Stealing votes

“Dick Daley stole the White House,” Republicans screamed following the narrow Illinois victory of John F. Kennedy over Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election.

GOP leaders demanded a recount back then but quickly abandoned their quest, realizing Daley’s Democratic organization had stolen votes for Daniel Ward, its candidate for Cook County State’s Attorney, not for the far less important office of President of the United States.

Benjamin Adamowski, the incumbent Republican State’s Attorney, had unearthed a major scandal in the Chicago Police Department and was investigating other potential wrongdoing in the Mayor’s administration. Democrats had to get rid of him before he could do more damage, so they stole enough to beat him. Votes gained for Kennedy were merely collateral.

 And the national GOP didn’t care who was elected Cook County State’s Attorney.