Poster Man-Child

Once again this week we will see how history is passed from father to son. Forty years ago Mayor Richard J. Daley — the political poster child for this week's objet d'eBay — may truly have been good for Chicago, but as mayor of the city where the Democratic party held their national convention, his belief in the heavy hand of police reaction to political protest led to riots, variously ascribed to unruly kids and the police. [Earlier: Dad's Derailed Dreams]

This week, son Richard M. Daley, the current Chicago mayor who learned important lessons in political power from dad and may now break his record for length of service, will also be prominent at his party's convention in Denver along with having the ear of party presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Politics, like every business, can be a family business, but is best run when the child learns from the father's wins and losses. Richard J. went from power broker to political goat; son Richard M. has avoided the traps that cost his father, but instead learned how to consolidate power and has gone from local goat when he lost the 1983 mayoral election to national power broker.

Once again, 40 years later, a Daley has his critics, but probably, generally, really is "good for Chicago."