Chicago mayor and former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday that he is not considering a bid for the White House.
“Never! Not a chance. Greatest job with the greatest people in the greatest city is right here,” Mr. Emanuel said in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday morning.
The Chicago Democrat, who was sworn into office in May, said he remains committed to working with Chicago residents and serving as mayor.
“I got a job to do here and that’s all I’m focused on…You know my wife. No,” Mr. Emanuel said.
Mr. Emanuel echoed earlier comments made by Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod, saying he remains confident President Obama will win re-election in 2012. The Chicago mayor criticized Republicans for a “rehash of the parst,” saying voters remain focused on the economy.
“I think that the Republican Party right now is all of the policies are about the past. We’ve been there, done that and it broke America. And it’s just a rehash of the past,” he said.
The Mayor contended that Mr. Obama has “stabilized” the economic and has a plan to grow the economy, adding that voters are likely to support the Obama administration’s economic policies.
Mr. Emanuel spoke on ABC News just hours after meeting with First Lady Michele Obama as part of her campaign to reduce childhood obesity. Mr. Emanuel attended two stops with the first lady in Chicago on Tuesday in connection with a Chicago summit convened on food deserts, which are areas lacking access to grocery stores.
