Mayor Daley and Police Superintendant Jody Weis didn't exactly endorse a pair of state representatives' calls to bring National Guard troops to
patrol the city's south side.

But they didn't denounce Reps John Fritchey and LaShawn Ford's plan, either. Daley said he's willing to talk to Fritchey and Ford about their
"crusade against guns" and said troops were something to think about.

"Like everything else you have to look to long term solutions," Daley, who is open to the idea, said when asked about the idea of bringing in
National Guard troops. "You have to get the guns."

Weis said it doesn't matter how many troops are in the streets if no one speaks up.

"Bigger problem is code of silence," said Weis.

Weis has proposed saturating Chicago's nine most troublesome blocks with increased police presence made up of volunteers and overtime units who
have more experience policing than do the military.

"I think its going to make a difference because we can have pin pointed deployment," Weis said.

Many residents are unhappy with Weis's response to the escalating crime in Chicago where 113 people have been killed so far this year -- the exact
same number as U.S. troops killed during the same time period in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Some are calling for Weis to be fired as
superintendent.

Daley doesn't agree.

"They want to fire everybody," the mayor said reacting to those calls.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36782645/.