* NBC5 reported last night that the campaigns themselves are claiming that Gery Chico has moved into second place. From the script provided by Channel 5…
Staffers at the campaigns for — Emanuel, Braun and Chico — tell NBC 5 that their internal polls show Gery Chico making movement — this week surpassing Carol Moseley Braun in their internal surveys… Those internal polls do not yet give Emanuel the coveted 50 percent plus one he needs to avoid a run off, however all of the campaigns agree Emanuel is polling in the 40 to 45 percent range, Chico in second, in the 20 percent range and Braun now in third.
VO: Desperate and running out of time, Gery Chico’s making false attacks on Rahm’s plan to lower taxes.
The truth? Rahm would cut Chicago’s sales tax by twenty percent — saving working families up to two hundred dollars a year.
The Sun-Times calls it a “good idea,” saying many Chicagoans will be “paying less in sales tax than they do now.”
Chico would protect tax loopholes for the wealthy, while forcing you to pay hundreds more each year.
More money in your pocket? That’s Rahm Emanuel’s plan.
* And check out who’s showing up at a Chico event today…
Gery Chico Public Schedule Afternoon
Sat., Feb. 5, 2011
WHAT: Mayoral candidate Gery Chico will pick-up the endorsement of Ald. John Pope (10th Ward). Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th Ward) will also attend the event.
WHEN: 2:30 p.m., Sat., Feb. 5, 2011
WHERE: Lakeside Marketing Center (855 S. Greenbay Ave. – Suggested route: Lake Shore Dr. to South Shore Dr. to 86th St.)
* Also, the coppers and the firefighters have responded to Emanuel’s new ad that takes a bit of a whack at city employees…
Statement from Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President Mark Donahue:
Rahm Emanuel is running a new television commercial in which he says that City Workers should know that they are “actually public servants”. This past year, members of the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department lost 8 of their brothers in the line of duty in service to the people of this great city. This past week our brothers and sisters and the other workers in every city department went above and beyond in their efforts to serve the people of this City by ensuring the safety of their lives and property from one of nature’s most violent storms, and they continue to assist in the clean up efforts. None of these public servants need a lecture from Rahm Emanuel on the meaning of public service. I believe Rahm knows better and should take this offensive ad off the air immediatly and concentrate on real issues.
And…
Statement from Tom Ryan President of the Fire Fighters Local 2:
“On behalf of the firefighters of this city, we find Rahm Emanuel’s latest ad attacking city workers including for political gain incredibly insulting.
“We dedicate our lives to protecting and serving the citizens of this city. We run into burning buildings. We ride snowmobiles in the middle of blizzards to save lives. We don’t Emanuel to remind us that we are “actually” public servants.
“In his ad, Emanuel says “city government is not an employment agency.” We, and the men and woman of the Chicago Police Department risk our lives every day for the citizens of Chicago and to suggest we do this for any other reason is cynical and unfair.
“The next time Rahm Emanuel decides to roll out an ad attacking city workers, he should think about who is keeping his neighborhood safe.”
AFSCME also got into the game…
AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer issued the following statement:
“City workers are public servants, not punching bags. It’s very disappointing that, in the wake of a devastating storm through which so many public employees worked tirelessly to aid their fellow Chicagoans, mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel’s new campaign ad impugns their integrity and dedication. Fire fighters, police officers, plow drivers, 311 operators, CTA drivers, emergency responders and countless others stood tall in a crisis and kept our city running. They deserve thanks, not a crass commercial that seeks to discredit them. Emanuel should withdraw this ad now and apologize. Chicago voters deserve a campaign focused on the issues that matter to working families–good jobs, good schools, and safe streets among them–not attack politics that try to turn our city against itself.”
Emanuel’s city worker “employment agency” spot was bizarre. It’s hard to figure what prompted it at this time, and who exactly it was supposed to appeal to.
The spot started running in the midst of the blizzard emergency when first responders were laying it on the line. And, as pointed out by the unions, the past year has been filled with heartbreaking incidents of police officers and firefighters being killed in the line of duty.
It’s as if Emanuel and his braintrust had been out of town the last year or so. The polling that prompted it was probably way old.
Sure, Chico is getting in an because Rahm announced a new idea for taxes but failed to be specific.
But Rahm’s ad ONLY mentions his sales tax decrease and says ABSOLUTELY nothing about the tax increase and paints Chico as making the tax increase up. It’s so dishonest, any Joe out there that isn’t paying any attention is getting blindsided.
Sure, ads are probably always like that, doesn’t stop them from pissing me off…
Looks like with that employment agency ad and especially the timing of it, Rahm’s campaign may have made their first biggish blunder. It won’t ultimately be a deal killer on his road to the mayor’s ofc, but it will cost him some votes and good will he didn’t want to lose.
==It’s as if Emanuel and his braintrust had been out of town the last year or so==
Well yeah, they were. The residency code was supposed to make sure things like Rahm didn’t happen. O well!
==but it will cost him some votes and good will he didn’t want to lose.==
He lost those a long time ago. He doesn’t care. He’s Super-Rahm!
Its gonna be four years of bitter warfare.
Firefighters poll over 80% approval. Cops poll over 70% approval. Plain old city workers poll at nearly 60% approval. What is the point of this silly ad? Would have been better off attacking city hall corruption. This is the type of ad a capaign runs when they aren’t afraid of any of their opponents. Unfortunately, none of his opponents will make him pay for the mistake.
Rahm is touch with Chicago and the people who help this city work, he’s a rich man trying to fool the voters that he’s one of us, this man used HDO and Daley’s other armies to get him elected Congressman of the 5th Dist. Now he says it was wrong.
RAHM’S TAX is WRONG; LETS TALK ABOUT THE DEC. 2008 RAHM/ BLAGO TAPES do an ad on that, so that the voters will know his real intentions.
The tribune started their endorsements for alderman today. Wasn’t sure if you were going to put those in mid day like used to do with congressional news.
If Rahm Emanual does one tenth of the damage here that he did in Washington DC, it will take the Citizens of Chicago for ever to recoup. If you were remotely thinking about voting for Rahm Emanual you should really rethink your vote or better yet, don’t vote so you are not part of the problem yyou will be part of the cure.
- Still praying for Jesse White - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 6:35 pm:
The fact that so many from the media to Mayor Daley and other assorted minions are trying so hard to force Emanuel on Chicago and shove him down Chicagoans throats, makes me want him less. There is something very unseemly about Emanuel and the support for him is, therefore, very suspect to me.
I can see with my own eyes that Emanuel is very afraid of the prospect of a runoff, especially against someone like Chico. It is because of this as well as the fact that Chico is qualified that I am voting for Chico.
I think that Laura Washington hit it on the head today in her column. A robust challenge and runoff would be good for Emanuel, but more importantly it would be good for Chicagoans.
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 7:34 am:
Emanuel’s city worker “employment agency” spot was bizarre. It’s hard to figure what prompted it at this time, and who exactly it was supposed to appeal to.
The spot started running in the midst of the blizzard emergency when first responders were laying it on the line. And, as pointed out by the unions, the past year has been filled with heartbreaking incidents of police officers and firefighters being killed in the line of duty.
It’s as if Emanuel and his braintrust had been out of town the last year or so. The polling that prompted it was probably way old.
- KSP - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 7:45 am:
Gosh, Emanuel’s tax response ad angers me.
Sure, Chico is getting in an because Rahm announced a new idea for taxes but failed to be specific.
But Rahm’s ad ONLY mentions his sales tax decrease and says ABSOLUTELY nothing about the tax increase and paints Chico as making the tax increase up. It’s so dishonest, any Joe out there that isn’t paying any attention is getting blindsided.
Sure, ads are probably always like that, doesn’t stop them from pissing me off…
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 8:39 am:
When you haven’t lived in Chicago for a while, maybe that’s the perspective you gain.
- jerry 101 - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 8:55 am:
I wonder if Rahm’s campaign team is aware that city workers vote?
- amalia - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 9:21 am:
who will be motivated to come out and vote? Police, Fire,other city workers, the city vote for Berrios…..
- Responsa - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 9:45 am:
Looks like with that employment agency ad and especially the timing of it, Rahm’s campaign may have made their first biggish blunder. It won’t ultimately be a deal killer on his road to the mayor’s ofc, but it will cost him some votes and good will he didn’t want to lose.
- Bill - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 9:49 am:
==It’s as if Emanuel and his braintrust had been out of town the last year or so==
Well yeah, they were. The residency code was supposed to make sure things like Rahm didn’t happen. O well!
- Bill - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 9:52 am:
==but it will cost him some votes and good will he didn’t want to lose.==
He lost those a long time ago. He doesn’t care. He’s Super-Rahm!
Its gonna be four years of bitter warfare.
- chipoldem - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 10:05 am:
Firefighters poll over 80% approval. Cops poll over 70% approval. Plain old city workers poll at nearly 60% approval. What is the point of this silly ad? Would have been better off attacking city hall corruption. This is the type of ad a capaign runs when they aren’t afraid of any of their opponents. Unfortunately, none of his opponents will make him pay for the mistake.
- Wallace Gator Bradley - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 11:17 am:
Rahm is touch with Chicago and the people who help this city work, he’s a rich man trying to fool the voters that he’s one of us, this man used HDO and Daley’s other armies to get him elected Congressman of the 5th Dist. Now he says it was wrong.
RAHM’S TAX is WRONG; LETS TALK ABOUT THE DEC. 2008 RAHM/ BLAGO TAPES do an ad on that, so that the voters will know his real intentions.
- shore - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 11:19 am:
The tribune started their endorsements for alderman today. Wasn’t sure if you were going to put those in mid day like used to do with congressional news.
- Uncle Tony - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 12:52 pm:
If Rahm Emanual does one tenth of the damage here that he did in Washington DC, it will take the Citizens of Chicago for ever to recoup. If you were remotely thinking about voting for Rahm Emanual you should really rethink your vote or better yet, don’t vote so you are not part of the problem yyou will be part of the cure.
- Still praying for Jesse White - Monday, Feb 7, 11 @ 6:35 pm:
The fact that so many from the media to Mayor Daley and other assorted minions are trying so hard to force Emanuel on Chicago and shove him down Chicagoans throats, makes me want him less. There is something very unseemly about Emanuel and the support for him is, therefore, very suspect to me.
I can see with my own eyes that Emanuel is very afraid of the prospect of a runoff, especially against someone like Chico. It is because of this as well as the fact that Chico is qualified that I am voting for Chico.
I think that Laura Washington hit it on the head today in her column. A robust challenge and runoff would be good for Emanuel, but more importantly it would be good for Chicagoans.
- leo - Tuesday, Feb 8, 11 @ 9:18 am:
“WHERE: Lakeside Marketing Center (855 S. Greenbay Ave. – Suggested route: Lake Shore Dr. to South Shore Dr. to 86th St.)”
So like no one knows how to get to the South Side