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Walter's Perspective: City Hall Won't Be The Same

CHICAGO (CBS) -- This is it for me, last chance to comment on Mayor Daley being Mayor Daley, last chance after 22 years.

It's hard to imagine him leaving his office and not coming back, not there anymore for me to watch and find out what he's up to and to keep track of what he says he's doing but isn't -- or says he's not doing but is.

After 22 years following Mayor Daley around and trying to figure him out, believing him or not believing him, liking him or not liking him; laughing at him and laughing and crying with him.

After all these years, I'll be lonesome when he's gone. I already am, sensing am emptiness without Rich Daley and his emotions, his mayoral highs and lows and hots and colds.

City Hall won't be City Hall without a boss man who's hard on the outside and so soft inside.

Like most reporters, my attention now is on Rahm Emanuel, mayor in the wings. But the mayor I'm feeling is the one taking flight.

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