Rocket Rod and Fast Eddie

You don't hear Rod Blagojevich talk about it, especially in front of African-American audiences, but he worked against the election of Harold Washington for Chicago Mayor as a campaign aide of Fast Eddie Vrdolyak.

The connection between Fast Eddie and Public Official A might be relevant because of today's story in the Sun-Times. Here is part of a story from the Tribune on March 23, 1987, co-written by R. Bruce Dold, now the paper's editorial page editor.

King Peter Banks, leader of the church, called on his flock to support Vrdolyak, who is running on the Illinois Solidarity Party ticket in the April 7 general election.

"This is a great man," Banks said. "His job is to protect the city. My job is to save souls. We can work together. It is time that this city must come together. This was a great city. Now you can't walk down the street in peace."

Vrdolyak, after being serenaded with several gospel songs from the 75- member choir, spoke briefly to the crowd.

"I'm not here to knock anybody or tear anybody down," Vrdolyak said. "I'm here to say the only thing that separates us is the color green, dollars, economics, education."

Vrdolyak said he met Banks because the church owns several banquet halls near his Far South Side 10th Ward. Banks' former attorney, Rod Blagojevich, is a campaign aide to Vrdolyak.

Makes you wonder what kind of deal Blagojevich/Vrdolyak cut to get King Peter Banks' support.

Technorati Tags: corruption, Illinois, Stu Levine