All Praise for Mayor Daley in Final Council Meeting

Chicago's outgoing mayor, Richard Daley, presided over his final city council meeting Wednesday. In more than two hours of speeches, the mayor was praised for his leadership - even by aldermen he often bickered with.

As he often does, Alderman Ed Burke started the speeches off - applauding the mayor for everything from his tree planting efforts to Northerly Island to the "museum campus, the remaking of public education, the Sox 2005 World Series Victory, the Blackhawks Stanley Cup."

Daley laughed and added, "The Bulls this year."

Daley occasionally joked during the meeting. But mostly he sat quietly, at times nodding or smiling while nearly every alderman there stood to speak.

With the big fights behind them, even some aldermen Daley was most often at odds with, like Bob Fioretti and Joe Moore, had nice things to say about him. Moore said he agreed with the mayor more often than he disagreed with him.

Daley was joined by two of his children at the council meeting. His ailing wife, Maggie, remains in the hospital, "recuperating," the mayor said.

Daley's last day in office is May 16th. He told reporters he has no regrets about leaving after 22 years in charge.

(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)