Tom Sendzik, right, packs a stack of ballots Friday as Chicago Board of Elections workers prepare them for distribution at a warehouse in Chicago. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune / January 28, 2011) |
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Rahm Emanuel's campaign on Friday unveiled a new radio ad in which President Barack Obama says he gave Emanuel no choice but to accept the job as White House chief of staff.
The ad comes a day after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Emanuel did not give up his Chicago residency when he moved to Washington to work for Obama. Emanuel remains on the Feb. 22 ballot as a result of the ruling.
The spot includes two clips from Emanuel's October White House sendoff, when he stepped down to run for mayor. It features Obama proclaiming Emanuel "was not allowed to say no" to Obama's request to serve in the administration.
"I needed somebody at my side who I could count on to help get the job done. There was no candidate for the job of chief of staff who would meet the bill as well as Rahm Emanuel. And that's why I told him he had no choice in the matter," Obama said back then.
It was only a matter of time before Emanuel took advantage of Obama's praise at the departure ceremony. Obama's words serve as a kind of endorsement while also sparing the president the potential divisiveness of having to come out and formally endorse anyone among the four major candidates in his hometown.
Emanuel, who said he got a congratulatory phone call shortly after Thursday's court ruling, closes the ad.
"Thank you Mr. President, for your warm friendship, your confidence and the opportunity to serve you and our country. I give you my word that even as I leave the White House I will never leave that spirit of service behind," Emanuel says.
In other mayoral campaign news, candidate Gery Chico's recent endorsement by the Chicago firefighters union has also fattened his campaign fund.
The union donated $25,000 to Chico's campaign. New limits on contributions that took effect Jan. 1 limit political action committees to giving no more than $50,000 per election.
Other contributors chipped in an additional $42,000 in recent days, Chico's campaign reported to state election officials.
Meanwhile, Emanuel netted another $75,000 in campaign funds in recent days. Emanuel has raised four times as much as Chico, his nearest competitor in campaign fundraising.
jebyrne@tribune.com
rgibson@tribune.com
The ad comes a day after the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Emanuel did not give up his Chicago residency when he moved to Washington to work for Obama. Emanuel remains on the Feb. 22 ballot as a result of the ruling.
The spot includes two clips from Emanuel's October White House sendoff, when he stepped down to run for mayor. It features Obama proclaiming Emanuel "was not allowed to say no" to Obama's request to serve in the administration.
"I needed somebody at my side who I could count on to help get the job done. There was no candidate for the job of chief of staff who would meet the bill as well as Rahm Emanuel. And that's why I told him he had no choice in the matter," Obama said back then.
It was only a matter of time before Emanuel took advantage of Obama's praise at the departure ceremony. Obama's words serve as a kind of endorsement while also sparing the president the potential divisiveness of having to come out and formally endorse anyone among the four major candidates in his hometown.
Emanuel, who said he got a congratulatory phone call shortly after Thursday's court ruling, closes the ad.
"Thank you Mr. President, for your warm friendship, your confidence and the opportunity to serve you and our country. I give you my word that even as I leave the White House I will never leave that spirit of service behind," Emanuel says.
In other mayoral campaign news, candidate Gery Chico's recent endorsement by the Chicago firefighters union has also fattened his campaign fund.
The union donated $25,000 to Chico's campaign. New limits on contributions that took effect Jan. 1 limit political action committees to giving no more than $50,000 per election.
Other contributors chipped in an additional $42,000 in recent days, Chico's campaign reported to state election officials.
Meanwhile, Emanuel netted another $75,000 in campaign funds in recent days. Emanuel has raised four times as much as Chico, his nearest competitor in campaign fundraising.
jebyrne@tribune.com
rgibson@tribune.com
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