Royko on Daley

When faced with the task of finding two essays that are of interest to me, I immediately turned to my favorite columnist of all-time, Mike Royko (may he rest in peace). Royko wrote editorials for the Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, and Daily News for thirty years. He was beloved by many Chicagoans for his wit, casual sarcasm, and powerful knack for delivering an often blunt truth. I'm not entirely sure that an editorial qualifies as an essay, but Royko definitely has an opinion on the life and career of Mayor Daley, so I feel it satisfies the requirements.

In order to appreciate this essay, one must first understand the character that was Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago. Living his whole life in the heavily Irish Bridgeport Neighborhood, Daley served as mayor of Chicago from 1955-76. During that career, he initiated countless public works projects within the city, but was also famous for sometimes overstepping his authority or over-enforcing Chicago law. Daley governed one of the most politically corrupt, segregated, and ethnically diverse cities in the nation, and Royko captures the man, politician, and father of Richard J. Daley flawlessly.

Royko's tribute is a little rough around the edges, but then again, so was Daley, and so was Chicago. His unique way of describing some of Daley's characteristics had me laughing to myself as I read the column. When poking fun at Daley's often ungrammatical, inappropriate, or jumbled language, Royko writes, "So when Daley slid sideways into a sentence, or didn't exit from the same paragraph he entered, it amused us. But it didn't sound that different than the way most of us talk." That type of journalism is what made Royko famous.

The essay tells of Mayor Daley at his best and at his worst. One point Royko makes especially made me think. While Daley may not have always done what was in the best interest of morality, progress, or (some would argue) the Constitution, his actions were appropriate in the eyes of the average Chicagoan, if not outsiders. That made a lot of sense to me. Daley may not have always been a master of political correctness, but he was a master of representing his constituents.

The article was extremely amusing, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Sadly, gone are the days of Richard J. Daley, and gone are the days of Mike Royko, but this article was a happy, humorous reminder of both.