Braun Backers Surprise Emanuel

Mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel jokes with Rev. Jesse Jackson during a campaign stop and lunch Monday at Chicago

Chants of “Carol, Carol’’ encircled Rahm Emanuel Monday as he walked into Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles on the South Side for what was supposed to be a quiet photo op of Emanuel eating lunch with an African American supporter.

But a vocal group of Carol Moseley Braun’s mayoral campaign volunteers and supporters – including U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush – spoiled the party, chanting her name and distributing her campaign literature throughout the crowded restaurant. There were no chants of “Rahm, Rahm.’’

Emanuel, the front runner in Tuesday’s mayoral election, was also greeted at the restaurant by Rev. Jesse Jackson, who sat a few tables away, wearing a mischievous Cheshire cat grin.

“I’m not a tourist,’’ Jackson said. “I’ve been here before. I live here.’’

Thirty minutes earlier, Jackson, Rush, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, businessman John Rogers, Rev. Paul Jakes, state Senators Jacqueline Collins and Martin Sandoval and over a dozen other supporters stood behind Braun at the Parkway Ballroom as she discussed her request to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate how the Emanuel campaign was able to get the home addresses of city workers for a campaign mailing.

Braun described the letter sent to city workers explaining Emanuel’s pension position as “voter intimidation.’’

She also called for a moratorium on city contracts from now until the next mayor takes office in May, because, Braun said, “contracts are flying fast and furious’’ out of the front and back doors of City Hall.

Braun accused both Emanuel and mayoral candidate Gery Chico of profiting financially from their positions in government and of being on the side of “rich, moneyed deep pocketed interests’’ that had “used our city as a great cash register.’’

Despite being well behind of Emanuel and Chico in recent voter surveys with less than 24 hours before election day, Braun said she was “optimistic’’ about her chances.

As the Braun news conference ended, word spread that Emanuel was scheduled to have lunch down the street. Jackson arrived at the restaurant before Emanuel. It was packed but Jackson sat at the table of Emanuel Young and his wife, Carolyn. The couple was celebrating her 46th birthday.

“Here’s a bona fide resident of Chicago named Emanuel,’’ Jackson said.

Then came the chants of “Carol, Carol’’ and the other Emanuel arrived. He took off his suit coat and ate a lunch of fried chicken and collard greens with supporter Zipporah Hightower, principal of the Bethune School of Excellence on the West Side. Emanuel paid the bill, shook hands and joked with Jackson. Then he left.

He stopped briefly to talk to reporters outside the restaurant, where he said that the pro-Braun chants and barbs from other candidates didn’t matter.

“Chicago matters,’’ Emanuel said, before climbing into a black SUV. “It’s worth fighting for.’’

Inside, Jackson was finishing his lunch. “I voted for Carol,’’ he said.

Jackson was asked what he had said to Emanuel.

“Welcome to the neighborhood,’’ he said, flashing another grin.