He can run, but he can't hide

April Goggans stood silently holding a sign that said "16 shots and a cover up #LaquanMcDonald #ResignRahm." Others in the room chanted "Black Lives Matter."

Rahm Emanuel did what he does best when things get hot. He split town and headed to D.C.to hang out with his mayor friends. For some reason, the Conference of Mayors thought it was a good idea to have Rahm of all people, lead the panel called, “Reducing Violence and Strengthening Police/Community Trust.”

That's like having Donald Trump lead a workshop on immigration reform (or tourism in Britain).

But then this happened. The picture that this morning, appears on front pages and national media news everywhere.

Protest at Saucedo

Back home, a group of Little Village parents, teachers and community activists sat-in last night at Saucedo following a press conference and meeting about CPS's attempt to co-locate a high school at Saucedo/Telpochcalli. The consolidation plan, which would overcrowd the two schools, is still being pushed despite community and teacher opposition. But yesterday's protest looks like it got Forrest Claypool's attention.

In response to the sit-in, a spokesperson for CPS released a statement Thursday morning, writing: "CPS appreciates the community's feedback on proposed school actions. We will carefully consider the supportive and concerned comments from the community." 

And a SmallTalk Salute goes out to the entire student government at Loyola Univ. whose elected members now face disciplinary action from the administration for speaking out in solidarity with dining hall workers in their struggle against private contractor, Aramark. That's the same company that was brought in by Rahm to privatize CPS janitorial services and cripple the union. And what a mess that's been.

Chelsea

Where's Chelsea? Did anybody see Chelsea Clinton who was allegedly in Chicago last week to attack Bernie Sanders and raise money for mom's campaign? No public appearances or photo ops with the mayor who served in both the Clinton and Obama White House and actually chaired Obama's election campaign. Just meetings with the rich and super-rich in private.

Chelsea attended $1,000/plate events hosted by the likes of Kevin Conlon of Conlon & Dunn Public Strategies,  Trisha Rooney, Nora Daley (daughter of former mayor) Amalia Mahoney, Holly Maloney, M.K. Pritzker, a major Hillary Clinton donor and Linda Johnson Rice, the chief of Johnson Publishing.

I really can't blame her for avoiding the mayor. Even though Hillary should have no trouble winning the IL primary, Rahm is now considered political poison for the Democrats and he's made Chicago a problem for the party entire ticket. He's the Democrat's Rick Snyder. Nobody wants to be seen with him. This, in the town where people used to say of old man Daley: The road to the White House runs through Chicago.