Chicago’s Mayoral Candidates Debate Before Tribune

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the four candidates who want his job squared off in a lively debate in front of the Chicago Tribune editorial board on Tuesday. 

The challengers had their first chance to appear on camera, telling incumbent Rahm Emanuel what they thought of his first term in office. 

“While the center of the city has flourished tremendously, we need to see the same vitality in Chicago neighborhoods,” said Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a candidate for mayor. 

As the mayor sat in the middle, his four challengers sat feet away, repeating a theme that Emanuel was more focused on downtown, and not so much on Chicago neighborhoods. 

“He’s closed 50 schools, he has closed the mental health clinics in Chicago,” said William “Dock” Walls. 

“From day one, I made sure we also invested in our communities throughout the city of Chicago with the ‘Neighborhood Now’ agenda,” Emanuel said. 

The mayor listed accomplishments of his administration, but Ald. Bob Fioretti said some of the credit belonged to the Daley administration. 

“Walmart was in the works before you came in. Pullman Wheelworks, the housing for 210, 214 was a massive, multi-facted deal that was in the works before you came in,” Fioretti said. 

And Fioretti said Emanuel had failed to control crime in the city. 

“Fighting crime and how we do it is the number one issue that affects all of us across this city,” Fioretti said. 

Garcia promised to hire 1,000 new police officers. 

“You tell me we can’t afford it. I tell you, we can’t afford not to,” Garcia said. 

But like his predecessor at City Hall, Emanuel blamed guns for violence in some neighborhoods. 

“We need a fundamental change in Springfield, in getting a different direction on our gun laws,” said Emanuel. 

Candidate Walls – far behind in fundraising and in pre-eleciton polls – accused Cook County Commissioner Garcia with not hiring African Americans. 

“If you didn’t hire blacks before, what would make me think you will hire blacks in the future?” said Walls. 

“That is more of an allegation than anything else,” said Garcia. 

“It’s true!” said Walls. 

And Walls frequently interrupted other speakers. 

“I think one thing I think we have to have here is not to interrupt people,” said Wilson. 

“That’s the purpose of this discussion,” said Walls.

“I got nothing against Dock Walls, I think he was a little hostile in there, you know. I don’t know what side he got up on the bed last night, but, you know, he was hostile, didn’t let a person finish the conversation,” said Wilson, following the debate. 

Walls – who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2007 and 2011, and for governor and Congress in other elections – has not been invited to two of the three scheduled television debates. 

ABC7 is partnering with Univision and the League of Women voters to host a debate next week. The debate will be next Thursday, February 5 at ABC7’s State Street Studios at 7 p.m. 

You can see it live on our digital channel 7.2 and at abc7chicago.com. It will air on ABC7 at 10:35 p.m. after Eyewitness News at 10 p.m.