CHICAGO -- The Chicago Sun-Times endorsed U.S. Rep. Harold Washington, D-Ill., for mayor, expressing hope that his leadership will make him a 'formidable champion for Chicago.'
The Sun-Times said in its early Sunday edition Washington, who would be the city's first black mayor, 'can heal the raw sores of racial enmity that have plagued us for decades.'
'Perhaps, in this time and this place, that's something only a black mayor can do -- a black mayor who does a bang-up job. We expect that Mayor Washington would become a formidable champion for Chicago.'
The newspaper, lashing out at what it called an 'obnoxious' racial tone in the campaign of Republican challenger Bernard Epton, said Epton lacks a political base, diplomatic skills and the commitment needed to head the city.
The editorial said Epton's campaign has taken a 'nasty turn.'
'The line in his commercials, 'Epton -- before it's too late,' is unambiguous and obnoxious,' the newspaper said. 'It also underscores what everybody knows: Epton is a serious candidate mainly because his opponent is black. That's objectionable for practical as well as moral reasons.'
Acknowledging Washington's liabilities, chiefly his federal conviction for failing to file income tax returns, the Sun-Times said Epton's shortcomings are 'more hazardous to the health of the city.'
The newspaper noted that 'many well-meaning people, by no means racist, are disturbed by Washington's history of legal problems,' but says the mistakes were made years ago and were more of a personal nature.
The Chicago Tribune endorsed Washington two weeks ago.
Both newspapers endorsed Cook County State's Attorney Richard M. Daley in the primary in which Washington emerged the winner of a three-way race against Daley and Mayor Jane M. Byrne.
