By Jessica Hopper
Rock Center
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the tough talking politician who has served two presidents and been a member of Congress, said that he has ruled out any plans for higher office.
In an interview with Rock Center’s Harry Smith, Emanuel said he has no plans to be America’s first Jewish president.
“Not interested. Not going to do it. No. I’ll do it in Hebrew, Lo,” Emanuel told Smith with his famously blunt tongue.
When reminded of other politicians who vowed to avoid a presidential run only to run years later, Emanuel said, “I don’t care.”
When pressed by Smith, Emanuel said, “What part of it is [it] that I’m not getting across? Here, give me a piece of paper, I’ll sign it,” he said.
Emanuel, 51, gave up his job as President Obama’s White House chief of staff to become mayor of his hometown, Chicago, Ill. He’s also been an aide to former President Bill Clinton and made a reputation in Washington, D.C., for his sharp elbows and famously foul mouth. Legend has it, he once sent a dead fish to a political opponent.
Now in his sixth month as mayor, some say a different, softer side of Emanuel is emerging and resonating with Chicagoans.
Emanuel might still be in the honeymoon phase of his term, but the challenges he faces as the leader of the nation’s third largest city are great. Among them are a $600 million budget deficit, high crime levels and a battle with the local teachers union.
Emanuel said all of those challenges are “manageable,” but one challenge in particular truly makes him pause.
“You go around sometimes, kids are growing up in an environment in parts of the city that you wouldn’t let your own kids grow up in. There’s no sense of life and there’s an emptiness in their eyes that you don’t know if you can change,” he said.
Emanuel, a father of three, has imposed an earlier curfew for kids 12 and under to help keep them out of trouble and has been negotiating with the local teachers union to make good on a campaign promise to lengthen the school year and school day.
“Reaching a child who has the flicker of life snuffed out? That’s daunting. These other things, we can handle,” he said. “That to me is what gives you pause…and I think I can say this since it’s not one of my strong suits, that’s what humbles you.”
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Yeah, Emanuel would be great as President. Then the whole world could get a shot of *&^)*&^%$( mouth.
Rahm Emanuel for president?
This would be a sure sign of the apocalypse! God help us if that guy got elected to anything outside of Chicago! And God bless the Chicago folks who aren't on welfare who didn't vote for that guy as their mayor!
I will say this, I would never vote for him but he could not be any worse than the empty suit we have in the White House right now. At least Emanuel would have the backbone to stand up the nutcases like Ahmadinejad, although many of the Arab nations would never deal with him because he is Jewish. As much as I have no problem with the idea of a Jewish president and would in fact welcome one, it would seriously complicate our foreign relations with much of the Arab world. The nutcases in the Arab world wrongly think that every person who is Jewish automatically supports everything Israel does. And before all the flamers start, as someone who is Jewish I can tell you that Judaism is a religion and Israeli is a nationality and I draw a huge distinction between the two. I am an American who happens to be Jewish, not an Israeli, and I do not support everything Israel does. In fact, I have strongly disagreed with some of the actions Israel has taken over the years.
My problems with Emanuel relate to his politics and views on issues affecting ths country. He is just another corrupt politician from the infamous Chicago Democratic political machine that can not be trusted. I would never want to see him as president so I am glad he won't run.
We don't need another person from Illinois in the top spot!
Anyone that refuses to run for the presidency is automatically more intelligent than anybody that does. I mean would you want to be microscopically examined and hated by half the American population?
His election would be a disaster for Israel, because he'll bend over backwards to demonstrate he's not subservient to Israel - with all the consequences thereof. As a supporter of Israel, I'd rather vote for any Christian from the current GOP field - well, maybe except for Ron Paul.
He's not going to run for president? Thank God.
The current president is not socialist enough?
Our trains run on time in Chicago.
If i had to do a list of top 1000 Dem nominees for pres he wouldn't make it.
1000 top democrats?? An empty list.
He would definitely be 10 times better than anyone the Republicans have managed to put up lately.
You.....are a moron.
Yep, he would make the whole world quiver with his nice, short comments:
Time for ya to head back to your still on that thar mountain top.
Being a Democrat, he would be running against Obama in the primaries. That being said, he would probably be a better President, or at least more effective, than Obama. We really do need to replace Obama on the ticket, but I think Hillary is the better choice.
Hillary is a much better choice than the guy they have in their now. She is at least more middle of the road! I might even vote for her. This empty suit in office today thinks we want a socialist society and he is deluding himself!
Raul has the same type of mentality as O'Dumba. I would NEVER vote for him!
I would vote for Hillary if she ran. I really would. I supported Obama the last time. I would vote for Hillary because I think Obama was too nice to the Republicans. I want a hard-core, I don't give a f*ck, balls of steel kinda liberal; right now, Hillary is the best fit I see. I would still vote for either of them over any piece of sh*t the Republicans cough up. You can tell even the Republicans know that their candidates are Idiots. Just look at them jump from one guy to another week after week.
I am amazed at the number of libtards on these sites that admit to voting for odumbo.....like it's nothing......like they don't know what a fool they look like......amazing! This clown had zero experience at anything....was not veted by the lamestream media, AT ALL......and offered NOTHING but "hope" and "change"....two words that really mean nothing. Well you got what you voted for....an empty suit.....nice job....morons.
You conveniently misunderstood me Eric.
Obama has been a good president. I had higher expectations, however.
I am amazed at the number of TP idiots on these sites that admit to thinking they have a candidate.....like it's nothing......like they don't know what a fool they look like......amazing! These clowns have zero thought or knowledge....that was not veted by the faux news, AT ALL......and offer NOTHING but oops....a word that really means nothing. Well you got what you support....an empty head.....nice job....morons.
Obama has been good? baldman? you have got to be kiddin me...what has he done? other then ram down obamacare he couldnt get passed without bribes,,he has been the worst at the worst time!! but dont worry like jimmy carter he is going to get blasted in the election mark my work...even illegals cant stand him!!
"..what has he done?"
At some point you've got to realize that asking questions like these doesn't make you appear cute anymore. I mean, seriously...
What an idiot...
Eric, talk about someone who can't make a meaningful statement but relies on throwing stink-bombs; in one short phrase, your use of the English language relies upon name-calling (libtards, odumbo, fool, clown, lamestream media, empty suit, moron) rather than speaking intelligently about an issue. But, that only reflects the type of person you are--someone without the skill to reason or discuss differences with others. Pitiful.
Eric-1882221, this is useless. You know the rules.
You're suspended for a week for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
...
Marks1, you're suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
I'm sure Rahm said, "Me president? F*&% no!"
Every night he goes to bed he is asking Moses to bring this dream alive...Il bet...Emanuel a Jew from Israel to be USA president... Not bad for him. We pay more for living in Chicago but him being god in mathematics earn credits to the White house..Not bad Emanuel..not bed
another, anyone except Rommney prospect...
Except Emanuel is a Democrat, not a Republican so he could not be an alternative to Romney being nominated without changing parties (which is never going to happen)!!!
he's not a democrat, he's a racist biggot, and would choose any party to be in, and would love to be president, except his buddy BHO is in there now, and he;s still waiting for the obamanation to GIVE him a tsar job, like hate America tsar.
It’s got to really hurt, being you, S.Ulmer...
Thank god we finally have an intelligent, capable man as president now, after 8 years of sheer incompetence under HalliBush, Inc., the oil administration.
Thank god we’ll have 4 MORE years, too!
Are you for real? 4 more years of intended distruction of the US by the obamanation? He took an out of control budget and TRPLED IT in just 2 years. he was given the nobel peace prize FOR NOTHING, absolutly NOTHING. He is doing his best to not look incompetent, while doing to the public what bill clinton did to monica.
Open your eyes, he IS the worst thing we've had as a prez, EVER. I challenge you to name one real benefit he has delivered to the people of the US. He has promised billions of dollars to terrorist states and big international oil companies to produce oil and strengthen their economies, while denying the same for this country. He stands stedfastly by eric holder, a murderer that knowingly allowed drug cartels from mexico have guns illegally bought here, to kill here and in mexico, and tried to prosecute the whistle blowers and gun shop owners.
He and his croonies have shoved his socialist healthcare down the throats of the public, lying to everyone about whats in the entire law. For instance, did you know that you could be imprisoned if you don't buy the government insurance, at a minimum fined and held in criminal contempt, branded as a criminal and jepordizing employment. Also it gives the federal government legal access to your private bank account, to remove any amount they wish to cover any debt the feel incured for services the claim provided. And muslims are exempt.
But you keep on holding on to you savior, hold on tight enough and he'll take all the way to hell. His campaign speaches should have been your first clue. "This is the greatest country in the world, help me change that". (direct and EXACT quoate)
President????? He should be in JAIL!!!!
ren: For what should Mayor Emanuel be in jail?
For saying that he wouldn't run for president... He's lying thru his teeth ... This is his intention to begun with..Some political commentary predict that from the time he run for mayor of Chicago. This is his intention all along..He kips his Jewish mouth shot for now. He let the world know when the time is right for him..... Trust me He is a snake who gets what he wants on his terms... He is not stupet
Please use spell check before posting, otherwise we will think you are "stupet".
ursy: Wow. Thank you for explaining why Mayor Emanuel should be imprisoned. As a Chicago resident, I will do all that I can to see that he is arrested.
Seriously, Mayor Emanuel is doing a great job, so far, as our mayor. He is making some tough decisions in order to close our budget gap.
I think the only person in the world with a bigger ego then Odouche is this idiot....I'm sure the libtards would all cream their jeans over him.
anyone other than a brainless republican...
Just what we need another far left radical moron! He will do well where he is at in Chicago where dirty politics survives. Hopefully, his loser friend Mr. Obozo will join him in 2012 as a community organizer on the south side! The next story will come out that the moron Axlehead or Plouffe might run for the job! Only in America can stupid people do stupid things by electing stupid people to serve them and rip them off! How do you lefties like the choice you made? Of course we all know you will never use your brain and make a different choice because this is the way your feeble brain was formed! The ole ego is just getting in the way of your thought process and making a rational decision. You will never admit you screwed up your last vote for Obozo and gang!
Ohhh and the choices the Republicans have made have been smart??? WHO GOT US INTO THIS MESS - THE REPUBLICANS!!!! Bush and his cronies. You right winger Tea Baggers just don't get it. You take, take, take and than blame anyone who has a rational thought that will help the common man (and woman) in this country. You were stupid enough to elect Bush - TWICE and see where we are now??
Give it up with the tired "blame Bush" line. His Democrat-controlled Congress was at least as culpable.
Blaming Bush will never get old! LMAO at all you loser TP.
I guess the reality of just how competent the GOP is touches a nerve, they can complain all they want about OBAMA but he is not the reason this country is in the mess it is, they fooled the American people the last election but this coming election they will get the big Payback ................ LOL LOL LOL It's going to be that same jaw dropping experience they got when OBAMA won.
"Ohhh and the choices the Republicans have made have been smart??? WHO GOT US INTO THIS MESS - THE REPUBLICANS!!!! Bush and his cronies. You right winger Tea Baggers just don't get it. You take, take, take and than blame anyone who has a rational thought that will help the common man (and woman) in this country. You were stupid enough to elect Bush - TWICE and see where we are now??"
Actually the Republicans are not who caused this mess. It began or the beginning was in 1994 when someone sued Citi Bank. It is known as the CRA Lawsuit. Google it! This lawsuit forced banks into making mortgage loans to unqualified borrowers. Bill Clinton knowing these loans were bad forced Fannie and Freddie into buying these loans without question. Fannie and Freddie knowing these loans were toxic 'bundled' them with good loans and sold them to AIG and other investors. Are you getting the picture?? Then Barack Obama because of the CRA Lawsuit had to?? well he thought he had to bail out all the corporations that invested in the crappy loans the banks gave out after the CRA Lawsuit. The truth of the matter is the Republicans warned us this was going to be a problem. There are hundreds of videos on Youtube of Republicans warning about this if regulations were not put in place. The Democrats blocked every attempt to place tougher regulations on the mortgage industry. So here we are with the Democrats claiming the Republicans caused this. Google the CRA Lawsuit and see who cost millions of Americans their jobs and homes.
"The Democrats blocked every attempt ..."
Why does that sound so familiar if you substitute "today" and "Republicans" in your comments?
Jumpin Geeeeeeesus, ya got one Gangster in the White House,this A Hole would make Oblah blah look like a freaken Boy Scout.The Country is in the Crapper as it is. we sure as Hell don't need to Flush it done the toilet with this ONE!
He's the one who trained Obama in the people's safe cracking and treasury burglary/theft robbing the people blind just like the looters after Katrina for the most part.
I wonder if Mark Levine, the very conservative Jewish NY radio talk show host would ever consider voting for him. Jews are tight together right?
You have it completely wrong, nygiantsfan503. Just as not all Christians are republicans, not all Jews are democrats. See Republican Jewish Coalition: www.rjchq.org.
yeah, I mean you've never heard two jews arguing right????
didn't mean that as a slam, but heck, Seinfeld would have jumped at it.
/sarcasm
A little unrelated side note --
Did you know that all of the members of the U.S. Supreme Court are either Jewish or Roman Catholic? Interesting, isn't it?
More like not possible.
He would probably be a better President, or at least more effective, than Obama. We really do need to replace Obama on the ticket, but I think Hillary is the better choice. What would be really entertaining would be an Emanuel vs. Christie ticket. Emanuel may be more foul-mouthed, but I think Christie wins on bluntness.
My dog would be a better President than ODUMBO!..........My dog doesn't lie and is at the top of his breed. Not a half breed.
Too bad your dog can't run as a Republican't. Then they might have a candidate. LOL
And America breathes a collective sigh of relief.
uh, what you heard was relief, but it wasn't a sigh. (lol)
Wow the low class right wingers came out on this site didn't they? I really feel so sad that you people have no good leaders to put in any positions - Mayor, President - not a single one. You just have the lowlifes like Newt; Rick Perry; Bachmann; Palin; etc. It must make for many sleepless nights knowing if you combined all of them together you'd still be far short of having a complete brain!
Gulping the left-wingnut koolaid again, eh?
Yeah, the truth will never be accepted by the TP. oh well, on to 2016, maybe you TP/GOP can find a candidate who has some intelligence by then.
The thing that becomes apparent through reading these posts is the American political landscape is so polarized that the two party system might just as well be dead. If Hilliary Clinton is the Democratic 'Best Choice' we are in dire straits. The Republicans have no one that stands out; if they win the Presidency it will be because of the anti-Obama vote. Rather than seeing who among you can sling crap the furthest or spell the worst let's try to work out an alternative that won't either sell the country to the U.N. (Obama Democrats) or to big business (any collection of Republicans we've seen so far). There isn't much time and we're in to serious a bind to waste time on the old, tired solutions. They will just bring us the same outcome we already have.
manual wasn't fit to run for the mayor of Chicago and he needed the deceit and backing of a court ruling to slither in.
Just what we need...another lying, anti American thief.
yes obama is a far left president and im a far left person, bush was a far right president and if the GOP wins all of them are far right so nothing is going to get done
I'm middle of the road, and I don't know if Obama is far left, but he is so awe-struck by just being President that he thinks it is his job to tell Congress, Africa, Europe the Middle East and China what to do, and he gets huffy whenever anyone suggests that his way is not the right way. In short, he needs to learn to work with the opposition, not try to beat them. As for the Republican candidates, every one of them is a bit quirky, and a few bricks short of a full load. I guess we're getting the government we deserve, but I don't know why we deserve such poor leaders and lawmakers. Maybe term limits are the answer.
i agree with term limits for people in congress, if the president can only serve two terms if reelected then it should be the same for members of congress
The way every candidate gets assaulted by the media these days, why would anyone in their right mind run for president? You'd have to be a few clowns short of a circus to be clueless enough to be oblivious to the smear campaign...
That's the same thing Oblamo said when asked the night he was elected IL senator of the 10th Congressional district he abandoned exactly 150 days later to run. Also after he stated in the same press conference and a later Meet the Press with Tim Russert that he wasn't experienced enough YET for the job. And still isn't after a 3 year MSM training wheels and teleprompter propped up presidency for that matter.
Oh what a 150 day crash course will do!! The Rosetta Stone "150 days from rabblerouser to president" package I guess.
Oh please, nobody is experienced at being president until they're the president.
What, you think being president of the local PTA is equivalent experience?
Obama is trying to fix Bush's mess and the GOP voters want him out and not reelected and if the GOP wins he/she will try to fix Obama's mess and all of you will want he/she reelected, no reason to reply to this post cause you know im right
Right about what? You make absolutely no frickin sense.
?
you need to do some research...check out clinton and barney frank...and yes bush screwed up by bailing out the banks before he left office, but obama was right there with him on that one....
What?? Do you ever listen to yourself? Nevermind.
Good idea as he couldn't win if he gave every voter a $50 bill
Rahm for president - what is this f---ing world coming to !
(in his language).
Rahm Sucks. Another "bought and paid for pol-i-TICK"
on the public tit of america. just like his partner in crime, Hussein Obama
Typical Chicago.
The sad thing about Rahm is that he is a realist and he knows how the real world works. The sad thing about voters is that they don't, but they're more than happy to sacrifice any silly goat stupid enough to stand up and claim to represent them.
Yeah!....Rahm knows everything and the voters are stupid.........rrobeson....you are just a dumbazz.
Agreed, the man is a realist. He pushes the reality whoever pays him creates. He is a hired gun, presently fronting for the Democrats. If the Republicans could find what he actually wants and promise it to him he'd be fronting for them the day after the offer was made. That's his reality. If the Red Queen made him a good enough offer he'd behead Alice without flinching.
Obama as a good chance of winning, their is not a good GOP running, Mitt is the best chance of winning the ticket but not the election he flip flops to much and if Donald Trump runs as a 3rd party that will be taking away votes for the GOP and giving it to Obama
You do make one valid point concerning Mitt, however, Trump is not a viable candidate, and will not enter the race. Ron Paul, will be the 3rd party candidate. Dr. Ron Paul is really a Libertarian/Constitutionalist. He will run as such, and "The Joker Obama", and "Mitt the Globalist,NWO minion, will lose in a rather decisive fashion. Ron Paul has won, very decisively, nearly all straw-polls (some as high as 80% margins) across the Country. Mainstream media has done a very good job brainwashing many people, and ignoring Ron Paul. The people will speak on election day 2012 in overwhelming unprecedented fashion! Ron Paul and the people's vote will not be ignored come election day 2012 ! Ciao
Not interested, good Emanuel, the US isn't either.
But as a good Politican, we know he is lying.
I just think he's hot.
A great comment from someone with an IQ of 10
As if Obama were not bad enough. Rahm as president should give us nightmares. This must be a ploy to help make Obama look better. "Hey look, you could get Rahm. Obama doesn't look so bad now, does he?"
God I hope you're wrong.....cause' that might just work.