Remarks of Ed Treacy
Chairman's Caucus
July 30, 2008
First, I'd like to thank UAW Region 3 Director Mo Davison and
Gary Holmes of UAW Local 933 for hosting tonight's caucus.
I want to thank all of you - our precinct committeepeople, vice
committeepeople, ward chairs and vice ward chairs, elected
officials and especially Congressman AndreĢ Carson - for your
votes of confidence and support, not only tonight but during the
last few weeks and months.
I also want to thank my nominators for their support and friendship
- Tony Duncan, Paul Fox, Rosie Houff and Tom Dozier. I asked
them to do this because they represent what makes our party work
the "grassroots."
It truly is an honor for me - and believe it or not a humbling
experience -- to once again serve as the chairman of our party.
Your support means so much to me as I take on this latest
challenge. I'm going to be straight with you - because that's the
way I've always been - when I say that we have our work cut out
for us.
We are just 97 days away - yes, 97 days away - from the General
Election in November. It's going to take all of us working together
- a unified Marion County Democratic Party -- to get the job done.
I have no doubt, however, that we will succeed.
My first task as your chairman is to build on the excitement and
enthusiasm generated in the May primary by Senators Barack
Obama and Hillary Clinton and, course, our newest congressman,
Andre Carson.
We saw a huge - almost unprecedented -- Democratic turnout at
the polls. Thousands and thousands of people who either had never
voted in their lives or who hadn't cast a ballot in a primary election
in years, jammed polling sites across the county.
If we can harness that kind of excitement and enthusiasm again in
November, the Democratic Party is destined for a huge victory
nationally, in the State of Indiana and in here Marion County. The
Democratic Party's time has come once again, and it's up to all of
us to make sure that we don't let this incredible opportunity slip
away.
I promise you that as your chairman, I won't let this opportunity
pass. We are going to register every voter, work every precinct,
knock on every door, and fight for every last vote. We will not fail.
We will not back down.
We will be victorious in November.
When I was first elected as your chairman back in 2000, we had 48
Democrats holding elected office in Marion County. When I
stepped down six years later, Democrats held 103 elected offices.
I promise you that as your chairman, I will bring back the same
winning formula that led to our party's successes in the past.
That winning formula starts with building a strong grassroots
operation at the precinct and ward levels. It also means we will fill
every single one of the 590 precinct boards for election day. We
won't give an inch to our opponents in any precinct - and that
includes precincts in Franklin, Perry and Decatur Townships.
We will not give our opponents a free pass - we will fight them in
every township, every precinct and every race.
We are taking the gloves off and getting ready to fight.
One of our first targets is going to be our "Accidental Mayor." I
plan to hold him accountable for his actions, for his broken
campaign promises and for the mess he's making of our city.
I actually feel sorry for the poor guy because he never expected to
be elected, it was all an accident. And it's pretty clear he doesn't
really know where he's going or understand how to lead our city.
But that doesn't mean we won't keep a close eye on him. He asked
for the job, so now he's going to be held responsible.
This is the guy who campaigned against having the Super Bowl in
Indianapolis and now wants a new Chinatown on our Southside.
He doesn't even know that these Chinatowns started because of
discrimination and he also wants us to be the cricket capital of the
United States. What about a real vision for our city?
And if he doesn't like it, tough. I expect the "Accidental Mayor" to
speak for himself and not send one of his lackeys out to do the
talking for him.
I want you all to remember one thing, this is the "Accidental
Mayor" who campaigned on the promise of making Public Safety
Job #1.
Folks: Please take a look at the handout on the tables. These are
some of the "Accidental Mayor's" campaign commitments. Those
are his words. This is his handout.
In the mayor's own words:
"The mayor's lack of understanding of basic leadership skills
and of public safety issues has hurt this city immeasurably."
"In my many opportunities to meet citizens of Indianapolis, I
have often asked, 'Who do you think is in charge of public
safety?' I usually get five different answers. The bottom line is
that there is really no one in charge of public safety."
Well, we can see how that's turned out. Nearly every day, we read
another story about another innocent victim being murdered on the
street or in their homes.
In fact, one of those victims you probably knew -- Clifford Haddix.
Cliff not only was a great neighbor, a stand-up citizen and
wonderful guy, but he also was a longtime precinct committeeman
in 16-6 on the South Side. Cliff apparently was shot by the same
man who shot Officer Jason Fishburn, who we should all keep in
our prayers.
I don't know about you, but all I see the "Accidental Mayor" doing
about crime in our city is coming up with slick campaign slogans
and lame excuses. Meantime, people like Clifford are being
murdered in their homes.
The truth of the matter is that many people in our city are now too
scared to even go outside of their homes for fear of getting robbed,
shot or killed.
This is the same "Accidental Mayor" who seized control of the
police department from one of our most devoted and responsible
public servants - Sheriff Frank Anderson - claiming that he could
do a better job. I don't think so. In fact, now that the police
department is under the mayor's control, I can't figure out who's in
charge - is it the director of public safety or the police chief or is it
the "Accidental Mayor?"
I have just one question for you and everyone else in Marion
County: "Do you feel safer in our city now than you did one year
ago?"
Our "Accidental Mayor" needs to be held accountable for what he
says, what he does and what he promises. I plan to hold him
accountable.
However, we cannot do this job divided. As Congressman Carson
has said, we must unite this party. We must be united. I need the
help of each and every one of you - every loyal Democrat - to
stand against the "Accidental Mayor" and his cronies, and make
him live up to his promises.
I know that when this party can unify under a common cause, we'll
be unstoppable. It's our responsibility now to come together as one
and work toward single-minded goals - a landslide victory in
November.
Now we must go forward to elect Barack Obama, Jill Long
Thompson, Linda Pence, our legislative candidates, our judges and
our countywide candidates - Mike Rodman, Dr. Frank Lloyd Jr.
and Debbie Jenkins. We also will not forget our township offices
which are the building blocks of our Democratic victories.
We can do it, and we will do it.
Thank you.
