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Top Mayoral Candidates Are Starting To Sound Alike

CHICAGO (CBS) - In the race for mayor of Chicago, how do we decide how to vote? On many of the key issues facing the city, it's hard to tell one candidate from another.

CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports that while the leading candidates are all very different, in some ways, they're starting to sound a lot alike.

"Mine is an issue-oriented campaign," said mayoral candidate Miguel Del Valle.

Wednesday's issue for Miguel Del Valle -- meeting with North Side small food business owners and entrepreneurs -- was jobs.

"We need to be more sensitive as a government to what these small businesses go through," said Del Valle.

Pretty much the same thing Gery Chico said Tuesday at a Southwest Side wholesale food market.

"The business owners around this city, they want a more proactive, aggressive City Hall that appreciates and respects businesses, because businesses are what create jobs," said Chico.

Or what Rahm Emanuel said at a Northwest Side factory two months ago.

"There's a proper role for inspections, there's a proper role for oversight. We can just do it smarter and more effective," said Emanuel.

And that's just one issue.

Carol Moseley Braun spoke out Wednesday against violence which claimed another young life on the South Side this morning.

"When I was in the Senate, I passed Midnight Basketball," said Braun.

It was part of a controversial crime bill pushed through Congress by Rahm Emanuel, who just yesterday was talking about programs to get kids off the street.

"The Midnight Basketball program, those basketball programs are exactly what the Better Boys Foundation provides," said Emanuel.

Last month, Gery Chico proposed advertising on garbage trucks to help pay for recycling.

On Tuesday, Emanuel was talking about those trucks.

"I would raise another $25 million through what I call advertising on entities, like garbage trucks, city stickers," said Emanuel.

Hey, Rahm Emanuel, that's my idea, screamed State Rep. Susana Mendoza on her City Clerk campaign homepage. She proposed the city sticker ads to help cut the deficit two weeks ago.

Now we're not accusing anyone of stealing anyone else's ideas. There are some subtle distinctions and substantive differences.

But in the final analysis it may come down to who voters trust the most to make similar policies reality.

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