Mayors turned pitchmen sorry for all the confusion

Two local mayors may have tiptoed over the fine line between helping their residents and endorsing a national pharmacy chain.

Naperville Mayor George Pradel and Elgin Mayor Ed Schock both said they were contacted by a representative from WBBM NewsRadio 780 asking if they were willing to record a public service announcement about changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. And they both agreed.

“I said, well, yeah, if it helps people get information that would be good,” Schock said.

Pradel, who says he has demanded the spot be pulled off the air, insists he, too, was trying to get the word out but didn't realize he was hawking Walgreens.

“I never even heard the spot, but I've heard about it, and I don't want it on the radio because I can't endorse any one agency,” Pradel said. “I'm enthusiastic for anyone who is doing well and doing good things for the community, but I'm afraid this could have hurt some of my local friends in the pharmacy business.”

Schock said he didn't know Walgreens was paying for the advertisement, he just knew its pharmacy was a place seniors could go to get information about Medicare.

“I didn't feel any reservations mentioning that people can get this information at Walgreens,” Schock said. “The more information people have the better.”

Now Schock and Pradel are facing a backlash from some community members and their mayoral opponents who regard the advertisements as support for one business over another.

Naperville Councilman Kenn Miller, one of Pradel's two challengers, said he was surprised by the decision.

“I never heard the ad but I've heard about it and that is not something I would have done as a sitting councilman or mayor,” Miller said. “I don't doubt the mayor thought he was doing something good for Naperville but it's just too easy for something like that to be misinterpreted as him supporting a national chain when we have other chains and quality local pharmacies in the city.”

Longtime Naperville Councilman Doug Krause, another Pradel opponent, wasn't familiar with the ad but said he planned to talk to the mayor about it.

“Something about that just doesn't sound right,” Krause said. “I don't think I can comment on something I haven't heard until I talk to the mayor.”

Schock's mayoral opponent, Councilman David Kaptain, called the ad “inappropriate.”

“I don't think the mayor should take that kind of an approach to advertising,” Kaptain said. “He's supposed to advertise the entire community.

“I gave him the benefit of the doubt until I heard it, but it is definitely an ad,” he added.

Schock acknowledged he hasn't heard the ad before or after it aired but he still regards it as a public service announcement.

He said he is not angry with WBBM or Walgreens but he regrets the confusion the ad has caused.

Attempts to reach a WBBM representative for comment were unsuccessful.

Walgreens spokesman Robert Elfinger said the spots, directing Medicare beneficiaries to Walgreens for information about choosing a plan based on changes in health care law, are much like others the corporation has financed on CBS radio affiliates across the country.