Chicago mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun apologized Tuesday for saying one of her opponents was “strung out on crack” as the former U.S. senator tried to divert the unwanted negative attention that the verbal exchange has brought to her campaign.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago mayoral candidate Carol Moseley Braun apologized Tuesday for saying one of her opponents was "strung out on crack" as the former U.S. senator tried to divert the unwanted negative attention that the verbal exchange has brought to her campaign.
Braun said she meant "no disrespect" and regretted any "intemperance" in her remarks to little-known candidate Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins during a weekend forum.
"Patricia Watkins said she does not expect an apology from me. She is wrong, I want to apologize to her," Braun said at a West Side church surrounded by supporters including ministers and U.S. Reps. Danny Davis and Bobby Rush.
Braun wouldn’t say if she had apologized personally to Van Pelt-Watkins. She also wouldn’t explain why she said what she did, comment about what the exchange said about her temperament or say whether she’s worried that she alienated voters ahead of the Feb. 22 election.
"My words today speak for themselves and, frankly, I don’t know what else there is to say about that matter," Braun said, trying to change the subject to what she thinks the city could do to help fight drug abuse.
The episode exploded during a Sunday forum when Van Pelt-Watkins said Braun had been "missing in action" for years. Braun responded by saying Van Pelt-Watkins didn’t know what she had been doing "because you were strung out on crack."
Van Pelt-Watkins has told reporters that she used drugs when she was young but never used crack, and has been sober for more than 25 years. A community organizer, she said she accepted Braun’s apology but not without condition.
"Though I accept Carol’s media-issued apology, I believe she should seek sensitivity counseling and make restitution by volunteering at a recovery house as soon as possible.
Carol’s reckless comments reveal her detachment from the experiences of the majority of Chicago families who just need a second chance," she said in a statement.
Braun’s supporters said it was time to move on because she had apologized.
"When someone gives an apology the next question that the media and everyone should ask is, ‘Will I be forgiven?’ And so we come from a forgiveness society, those of us who believe in the Christian faith," said Rev. Janette Wilson, assistant pastor at Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church.
Van Pelt-Watkins has trailed Braun and the other major candidates in the polls to replace the retiring Mayor Richard Daley, who has chosen not to seek a seventh term.
The other major candidates include former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, City Clerk Miguel del Valle and former Chicago schools president Gery Chico. A candidate must get 50 percent of the vote plus one vote to win the mayor’s job outright and avoid an April runoff.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
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