WEBVTT

1
00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:19.840
I really couldn't speak about other parts of the country how politics are because I've

2
00:00:19.840 --> 00:00:25.260
been engrossed in what you call quote-unquote politics in Chicago for about 20 years.

3
00:00:26.260 --> 00:00:32.180
Basically, for going back a few years it used to be part of the actual precinct captain,

4
00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:37.780
neighborhood kind of contact, person-to-person contact between the voter constituent and the

5
00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:43.560
precinct captain and his workers. In those days the precinct captain had, I would say,

6
00:00:43.580 --> 00:00:48.960
not the word power, but had a lot of ways where he could help the constituents. If they had a

7
00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:53.400
personal problem, that man was there at two in the morning to help you, or if your son or daughter

8
00:00:53.400 --> 00:01:00.380
got in trouble he would be there knocking on doors for you. It's changed in the last 10 or 15 years,

9
00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:06.600
well even less than that, less than 10 years. It's a little more impersonal. A lot of the people who

10
00:01:06.600 --> 00:01:12.300
were involved in precinct captain politics are not there anymore. Really the diehards are left,

11
00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:18.200
the ones who really care about the community are still there doing their job. But as far as how it

12
00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:22.200
is in other parts of the country, I really don't know how they do politics, but in essence in

13
00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:26.780
Chicago it's the way we do it is person-to-person contact with the public.

14
00:01:27.420 --> 00:01:31.480
What's the most important thing about getting somebody's vote? I mean you've been in politics for a long time.

15
00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:33.780
What's the most important thing you get to get a vote?

16
00:01:34.880 --> 00:01:43.240
Well, the most important thing is to try to convince the person you're dealing with, you know, why you would like to have them vote your way.

17
00:01:44.360 --> 00:01:48.800
Some people, let's face it, let's be very frank about it, some people vote on a person's looks.

18
00:01:48.800 --> 00:01:54.500
They might not know the candidate. They might get a pamphlet that day and they like what it says and they're going to vote on them.

19
00:01:54.700 --> 00:02:02.420
The precinct captain and workers, what they do is go around and try to explain to you why that particular candidate is good for your area.

20
00:02:02.720 --> 00:02:06.080
That's what it boils down to. What can that candidate do for your area?

21
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:12.900
So you were telling me that sometimes it's not even the candidate, but...

22
00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:18.300
We get into it. I mean we really get into our elections here. I mean it's... and we should.

23
00:02:18.380 --> 00:02:26.000
The whole idea is to sort of get the public involved in politics. It's part of their life in this country.

24
00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:33.720
But people who take it for granted and don't even bother coming out or voting, I mean they're the ones who are the biggest complainers.

25
00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.960
They'll call you and say, well this is no good or you're not giving services.

26
00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:41.440
But in essence if they don't come out to vote, I feel they really don't have a voice in complaining.

27
00:02:41.440 --> 00:02:44.360
Do you think people in Chicago are interested in politics?

28
00:02:45.160 --> 00:02:50.200
I would say they are. I mean judging from when our men go around and I've done it myself door to door,

29
00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:55.180
I mean if you present yourself properly, people, they have their ears open. They want to listen to you.

30
00:02:55.180 --> 00:03:00.340
They want to discuss the issues. And if they have a complaint, believe me, you are the sounding board.

31
00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:05.900
You're the first person to say that represents that particular candidate and they're going to unload on you.

32
00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:09.860
And we're used to it. That's part of the game of being involved in politics.

33
00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:14.840
Now remember last week we were talking to you and you were talking about how sometimes the candidate is not even important.

34
00:03:15.380 --> 00:03:19.640
It's the person that asks and you can almost sell almost any candidate to pay them the person's relationship.

35
00:03:19.880 --> 00:03:25.500
So can you look at me and just tell me essentially that who's the most important person?

36
00:03:27.420 --> 00:03:31.240
Well in essence, like I say, it's not so much the candidate.

37
00:03:31.320 --> 00:03:37.860
I mean you can have a person who's not really a high profile candidate or a person who's not well known name recognition wise,

38
00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:46.820
but yet still a good candidate. That's where the contact that the precinct captain or workers have or volunteers have in the precincts

39
00:03:46.820 --> 00:03:52.480
to go around and let them know specifically John Doe is a very, very good candidate and this is the reason why.

40
00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:58.040
That personal contact is a thing that really a lot of times makes a difference in a political contest.