* 12:51 pm - From a Quinn campaign press release…

Leading African-American Pastors Stand Up Against Divisive Campaign Ad

CHICAGO – A group of leading African-American pastors in Chicago will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. on Saturday at historic Quinn Chapel in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

The religious leaders will express their outrage at a recent campaign ad that uses a video clip of Mayor Harold Washington to influence voters against Governor Pat Quinn.

The community is demanding that the ad be taken off the air, along with an apology to the African-American community.

As I wrote earlier, race is really the only avenue the Quinn campaign has to save itself from this TV ad. It is what it is, and they really have no choice. However, this would be a far more valid approach if Quinn hadn’t used Bobby Rush, who has fashioned himself as a more-than-willing race-baiter, particularly since his blatant “lynching” comments on the Roland Burris appointment.

The Quinn folks fervently claim that Hynes played the race card first by hypocritically using the late Harold Washington as a surrogate in order to hurt Quinn with black voters and depress black turnout. They have several valid points. But, again, this ad transcends the race issue because, as I’ve written before, the points Washington made about Quinn are so “today.” That’s why the Quinn push-back has to be so strong. Get people to forget about the competency issue and onto Chicago’s divisive racial history. The Chicago media usually loves a race battle, so coverage should be intense.

During Quinn’s speech to Operation PUSH this morning, the governor said “We will not let those who would divide go back to those ugly times.” You don’t need a code book to translate what he’s saying there. Have a look…

It is what it is. And it’s gonna get really ugly.

* Meanwhile, the Hynes campaign has a new Internet video about the controversy. Watch it…