Interview transcript: Mary Carol Vanecko, March 5, 2009
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University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
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Mayor Daley at the UIC groundbreaking and at its tenth anniversary:And I think his greatest contribution to the city was UIC. That was the toughest political decision. But it was the best thing.
Richard M. Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, March 11, 2009
The controversial site chosen for the university was just south and west of the downtown. Construction entailed demolition of residential housing and most buildings of the historic Hull-House settlement.He always talked about it. And then, when it came to fruition, with the protestors, it was very controversial, with the march around the house, and all that they said about my dad. It was hard. But he knew in his heart that that was good, because he loved education so much. He went to night school. He didn’t have it easy. In those days, that’s what they did. And they worked very hard.
Mary Carol Vanecko, daughter of Richard J. Daley, March 5, 2009
Alderman Ed Burke examines what he calls Daley's "political courage" in creating UIC:He’d drive past when it was first under construction. I think it was based on his experience, how long it took to get his college degree, how long it took to get his law degree, and the expense of it. He was fortunate. He was an only child. His father worked. I think he saw the hardships that it brought on a lot of other students. He felt that the city and the state should put a major campus here in the city. And it had to be located somewhere where there was the best sources of public transportation. That was always his issue. Building it in the boondocks, where you had to have a car, would exclude so many kids. It had to have good access to public transportation.
Michael Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, July 21, 2006The opportunity for kids who couldn’t go for a full year, live in a dorm somewhere, and not have to worry about work, for a university to provide as good of an education as was possible for a student was what his dream was. And the university is well on its way to do that.
William Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, December 5, 2008Daley felt that it would enable people to more conveniently get that higher education and that they wouldn’t have to travel. And I’m sure that was one of the principal motivators.
George Dunne, Cook County Board President (1969-1991), interview except, December 16, 2003 -
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Vote for Daley
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Watch campaign ads from Richard J. Daley's first (and successful) run for mayor: Mayor Daley won all his re-election bids handily, but his closest bid for re-election came in 1963, where he won a sizeable but less than anticipated 55 percent of the vote:In those days, there were no advisors. Today, you go down to a political campaign. There’s a chief of staff and all of that. But it was my mother. Then, when he came in, he would talk to her. Her advice was very good. I’m sure it was the same with most of the political wives. But nowadays, they have all of these pollsters and so many people involved with the candidate. Everybody is telling them what to do.
Mary Carol Vanecko, daughter of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, March 5, 2009
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Vietnam War
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From the 1950s through 1975, the United States sent and maintained military advisors and soldiers to South Vietnam to prevent a communist takeover in that country. As the war escalated, American involvement was extremely controversial. As the number of casualties mounted, opposition to the war became more organized and visible.
Newton Minow, former chair of the Federal Communications Commission, recalls Mayor Daley's private opposition to U.S. involvement in Vietnam:In those days, Vietnam was very controversial. And he knew that a lot of our friends were on either side. And he knew how hard it was. My brothers lost a very good friend. Jay McKeon was one of Michael’s best friends. He died in Vietnam. And he did not have to go. He should have been home. So it was a terrible war. It was not good on either side.
Mary Carol Vanecko, daughter of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, March 5, 2009[My father] recommended [to President Johnson], “You appoint a commission of five people….I’ll pick the three who would be against, you pick the two for it. It will go down three to two. It won’t be your decision. They’ll come back and say, “We recommend getting out.” But Johnson became very stubborn. The war machine was there with McNamara. A lot of Democrats were supporting this, the domino theory, and all of that.
Richard M. Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, interview excerpt, March 11, 2009People had the mistaken impression that Daley was in favor of the war. It was just his loyalty to Johnson, “I’m not going to undercut my president.” And I think his logic was pretty straightforward, “Why spend all of this money bombing another country when you can spend it building my city, and other ones?” He never said that in those words. But that’s what he figured. So he told Humphrey, “You’ve got to come out against the war.” And Humphrey said, “I can’t do that.” And Daley said, “Why not?” He said, “Lyndon wouldn’t like it.” And Daley said, “So what? You’re the nominee.”
Alex Seith, Illinois Senate Candidate, December 19, 2008
This page references:
- 1 2021-02-22T15:53:57-06:00 Interview with Mary Carol Vanecko, March 5, 2009 2 Interview with Mary Carol Vanecko, March 5, 2009. RJDOH_01_vanecko_mary_carol_20090305_transcript.pdf. Richard J. Daley Oral History collection, University of Illinois Chicago. media/RJDOH_01_vanecko_mary_carol_20090305_transcript.pdf.pdf plain 2021-04-29T12:13:00-05:00 RJDOH_01_vanecko_mary_carol_20090305_transcript.pdf 2009