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Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel told reporters Wednesday that he did not watch the Iowa Republican caucus results roll in Wednesday night -- because he believes President Obama will "make a strong and forceful case" no matter who he goes up against.
Emanuel ran down a list of Obama's accomplishments, including the health care law, ending the war in Iraq, the capture of Osama bin Laden and reforming education, NBC Chicago reports.
"That was a change a lot of wanted to see, a lot of us fought for, and that is a change that he delivered," Emanuel said.
He also said he was watching the Chicago Bulls game when Mitt Romney defeated Rick Santorum by just eight votes.
Emanuel has not been shy about criticizing Romney in recent months. In November, Emanuel said Romney "turns a blind eye" to the middle class during an appearance on ABC's "This Week." He also jabbed the former Massachusetts governor during a Democratic fundraiser in Iowa a few months back.
"Mitt Romney says he's a man of steadiness and consistency," Emanuel told the crowd. "If that's true, then I'm a linebacker for the Chicago Bears."
Emanuel has previously said that he would do whatever he can to help Obama win in 2012, but would not let campaigning or fundraising interfere with his job as mayor.
Obama is due back in Chicago Jan. 11 for a series of fundraisers to support his re-election effort.
The mayor's comments come as Romney begins to increase his efforts in Illinois. After being endorsed by U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Romney became the first presidential candidate to file a full slate of delegates for the March 20 Illinois primary, the Daily Herald reports. The early move will put him at the top of the Illinois primary ballot.