Rahm Emanuel 'Surprised' By Daley Announcement: Will He Run For Mayor Of Chicago?

Even before the shock of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's announcement that he would not be seeking another term wore off--many people turned their attention to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

Emanuel, who was born in Chicago and represented Illinois' 5th congressional district until he joined the Obama administration, has been open about his desire to become mayor of Chicago since early this year. His connections to the position held by Daley for 21 years also run deep--he served as finance chairman of Daley's first mayoral campaign in 1989.

Despite the close relationship, Emanuel said he was "surprised" by Daley's announcement on Tuesday.

"While Mayor Daley surprised me today with his decision to not run for reelection, I have never been surprised by his leadership, dedication and tireless work on behalf of the city and the people of Chicago," Emanuel said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.

Speculation first arose about Emanuel's possible mayoral run in January, when Sally Quinn of the Post made a passing mention of the possibility. Emanuel then publicly said he would not be running for mayor in 2011--especially against Daley.

"I hope Mayor Daley seeks reelection," Emanuel said on Charlie Rose's PBS talk show in April. "I will work and support him if he seeks reelection...But if Mayor Daley doesn't, one day I would like to run for mayor of the city of Chicago...That's always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives."

Even with the Chicago elections just months away, sources told the Post that Emanuel will probably enter the race. From the Post:

A senior Obama Administration official said Emanuel is likely to run for the post. "I'd be shocked if he doesn't run," the official said.

An Emanuel friend said that "I can't imagine this is something he would pass on," adding: "It's always been a dream job for him [but] he was convinced it would be further down the road."

Politico reports that Emanuel's departure from the White House also may "coincide nicely with the demands for blood after a bad cycle," with some predicting big losses for democrats in the midterm elections.

"Emanuel has told Chicago associates, a source tells me, who he believes will likely succeed him: senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett," Politico reporter Ben Smith wrote Tuesday.

If Emanuel does decide to run, the Post predicts that he will be the frontrunner, though Chicago Rep. Mike Quigley told the Chicago News Cooperative that there will be "a lot of different people" vying for the office.

Some other names that have been floated include Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool, Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan, 2004 Senate candidate Gery Chico, Aldermen Scott Waguespack and Robert Fioretti, Reps. Mike Quigley, Luis Gutierrez, John Fritchey and Jesse Jackson Jr. and David Hoffman--who unsuccessfully ran against Alexi Giannoulias in the U.S. Senate primary.

Comments

[meko]

03:38 PM on 09/09/2010

He would be a terrible Mayor. Look at what he did at Freddie Mac when he parachuted there to make millions after the Clinton administration. They were more plagued by scandal than they'd ever been. Millions went in donations to political candidates that should have gone back into the enterprise.

Being a big-city mayor is about supporting infrastructure investments, ensuring effective transportation, working to reduce crime and supporting education. Rahm believes in none of these things. He is a political infighter only concerned with his own power. Under him pay-to-play politics would become even worse. Connected insiders would get more TIFs, leaving more of the burden of taxes to middle-class homeowners. More city operations would be "privatized" with the profits going to the connected businesses that got the contracts, and the losses covered by the taxpayers.

Rahm may need to leave the White House, but he'd be a disaster here.

[rain33]

10:01 AM on 09/09/2010

yup rahm is the cancer of democrats because he screwed up purposely on the public option, got the wrong blue dogs representing southern constituents, made president obama compromised too much for phoney republicans to support his ideas, he's becoming more polarizing than hilary clinton and slick willy combined etc! the voters of chicago won't vote for him so i want him go back to chi-town and get out of washington because he hasn't done nothing right for president obama since day one! rahm is more like the corporate democrat and a wussy cannot defend the poor & working class. peter " egghead" orzag and rahm only represent rich folks including wall street, gop business folks and themselves! daley will be missed in chicago!

[Hallywood]

04:53 AM on 09/09/2010

yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we need the AGGRESSOR! RAhm!!!

[meko]

03:41 PM on 09/09/2010

We need a city administrator who values infrastructure, public safety, education, transportation, and fiscal responsibility.

We do not need a pay-to-play politician who will privatize our tax revenues while subsidizing short falls, who will set up TIFs for his buddies and shift more of the tax burden onto middle-class homeowners, and who will not maintain the improvements made to the city over the previous administrations.

[kjgirl]

02:20 AM on 09/09/2010

YES!!!! PLEASE!!! FIX THE CITY BATMAN!!!

[Rayme]

11:47 PM on 09/08/2010

Yuck, Rahm? Didn't most of Congress complain about his bully boy chicago tactics?

[Aida Peery]

01:28 PM on 09/08/2010

Rahmn Emmanuel is a Chicagoan Native and he's Jewish. I suggest you start getting friendly with the Irish and the Italians in that town or better yet get Mayor Daley to endorse you for Mayor of that city. The Black/Spanish vote in Chicago, just use President Obama, you will get a landslide from Black/Spanish Voters in Chicago. Don't use Jesse Jackson and his cronies. I think you will make a good Mayor. But, time in office will prove if you would be a good Mayor or not. Good Luck!

[Hallywood]

04:54 AM on 09/09/2010

do not stereotype.... rahm will get the job done.

[Aldyth]

10:19 AM on 09/08/2010

Let the process work. If Rahm wants to run, good for him. He'll be duking it out with a lot of other people who would like the job and will have plenty of opportunities to debate.

[Lakesideboy]

10:13 AM on 09/08/2010

I'm not sure if Rahm is the right person. Maybe, just don't know.

We need a new mayor that will not consistently try to pull the wool over our eyes with secret deals and blatant & irresponsible spending.

The Olympics were the only vehicle left for Daley to drain money from......

[meko]

03:42 PM on 09/09/2010

Go Dart, Go Hoffman, Go Quigley.

If, through machine corruption, Rahm gets the Democratic nomination, Go Vallas.

[brotherdoc]

08:39 AM on 09/08/2010

Chicago beckons~ Run Rahm Run! Then the President can get an adviser that knows how to get things done in DC.

[John McAlpin]

07:45 AM on 09/08/2010

Molly Ivins had Rahm the creep pegged: he's a dirty neocon. He cares only for two things: Rahm Emmanuel and Israel. Both have been parasites on us too long.

[47th]

09:06 PM on 09/08/2010

He should run for mayor of Tel Aviv. Mayor of Chicago? No way! We have just rid ourselves of one incompetent, we don't need another!

[CanterburyTale]

07:34 AM on 09/08/2010

Rahm is not an asset to Obama. He should go.

[bulbul2]

07:30 AM on 09/08/2010

I say go for that job Emanuel be the mayor of Chicago.

[John McAlpin]

07:45 AM on 09/08/2010

Why do you hate Chicago?

[bulbul2]

08:15 AM on 09/08/2010

Saying that out of love, Chicago is much troubled with corruption, person like Enanuel is necessary to get a grip of the situation. We all know he will not waste time trying to improve his image..he will get to work pronto.

[Spazzznyc]

07:27 AM on 09/08/2010

Clearly, Emanuel is to blame for giving us a watered down expensive healthcare solution and wishy washy stuck in the middle abyss politics. President Obama had so much passion and energized voters and now we have very little to show for a year and a half. American is struggling, especially the middle class, who have worked so hard and paid thousands of dollars in taxes and have been beaten down too many times. Where is our bailout?

[Whitemellon]

07:15 AM on 09/08/2010

What happened to the Tee Shirt Shop? Last I heard that was the big plan. I can hear him now, "I said we don't have any @u@king smalls left."

[FebM]

07:07 AM on 09/08/2010

Rahm is great, go buddy and next aim for the president.

[Nutcase]

07:23 AM on 09/08/2010

He's already hit and wounded the President.

[naschkatze]

11:04 AM on 09/08/2010

LOL