WEEKEND QUOTABLES

"The not-even-second-city"

Sources close to the mayor privately concede that, after two decades in office, the bench has been depleted. He increasingly relies on a relatively small handful of aides like Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman and likely incoming Chicago Transit Authority Chairman Terry Peterson, rotating them from post to post as problems crop up. To recover his stride, Mr. Daley will have to change that equation. (Greg Hinz, Crain's Chicago Business)

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"Who's Adrienne Hiegel (And why's she still working at CPS?)"--(Russo)

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Rhee fires hundred of teachers, staff in D.C.

No doubt the dismissals will be challenged in court. Already, Ms. Rhee is being criticized by D.C. Council members who say she should have used stimulus funds to avert the layoffs. (WaPo)

Maddow on ACORN

This whole ACORN mess breaks my heart. They've been out there doing some of the toughest grassroots political work imaginable for years and years, hiring from the neighborhoods, expanding the voting franchise, helping the neediest people in our country. And they have been the very convenient target of the racist right wing during all that time, for all the obvious reasons. It's painful to see the Democrats cut and run when the right finally gets some wingnut porn to run with. (AlterNet)