Mayor Emanuel releases radio ads featuring President Obama

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Radio ads began running Monday featuring President Obama pledging his support for Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The president endorsed his former chief of staff four years ago and is doing it again this year. While the mayor says he is thrilled to have Obama's support again, Emanuel's opponents do not believe the president's endorsement will make a difference among African-American voters.

The 60-second endorsement touts the mayor's full school day and minimum wage hike, but Emanuel's opponents say the ad means nothing.

Candidate Willie Wilson does not believe African-American voters are going to buy what Obama says.

"I find it hard to believe our president would go along with closing 50 schools in minority neighborhoods," Wilson said.

While the president remains very popular in minority neighborhoods, candidate Bill "Doc" Walls does not think the endorsement will translate into votes this time.

"He endorsed Rahm Emanuel last time," Walls said. "Based upon that, many people voted blindly for Rahm Emanuel."

But while his opponents may have dismissed the ad, they were not about to ignore a Chicago Sun-Times report that says Emanuel has raised $30 million, money that partially comes from Hollywood donors and developers.

"While we don't have millions of dollars, we have hundreds of thousands of volunteers that can make a difference with knocks on the door and phone calls," said Chuy Garcia.

"I don't need $30 million," said Ald. Bob Fioretti. "I think it is obscene. The mayor should be giving some of that money to buy police for vests, as I said, and a couple million to open up those mental health clinics, he could get every vote in the city."

Much of the mayor's money raised is going toward radio and TV ads. Candidate Willie Wilson's campaign is also running TV and radio ads. With the election less than a month away, the mayor is hoping to avoid a run-off.

Undecided voters will have a chance to see all the candidates in five debates, the first of which will be held Tuesday, Jan. 27.