Rahm Talks To Larry King About Family, Stress (VIDEO)

On "Larry King Live" Wednesday night, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel spoke frankly about the pressure of working in the administration and the difficulty of being away from his family.

Asked by King, "You like this job?" Emanuel responded, "Yes. I find it, well you know, Larry. I love public service. ... As you know my family is back in Chicago. And I have three young kids. And I cannot wait until they move to Washington. It has been very tough on the family. But I find the work unbelievably rewarding."

King went on to reference a New Yorker article that suggested Emanuel would have preferred to stay in Congress. The former congressman acknowledged that he "very much enjoyed" Congress, but he said he had no regrets about leaving: "When I think of all the things you can make some change in peoples' lives, some effect where you can do something to give something back to your country which is a value my parents raised me with and my brothers, I think I am very fortunate to have all of those opportunities of public service and I -- not only don't regret them I think I am fortunate to have them and I'm fortunate my parents are alive to see it."

Asked, finally, what the toughest thing is about being Chief of Staff, Emanuel said, "It's I get up at 5:30. I will not get home until 10:30. Do that seven days a week. I like to joke around the White House, on Friday I say, 'Good, just two more workdays until Monday.'"

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