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Progressives forced the Chicago mayor into a runoff, but he's poised for reelection Tuesday.

After years of his tiresome shtickthe bullying, the profanity, the glorified tough-guy act, and most of all the centrist corporatismRahm Emanuel was getting his due, and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party was elated. It was late February, and the Chicago mayor had just been forced into a runoff to hold on to his seat, despite spending nearly $16 million and bringing in President Obama for a last-minute appearance in a bid to head off challengers.

"Rahm Emanuel and his corporate cronies have awoken a massive grassroots army across the city committed to ending his agenda of privatization, public school closings, and pension cuts," exulted Jim Dean, brother of Howard and head of the liberal group Democracy for America.

With the final ballot coming on Tuesday, that excitement has mellowed into glum resignation as Emanuel looks like a lock to win a second term. Poll after poll shows him with a sizable lead over Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a Cook County commissioner.

Rahm Emanuel's Moment of F*&$ing Truth

Progressive Democrats have notched several impressive wins in recent years. Bill de Blasio won a surprising victory to become New York mayor. Elizabeth Warren has proven an effective advocate for progressive causes in the Senate. But there are signs of limitations, too. Zephyr Teachout couldn't reproduce de Blasio's magic in a race against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a centrist who particularly annoys progressives, and progressives haven't been able to recruit a potent alternativewhether Warren or someone elseto Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential race.

Garcia seems to embody both the triumphs and the limitations of contemporary progressivism. His strong showing in the first round of voting was a huge win, but the fact that he hasn't been very competitive since seems to suggest either an immaturity of tactics or a glass ceiling for progressive Democrats. They made an impressive early showing, but when it comes to the vote that matters, Garcia and his allies don't have what it takes to get across the finish line.

* * *

Rahm Emanuel is, perhaps, a surprising target for the left. After all, Emanuel has devoted much of his career to screwing Republicans, though the famously profane pol would likely use a different gerund. As chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he helped engineer his party's takeover of the House in 2006, and then served as Barack Obama's first White House chief of staff. In both roles, he irked progressives. As DCCC chair, he recruited a host of business-friendly centrist candidates, which he saw as the best way to take seats away from Republicans, but which progressives saw as the route to a squishy caucus (both arguments saw some vindication). In the White House, he was an outspoken opponent of pursuing healthcare reform, but was central in negotiations bringing the pharmaceutical industry on board.

Emanuel's tenure as mayor of Chicago has confirmed all of the left's suspicions about him. He has been far too concerned, they say, about winning the approval of wealthy donors and pursuing initiatives that appealed to well-heeled Chicagoans and downtown businessmen. He has imposed painful budget cuts (though it's likely that any mayor would have had to trim spending). As part of an aggressive school-reform program, he closed almost 50 schools, and fought the Chicago Teachers Union during a weeklong strike. Meanwhile, the city saw a huge spike in violence. The mayor cozied up to newly elected Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, and Rahm's largest single donor was a billionaire Republican financier.

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Why Can't the Left Unseat Rahm Emanuel?

To the editor: Jacob Heilbrunn's warning of the significant return to power of neoconservatives in influencing the foreign policy advocated by the GOP, and less directly affecting our government's resulting overseas actions, should be taken very seriously. ("The neocons: They're back, and on Iran, they're uncompromising as ever," op-ed, April 2)

Neocons were totally discredited 10 years ago when the failure of their Middle East policies became clear. But memories are often short.

With Congress contemplating plans to undercut a tentative nuclear agreement with Iran, and with frequent calls for our military to intensify airstrikes and consider using ground forces again, the neocons apparently are slow learners. They still believe they have the power to unilaterally remake the Middle East.

Bill Hessell, Oak View

..

To the editor: Characteristically, progressives have high hopes and short memories.

Remember the North Koreans, who after talking 25 years ago about not having nuclear weapons now have these weapons and threaten the world? President Clinton was at first so happy and triumphant after making diplomatic inroads to North Korea. If only he had been more of a neocon.

The Iranians have been "snowing" us for years. Is there any doubt that even with an agreement in place, Iranian leaders will stall, lie and cheat?

Jack Kaczorowski, Los Angeles

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Neocons and progressives: Which side has the shorter memory?

Deputy Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud

The Deputy Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, has defected to the All Progressives Congress. But the state Peoples Democratic Party stated that he was expelled for alleged anti-party activities.

This was contained in a statement by the PDP chairman of Galagamma ward in Gumel, Jigawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Kafinta, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Dutse.

The chairman said the decision to expel Mahmud was taken during a stakeholders meeting held in his ward.

Reports had earlier indicated that Mahmud had dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, which won the March 28 election in the state.

Kafinta did not say when the stakeholders meeting, which ratified the expulsion, held.

The ward chairman alleged that the deputy governor sabotaged PDP during the recent National Assembly election.

He added that the Gumel Local Government Area headquarters of the party, had endorsed the expulsion.

Efforts by NAN to get the comments of the deputy governor on the matter failed as he neither picked a call nor replied a text message sent to him.

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Jigawa dep gov defects to APC

National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed | credits: File copy

The All Progressives Congress has raised the alarm over the rising cases of killing and maiming of its members in Rivers State, in the run up to next Saturdays governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.

He said the APC was worried that the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike, aided by the security agencies, had continued to kill and maim its members and supporters.

Mohammed said that last week, nine members of the APC were killed in cold blood, while many others were injured, when suspected armed PDP thugs invaded Obrikom and Obor communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government of Rivers state.

The APC also alleged that these same thugs set ablaze the residence of Vincent Ogbagu, a candidate for the House of Assembly elections.

The statement read, APC members have been subjected to persistent harassment and intimidation across the state, using the police in Rivers and the Zone 6 in Calabar. Over 150 prominent members have been victims of this unprovoked persecution.

Just today (Monday), we received sad news from Rivers. An APC chieftain, Christopher Adube, was reportedly shot dead over the weekend. Adube, who hails from the Egbema Local Government Area, was said to have been shot dead at his residence

These are just some of the instances of what APC members and supporters in Rivers State have been subjected to in recent days.

However, Wike denied the allegations.

Originally posted here:
APC laments attacks against supporters in Rivers

The All Progressives Congress has stepped up campaign in Delta State, wooing political leaders and the electorate with their message on the need for the state to remain in alignment with the Federal Government.

Since 1999, Delta State has been under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party, which has been in charge of the Federal Government in the past 16 years.

Following the defeat of the PDP at the presidential election by the APC, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Delta, Prof. Isaac Adakpo, told our correspondent that it was also time for change in the state.

Adakpo said the partys campaign in the past one week had focused on the need for the state not to in opposition with the centre and the need for change.

He said, We have been moving into the communities speaking to the people, giving them the reasons why Delta State should not be in opposition with the centre and the need to have a change.

Since the centre has given us the impetus for change, we need the change too because the 16 years of the PDP administration in Delta State has not paid off. We are trying our best to sell all our candidates, particularly the governorship candidate. We hope the people will respond positively to us.

Adakpo added that the APC in Delta had not received politicians defecting openly from the PDP in large numbers because of the political complexity of the state.

He said, We havent received such defections openly. Delta is a very complex state. People have been with the PDP administration all these years. A few PDP leaders in the Ndokwa nation and parts of Urhobo are making overtures. We are welcoming them with open arms. Nobody wants to come out in the open but of course they will be good moles for us on April 11.

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Delta cant afford to be in opposition