"Pay attention to the mayoral race and listen to candidates in forums" advises Andy Shaw

Andy Shaw says, "Pay attention...Listen to candidates"

"It is thrilling to see a race for mayor in Chicago that is vibrant and brings a group of candidates out to neighborhoods to talk to real people, sit side by side and try to  enlighten, elucidate and inform you about what the issues are," said life long Chicagoan Andy Shaw, Executive Director, Better Government Association, at a Chicago Mayoral Forum on Education Wednesday evening in Walter Peyton High School.

Retired in January 2009 from WLS TV after a longtime run as a news reporter, Shaw stepped into his current position shortly after his retirement. "This is a thrilling moment for the city of Chicago. This is democracy at its absolute best.  For whatever reason, the last twenty years have simply been a  series  of fairly non-competitive races.

Candidates: Chico, del Valle, Braun and Meeks

"So I think that you should relish the moment and hold all of these candidates to the highest standards.  Demand that they come out and meet with you face to face in unscripted settings and answer your questions and put up with the nonsensical questions that people like me might ask, so that you can actually take a measure of them, seeing them side by side. Then you can figure out who you want to lead the city.

"Better government is a  right and responsibility better schools are a right and responsibility. If one of these people leads diligently and wisely and we all hold them accountable then it can actually be a reality.  Challenge is daunting as is the challenge of making better government, which is my day job. But it is also something we can accomplish if we work together."

He invited people to join him as a member of the Better Government Association so that they can hold all government officials accountable.

"Pay attention to the mayoral race. Listen to candidates in forums like this and not just in TV commercials. Pick someone who can really lead us, because this is a brand new day for Chicago, " he concluded.

Of the six candidates invited by the three sponsors of the evening, Raise your Hand for Illinois Public Education, Northside Democracy for America and Illinois Policy Institute, four were in attendance. They were Carol Moseley Braun, Gery Chico, Miguel  del Valle and James Meeks. Danny Davis had to fly to Washington for an important vote and Rahm Emanuel declined the invitation.

Editor's Note: More later on content of forum.