(CNN) – Three Democratic sources close to Rahm Emanuel tell CNN that the White House chief of staff informed senior colleagues he is all but certain to run for mayor of Chicago, and will leave the White House to take the final exploratory steps.
Close associates are already building a campaign team according to sources.
An announcement by Emanuel is expected to be scheduled for Friday, sources said.
One of the sources, a prominent Democrat close to the White House chief of staff, told CNN, "We see nothing that will stop a run. But you don't announce a campaign for mayor of Chicago in Washington, D.C. You leave and go home and finish your business there."
The second source said Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg's research of a possible mayoral run for Emanuel was "very positive. He has some obvious things to deal with, but it was very encouraging."
Asked what the potential issues were, the source said "nothing you wouldn't expect. Just reminding people Chicago always was before Washington."
Assuming there is no hitch - and none is expected - longtime Obama adviser Pete Rouse is in line to be tapped as interim chief of staff, two of the sources said.
All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the White House personnel turnover and the campaign planning.
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Rahm Emanuel's pending departure is the lead-off topic for CNN's John King and Bob Costantini.
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ThE President's campaign for re-election has begun. You know writing on the wall–now a Different
Good riddance. The man is altogether evil. Both the Obama administration and Chicago will be improved by his leaving the White House to run for mayor.
OMG democrats are leaving!!! So many problems with government, healthcare, education etc. Is the recession really over? Do americans feel better than they did this time last year? I don't think so.
More power to him if he thinks he can pull it off. Personally I never thought too much of him.
Boy I was wondering who the NEXT Lifetime politician would be to take over the job as Mayor of the slimiest political city in America. Perfect Choice!! Rahm Emanuel has helped Obama destroy what was left of the United States over the past 22 months and now he can go home and steal from the Chicago public! Not bad for a kid that never served in the U.S. military but somehow found the time to serve in the Israeli army. WE ARE A COUNTRY OF CHUMPS!!!
What does this tell us about the state of the administration. The COS would prefer to run for Mayor than continue as COS? What kind of message does that send to GOP and Dems? What message does that send to the people? The message could be that the administration is a sinking ship and Emanuel needs to jump off before it's too late.
Rahm leaving isn't news at all. Thirty days after the fact, the real story is who will replace him as chief of staff. Whatever happens in Chicago, the new chief of staff will have more relevance than anything Rahm does now.
A wise choice since Obama will not be in for a second term and he won't have a job.
Good. President Obama needs a real strong Democrat who believes in the democratic policies and has his back!
He should. Sty more opportunities at the. White house
This isn't news. We've known this was happening ever since Obama forced Daley out so Rahmmie Ramjet could have the job. This is all about making sure Hillary is loyal and not about to run against The Machine. She's been making waves with her comments on Obaa's horrific domestic policies. They have to know if she's still loyal, so they'll offer her this to keep he from running. If she takes the job she's loyal. If she turns it down she's running.
"All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the White House personnel turnover..."
The current Whitehouse is full of people more concerned with their own careers rather than the welfare of the country.
I hope this guy leaves the White House, campaigns for the office of mayor of Chicago and is defeated when the election for mayor of Chicago is held. He is just untrustworthy and repugnant. Good riddance, I say.
Like rats off a sinking ship.
Yeah, someone has to run the $12 TRILLION slush fund the private Fed Bank of the foreign globalist elites looting America:
'Georgewashington2.blogspot.com/2009/09/congressman-grayson-fed-secretly-gave.html'
Our forefathers would be spinning in their graves like dynamos if they heard what we are PASSIVELY allowing to happen.
CHINA and INDIA billionaires are LAUGHING at us, you can find them joking on Twitter about the 'Usury Serfs of Amerika'.
Rahm Emanuel, like Robert Gates, are cashing out early so they can ROLL IN THE TROUGH of war profiteering MERCS and Fed bankster USURISTS who have stolen *TENS TRILLIONS* from Americans between 2000 and 2009, the Bush Years. One of Gates' MERCS is a former Army Ranger General, selling his 'intelligence' to the Pentagon for *$14 MILLION* a year! They would slit your grandmother's throat for a fraction of that loot, greed so loathsome now they can't wait to bail into it!
I will be waiting.
whatever you decide Rham..if you have any serious political ambitions...get out NOW.....
Repugs and Demrats all the same. Isn't Chicago famous for corrupt mayors?
So if he looses, does he get to come back?
Wow! one of the biggest crooks in mayoral history decides not to run again and another weasel from the Chicago Machine steps in.
He should have never accepted the position knowing well what he was running for in Chi-town.Shame on him like the rest of Obamas people who are jumping ship because they can't handle the heat,hope they find happiness all at the unemployment line inD.C.....Don't know what the weekly rate is there,good luck!!
The rats are leaving the ship. Good riddance.
Buh Bye, Mr. Obstructionist.
One down, now only if his boss would leave. Well, he'll figure out that he can't run the WH without Emanuel. lol.
This is great. At least we will be rid of one of the cancers and won't even have to vote on him. Chicago will take care of that. Then if they elect him they will deserve what they got. After all they're the one who gave us the foreigner we now have in the Oval Office.