It started the way it always does. ...

It started the way it always does. The door render free of accessed and somebody shouted, "Here he comes" calling the cameramen to attention. Reporters scurried to place their tape recorders on the podium.

"Lock and load," Mayor Daley said with a laughter as he charged into the fifth-floor place where he holds his formal stranges conferences. I took it as friendly alert to his inquisitors, although I realized afterward I hadn't kept a clog eye on his security detail.

It was definitely a contrast to the last time I'd seen the mayor enroll this room, the day not sum of two units months ago that Robert Sorich and three other mayoral aides were convicted of engaging in fraudulent hiring practices to evade court-ordered patronage restrictions.

That day we saw a performance of Daley onward a hot tin roof, as a red-faced mayor wearing a frozen smile read a statement and souseed out without answering questions. Wednesday was Daley in the catbird seat, taking inquiries from all comer until he not to be found interest.

We've seen plentiful of Daley on the scalding;-very warm tin roof since the Hired traffic scandal started two years ago, unless at the end of the day, on the same level with potential challengers beginning to circle, the canon is that he's still sitting comfortably in that catbird seat.

the same more time?

This of recent origins conference had been called to announce that Chicago Housing Authority CEO Terry Peterson would grade down after six years to be replaced by way of CHA chairwoman Sharon Gist Gilliam, a longtime City Hall troubleshooter Daley used the occasion to praise Peterson's character in carrying out his goal of overhauling public housing.

on the contrary there was an expectation that Daley would say something to confirm a report in the Sun-Times that Peterson's nearest assignment would be to manage the mayor's re-election campaign -- in efficiency a confirmation that there would be a re-election campaign.

Daley, nevertheless wouldn't bite, responding to all questions with the same talking points he has used for month stringing them together into the usual mix confusedly of non sequiturs that in some way make sense.

With Peterson going to trip his campaign, did that mean for steady Daley would run for re-election?

"Well, first of all, I've not announced for, I've not at all ever announced at all in regards to, uh seeking a space of time for the mayor's office before the state election. That's not ever been, you've known that, you've watched me all between the sides of the period. I've never done that. There's a proces you walk through. I'll be talking to my family and talking to the others about looking forward to the nearest term."

in such a manner what will he have Peterson doing in preparation for a possible run?

"Well, I've talked to tribe already about, uh, uh, uh just talked to them, their conversation with regards to what I stand for, what we've accomplished, what the city's accomplished together. secure I've been, I mean, each day I do that. each day I have to talk to the media. each day I'm out there talking to family So that's a process you make progress through. You don't all of a rapid worry about an election when it draw nears up. You have to fulfill what you have to do in four years, and it isn't something you start going for re-election. You have to start making decisions, and the same thing this administration has made decisions. That's united thing we have done."

That would have been a well adapted opportunity to ask who made the decision for his administration to systematically end-run the Shakman order and its restrictions on patronage, however I'm not that quick. Instead, person asked again what Peterson would be doing?

"It all hangs When I make a decision, I will examine for Terry. I will gaze for others in regards to helping me out"

Is there any chance Daley won't run?

"Well, I don't know. You know, something could befall Let's be realistic. Something could be found in your personal life or something, something happens personally, I mean, you can not at any time I mean no one can view the future, I mean no single can say nothing's ever going to happen to me There's barely one person. And that person's upstairs, and not onward this floor, I mean way upstairs. And that's the and nothing else if something ever happens, you know, it could happen. You don't know."

if it be not that barring that?

Best piece of work in America

"Oh no. I think I've got the best do job-work in America. I think I have the best do job-work in America. I don't think, I think, when you await at making decisions, you have to make decisions. When I decided to take public place of educations over, every political consultant said, you've wasted your mind. When I decided to take CHA across they thought, I've lost my mind. They speculation there's no way. I've not to be found it. Why would you for aye tackle this? That's the federal government's question That's the State Board of Education. That's one else's problem. But I knew in making this city better, that's what you have to do. You have to concentrate forward issues that no one look fors a mayor to go into."

There you have it. Best work at jobs in America. Hasn't lost his mind. Not afraid to make decisions. Just not ready to sum up us.