Mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun. (Credit: CBS)
UPDATED 01/31/11 5:30 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) – A fiery exchange occurred Sunday between mayoral candidates Carol Moseley Braun and Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins, as allegations of drug use dominated a candidates forum.
When Watkins questioned where Braun had been for 20 years, the latter candidate fired back by saying Watkins had been using crack-cocaine.
“Patricia, the reason you didn’t know where I was for the last 20 years is because you were strung out on crack,” Braun, staring at Watkins, said at Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side. “Now, you have admitted to that.”
Watkins denied the charge before forum organizers cut her short. The community activist has admitted past drug use but says she has been sober for 25 years. She says she has never even seen crack.
“I believe I’m due an apology but I don’t expect one to come,” Watkins said at a news conference Monday. “I should be able to ask any person who’s running for office where you been, and I should not be called a crack addict because I said that.”
Braun, a former U.S. senator and ambassador, offered no apologies.
Their respective supporters also clashed Sunday. Watkins backers staged a noisy demonstration at a West Side church where Braun appeared. Braun’s people were there, too, in a counter-demonstration.
A spokeswoman for Watkins said the group of supporters included some black leaders who say they were wrongly identified in Braun campaign literature as endorsers of Braun. The Braun camp denied that.
Braun spokeswoman Renee Ferguson said Watkins was acting as a “spoiler and really, really, really desperate.”
Also attending the forum where the explosive remarks were made Sunday were mayoral candidates Gery Chico and Miguel del Valle.
Frontrunner Emanuel was not present for the debate. He declined to weigh in on Braun’s outburst. When asked about it Monday, Mayor Daley would only say that everyone knows someone who has struggled with drug or alcohol abuse.
The mayoral election is Feb. 22. Early voting is now in progress.
68 Comments
Dock Walls is the only candidate with a vision to launch chicago into the global market with his nanotechnology proposal.
January 30, 2011 at 11:31 pm
For a former U S Senator, a former U S Ambassador to accuse another candidate in a public forum of being on crack is showing the type of person CMB is, a person that has committed fraud against Medicaid, a person who traveled on campaign funds to visit a war criminal, currently somehow has 4 mortgages on a 1.9 million dollar house with income of $15,900 a year. Dr Watkins has admitted a substance abuse issue, 25 years ago and has been out in our city advocating for our city and fellow citizens. While I will not be voting for Dr Watkins, she is a positive person, and role model. CMB what have you been doing….
January 30, 2011 at 11:37 pm
This comment was very well put. I commend this writer and totally agree with him. Ms. Watkins deserves an apology by ghetto CMB. Ms Watkins maintained her dignity and did NOT let this ghetto woman get next to her. CMB acted the same way with Neil S in his column where he was sharing his opinion. Chicago does NOT need CMB.
January 31, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Rahm would fit right in at that forum with a few (F) bombs.
January 30, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Yeah? Where WAS he. Don’t tell me–we’re going to end up with another in the Daley mold that won’t have public appearances, I. E. WORK, on Sundays.
Gery Chico knows this is a 24/7 job and should BE the next mayor and the non-minority Chicago seems to dumb to see THAT.
January 31, 2011 at 2:04 am
to or too?
January 31, 2011 at 10:04 pm
II think what CMB said was inappropriate and crude. I was honestly thinking about voting for her, but as far as I’m concerned she has blew it!!! I will be telling all of my friends and family about her remarks. Someone who can do no better than calling another candidate a crack adidct, does not desire to be mayor of Chicago
January 31, 2011 at 12:01 am
And recovering or not, we can do better that both of those two.
January 31, 2011 at 2:07 am
EXCELLENT POINT! :)
January 31, 2011 at 7:29 am
Ms.Watkins should thank CMB for calling her a crackhead, This is about
the only news Ms.Watkins will be making.This is what make news.
January 31, 2011 at 12:25 am
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Carole Moseley-Braun’s Skeleton Closet—-
—- http://www.realchange.org/moseley.htm –
everything YOU ever WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS slime!!!!!!
January 31, 2011 at 2:21 am
Some may be dumb but only a dumb ask person like you
a dumb ASK person??? missed that yellow bus to school we see…
Have you noticed an obvious trend among the leftist posters?…………..( Yanz)……… They go from name-calling to personal attacks when reality is pointed out to them.
They have no substantive arguments to back up their looney reasoning, so they attack and make personal slams against the rational people who are simply pointing out reality.
gee did i speel dat write??
January 31, 2011 at 2:25 am
You Mean Like “Lefty”, “Liberal” & “Licentious” RAHM EMANUEL ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
January 31, 2011 at 7:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNR6gWpouko You can see The action here LIVE
January 31, 2011 at 3:15 am
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Things understood need not be explained, Gery Chico is the best candidate for Mayor of Chicago, he will bring PARITY for racial inclusion of city contracts, he’s the candidate that can and will make the city work fairly for everyone in Chicago.
http://www.unitedinpeaceinc.org
January 31, 2011 at 5:00 am
a gang member trying to talk about united in peace? riiight.now thats a joke.gator how you like them blows last weekend.your jaw was swinging away , u need to keep that controled man!!!!
January 31, 2011 at 5:53 am
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why does it even matter if a black person wins or not.u should rather be concerned about if the right person wins.not if they are black or not.and im sorry but braun and watkins are SO not the right person obviously.
January 31, 2011 at 5:48 am
..and this was oasmaobama church…hear them kacking ing hooting in the back ground like a bunch of morons…only in chicago, who wants the getto mama vote? …..beside quinn!
January 31, 2011 at 6:12 am
Carol Moseley, I find it hard to believe a person with as much education and experience as you have could bring a discusson down to street level. Ms. Watkins should sue you. I would never vote for you for anything thing for all time!
January 31, 2011 at 6:25 am
You are so right. That was ugly and quite embarrassing. I wasn’t going to vote for her anyway. I would have liked to see Danny Davis. He’s seasoned and decent. Never any scandal.
January 31, 2011 at 11:04 am
The more Carol Mostly Fraud talks, the more she shows Chicago voters how unqualified she is to be a leader in the city of Chicago. She is more well-suited to be on a tabloid television show…Maury Povich is right up her alley.
January 31, 2011 at 6:36 am
This is just another example of how foul Chicago politics are. We are exposing ourselves as the hub of ridicule toward the rest of the world. And I feel for Chico and DelValle sitting right in the middle of a verbal catfight in church. CMB just burned her bridges by showing her true colors right there. She’s unprofessional, enethical and simply put…ghetto.
January 31, 2011 at 9:26 am
this is great theater… you could not make up a story like this… thanks for the laughs
January 31, 2011 at 6:39 am
Miguel del Valle has not been bought by interest groups, and is the least connected of the major candidates for mayor. He’s the only person who can truly move Chicago forward and out of the grip of the corrupt machine.
I don’t work for him, nor have I ever met him in person, but I’m voting for Miguel.
January 31, 2011 at 7:25 am
I like Walls and Del Valle.
January 31, 2011 at 10:48 am
Not qualified to be Mayor of a Global City…not saying he isn’t a good person…just doesn’t have the credentials.
January 31, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Oh Boy! Here we go again! Another candidate that is showing her ignorance and unprofessional well-being…..yeah, and you want to vote this person into office? HA!!!!
January 31, 2011 at 7:28 am
Corrupt Black Politicians
— http://www.vnnforum.com/showthread.php?t=70094 —
oh yeah she makes the list — and theres 5 pages of them..
jst remember who made her United States Ambassador to New Zealand
OVAL OFFICE BILL CLINTON…
January 31, 2011 at 7:49 am
The President was a Drug User as well !!
It’s the “In-Thing” now…………
January 31, 2011 at 8:20 am
Which one? As I recall the last few Presidents have admitted to some type of usage (drugs/alcohol) at some stage of their life.
January 31, 2011 at 8:51 am
No, we just drop bombs killing innocent women and children, and send our soldiers to die based on lies and then don’t properly take care of them when they come home after serving our country! Jungle bunny’s…..to funny as I am quite sure you’ve secrectly or maybe not so secretly lusted after a few black women. Haha, is right because I can’t even see your face but I’m cracking up at the thought of you. Pathetic!
January 31, 2011 at 8:59 am
you forgot the other childish comments blacks make—
your an angry white person because a black man stole your wife or G/F
your an angry W.M. because you hit on a black female and she turned you down..
crime and murders…
where you there?
do you know him/her?
how do you know the shooter or the victim is black?
and the best kindergarten comment
your just an angry white person because a black man holds the most powerful office in the country..
yes we all did the naaaa naaaaa naaaaaas in kindergarten..
most (not ya’ll) grew up..
i guess now that i have dissed you that means you wanna murder me??
lol
January 31, 2011 at 11:31 am
Carol Mostly Fraud…voted out of the Senate for misusing public money..inapprorpriate relations….messed up finances….and a trigger temper.. she hides her anger issues behind that sickening smile…not qualified for Mayor….Chico ok for a support position but not qualified to be mayor of a global city….Del Valle…not qualified….the rest..useless….Rahm in a landslide in four weeks.
January 31, 2011 at 9:20 am
C.M.B. would be howling if one of the non-black candidates had made that statement. Brothers and sisters, keep this in mind. There’s a lot of folks like Watkins in the City. And if C.M.B. feels the way she does about Watkins and publicly ridicules her, do you think she’s going to feel any different about the others? No. C.M.B is an embarrassment in general and specifically to the black community.
January 31, 2011 at 9:33 am
Amen.
January 31, 2011 at 10:58 am
how many times did the same people vote $$$$Bill (freezer) Jefferson back in office even though the whole Jefferson clan stole them,their kids,neighborhoods blind…
January 31, 2011 at 9:48 am
All Braun with no BRAIN!!! She just lost the votes of all the recovering crack addicts, crack addicts and their families and friends.
January 31, 2011 at 10:17 am
VERY UNEDUCATED…CAROL PLEASE GO AWAY…U R SO UNQUALIFIED….SOMEBODY PLEASE SUPPRESS HER….
January 31, 2011 at 10:21 am
I’m voting for William Walls because I like his plans for the city. Some of his ideas overlap with Chico and Rahm (no head tax for business, actuarial tables for the pension and garbage grid pick up. He isn’t for charter schools while the other two are. If we want change we need to change candidates. Del Valle is the candidate that is most connected with the citizens but his ideas are not the strongest when it come to finance but he has a very good crime package.
January 31, 2011 at 10:46 am
Mrs. Braun has no class. After all, she was US Senator for one term and her run was wrought with misappropriation of funds (including her Nursing Home mother’s) and I have never particularly trusted, or liked her. To bring her feelings about her opponent to that level in an open forum was disgraceful. I don’t know Ms. Watkins and everyone does have a past. She should have shone the Sister more respect and shouldn’t have gotten that angry as to bring her drug use past up. Besides I would vote for an ex drug user over a thief any day. Thank you very much.
January 31, 2011 at 10:55 am
…And Danny Davis stepped aside for this lunatic??? What was HE thinking??
This race is not about race, but the “black coallition” somehow thinks that CMB is the best black representitive of their community? Talk about out of touch!! If this wasn’t so sad, it would be funny.
January 31, 2011 at 11:19 am
I wish Chicago would put the race thing aside and think for a change. There are a couple of pretty decent candidates running. You don’t have to choose a Mayor with no class, or that is a known crook. Have some cajones and change the way this city runs in 2011!
January 31, 2011 at 11:43 am
Stop it!! You guys are acting like you are running for mayor. Yeesh!!!
January 31, 2011 at 11:47 am
White people don’t talk like this.
January 31, 2011 at 1:37 pm
“citizenkane2″: I Know, White People Don’t Talk Like This . . . . . .
THEY TALK WORSE; AND BEHIND PEOPLE’S BACK AT THAT ! ! ! ! ! !
BACK-STABBERS HAVE NO RACIAL BARRIERS & BOUNDS: THEY COME IN ALL COLORS, SIZES & SHAPES ! ! ! ! ! ! !
JUST ASK THE BIGGEST “WHITE” (REALLY WHITE EASTERN-EUROPEAN-JEWISH) MAYORAL CANDIDATE RAHM EMANUEL ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
January 31, 2011 at 6:18 pm
So, you just had to go on and prove your own point, huh? Knuckleheads do come in all shapes and colors.
January 31, 2011 at 6:26 pm
None of these politicos running for Richie’s seat is an angel, look at their faces, they have the look of being hungry for real political power. For t he last 20 24 years, all of them have been kissing up to Richie, now that he;s leaving, is live or die moment.
Now look ar Emanue;s eyes, he’s calm, cool, collective, in the tone of his voice you can tell he really will be for the people of Chicago, he’s alrady a multimillionaire , he left the grid he had in the white house to assume all the trash and problems the next Mayor will inherit from Richie, because all the school problems, the crime, the transit problems, the parking meter bolloney deal, all happen under him. Emanuel. welcome back buddy !
January 31, 2011 at 2:29 pm
“JesDeCristo”: Rahm Emanuel’s Eyes Look MORE Like “MOE HOWARD’S” Of The 3 STOOGES &-Or FAST-EDDY VRDOLYAK’S: Than Of Any HONEST, GOD-FEARING & GOD-HONORING Man !
I’ve Always Said That RAHM EMANUEL Is The “JEWISH” FAS-EDDY VRDOLYAK–Like FAST-EDDY VRDOLYAK Is The “GENTILE” RAHM EMANUEL !
By The Way, Did Anyone Else Besides Me Read The Article In Last Weeks Chicago “READER” About How RAHM EMANUEL One Time “Chewed-Off” A D.C. Obama Aide By Telling Him Something Like: “WHY DON’T YOU TAKE OUT YOUR TAMPON & SAY WHAT YOU GOT TO SAY” !
RAHM EMANUEL HAS SAID DISGUSTING, IF NOT MORE DISGUSTING, THINGS THAN CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN OR PAT VAN PELT WATKINS COULD EVER SAY !
HAVE YOU, “JessDeCristo”, EVER HAD A “ONE-ON-ONE” CONVERSATION WITH RAHM ?
I HAVE !
HE’S CRUDE, LEWD & AS THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN SAID WHEN RAHM APPROACHED HIM NAKED & VERBALLY ASSAULTED HIM IN THE D.C. MEN’S SHOWER-ROOM: “THE ‘DEVIL’S SON’ SPAWN” ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
January 31, 2011 at 6:31 pm
You forgot to add. And, the next Mayor of Chicago!
January 31, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Let me first say, i was at the debate and NO ONE was clapping when Carol said what she said, people started booing, putting on their coats and leaving !!!b What was seen in the EDITED video was MEDIA MAGIC !!!
The African-American leaders who used racial politicks and had a role in making Carol Mosley Braun “the , so called, ‘consensus’ black candidate” for Mayor of Chicago owe their communities and their city an explanation and an apology.
Carol never had any intentions on trying to WIN this race & niether did the so called Coalition of so called Black leaders who backed her!!! If these black leaders had publicly backed the MACHINE CANDIDATE, Rahm, the black community would have revolted. The intelligent thing for them to do, was to support a weak black candidate that they ordained in a smokey back room !! This way they could maintain they were loyal to the black community while still doing the Chicago Democrat MACHINES bidding, & therefore continue to be rewarded for their complicity after the race. I was an up close and personal witness to this closed selection process. They NEVER polled the community, & this is what they came up with, CAROL !!!
WallsForMayor.com
January 31, 2011 at 4:52 pm
As I Previously Posted: Did Anyone Besides Me Read The Article In THE CHICAGO READER Last Week About RAHM EMANUEL’S “TAMPON” TIRADE AGAINST A WHITE-HOUSE AIDE ?
RAHM’S TONGUE & MOUTH MAKES CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN’S TONGUE & MOUTH SOUND AS CLEAN, DECENT & PURE AS A LITTLE BABY’S (Which “Vetus” Wishes His Tongue & Mouth Was Like Too) !
January 31, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Hey Posters & Fellow Registered Voters: “Vetus” Has Been Strung On Crack ALL HIS CRAKED-UP LIFE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
January 31, 2011 at 7:06 pm
I Forgot Lebian, As RAHM EMANUEL Is A Secret Ballerina & Woman IN DISGUISE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
January 31, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Carol Mosley Braun (CMB) acted like a ghetto fool in public. CMB owes Ms. Watkins an apology in PUBLIC. CMB is NOT equipped to be mayor of such a great city and if she cannot handle her anger and thin skin, she certainly needs to go back into hiding. Ms Watkins only spoke the truth when she said CMB has been missing for years. But what Ms Watkins could have also added, it seem to happen after the Nigerean scandal that was over CMB’s head.
January 31, 2011 at 7:20 pm
BRAVO!!!!
January 31, 2011 at 9:32 pm
This is an example of how Braun acts in a non stressful situation. Can you imagine how she will act in a stressful situation? It’s a shame that our so called black leaders endorsed Braun and rolled her out to us as the person we need to vote for. And why? Because she’s black and for no other reason. That’s the sole reason. What a joke.
January 31, 2011 at 7:21 pm
What a couple of losers we have running for office!
January 31, 2011 at 9:31 pm
CMB’s comment cost her my vote! If she is willing to hit below the belt and use such a dirty ploy to belittle her opponent instead of reasonable debate,
who knows what other tactics would she be wllling to use if elected?.
I believe she crossed a line from which there is no return, even is she apologized to Patricia Van Pelt Watkins!
January 31, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Another couple of LOSERS in Chicago politics
February 1, 2011 at 6:14 am
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I don’t usually get involved with politics, outside of the presidential race. But I had the privilege of having a one on one conversation with William “Dock” Walls and I must say he really impressed me. We discussed a wide range of topics from; Unemployment, the cities financial deficit, to higher education and much more. His political views, his solutions for the city and the citizens who make up the city inspired me to get involved with assisting him in his run for Mayor. After seeing him in a debate, this past week at Trinity Baptist Church, it became more obvious that others shared my opinion by the response that he received. As we all know the Mayoral race in Chicago is heating up and we also know that the current Mayor will leave this city in an “unhealthy” position. This city is going to need a New Mayor who’s in the business of “Solutions.” Now I turn to you and ask you to check out William Dock Walls. He is the best choice for the city of Chicago . Please support his effort to retun the city to its rightful place at the top of the mountain.
D Russell
February 3, 2011 at 11:20 am
It’s shocking that you’re from Bridgeport… oh wait… no it’s not…
February 3, 2011 at 11:24 am
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