Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley weighed in on his brother's new gig Thursday, and reportedly scoffed at the suggestion that President Obama has installed a "Chicago mafia" in the White House.
The mayor's brother William Daley was named the new White House chief of staff by the president Thursday afternoon. During a press conference about after school programs, Mayor Daley told reporters he was "honored" that his brother would be playing such an important role in the White House.
"We are tired of partisan politics in Washington," the mayor said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "And that is the message. Let's get down to business, let's roll up our sleeves, lets' talk about after school programs, let's talk about technology, let's talk about jobs. And that's what he's [Bill Daley] going to get back to."
When asked about Obama's growing Chicago team, Daley was quick to defend the president's choices, telling the crowd that presidents historically surround themselves with people they trust.
"(President George W. Bush) brought people from Texas," Daley said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "John F. Kennedy brought people from Massachusetts. Richard Nixon brought people from California. Ronald Reagan brought people from California. Jimmy Carter brought people from Georgia. Bush brought people from Texas. Clinton brought people from Arkansas...You bring people that you know and you can work with. There's nothing wrong with that."
Bill Daley will replace fellow Chicagoan and mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel. Even the First Lady's new chief of staff is a Chicagoan. Lawyer Tina Tchen was named chief of staff to Michelle Obama this week.