Posted on 02/20/2005 4:39:24 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
- CHICAGO -- Congressman Jesse Jackson Junior says if a massive voter registration drive worked for Harold Washington in his 1983 run for mayor, it can work in 2006 and beyond for the Democrats.
Jackson Jr. and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition will work to register new voters. But Jackson won't say if it is a prelude to a run for mayor of Chicago.
Jackson (D-Ill.) stressed that his goal was to help all Democrats. Nonetheless, he announced the registration drive moments after drawing comparisons between today's political landscape and the landscape in 1983, when Harold Washington was first elected mayor of Chicago.
The congressman reminded those attending the weekly Rainbow/PUSH meeting that Washington refused to run unless boosters first undertook a massive registration drive.
Reporters quickly asked Jackson if that meant he is committing himself to run against Mayor Daley in 2007. But Jackson again deflected the question, saying only, "I haven't looked beyond 2006 and I have not foreclosed any options for my own political future."
The congressman once again fired a shot across Mayor Daley's bow as he called for Council hearings into the city's affirmative action programs. He asked how the mayor expects to run a corruption-free casino, if he's been unable to protect affirmative action programs from corruption.
"There must obviously be safeguards," said Jackson, who said efforts to license a casino in Rosemont have run into protracted difficulties because of accusations involving organized crime influence, accusations Rosemont officials have steadfastly denied.
Jackson said he would like to see a casino built on the former site of the now-demolished U.S. Steel South Works, which sits vacant on the lakefront.
A spokesman for the congressman said Rainbow/PUSH has five staffers who are dedicated full-time to registering voters, but said the coalition could call upon "hundreds of volunteers" from allied organizations.
"Bring out the dead!"
Feel free to vote twice, three times...
Ya beat me to it.
Consultants from Wisconsin and Washington State will be flown in.
Consultants from Wisconsin and Washington State will be flown in.
Double post? Not sure where that came from. Sorry.
Double post? Not sure where that came from. Sorry.
Lets be sure to send experienced vote counters from Detroit for election night.
Almost as scary as 'President Hillary Clinton...'
Free Budweiser for the a-dults.
I thought the RATS already had registered ever dead person in Chicago.
Jesse Jr. makes his dad look smart.
Jesse Jr. is upset about the corruption in the city's affirmative action programs. My solution? Get rid of those programs.
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