Feb. 20--Mayor Rahm Emanuel moved quickly to seize on the political aspects of President Barack Obama's visit to Chicago, unveiling a new campaign ad Friday featuring Obama delivering an endorsement of the mayor.
The new Emanuel ad is airing just a day after Obama's visit to the president's hometown to designate the Pullman district a national landmark. Emanuel served as Obama's first White House chief of staff, and the president previously taped a radio ad endorsing the mayor for a second term.
Emanuel's campaign said the ad is the closing commercial of the mayor's re-election bid. The late ad is designed to win support from undecided voters, including a quarter of African-American voters who had not made up their mind in the days leading up to the election, according to a Tribune poll this week.
Though Obama's visit to help Emanuel took on the appearance of a ready-made campaign ad, the mayor's campaign carefully edited and condensed the pro-Emanuel remarks made by the president.
"He's making sure every Chicagoan in every neighborhood gets the fair shot at success that they deserve," Obama says in the ad.
In reality, Obama said of Emanuel, "He's fought for new opportunity and new jobs in Pullman, and for every Chicagoan, in every neighborhood, making sure every single person gets the fair shot at success that they deserve."
Obama also is shown hugging Emanuel at the Pullman event.
