Desmond Tutu Mocks, Absolves City Hall Press Corps

If only Mayor Daley always had Desmond Tutu at the ready. In a strange scene at City Hall Tuesday, the South African Archbishop stepped in to shield Daley from reporters questioning him about his flights on the luxury jet of a non-profit under investigation by the IRS.

Last week CBS News reported that Daley and his wife, Maggie, had taken 58 flights on a jet owned by the student loan non-profit Educap. The group funded the Academy of Achievement, which has employed Maggie Daley.

Daley's spokeswoman disputed the report, saying that the Daleys had taken only one flight on the company's jet, to Singapore in 2006.

But Daley appeared to acknowledge more trips Tuesday, dodging a question by saying of the flights, "I don't remember all of 'em."

He also admitted taking trips to Mexico and from Las Vegas to California after being questioned by reporters who had obtained the flight logs, Fran Spielman reports in the Sun-Times.

As reporters attempted to get more details out of Daley, Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in town for an anti-violence event, came to his rescue. Watch:

Comments

[Cogs]

Bishop Tutu doesn't know the truth about the man he is defending.

[cmonppl]

Last Wednesday night, Craig Ferguson devoted his entire show to his only guest, Desmond Tutu, and it was very moving. Well worth finding if you are a fan.

[ChiGuy]

I saw that show. And you're right.

If you can't find it, or don't want to watch it on your computer, it's a sure thing that it will be rerun in the next few weeks.

[47th]

When Daley was Cook County States Attorney in the 1980s, he turned a blind eye to sadistic Chicago cops who tortured Black men into confessing to crimes that many of them did not commit. Some of these men spent years in prison for crimes they didn't commit! I know Tutu probably doesn't know about this, but some one should educate him about the racist streak in Daley. I respect Tutu, but like anyone else, he should keep his mouth shut when he doesn't know what he is talking about!

[x004Ronin]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was talking about how, at that press conference about a non-profit that helps children, reporters shouldn't focus on the mayor taking a ride on a private jet a few times.

I agree that in normal circumstances it would be *very* important to hear about Mayor Daley receiving gifts, even from non-profits. However, you have an international celebrity here *specifically* to promote a non-profit that does good things, so you'd hope that the press would have the decency to give publicity to the worthy cause. Then, once Mr. Tutu leaves, they can continue their investigation of Mr. Daley's improprieties (which I hear are a lot worse than a few flights on a jet).

[JazzHands]

God, I love Desmond Tutu, one of the greatest men alive. This whole scene just proves my point.

[dbdzen]

Tutu is used to very aggressive South African reporters.

[plaidsportcoat]

Awesome! Love Desmond Tutu! Talk about an empowered person. No Fear!

[Lakeview Greg]

King Richie does bring out the hidden idiot in everyone. At least the Bishop didn't do Daley's 3 Stooges Curley squeak.