With only a couple of weeks left in this year's General Election campaign here in Chicago and voters having to face a monster ballot (with close to 100 separate selections to make on November 2) and some key close races, it was time to trot out something Democratic candidates talk about in reverential tones while Rethugs can only look on in dismay. I'm talking about the famed Senior Citizen Bingo held prior to Election Day at Gordon Tech Catholic High School on the 3600 block of N. California Ave. in the city's Northwest Side 33rd Ward.
The latest edition of this special Bingo event (which has been held on a Saturday prior to virtually every major election during the tenure of 33rd Ward Ald. Dick Mell, the powerhouse Democratic ward committeeman since the mid 1970s) took place on Saturday, October 16. Even though the event took place earlier in the campaign cycle than in previous years (most of the time the Bingo has been held during the last 10 days of the campaign), nearly every seat was taken by the 11 am free luncheon that preceeded the main event.
More details about the day (which brought in voters from the 33rd Ward and from across the city's Northwest Side) after the fold.
While patrons at many Bingo halls often view political candidates as a nuisance, at Dick Mell's Senior Citizen Bingo those present welcome them with delight. I suppose that is because unlike the Bingo halls, the Bingo cards (two sheets of three cards for each player, strictly enforced to insure that everyone has an equal chance of winning) and the lunchtime food are free. The seniors also received brochures on helping them choose their Medicare health plan options.
Some of the candidates came early. Not just the candidates running in the November 2 General Election, but candidates who are planning to run in the February 22 Municipal Elections. Among the would-be candidates for the latter elections were Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Southwest Side State Representative Susana Mendoza (D-1st). While both are running for re-election to their current posts on November 2 (Mendoza is uncontested while Dart's Republican opponent is likely vieing more for a better obituary in the newspapers when the time comes rather than a shot of victory), both had volunteers cirulating nominating petitions (Dart for Mayor, Mendoza for City Clerk) among the seniors in attendance. (A minimum of 12,500 valid signtures are required to run for citywide municipal office, two and a half times the number needed to run as a major party candidate for Governor here in Illinois.) Fortunately for Dart and Mendoza, the seniors were quite willing to sign the petitions while there. Dart has not formally announced his Mayoral candidacy (although at this point he and former Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel are considered the leading contenders), while Mendoza has openly announced her candidacy for City Clerk.
Some candidates, like Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos (who is one of three Democrats running for the three six-year seats on that board), came early before lunch began to work the crowd, then traveled to another campaign event in town before returning to call a game of Bingo, with prize money put up by the candidates. (For the record, Comm. Spyropoulos reminded the seniors after almost every number called in her sponsored Bingo game, "And my name is Mariyana Spyropoulos.")
There were a number of major candidates running in the November 2 election on hand to show their skills as Bingo callers (or in the case of a few running across the county or state, like longtime Secretary of State Jesse White, to speak before the crowd and provide a donation for a game to be called later). Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (the Democratic candidate for Barack Obama's old US Senate seat), both of whom who have appeared at Mell's Senior Citizen Bingo in past, came by to call a game. Other major candidates who took part included State Representative David Miller (the Democratic candidate for State Comptroller), Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (from President Obama's home 4th Ward, who is the Democratic nominee for Cook County Board President), Cong. Michael Quigley (IL-05) and Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios, who is the party's candidate for Cook County Assessor.
Many of the candidates who were making their first visit to the 33rd Ward Bingo seemed awe-struck by the turnout, as it dwarfs most events held in or around their home bases. (They were also impressed by the fact that these seniors are virtually certain to be voting, and voting for them.)
Near the end of the event, before the big final game coverall, Alderman Mell thanked everyone for coming and thanked his numerous volunteers who helped serve the lunches, distriute the bingo supplies and called back the winning numbers. But then Mell seemed to sound a bit melancholy, noting that no one from his family was there this year. His wife passed awaya few years ago, his younger daughter State Rep. Deborah Mell was away at a conference and his son was at a birthday party with his grandson. And as for his other daughter Patti (wife of ousted and convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich) and her two daughters, Mell didn't have to say too much; those present aleady knew about that saga, and the sad toll it has taken on Mell and his family.
So I guess it wasn't really a shock to see Dick Mell, having insured that a successful Bingo event had been carried out to aid Democratic candidates from Giannoulias and Quinn down to the judges running on the Retention Ballot, simply walked out of the hall as the final game began, went out of the school building, crossed California Avenue and walked the half-block to his home by himself. Hopefully Mell spent the remainder of the afternoon thinking on how he has helped Democratic candidates on this day and in the past, and not on the heartaches of recent years.