Progress Illinois

On the last day of the Democratic National Convention, SEIU President Andy Stern addressed the Illinois delegation's final breakfast meeting.  He began his brief speech by saying to the audience: "Thank you for Barack Obama."  He went on to talk about the importance of sending the Illinois Democrat to the White House this November "to turn the page and bring back an America that works for our kids and our grandkids." 

During the speech, Stern repeatedly agreed with earlier comments made by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who had introduced him as a "great labor leader."  This was a bit surreal to watch, considering that Stern, at SEIU's own convention in June, had touted SEIU Illinois' challenge to Daley in the 2007 aldermanic election.  "[W]e beat the vaunted political machine of Chicago Mayor Daley in Chicago and sent seven of his aldermen into early retirement," he said at the time.  "Great work Chicago! We began to teach people about accountability." Meanwhile, Daley has repeatedly whined about SEIU's mobilization against his candidates, advancing the bogus suggestion that it represented the equivalent of political patronage.

But then again, such unlikely displays of unity and congeniality -- however short-lived -- were on display everywhere in Denver this week, clearly the result of Democrats' and progressives' laser-focus on the presidential election eight weeks from now.