Question of the day
Monday, Jan 26, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
A radio ad in which President Barack Obama endorses Mayor Rahm Emanuel for re-election will begin airing Monday in Chicago.
“If you want a mayor who does what’s right, not just what’s popular, who fights night and day for the city we love, then I hope you’ll join me. Vote for Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday, February 24th,” Obama says in the 60-second radio spot. […]
“Before Rahm Emanuel was mayor of Chicago, he was a key part of my team at the White House,” Obama says. “And let’s be honest, at times the guy can be a little hardheaded. But there’s a reason Rahm fights as hard as he does. He loves our city, and he believes every child in every neighborhood should have a fair shot at success.”
“Chicago had the shortest school day of any American city until Rahm insisted that our kids get the same educational opportunity as other kids,” Obama says. He goes on to tout Emanuel’s move to make full-day kindergarten standard, and to gradually raise the minimum wage in Chicago to $13 an hour by 2019.
* The ad is here. And he certainly has the money to air it widely…
It’s not the only time Emanuel has gotten campaign contributions from people who have benefited from actions he or city agencies or pension funds have taken, according to a Chicago Sun-Times examination of the nearly $30 million amassed so far by: the mayor’s campaign committee; a second campaign fund he controls; and a super PAC that supports Emanuel and aldermanic candidates he backs.
About 5 percent of that total — $1.7 million — has come from developers; from employees of companies that do business with City Hall, city pension funds or city agencies; and from Chicago’s two financial exchanges, which Emanuel has supported by speaking out against proposals that would tax stock and futures trades.
* The Question: Sneed…
First lady Michelle Obama’s endorsement didn’t help Gov. Pat Quinn in November, so will her husband’s endorsement help Rahm?
Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
surveys
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:53 am:
OBAMA TO CITY: DROP DEAD
– MrJM
- A guy - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:53 am:
He doesn’t need much help. So I said it would help a little. Rahm’s just touching all the bases.
- Gooner - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:58 am:
I think it will help a lot, but part of that is because the opponents are already weak.
This helps Rahm establish himself not just as the corporate mayor, but also as the mayor of Obama’s coalition. It is very effective in that in prevents any of his challengers from trying to take that role.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:59 am:
It’ll help a lot. The President still has a deep reservoid of good will in Chicago, and probably always will. Emanuel would be crazy not to tap into it early and often.
Plus, this isn’t Rahm’s first rodeo. If he didn’t think this ad would help a lot, we’d be talking about something else today.
- anon - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 10:59 am:
Obama is still well liked in the city by people who Rahm needs on his side, poorer black communities. Many of them are still angry about the school getting shut down two years ago. Besides that demographic Obama’s endorsement is a net neutral.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:00 am:
===reservoid===
Not sure what that is, but I meant to say reservoir.
- walker - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Helps a little because he’s already a lock.
- Phil - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:02 am:
I think it will help at least a little bit, because the African-American community in Chicago are still strong supporters of Obama and that’s a constiuency that Rahm doesn’t exactly do well with.
- Chris - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:02 am:
“First lady Michelle Obama’s endorsement didn’t help Gov. Pat Quinn in November”
Michelle isn’t the POTUS, and PQ mostly needed to do better outside Chicago, where BO’s approval ratings weren’t so hot (only 50% statewide in late October).
“so will her husband’s endorsement help Rahm?”
The POTUS isn’t Michelle, and the only people who matter for Rahm (Chicagoans) have a much stronger positive view of BO. How much does it translate? Matter a lot, last time, it’s certainly going to help this time, too–the question is, enough??
- Chris - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:05 am:
“Besides [the Poor Black community] Obama’s endorsement is a net neutral.”
You’re counting the Anyone But Rahm crew in that ‘net neutral’. It’s a net positive (perhaps minor) among those who might consider voting for Rahm, but aren’t already 100% decided.
- Nick Naylor - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:06 am:
I think it will very much. People have to be reminded that while Rahm is an a-hole, he’s our a-hole. This ad achieves that.
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:08 am:
The Mayor is rolling so it is time to get on board….plus no one seems to be rolling out the cashola to help “hold down” the vote as happened to PQ
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:10 am:
It’ll help but he won’t need the help given the lackluster campaign his opponents are running.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:11 am:
Barack Obama has a closer working relationship within the same political home as the Mayor. Consequently, his endorsement is important. Additionally, he is African American and the Mayor needs this base to be at least non-combative.
It helps a lot.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:12 am:
“It will help a little”
However, best observation?
===Plus, this isn’t Rahm’s first rodeo. If he didn’t think this ad would help a lot, we’d be talking about something else today.===
Agree all the way up to “a lot”. Well said.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Not much help… most people have their minds made up with Rahm. Obama isn’t going to change that. If anything, this might keep a few people home, which, I guess(?) helps Rahm right now.
- Amalia - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:16 am:
helps the yuppies to make up their minds.
- Responsa - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:24 am:
This is a whole different race without Karen. Many who don’t much like Rahm are still very unimpressed with his opponents. The president’s endorsement should tack on a few votes for Rahm in the predominantly AA wards. Rahm will also be able to point to the Obama endorsement during the debates. I love Nick Naylor’s comment above.
- Large Mammal - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:27 am:
Not getting this endorsement would have been odd.
- Roscoe Tom - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:32 am:
Just take all the comments and ask What if the President endorsed another candidate? Don’t know if you have enough space to field the responses.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:33 am:
This race is Rahms anyway
- anon. - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:36 am:
it will help. Rahm is not PQ.
- fed up - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:39 am:
The Ad doesnt help that much, what insures Rahms victory is the low quality of the opponents.
- Responsa - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:42 am:
==it will help. Rahm is not PQ.==
Also, this is a city election not a statewide one.
- Snucka - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:43 am:
I chose “help a little”.
Mayor Emanuel is going to cruise to victory on February 24. This endorsement may help him get 55% rather than 54%.
- Roadiepig - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:52 am:
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:00 am:
===reservoid===
Not sure what that is, but I meant to say reservoir.
47th- never heard that word before (have to love when Autocorrect doesn’t correct a mistake
, so I hit the Interweb and found this:
‘Reservoid’
1. (n) A large or extra supply of something
2. (n) Tank used for collecting and storing a liquid (as water or oil)
3. (n) Lake used to store water for community use
4. (n) Anything (a person or animal or plant or substance) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies
So…#4 maybe? lol
- Cook County Commoner - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 11:59 am:
I voted it will help a lot. Most folks don’t parse politics like the participants on this site. An endorsement from the POTUS essentially reminding everyone that the Mayor was once on the national stage is important and has friends there is important. It should help fence sitters make up their mind and ensure the Mayor receives a notable mandate from the voters, which will be useful when the really painful decisions must be made.
- Wensicia - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
Not that he needs this, but it should help Emanuel. As Obama’s former Chief of Staff, it would seem strange if the President didn’t endorse.
- Siriusly - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:11 pm:
For all the reasons listed above, I think it definitely helps. Just enough to get him over 50% on February 24.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
I voted that the ad helps a little. There may be a large number of voters who will not vote for Emanuel because of the school closings.
I read an article this weekend in which Friends of the Park types think that Obama, Emanuel and the University of Chicago manufactured a land controversy to quickly approve Park District land for the Obama Library.
In the radio ad Obama hopefully hints at where he wants his library. He says Chicago is his home and made him who he is today.
I think it could really help Emanuel if the land deal is done quickly for the library, and the Obamas choose Chicago.
- liandro - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
I said it would help a little, because having the President of the United States as a reference seems pretty solid.
- William j Kelly - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 1:21 pm:
It sounds like the real question should be: which politician has failed the southside of Chicago more? A) Rahm or b)Obama explain(if you have unlimited time on your hands)
- Streator Curmudgeon - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 1:44 pm:
fed up makes a good point.
Low quality opponents tend to make voters think, “Yoiks! What if THAT guy was in charge?”
- Moist von Lipwig - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
Do we know for sure that Michelle wasnt a net positive for PQ?
- The Muse - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 3:34 pm:
It’ll help a little.
A POTUS endorsement in the mayoral race of his adopted city will give him a few percentage points. PQ had his flaws, as does Rahm, but Rahm has the whole “I helped pull this country out of a financial crisis” street cred and was more visible in being one of Obama’s guys. The easier the math is for the voters, I think they’re more likely to respond accordingly.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 3:50 pm:
It can’t hurt in Chicago. But, Rahm isn’t real well liked. So, many Obama voters realize this is a Rahm election not an Obama election.
- Rowdy Yates - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 4:56 pm:
If Rahm were running for a political office on a statewide or national basis, Obama’s endorsement would hurt him overall. But, since this is Chicago that we are talking about and they still love Obama in Chicago, then Obama’s endorsement will help Rahm a great deal.
- Macoupin Minority - Monday, Jan 26, 15 @ 6:58 pm:
After all it is Chicago, so it will help a lot.
- Carhart Representative - Tuesday, Jan 27, 15 @ 7:51 am:
I think it’ll help a little, but many of the very people who voted for Rahm the first time because they perceived him as one of Obama’s boys are among those most upset by the job he’s done as mayor. For them, that ship has sailed.