Jackson, Emanuel Meet

By Kevin Robinson in News on Sep 17, 2010 2:00PM

Rahm Emanuel and Jesse Jackson Jr met Thursday in Washington, DC, to discuss the city and mayoral possibilities, according to numerous anonymous reports. And Jackson broke the silence yesterday, granting an interview to the Tribune. "Rahm and I have not always seen eye-to-eye on everything,'' Jackson told the Tribune. "But both of us agree that Chicago is at a tipping point and the economic destiny of Chicago hangs in the balance.'' According to sources close to both men, they discussed jobs and the economy, as well as the importance of conducting campaigns that would allow either one to unify quickly behind a single candidate should nobody win 50 percent of the vote, leading to a run off.

"No one entering this contest should be under any illusion that if Rahm Emanuel comes to town, he's [not] bringing an A-game,'' Jackson said. "This will not be a B-game. And those who would be mayor need to recognize that. I say this with respect, but not unafraid to be in the ring with him myself. Rahm Emanuel is a heavyweight championship player and it would be a heavyweight fight.'' Lynn Sweet is also reporting that Jackson has met with congressmen Luis Gutierrez and Danny Davis. If Jackson's words and actions, and reports that the two discussed the need to run campaigns "on the highest moral ground possible,'' are any indication, it seems that they were discussing the terms of the duel, and not a negotiated peace.