RAHMWATCH: Chicago's mayor re-visits one of his pre-election 'Obama Moments' by celebrating Pullman 'anniversary' -- and praising Wal-Mart...
In Febraury 2015, President Barack Obama came to Chicago supposedly to announce that Pullman was to become a national historic landmark. But as many at the time noted, the real reason for Obama's Chicago trip was to provide support for Mayor Rahm Emanue'ls re-election bid. Emanuel was forced into a runoff (which he won in April 2015) because of his attacks on the schools and public workers. Emanuel's return to Pullman on February 19, 2016, did not include Obama, but was another attempt by Emanuel to tell the public that he was not going to resign, despite the lowest approval ratings of any Chicago mayor in history and scandals that extend from police murders to corrupt school leaders to his hand-picked financial officials both at City Hall and at CPS. CNN photo. Anyone who believed that a couple of months of protests -- including the dramatic "Black Friday" occupation of North Michigan Ave. -- were going to persuade Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to quit his job and apologize to the world for his sins (and, some would say, crimes) needed to watch the mayor's public activities during late January and all of February 2016. Rahm came back, ignored protesters, and pushed his previous narrative. There was no better example of that hypocrisy than on February 19, 2016, when Rahm held a major media event on Chicago's South Side to "celebrate" the anniversary of the designation of Pullman as a national historic site -- and the place where President Barack Obama would come to Chicago to remind Chicago's voters to vote for Rahm in the April 2015 election.
Despite all of the scandals of the Emanuel administration in Chicago, the President of the United States gave his support to Emanuel in February 2015, appearing at the Pullman event and then going photo ops in front of signs promoting Emanuel's re-election. Critics noted that Obama's endorsement of his former chief of staff was one of the main reasons why Emanuel won a second term in a heated runoff in April 2015. Every majority African American ward in Chicago voted for Emanuel over his opponent Jesus "Chuy" Garcia in the runoff.
By the time Emanuel was inaugurated for his second term in May 2015, scandals were swirling around his administration. His former finance chief had been indicted. His hand-picked schools chief was about to face federal charges for corruption. And the scandals involving police murders of black men in Chicago was looming for the future.
Yet in February 2016, Emanuel not only tried to divert attention from the massive corruption in his administration in Chicago, but he even praised Wal-Mart during the event, as the press release below shows.
The official press release from City Hall gives a great example of how ruling class propagandists frame an issue and work to dominate a narrative.
MAYOR EMANUEL CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PULLMANS DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL MONUMENT
Mayor Rahm Emanuel today celebrated the first anniversary of President Obamas designation of Pullman as Chicagos first national monument.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. February 19, 2016. CONTACT: Mayors Press Office 312.744.3334 press@cityofchicago.org
Feb. 19, 2015 President Obama Signed Proclamation to Create Chicagos First National Monument.
One year ago today President Obama made sure that Pullmans history will forever be a part of Americas history, Mayor Emanuel said. But Pullman National Monument is about more than reclaiming a part of Pullmans past its also about what we are doing to redefine Pullmans future.
Pullman National Monument is a key part of the neighborhoods economic comeback. Since last year the Method factory became the first new manufacturing facility to be built in Pullman in more than 30 years. The facility has created 100 jobs and has the nations largest rooftop greenhouse.
Over the past three years the Pullman neighborhood has seen $173 million in public and private investment in recently completed projects, including a building addition on the Gwendolyn Brooks Selective Enrollment Academy to allow it to expand to serve seventh and eighth grades. Ranked #16 in the state by U.S. News and World Report, Brooks attracts high-performing students from throughout the city.
Additionally, the new Walmart in Pullman is employing 400 people and is one of the busiest shopping centers in all of Chicago. The currently under-construction 113,000 square-foot Pullman Community Center will create even more community jobs.
The Park Service estimates that tourism in Pullman will jump from the current 30,000 visitors a year to more than 300,000 annually thanks to Pullman National Monument.
Todays event follows Mayor Emanuels announcement yesterday of an initiative that will generate millions of dollars in new investment into underserved communities throughout Chicago. The proposal will reform existing ordinance to allow developers to obtain additional square-footage for construction projects in the downtown area in exchange for investments to support neighborhoods in need of jobs and economic growth.
