WASHINGTON — In a formal launching of his candidacy for mayor of Chicago, former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel released his first television ad of the cycle on Sunday.
The spot — announced via the twitter account of top aide, Ben LaBolt — emphasizes Emanuel’s candidacy as an opportunity for the city to rescue itself from crisis.
“We have to make city government more accessible to everybody, and I think we are at a crossroads,” Emanuel says, in the self-narrated spot. “We have got to decide whether we are going to continue to be a great city or become a second-tier city. And I think it is time to make that choice and make the tough decisions that are necessary.”
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As far as campaign ads go, this one is fairly common for early in a cycle. Emanuel, despite a national profile and a stint in Congress, is introducing himself to many voters for the first time. And the goal, it seems, is to move away from the caricature often left by the press. The money certainly will be there to push the image of problem-solver as opposed to a political hot head. As Politico reported on Sunday, Emanuel is aiming to raise $6 million to $8 million before the Feb. 22 Chicago elections.
