'The Daley Show' book explores legacy of Chicago's longest-serving mayor

CHICAGO - Former Mayor Richard M. Daley, who led Chicago for 22 years, is the subject of a new book, "The Daley Show," written by Forrest Claypool.

Claypool, who served as Daley's chief of staff and later headed city agencies under both Daley and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, provides a deep dive into the former mayor’s tenure, focusing on both his successes and missteps.

Daley, who served one year longer than his legendary father, Richard J. Daley, oversaw major developments like the restoration of downtown, the construction of Navy Pier, and the creation of Millennium Park. However, his time in office was also marred by controversies, such as the 2003 federal Hired Truck scandal and the widely criticized parking meter privatization deal.

One of the most memorable moments came in 2003 when, after years of legislative roadblocks, Daley took drastic action to close Meigs Field, a small lakefront airport.

"He finally said after ten years of fighting, ‘I’ve had enough,’" Claypool said in an interview with FOX 32 Chicago. "He sent the bulldozers in, in the middle of the night to gouge X’s in the runways. There were 16 planes in the air, there were another two dozen on the ground. It violated a host of FAA regulations. He was accused of being a banana republic dictator. But the airport remained closed. He spent all that political capital to develop a park, but it never came to be."

The full interview with Claypool will air on Paris on Politics, Thursday at 9:30 p.m., and can be rewatched on FOX Local. The show will also cover this week's defeat of the ShotSpotter proposal by Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as a message from White Sox fans to team owner Jerry Reinsdorf.