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Obama will hold off on announcing the location for his future presidential library until after Chicago’s runoff election for mayor, two people familiar with the decision said, in a bid to avoid politicizing his legacy project.
CHICAGO >> The two Chicago universities in the competition for President Barack Obama’s library came together Monday to send a message to the White House: Choose either one of us, just don’t pick New York.
Officials from the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others gathered in a crowded hotel ballroom for what was billed a “Unity Breakfast.” Speakers took turns reminding the president and the first lady where their roots are and implored them to “bring it on home,” as Carol Adams, a member of the University of Chicago’s Obama library community advisory board, put it.
“Chicago is the only place with the historic political trajectory of President Barack Obama, and his presidential library should be erected here,” said Adams, a former president of the DuSable Museum of African American History. “‘For indeed, he did get there from here.”
The effort to convince Obama to build his library in the city and not at the University of Hawaii or New York’s Columbia University has been a major story in Chicago — and has even made its way into next month’s mayoral election between Emanuel and Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Emanuel, Obama’s former White House chief of staff, has pushed hard for the library and was dealt what was widely seen as a blow to his campaign when it was reported earlier this month that the Obamas would delay announcing their decision until after the April 7 runoff election.
The mayor did not receive nearly as much support among black voters in last month’s primary as he did when he was elected in 2011, after a campaign in which he made no secret of his access to the president.
Now, those same voters Emanuel is trying to win back have overwhelmingly supported a project that would bring thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars to one of two predominantly black communities that are in desperate need of some good financial news.
“It can be on the South Side, it can be on the West Side, but it cannot be on the Upper West Side of Manhattan,” Emanuel said.
The mayor also alluded to Garcia without saying his name during a later press briefing, drawing a contrast between himself and his challenger, who initially opposed the transfer of park land on the South Side.
Emanuel even seemed to suggest that the library foundation wanted to make sure he was re-elected before awarding the library to Chicago — though individuals with knowledge of the delay told the AP last month that the foundation decided to delay because it did not want to inject itself into a campaign or be seen as giving Emanuel an unfair advantage.
“I do think the foundation made a decision because they believe leadership counts, and having strong leadership that can make sure you not only have a plan but that you can see it through will help us secure the library,” he said.
Garcia’s campaign did not immediately return a call for comment.
