The Antics of Chicago's Antic Mayor Daley

Cynthia Bowers is a CBS News correspondent.

It is understandable the mayor was a bit tense last Thursday. After all, the press conference had been called to discuss how the city is preparing for the Supreme Court's expected decision to overturn Chicago's 28-year-old handgun ban, which the mayor continues to defend. On display, used as props, were weapons that had been seized by the Chicago police.

Whether the handgun ban works has debated loudly for years. Chicago has seen enormous declines in its murder rate, but the 40-year average stands at 720 murders a year. Last year the number of murders fell to 458, most of them due to gun violence.

The challenge to the ban was filed by now 76-year-old Otis McDonald, who says he needs a handgun to protect himself from the violence in streets surrounding his home. Many others agree. Just a few days ago off-duty Chicago police officer Thomas Wortham IV, just back from his second tour of duty in Iraq, was gunned down by a group of men attempting to steal his new motorcycle.

His retired police officer dad came running out of his house with a gun to try to save his son. Wortham's dad managed to kill one of the would-be thieves and injure another, but his beloved son would not survive. Tragically just the week before Thomas' death, he and his father had held a get-together to announce their plans to spearhead an outreach program to stem violence in their community.

Mayor Daley has never had much tolerance for reporters who dare question him or his tactics. He often sputters as his face reddens and his high-pitched voice gets more shrill. But Thursday's reaction was one for the books.

When Chicago Reader's Mick Dumke asked, "Since guns are readily available in Chicago even with a ban in place, do you really think it's been effective," the mayor went ballistic- no pun intended.

"If I put this up your-ha!-your butt-ha ha!-you'll find out how effective this is," he said to a roomful of stunned on-lookers.

The mayor then grabbed a gun. That it was an old rifle with a bayonet attached only added to the surreal scene. "If I put a round up your-ha ha!"

The photographers on scene began snapping photos; reporters did what they normally do during these awkward mayor news conferences, they began laughing.
The mayor then said, "This gun saved many lives-it could save your life." Obviously he means the gun law, not the gun. But as happens so often when the mayor misspeaks, it is up to the listener to extrapolate the meaning.

You may wonder why this story didn't get much national play (CBS News covered the incident. Click here.)

It may be that the media in Chicago is by now used to Mayor Daley's temper tantrums. Usually he confines himself though to spitting out angry words, including such malapropisms as substituting "basicky" for basically. The media giggles and moves on. So, in some ways, Daley making what could be construed as a threat, is just another progression in his personal theater of the absurd. Although, most agree, this will be hard to top.

I highly recommend you read Mick Dumke's description of the event, as it's well-written and will give you a few laughs.