Cornel West, the Princeton University professor, radio-talk show host, author, rap artist, movie actor, mile-a-minute speech maker and now Carol Moseley Braun supporter, is a tough act for anyone to follow; tough indeed for a politician behind in the polls with Election Day little more than a week away.
Perhaps that’s why when West, dressed in his trademark black three-piece suit and black scarf, handed Braun the microphone after firing up the crowd at South Side rally Sunday afternoon, she felt pressured to be funny and charming, to keep up with the charismatic professor.
She fell flat.
Braun said the campaign commercials of Rahm Emanuel, the front runner in the six-candidate race to replace Mayor Richard M. Daley in the Feb. 22 election, reminded her of a character in what she called the funniest film ever, the 1968 comedy, “The Producers.’’
The film is a dark satire written and directed by Mel Brooks. It is about a couple of broke producers, hoping to bilk investors out of their money by producing a Broadway flop – “Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden.’’
Braun asked the 200 people at the rally held at the Parkway Ballroom on South King Drive how many had seen the film. Few, if any, hands went up. She pressed ahead.
She said Emanuel’s “so kind, so nice’’ image in his campaign commercials belied his record as a congressman of voting against 128 bills sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus and reminded her of the character in “The Producers,” who was “still in love with the Furher, which was Adolf Hitler,’’ she said.
She paused, waiting for the laughter.
It did not come.
“You don’t get the joke,’’ she said. “OK. We get the kind man, the gentle man on television and not the person who voted against $5 million for food aid to Africa.’’
After the rally, Braun took questions from reporters. The first question was whether she was comparing Emanuel, who is Jewish, to Hitler.
Braun looked stunned.
“That’s the problem with making jokes with you-all around,’’ she said. “I was not comparing him to Adolf Hitler.*’’
Then what were you trying to say?
She said she was trying to say that people can get confused and that “the kind, gentle, concerned for the public (candidate) that’s been portrayed in all of these ads does not square with the record. That’s all. I was just making a point about the record versus the portrayal.’’
Braun has been a politician for a long time. She should know by now that loose lips don’t just sink ships. They can torpedo campaigns.
*Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly spelled Adolf Hitler’s first name.
And Braun has imploded. Chico’s worst nightmare has happened. With Braun collapsed, Rahm will more than gather her support. No runoff.
Don’t count on it!
Now Don Terry is showing HIS media bias against Braun. Terry HIMSELF witnessed hundreds of people rally in support of Braun at PUSH, then I saw him come upstairs when almost 100 new people signed up to be new Braun volunteers, did not report the details of what Dr. West, Jonathan Jackson, Dr. Conrad Worrill or the live radio broadcast of WVON, BUT after ALL of that news to report, Terry has to make headlines out of a 30 second joke gone bad.. It takes a LOT of effort to purposely ignore all of the positive things that happened to Braun at the rally versus what Terry has chosen for his headline, now showing HIS personal bias against Braun. Unfortunate. Terry used to be balanced but now his, like others Bias against Braun is clearly showing.
It’s sad to watch this once promising figure self-distruct.
Ms. Braun may not have the polish of Rham since she has not been working in the political field recently where your ability to speak and say nothing is all too common.
Ms Braun may have syntax issues but she will do more for government than a slick talker who wishes the position of mayor to serve as a stepping stone to higher office.
she shoulda said rahm was ‘strung out on CRACK!” they woulda went nuts. then wait 2 days to apologize. talk about foot in mouth disease…
Wasn’t Hitler’s gal, Eva, named Braun, too? In any event, “I’m a guy from Dusseldorf and that is why they call me Rolph….”
And your point is?
how dumb can you get?
I think she knew exactly what she was saying… she’s been trying to remind her base of Rahm’s Jewishness for weeks, referring to him as the “Jewish candidate” instead of the White candidate in the field. I think she hoped for a reaction from the Jewish community which would strengthen her perception of being “picked on” and get the African American community to come to her side.