PUBLISHER'S PEACE

Wilson's Thoughtful Rejection

Guest Correspondent: Robin Robinson

This past week the wealthy Black businessman endorsed former opponent Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in the race to be Chicago's mayor, spurning the courtship by incumbent Rahm Emanuel. Wilson says he has spent the last few weeks carefully weighing his choice, maneuvering to get as much as possible for 'the people'.

Dr. Willie Wilson did embark on a sort of listening tour, by all accounts. Meeting with a never-ending stream of religious leaders (always first on his list), business and civic groups, political insiders and others. At a recent lunch at a hotel restaurant, he was seen asking the host and the waitress who they wanted him to endorse.

After proclaiming on the campaign trail that he would "never vote for Emanuel", it's tough to explain his stated intention afterward to "let the people decide" which of the top two vote getters he would support. Wilson insists it could have been Emanuel -- that he could have endorsed the current mayor without personally voting for him. Cynics are no doubt convinced Wilson faked the fact-finding and soul searching, planning to back Garcia all along. A veteran of city, county and state politics, Garcia likes to remind voters of his political roots on the side late Mayor Harold Washington during the infamous city council wars of the 80's.

The informal polling included a more structured process among Wilson's 'dining room cabinet'. People Wilson knows who represent various interests, along with leaders from his campaign team (many of whom are hoping to end up on the payroll of one of the remaining two contenders). Both Emanuel and Garcia sat in the hot seat with these groups on several occasions, and after they departed, a straw poll was taken. The exchanges were officially off-the-record, but with 2 dozen or so people in the room, they weren't exactly secretive.

Wilson himself seems disarmingly open about the transient nature of political agreement. Things change. Nothing is 100%. He supported Republican Bruce Rauner for Illinois Governor, but not the budget the new governor proposed last month. Wilson said on the campaign trail hat he would hire "NOT one single more police officer to beat up us", while Garcia promises to hire 1000 new cops.

Despite the differences, Wilson apparently found more in common with Garcia than the incumbent. He says Black Chicagoans will be better off under a Garcia administration. Nothing is 100%. Coalitions depend on the art of bending or even suspending some of one's positions to gain the strength to achieve the most important goals you find in common with the other members.

Not everyone who supported Willie Wilson's campaign will march to Garcia. Some have already told him they plan to differ and get behind Emanuel. Voters are even more unpredictable. It's an endorsement, not an order that automatically puts the 10% of ballots Wilson won in February into the camp of his choice. The fact that Wilson does not "speak for Black people" has been pointed out many times, often with jabs at the way he speaks. But he has been speaking to both candidates more than anyone else, watching them respond to some pretty feisty challenges, pressing them to compromise, defend, explain. We will see if the Wilson-Garcia alliance leads to a real coalition that can win April 7th.

Certainly both candidates wanted that endorsement. Mr. Wilson phoned Emanuel to personally tell him his decision the day before the announcement. A small courtesy. The grammar school drop-out turned millionaire businessman and philanthropist, as a candidate forced a sharper focus on Black voters and the issues that affect them disproportionately, and continues to bring unexpected drama to a Chicago mayoral election for the first time in decades.... along with a little thoughtfulness.