party s overwhelming registration advantage the democratic nominee has won the mayoralty. Another heir is poised to confront the Winner in april s general election Timothy c. Evans a City Alderman who collected More than 100,000 signatures to qualify for a place on the ballot As a candidate of what he Calls the Harold Washington party. Chicago s election will be one of the country s two most important most watched municipal campaigns in 1989. The other is in new York City where Edward i. Koch the Only american mayor with International name recognition is Likely to seek an unprecedented fourth four year term. Koch who published two political memoirs in his first two terms never has seemed More vulnerable. Acting mayor of Chicago Eugene Sawyer. The mayoral races in both Chicago and new York project importance far beyond the City limits. I believe that highly visible races involving Blacks. Get people interested in politics and they get people More inclined to go out and vote in other cities. So i think it can t but help said Milton d. Morris research director at the joint Center for political studies in Washington. Should David n. Dinkins an experienced Well regarded Black politician who is Manhattan Borough president run against new York mayor Edward i. Koch and win he would find himself propelled to the very front of the Black leadership ranks nationally Morris said. There is no question but that a Black mayor of new York City would be pretty close to Center stage on a National  and in Chicago he said Blacks around the country would feel a substantial disappointment if the position were to slip away from  i think a loss would Hurt not Only in Chicago it would Hurt nationally in that a trend toward Black empowerment would seem to have been disrupted Morris said. Electioneering in Chicago has not been As vitriolic or overtly racial As in the general election in 1983. Washington won the democratic nomination in a three Way race against Daley and then mayor Jane Byrne and narrowly Defeated Republican Bernard Epton in an ugly Campaign. Daley has tried to minimize the racial overtones. I m not interested in being the White candidate1 or in serving As mayor for half the people he said last week. Sawyer works into his rhetoric reminders of the Days of machine politics. He said that Daley s election would have a tremendous Impact on minorities and women in the City. We have really a Rainbow in City government on boards and commissions. I Don t think that it will continue if Daley is elected. And Well have favouritism and cronyism and All those kinds of things that used to exist in  Many political analysts discount such a reversal saying that Black support is critical to governing no matter who is mayor. The fact of the matter is that minorities in this City Are never again going to take a secondary role. The political life simply never will go Back to pre-1976. That s gone Long gone said Alan Gitelson a political scientist at Loyola University of Chicago. Nonetheless Gitelson said racial politics Are still relevant in this City. It makes a difference whether a candidate is a Black or a White for Many Many voters both Black and White in terms of selecting their candidate. It s not As overt As it was in the past two mayoral elections but. The color of a Man s skin is  one reason the Campaign has not deteriorated into ugliness is the personalities of the leading candidates. By Chicago standards they could almost be called Bland. Neither is a gifted Public speaker. Daley s Malaprop isms and meandering elocution Are legend in Chicago. Not Long ago he gave the year of his father s death As 1876. Such pratfalls encourage an impression that Daley is unsure of himself despite years in Public life the past eight As state s attorney of Cook county. Sawyer is something of an anomaly a Veteran Chicago politician without evident taste for confrontation. His staff encourages him to get mean one aide said but he resists the advice. Though likable Sawyer is burdened by the Way he was chosen mayor. His backing came from a coalition dominated by White aldermen Many of whom had been Washington s sternest political foes. That complicates Sawyer s claim to be heir to Washington s legacy. There s still a lot of Black people who won t vote for Sawyer said Danny k. Davis a West Side Alderman who shares a dilemma confronting Many other Blacks in the election. While backing Sawyer in the primary Davis also has been working for Evans the other claimant to Washington s legacy Evans candidacy is intended political analysts say to give Blacks another Chance to defeat Daley should he win the primary. The Bottom line. Is control of City Hall beating Richard Daley Davis said. You beat him at one time or you beat him at  saturday february 11, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13