Local Journalist responds to recent poll reporting that Rahm Emanuel is leading by 54% and that 53% of African Americans back him

 

Chicago, IL – It is sad that ABC7 Chicago came up with a poll just 14-days before the February 22, 2011 election claiming that Rahm Emanuel was leading  the race for mayor with 54 percent of the vote.

And, to conclude that 53 percent of blacks would vote for Emanuel over Carol Moseley Braun is a double slap in the face when  African Americans  represent 42 percent of all registered voters in Chicago. The so-called poll is constantly being aired on a station that has accepted thousands of dollars in campaign ads from Emanuel who stands to benefit from ABC7 Chicago’s promotion of these results. 

It is sad because ABC7 Chicago is one of my favorite news station and one that my family and I depend on for accuracy and for ethical journalism. For the first time, ABC7 Chicago has let me down and I am still stunned and surprised over its actions.

Running this so-called poll that only reached out to 600 people just days before an election is an affront to all Chicagoans especially since Emanuel has spent so much money on ads on this station.  The poll seems like a conflict of interest to me.

What was the purpose of running this ad so close to the election? Is the station trying to create apathy among supporters of Carol Moseley Braun who in all previous recent polls was coming in as second but with this ABC7 poll now limps in fourth with 6 percent opposed to her double digits in recent polls?

It is strange and offensive that ABC7 Chicago released this poll that contradicts the statistics that Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) recently gave just days ago. Ironically, when he spoke at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition a week ago he accused the media of “trying to confuse the black and Hispanic voters ” by airing and reporting these “false” polls.

We all know that Tuesday, February 22, 2011 falls on the same day and month that the late Mayor Harold Washington won the historic mayoral primary and he did so with a unified black vote.

I would hope that ABC7 Chicago is not trying to give Emanuel the PR it needs to dilute the black vote which represents 42 percent of all registered voters. That would be wrong. That would be journalistically unethical. That would not be the ABC7 Chicago news station I have watched, supported and admired for decades.

I hope this “poll” will inspire and energize the black and brown electorate to vote for Carol Moseley Braun and from the response I am getting, it will; however, ABC7 Chicago owes this city and certainly the African American and Hispanic community an apology.

By the way, ABC7 Chicago did not air Rep. Rush when he spoke at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Where is the media fairness?

 

Chinta Strausberg

A Journalist and Investigative News Reporter for more than 30-years and currently a talk show host on the PCC Network.