Stroger Steps in It

Todd Stroger steps in it. Sun Times:

In a public slap at Ald. Todd Stroger, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool says he won't be casting a vote in the November election for County Board president.

Claypool -- who failed in his bid to be the Democratic nominee for the seat -- said Thursday he's unwilling to endorse Republican Tony Peraica and has "very real concerns" about whether Stroger, the 8th Ward alderman, is a viable Democratic choice.

Shortly after Claypool made that announcement, Stroger strolled into the County Building, looking to schedule a meeting to court Claypool and the nearly 300,000 votes he got in the March primary.

He was instead met with news of Claypool's shunning and a flurry of press questions.

Then young Todd ditched Don and Roma's show, giving Republican candidate Tony Peraica the opportunity to call in and step up his campaign. It's not the first time Stroger has been a no-show. Claypool had more to say:

Claypool, meanwhile, unloaded on Democratic leaders, who he says have "thumbed their nose at the taxpayers" by putting Stroger on the ballot over better choices and "arrogantly manipulated the system for their benefit and the benefit of outsiders.

Same old same old in Cook County.....but maybe not this time.