Watch rant-free Mayor Richard Daley on YouTube
City teams with Google Chicago on new promotional channel
Web surfers looking for details about Mayor Richard Daley will end up seeing the longtime Chicago leader just as he wants to be seen—if they hit on his new YouTube channel. (The equivalent of watching an infomercial about 'Mr. Juicer' to find info about blenders)
The site leaves out the mayor's flashes of anger and verbal stumbling often featured on local news sites (and...ya' know the reason it's featured on news sites? because....wait for it... His anger and verbal stumbling ACTUALLY FUCKING HAPPEN!!!) —and some YouTube locations that don't bear his name.
Daley announced the channel Monday, calling it "an opportunity to talk to residents directly," (...by feeding them propaganda and not hearing feedback) at the Loop headquarters of Google Chicago, his partner (lapdog) in creating and running the site. It will promote Chicago across the globe, he said. (as seen through the eyes of a politician)
"I guess it promotes me," (The HELL you say!!!) he added later when asked about the political edge the site might provide. "Yes, I'm the mayor of the City of Chicago (and, thank God for that), and it promotes Chicago."Asked whether the site would include videos that were critical of him, he responded, "We'll see, I don't know yet." (yeah, I think we do. The answer is 'no'.)
Some of the 23 videos on the site feature Daley meeting with out-of-town dignitaries and business leaders or announcing initiatives (you know, the 'real stuff') . In one, he jokes around in his office with local personality (Local personality? Isn't that everyone in the area?) Billy Dec, co-host of NBC's "24/7 Chicago: Secrets of the City."
In another, a pre-election Barack Obama praises the mayor. (the HELL you say!!!! Part II)
Obama talks about the improvements in the city since he moved there in 1985, saying they show "astonishing leadership that this man has shown over two decades. ... He is an outstanding mayor." (....and, yet, we don't question Obama's judgement....hm. Might need to keep an eye open there.)
But it leaves out unscripted moments, when Daley mangles the English language much like his father before him (wait! He had a daddy who was mayor!?! Back up...baaaack up) and when he spars with reporters or political foes. (foes. yeah. Right. "Foe's" are defined as people who actually are realistic competition)
One video not on the site, but available elsewhere on YouTube, shows him berating several aldermen for opposing a tax increase to fund the CTA. (I'm sure that'll make its way onto the site. Give it time.)
Since President Bill Clinton first held televised town hall meetings, contemporary politicians have sought new ways to bypass the often-critical (dead on) coverage of the mainstream media and speak directly to voters.
When asked if he was trying to do the same, Daley said he is the only public official in Illinois to hold "a press conference three or four times a week." (wow. Talk about setting the standards skyward! Public officials in Illinois are SO open with their constituents!)
Jim Lecinski, managing director of Google's central region, said no taxpayer dollars were used to create the site, and Daley said it did not involve spending taxpayer funds. (that was big of him)
But some of the videos up on the site were made with city money for the Chicago Works cable-TV channels. They were originally produced to be aired on the city's municipal access channel, not for the mayor's Web site, said Jacquelyn Heard, the mayor's press secretary. (oh, I see. At least, he was half-telling the truth....that's a step in the right direction)
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