I want to be a mayor who helped, really helped.

What is so remarkable about the success of affirmative action is that it has been accomplished despite the Justice Department and the policies of the federal government.

Business as usual will not be accepted by any part of this city.

Affirmative action works but we're going to need to muster all our political resources if we are to keep it in place.

Chicago is one city. We shall work as one people for our common good and our common goals.

I am not interested in splitting the white vote.

Our concern is to heal. Our concern is to bring together.

That fallacy flies in the face of studies that show, every day, in every way, things are getting a little worse for America's minorities relative to the progress made by those in the top percentiles of assets and income.

Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the federal government.

The third fallacy is that affirmative action doesn't work.