Several weeks ago, Bob Sirott conducted an interview with 100-year-old former Chicago Alderman Leon Despres, which aired on NBC 5's City Desk this morning.  Discussing the "very intelligent" Barack Obama, Despres likened him to Harold Washington, whom he called "by far the best mayor we ever had" in terms of "character and leadership."  He went on to describe "the mayors Daley" as "primarily in the business of politics." Watch it: 

For more on Despres -- who certainly didn't consider politics a "business" -- check out this New York Times article from several years ago, as well as the three Slate diaries he wrote in September.