Stroger late for rally, gov ab
More than 100 ministers wait nearly 2 hours
October 24, 2006
BY STEVE PATTERSON Staff Reporter
What was billed as a kickoff for the "Rod and Todd Show" instead stumbled getting out of the gate Monday.
More than 100 ministers gathered at New Spiritual Light Missionary Baptist Church, 7566 S. South Shore Dr., armed with campaign fliers and signs touting the candidacies of Rod Blagojevich for governor and Todd Stroger for Cook County Board president.
But Stroger was almost two hours late for the event and Blagojevich was a no-show.
Stroger campaign officials said he was delayed by earlier campaign appearances, while Blagojevich campaign officials said he never committed to the event and instead had staffers there on his behalf.
"You all just keep trying to put the governor against Todd," said the Rev. Walter P. Turner III.
The group met in the church basement earlier and could be overheard urging pastors and their congregants to give as many cash-only donations as possible to support Stroger and later called on Democratic Party leaders to also provide Stroger with financial help.
The group repeatedly described Stroger as "qualified" for the job up for election Nov. 7.
As that event unfolded, Republican challenger Tony Peraica had his own press conference, pointing to a Stroger event planned for today -- coordinated by west suburban consultant Anthony Bruno.
Bellwood Mayor Frank Pasquale is putting on a breakfast in Hillside to introduce Stroger to officials, and he said he reached out to Bruno to help get the word out about it.
Bruno, a disbarred attorney, has been tied to multiple controversial contracts in Melrose Park and Cicero, and federal officials have subpoenaed records of payments made to him for projects in Cicero.
A Bruno spokeswoman said, "He's been hired as a party planner, nothing more," while Pasquale said, "When the hell is this b.s. ever going to end?"
spatterson@suntimes.com
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