>>> MARY LORI LIGHTFOOT STAY SILENT AT HER FINAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER PEOPLE PRAISE MAYOR LIGHTFOOT TODAY.
PARIS , DO YOU THINK SHE WAS KIND OF THINKING WHERE WERE ALL OF YOU WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION?
>> I DON’T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS THINKING, BUT SURE.
IT MIGHT HAVE FELT HOLLOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HER AND THE COUNCILMEMBERS.
BUT ONCE THE DUST SETTLES HERE, WHETHER YOU DISAGREE OR AGREE WITH THE WAY SHE WENT ABOUT THE JOB, IT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS THERE IS, PERIOD.
THE LAST FEW YEARS WERE ONE OF THE MOST TUMULTUOUS IN CHICAGO’S HISTORY.
IT IS A TREMENDOUS PERSONAL SACRIFICE TO DO THIS JOB, WHETHER SHE THINKS SHE DID IT WELL OR NOT WELL.
IT IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM COUNCILMEMBERS THAT YOU SERVE THE CITY, YOU DID THE JOB TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, YOU SACRIFICE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LIFE.
>> HEATHER, WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT SHE DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING?
WILL SHE EVER TALK TO US AGAIN?
>> AT THIS POINT PROBABLY NOT, ALTHOUGH SHE IS WELCOME TO COME ON THE SHOW ANYTIME SHE WOULD LIKE.
IT IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, THOUGH, BECAUSE SHE HAS A STORY TO TELL ABOUT THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
SHE GAVE UP A HIGH-PROFILE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO HELP SHAPE HER LEGACY AS A FORMER MAYOR OF CHICAGO.
I WANT TO HEAR THAT STORY.
THE PEOPLE OF CHICAGO WANT TO HEAR THAT STORY, EVEN IF IT IS AN UNHAPPY STORE.
EVEN IF IT IS SOMEWHAT ANGRY OR BITTER.
WE JUST DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT SHE HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH.
THE LAST TIME SHE TOOK QUESTIONS WAS SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE SHE FINISHED THIRD IN THE FIRST ROUND OF VOTING FOR THE RACE!
>> LEGACIES TAKE DECADES TO BUILD.
IT WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO THE CHAIN BURNS LEFT THE CITY COUNCIL.
PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT HER CHARACTER, HOW FUNNY SHE WAS.
CHICAGO SAID SHE HAD THE IDEA.
SO IF THIS HAPPENS FOR MAYOR LIGHTFOOT , I THINK THE DETAILS ARE STILL SORTING THEMSELVES OUT.
>> TOTALLY.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY THAT REALLY IS.
SHE COULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING THAT WOULD INEVITABLY BE ON EVERY NEWSCAST.
HER SUPPORTERS, I THINK, WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HEAR FROM HER, WHERE SHE STANDS.
SHE IS STILL THE LEADER OF THE CITY.
PEOPLE ARE STILL LOOKING TO HER.
>> MAYBE SHE WELL, RIGHT?
SHE HAS HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE HER INAUGURATION.
LESS THAN A MONTH.
I WANT TO KEEP IT MOVING, BECAUSE THIS WAS THE GOODBYE THAT MANY WEREN’T EVEN SURE WERE GOING TO HAPPEN.
TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT ED BURKE SAID TO HIS COLLEAGUES.
>> EDMUND BURKE WROTE IN POLITICS THERE ARE NO PERMANENT ENEMIES, NO PERMANENT FRIENDS.
ONLY PERMANENT INTERESTS.
>> HEATHER, ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT HE SPOKE AT ALL?
>> I WAS SURPRISED.
BUT ED BURKE SPENT DECADES TREATING THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AS HIS OWN SORT OF PERSONAL ROSTRUM.
I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY HOURS OF MY LIFE I HAVE LOST TO HIM SORT OF WAXING PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT CHICAGO’S HISTORY AND THE VALOR OF CHICAGO’S LOSS.
AFTER HIS COLLEAGUES STARTED TO PRAISE HIM, I THINK THE TEMPTATION WAS JUST TOO GREAT.
BUT LET’S BE CLEAR.
THIS IS AN INSTITUTION THAT HE HAD SERVED FOR 54 YEARS, LONGER THAN ANY OF US HERE HAVE AN ALIVE.
I DON’T DOUBT THAT HE WANTED TO BEGIN TO SHAPE HIS LEGACY.
AS I SAID EARLIER, IT WILL OF COURSE BE DETERMINED BY WHAT THE JURY FINDS.
THE TRIAL DOESN’T START UNTIL NOVEMBER.
>> I THINK IT CAN BE EASY FOR OUTSIDERS TO FORGET THAT THESE ARE HUMANS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EMOTIONS AND ROUGH FEELINGS.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TRIAL, THERE IS A LOT OF WORK AND ATTENTION PUT INTO THINGS.
PEOPLE HAVE PUT A LOT OF WORK AND ENERGY INTO IT.
>> STANDING OVATION, INCLUDING MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, DID THAT SURPRISED PEOPLE?
>> DEFINITELY DIDN’T PUT SURPRISING OF THE OTHER PEOPLE, BUT IT DEFINITELY SURPRISED THE MAYOR.
THEY DIDN’T LIKE EACH OTHER, BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE THE ONE STEPPING DOWN IF EVERYBODY ELSE IS STANDING.
BUT TO HEATHER’S POINT, YOU KNOW, BURKE DOLED OUT FAVORS.
THAT IS HOW HE KEPT HIS POWER.
RUNNING THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, HE DOLED OUT WORKERS TO PEOPLE.
HE DOLED OUT MONEY TO PEOPLE.
SO IT STANDS TO REASON THAT A LOT OF THEM HAVE REFERENCE TO HIM, EVEN THOUGH HIS LEGACY WITH THE PUBLIC WILL BE MUCH MURKIER.
>> QUICKLY, I WANT TO GET TO MAYOR ELECT BRANDON JOHNSON.
HERE HE IS.
>> WHEN MY ADMINISTRATION ARRIVES ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF CITY HALL, WE STAND READY TO WORK WITH EVERYONE OF THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY, AND OF COURSE THROUGHOUT THE STATE CAPITAL.
>> AMANDA, WHAT WAS THE RECEPTION THERE?
>> IT WAS REALLY POSITIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY, AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CALL THE SHOTS.
NEVERTHELESS, THERE WERE ISSUES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, INCLUDING THE REAL ESTATE TAX AND FINANCIAL TAX.
SO IN A WAY, HE DIDN’T GET INTO SPECIFICS OF HOW MUCH HE WANTS.
HE JUST SAID THAT THAT IT WOULD DEFINE THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND WHAT YOU WANT FROM STATE GOVERNMENT.
REALLY HE LIKES TO SAY I DON’T WANT TO
Source: News