Mayor Rahm Emanuel Visits Lakewood

With the election just a week away Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former Congressman and White House Chief of Staff stopped by the Lakewood for Obama/Organizing for America headquarters on October 27 stumping for his former boss, Barack Obama. The Mayor was warmly welcomed by a large group of volunteers from Lakewood and the westside of Cleveland. He walked through the crowd to shake hands and greet everyone personally. After a brief introduction from OFA’s Regional Field Director Jonathan Welle and State Representative Nickie Antonio, Mayor Emanuel took the podium and thanked the volunteers for “everything they had done for the last nine months” and everything they will do in the remaining days of the campaign.

Addressing the one in eight jobs saved in the auto industry, the Mayor reminded the crowd that the President stood by the workers of Ohio and the families of Ohio. He said “the President made courageous decisions in the face of a lot of criticism” and “put the American auto industry back to work.” He continued, “Ohio’s economy has started to move again. The President got it right.”

He spoke about the importance of this election for families in cities like Lakewood, for Ohio and for the nation. “The President wants to continue to move our country forward, but the opposition wants to put us in reverse and take us back to the failed policies of the past,” said the Mayor. “The President kept his promises, including ending the war in Iraq,” he continued, “and for ten years we’ve been paying to build schools in Iraq, it’s time to build schools here.”

The Mayor ended his stop at the Lakewood office by signing the volunteer wall and taking time to sign campaign placards for volunteers. Erin Shaughnessy, a Lakewood resident who has been volunteering at the campaign office and going door-to-door speaking with voters said, “It was great to hear Rahm Emanuel today. He stressed the importance of the election and what it really means to all of us, reminding us of what is at stake.”

The election is November 6. Polls open at 6:30 am. You can vote early this week at the Board of Elections at 2925 Euclid Avenue. For a list of endorsed candidates visit www.lakewooddemocrats.com. If you would like to volunteer please visit barackobama.com and search for events in 44107 or stop by the Lakewood office at 11822 Detroit and sign up to help.

Karolyn Isenhart is the President of the Lakewood Democratic Club.