Notable names come out in force for Rahm Emanuel's inauguration
Chicago's elite braved a sunny but chilly May day in Millennium Park to see Rahm Emanuel take the oath of office as mayor of Chicago on Monday.
The inauguration ceremony began at 10:30 a.m., and Mr. Emanuel was sworn in a little less than an hour later, with Vice President Joe Biden and numerous political and civic leaders on hand. But Chicagoans had started lining up as early as 5 a.m. to get good seats for the historic event.
Chicago's business and cultural elite sat in reserved seats up front to see the pomp and have a good vantage of Mr. Emanuel giving his inaugural address, which hammered on familiar themes: education, crime and the budget.
The better seats might have been farther back on this chilly day as the seats closest to the stage were in the shade.
On the scene were presidential Chief of Staff Bill Daley, seen at one point in an animated conversation with philanthropist Penny Pritzker; Nora Daley Conroy and Sean Conroy; Exelon Corp.'s John Rowe; philanthropists Lew and Susan Manilow; Jam Production's Jerry Mickelson; PR mavens Sugar Rautbord and Dori Wilson; Economic Club President Grace Barry; Corporate Cleaning CEO Neal Zucker; entrepreneur Marko Iglendza; interior designer and restaurateur Julie Latsko, and Johnson Publishing CEO Desiree Rogers, who worked on the festivities.
Ms. Rogers said she was excited for the Chicago Children's Choir and other young people performing: "They get to see history unfold right before them," she said.
Political adviser David Axelrod, Mr. Emanuel's good friend, called the new mayor's speech "pitch perfect."
"I think it had just the right combination of recognition of the enormous contribution of Mayor (Richard M.) Daley and the sober recognition of the challenges ahead," he said.
Architect Jack Catlin said he thought the new mayor's speech did a good job of identifying "all the principal issues that the city has to address and it recognized what Mayor Daley has done."
Terry Newman, a good friend of outgoing Mayor Daley, said both men are "great people."
"The mayor has a new chapter in his life, and Rahm is entering a new chapter of his. It's an exciting time for both of them," Mr. Newman said.
Some from the business community expressed optimism about a fresh start.
"You got a feeling (before) that there was a cap on innovation," said Howard Tullman, an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and friend of Mr. Emanuel's. "And now I think all bets are off. Some of the discussions about change and innovation are really exciting."
Edwin Eisendrath, a former alderman who's now at Huron Consulting Group, said, "We have a big set of challenges facing the city. I think everyone here believes Rahm can do something about it."
Elizabeth Suffredin, daughter of Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, addressed the issue of Mr. Emanuel's legendary persona: "I know people have an issue with his personality, but he's a fighter, and I like that," she said.
And Mr. Emanuel's parents and two brothers basked in the day. "We're very excited and thrilled," his mother, Marsha Emanuel, said. "I know the city is in good hands. It's a total joy to be here."