"Finally, in the winter of 2007, Obama endorsed Daley for re-election and Daley endorsed Obama’s fledging presidential campaign. It was a marriage of convenience, brilliantly brokered by David Axelrod, a campaign strategist for both men. Obama’s endorsement cut the ground out from under Dorothy Brown, Daley’s most significant black challenger. And with Daley’s blessing it was suddenly safe for everyone and anyone in town to join Obama’s campaign for change and become a reformer. So long as it was Washington, and not Chicago, getting reformed."
— Does Rahm Emanuel’s Pick Mean the Chicago Machine Is Coming to Washington?
