Yes, Indeed, Obama IS a 'Chicago Machine' Product

Roeser sets it straight.

By the time Barack Obama entered the Democratic party in Hyde Park there was absolutely no line of demarcation between the machine’s goals and the local committeeman’s aspirations. Hence it is fair and reasonable to say that the old Hyde Park of Len Despres had been fully absorbed…freely…into a county Democratic organization that saw no difficulty in assuming Obama’s Hyde Park radicalism as it saw no difficulty assuming Bernie Stone’s rather old-fashioned Democratic party values in West Rogers Park. In fact, Democrat (former Republican) Stone represents cheek-by-jowl with his fellow Democrat Joe Moore (another friend of mine) in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Stone, one year older than I, represents the hoary age-old tradition of the Democratic party (favorable toward patronage who can wink at memories of the old days) and Moore the younger, more progressive era. But both are Democrats.

So the idea that young Barack Obama burst onto the Hyde Park scene as one entirely apart from the regular Democratic party is a fiction. Obama has paid his tithe to the old Democratic party, going along with Todd Stroger rather than supporting Forrest Claypool and repeating in lip synch every jot and tittle of the Richard Daley machine. Thought you needed to know.

Fine point, but well made.