Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart hasn't announced a run for Chicago mayor ... yet.
But the popular peace officer already has a campaign video of sorts.
The man who would be his political strategist, veteran ad man Joe Trippi, signed on to help Dart early this week. Tuesday he released a low quality anti-Rahm Emanuel video.
The one-minute spot, set to the theme from '70s sit-com "Welcome Back Cotter," quotes numerous Chicagoans on Emanuel's negatives. The video relies heavily on footage taken from the launch of Emanuel's "listening tour" Monday.
Trippi posted the anti-Rahm video to his website, JoeTrippi.com with the disclaimer "I've been advising Tom Dart" below the embedded media.
Trippi, who's worked on political campaigns for Howard Dean, John Edwards, Walter Mondale and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, is considered a media wizard of sorts. The Evanston native is currently helping California Democrat Jerry Brown mount an insurgent campaign against former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.
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He hinted to the Sun-Times Sunday that he would become Dart's lead strategist if he decides to run.
"Right now, I'm just advising him as he gets ready [to decide]," Trippi told the Sun-Times. "If he runs, I'm going to be his media and lead strategist to put together the campaign."
While Dart is still on the sidelines of the mayor's contest, the ad, authorized or not, is a clear indication of whom Dart plans to run against should he join the race. .
