Endorsement nonsense

The United Hellenic Voters of Illinois held an unusual Aldermanic endorsement session in 1983.

Candidates from several wards were summoned to the group’s storefront headquarters and had to loiter outside for almost twenty minutes until a Jewish, 48th Ward Democratic precinct captain, allegedly a member of the organization, arrived to let them in.

Only one other member of the group was present to listen to candidate speeches.

Machine candidates typically won the organization’s endorsement unless a challenger could demonstrate a significant connection to the Greek community.

One challenger was accompanied to the session by a Greek-surnamed volunteer. The lone Greek member of the group who was present chatted with him in Greek and concluded that he was only a distant cousin of his powerful namesake. So, the Machine guy was endorsed.