Always down on the local pols, yet he has never once run for Mayor of Chicago, has he?

It's a perfect square with every inch of the walls covered with photos of Prince shaking hands with local pols and other photogenic types.

An experienced Democratic fund-raiser sounded the lonely note in a New York Times op-ed that star-struck local pols have chickened out of the race in deference to a carpetbagger.

The atmosphere of secrecy permits misuse of these public funds to reward local pols, to support local campaigns and otherwise to preserve the majority.

The local pols whom Mr. Young spoke with are more likely miffed that the Obama campaign has set up a parallel operation in town rather than funneling people and funds through them.

A couple of surprisingly well-known local pols have come to me to write policy statements on hazardous waste issues.

The bar was a hangout for press people and the local pols, a place where a city councilman was treated with all the deference of an international celebrity.

As the local pols get a piece of the transition action, they - with assorted technocrats - will have a stake in the election process and should help our troops there protect an election.

I was reassured watching local pols from the nearby Parliament wheel and deal at the hideaway curved bar.

By then he had a congressman, a senator, a quarter of the local pols on his client list.