I was a Chicago ward heeler; tearing down posters, packing press kits, and other campaign adventures

Washington Monthly, March, 1988 by John Eisendrath

Campaigning in tongues

Since the days of the machine, elections in Chicago have been held at the end of February. The theory was that in the middle of winter the only people who will work the precincts are patronage employees whose jobs depend on how well they turn out the vote. With few exceptions, however, the days of the ward heelers are over. A first-time candidate has to build from scratch a precinct operation based solely on volunteers.

This is a daunting task for a political neophyte running in an upscale ward with constituents who, if the stereotypes are to be believed, think of volunteerism in terms of joining the local health club. What Edwin needed was credibility. On paper this is hard to come by as a 28-year-old elementary school teacher. Matters certainly weren't helped any when, reporting on the campaign's first fund-raiser, one local reporter noted that it was "organized by the candidate's mother."

We combatted the image of Edwin sitting in a high chair four ways. First, we ran him ragged. At bus stops every morning. In front of high rises every evening. Knocking on doors every night. Sure, some people treated him like a Hare Krishna, but most were open-minded and willing to hear him out. During the Super Bowl he pressed the flesh in the neighborhood bars; on Valentine's Day he played the piano in homes for the elderly. On many a Sunday my nice Jewish brother sang the Gospel and made his pitch in one of several all-black churches in the ward. After one church address a lay suddenly began speaking in tongues. Though most people weren't quite so moved upon first meeting him, many of our best precinct captains were total strangers who happened by Edwin one morning on their way to work.

Second, we sought numerous endorsements. Like most campaigns we started with a citizens' committee. This list, which at the outset is the only proof the candidate has that he's not going to get shut out, consists of every third cousin and high school acquaintance you can remember. Edwin and I have no other siblings, yet we managed to find 40 relatives for the citizens' committee.

Edwin and The Opponent each fielded an all-star roster of political endorsements. The first public official to back Edwin was the ward's Democratic committeeman. Edwin had for several years been a volunteer in her organization. A former alderman who had known Edwin for years also signed on. From there the committeeman and former alderman turned to other public officials they knew and convinced them of Edwin's merits. Pretty soon three state legislators and the attorney general were having their pictures taken with Edwin and saying in press kits and in letters to constituents that they hadn't seen a political prospect like him since, well, Abe Lincoln grew whiskers. Just prior to the February election the Tribune, citing the position papers that its reporters found so dull, also endorsed Edwin. (The Sun-Times, which in February endorsed one of the cnadidates who failed to make the runoff, backed Edwin in April.)