Bill Stamets Collection > SERIES I: Films by Bill Stamets > Subseries II: Footage

Mayoral Campaign, 1983

Transcript (Download)

That's my reaction to Reverend Jesse Jackson and all his stuff.

I don't particularly care to be stepped on.

I've worked with a lot of blacks all my life.

I got nothing against him, but this is just my protest back to him.

I've messaged to Mayor Jane Byrne that when she was elected, she talked a great deal about what Chicago.

Now the woman has inadvertently or advertently polarized the city.

Well, I think it's very beautiful and very European.

It was in Europe and Rome and Paris that the mayor got her idea of putting more fountains in the city of Chicago.

I think they're going to plan to have more of these around the city, some in the neighborhood.

It's creating a nice little enclave.

After much deliberation, I have decided to be a candidate for mayor of Chicago.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My family, my wife Maggie, my daughter Nora and Patrick, my mother, my brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews are with me today and they share in my decision.

On this day, especially, I think of my father.

He was never satisfied with the progress the city had made.

He was always working to make it better because he loved the city.

I am a candidate because I share his love.

I take no apology for my name.

I am proud of my family name.

I am proud of my mother and father.

It was from them that I learned my love for our city.

It was from them that I learned the importance of a family unit in neighborhoods in which all of us live.

I look back to my father's life with pride.

Based on what I had seen over the years, he was always very tough.

He was always very shrewd, but he was always very fair.

I can understand why in the minds of many he is Mr.

Chicago.

I think your mayor is a wonderful fellow, but I depart radically from him when he says that he would hope that I would have all the good qualities of past mayors.

There are no good qualities of past mayors to be had.

None, none, none, none.

I did not mourn at the bar of the late mayor.

I regret anyone dying.

I have no regrets about him leaving.

He was a racist from the core, head to toe and hip to hip.

There's no danger about it.

And he spewed and fond and oppressed black people to the point that some of them thought that was the way they were supposed to live.

Just like some slaves under plantation thought that was the way they're supposed to live.

I give no who's honors to a racist, nor do I appreciate or respect his son.

If his name were anything else than Daly, this campaign would be a joke.

He has nothing to offer anybody, but a Ben Upton can smile, no background, and he runs on the legacy of his name, an insult to common sense and decency.

Everything I've ever gotten in the world, I worked for it.

Nobody gave me anything.

And although I may sound abrasive, I have no malice toward anybody.

I have a job to do.

I've got places to go and things to do, and I approach this job just like any masterful surgeon when you have to cut out a cancer.

I cut it out with no emotion.

Get it out.

Get it out.

This dominant culture may have messed up my pocket, but they haven't messed up my head one bit.

So I approach this awesome job with pride.

Pride in my community.

Pride in the ability my community to rouse up as though they had been a sleeping giant and to recognize that there is a responsibility that they have that they cannot shirk.

Nobody else is going to shoulder that burden.

I believe in the powers of redemption, and I simply cannot believe in the God I worship that he would permit us to sit on this earth for 400 years, or rather in this country for 400 years, and suffer the indignities which we have suffered piled time after time, high after high, and so it has almost broken the backs of one of the most powerful people in this world.

I can't believe there is no redemption, but that redemption is not going to come out in hatred.

It's going to come out in positive attitude toward our fellow man.

I represent and you represent the fruit of the loom, the best this world has to offer.

We've been through the crucible.

We've been through the crucible, and we have come out with strong and powerful tensile strength.

We are a high and good and powerful people.

We have no explanations to give to anybody.

We don't have to explain our existence.

We don't have to explain the thing that we want to a part of the political power of this country, not to suppress anybody, but to add our good.

We've come into the 1980s with an understanding that we have not just a right, but a responsibility to give the best that we have to a society.

We want to give it, and we're going to give it if we have to beat them across the head, knock them down and make them take it.

We're going to give it to them.

I've enjoyed this campaign.

I suppose you can see that.

United with Richard M.

Daly to be the next mayor of Chicago.

Chicago loves Daly.

Daly loves Chicago and the people of Chicago.

Identifier
F.2005-08-0228
Date Of Production
circa 1983
Abstract
Second of four reels adding up to the film Chicago Politics: A Theater of Power. 
Observational documentary following the 1983 Chicago Mayoral election, with a focus on the Democratic Primary between Jane Byrne and Harold Washington. Loose and anecdotal, it features footage from public appearances, civic events, protests, television broadcasts, and campagin speeches.
Description
The footage opens a close-up of crowd of outreaching hands; a banner displaying  ‘Mayor Byrne’s ChicagoFest’ can be seen in the background. The following shot features a man relaying opinions regarding the widespread objection ChicagoFest to the camera. The footage switches to civil rights activist Bob Lucas. Lucas asserts that Mayor Byrne has indisputably “polarized the city.”

The scene changes to depict the newly installed Chicago Children’s Fountain in Old town. Passerby’s can be seen admiring Mayor Bryne’s recent gift to the public. The shot switches to present Jay McMullen-Byrne’s husband- praising his wife’s ingenuity.

The subsequent sequence of images feature speeches made by the candidates for the upcoming Mayoral election. Richard M.Daley is presented on a t.v. discussing the values he learned from his father- former Chicago mayor, Richard J. Daley. This shot is interrupted by footage of Richard Nixon affirming that Mayor Daley was “tough but fair.”

This scene switches to the city streets where two men can be seen loading a city council podium into a car. A voice over of Harold Washington can be heard exclaiming that’s he is a “radical departure” from the Daley’s racist policies. Washington denounces Richard J.Daley and his son’s campaign for Mayor. He insinuates that Richard M. has nothing to offer Chicago but his families legacy; which he claims would be an “insult to common sense.” The shot switches to focus on a large photograph of a smiling Richard J. Daley and his son.

Afterward, the footage observes Mayor Byrne watching a parade on St. Patricks day. Washington’s speech continues to explain how he plans to reform Daley-era polices.The accompanied footage portray Washington and Richard M. posing for a photograph inside city hall.The next sequence of images feature Washington going to and from different political events as well as mingling with supporters. The camera makes sure to capture the creative variety of Washington and Daley campaign posters that decorate the city.

The footage briefly switches to portray Eleanor Daley-wife of Richard J. Daley- socializing at political events. The film concludes inside the car of a Daley campaigner; he enthusiastically exclaims with a microphone “United with Richard M. Daley… Daley loves Chicago and the people of Chicago love Daley!”
Run Time
0:08:07
Format
Super 8
Extent
128 feet
Color
color and B&W
Sound
Mag Stripe
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Genre
Documentary
Form
Amateur
Subject
Chicago (Ill.)
History
African Americans
Political campaigns
Political elections
Politicians
Politics and government
Racism
Political Activists
Michigan Avenue (Chicago, Ill.)
Events
Parades and processions
Cityscapes
Related Collections
Subseries II: Footage


Related Places
North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago

Main Credits
Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers
Washington, Harold (is participant)
Lucas, Robert (is participant)
Byrne, Jane (is participant)
McMullen, Jay (is participant)
Eleanor Daley (is participant)
Daley, Richard J. (is participant)
Daley, Richard M. (is participant)
Nixon, Richard (is participant)
Jackson, Jesse, 1941-2026 (is participant)

 
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