Fioretti Poll: Emanuel Less Popular Than Eisenhower Traffic
CHICAGO (CBS) -- As he ramps up his campaign for mayor, Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) has released a new poll suggesting Mayor Rahm Emanuel is more unpopular in Chicago than rush hour traffic or the Fox News Channel.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, Fioretti released results of a Hamilton Campaigns poll he commissioned to gauge likely Chicago voters' opinions of the current mayor, and some other famously unpopular things in Chicago: traffic on the Eisenhower Expressway, Fox News, and the Green Bay Packers.
With Emanuel's first term as mayor nearly done, the poll showed he has a higher unfavorable rating in Chicago than both Fox News and rush hour traffic on the Eisenhower.
Of the 500 likely voters questioned for the poll 52 percent had a somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable opinion of Emanuel. Only 49 percent had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of morning traffic on the Eisenhower, and 51 percent had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of Fox News.
Fioretti acknowledged there was some good news for the incumbent mayor: he's more popular than the Packers, which had a 58 percent unfavorable rating.
"He was just slightly more popular, but it doesn't say much, especially in a town where we're all for the Bears," he said.
Emanuel campaign spokesman Steve Mayberry said, "This is a silly poll from a candidate who apparently has nothing better to do or say."
Fioretti said the poll was meant to be light-hearted.
"I think sometimes politics, we all take it a bit too seriously in terms of what we do. So if we could find some ways to have a smile on what we do out here, it's well worth it for everybody," he said.
The alderman said he'll have more to say about serious issues that were part of the poll later.