Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks to volunteers for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign at a West Side campaign office on Nov. 3, 2012. (Credit: CBS)
Reporting Bob Roberts
CHICAGO (CBS) – Mayor Rahm Emanuel stopped by President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign offices on the city’s North, West and South Sides, as well as in the Loop Saturday, to urge volunteers to work extra hard over the next three days.
Emanuel plunged into the crowd working in the call center at 218 S. Wabash Av., and shook hands with the workers, a number of whom thanked him for buying them lunch.
By the time he reached the West Side campaign office, he didn’t have much of a voice left after rallying the troops at other sites. While his voice was shaky, Emanuel said the campaign workers’ resolve must not be.
“Every vote counts. We’re not going back to what happened in 2000 — 500 (votes) short,” he said. “You get 500 shot, you shortchange this country.”
Emanuel said President Obama has proved time and again in the past week that he can lead in time of crisis, and said even New Jersey’s Republican governor, Chris Christie, admits it. The mayor said housing starts are up, American is gaining jobs instead of losing them, and said a return to a Republican White House would mean a return to failure.
“This is not the time to turn back to the policies that dug a ditch,” he said.
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