(CNN) – Rahm Emanuel formally announced his bid for mayor of Chicago on Saturday, a move that has been widely anticipated since he stepped down as President Obama's chief of staff last month.
Flanked by his family, Emanuel made his first formal pitch to lead Chicago in a crowded school auditorium on Chicago's North Side.
"Because I love this city, the place my family came to, the place where I was born, I want to fight for a better future for all the people of Chicago and that's why today I'm announcing my candidacy for mayor," he said.
Though he officially announced his candidacy Saturday, Emanuel campaigned across the city for the past month and conducted a listening tour throughout Chicago neighborhoods.
The former Illinois congressman headed up the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2006 elections and remained a top strategist in the 2008 cycle before joining the Obama administration, a choice he addressed in his speech.
"Only the opportunity to help President Obama as his chief of staff could have pried me a way from Chicago, and only the opportunity to lead this city could have pried me away from the president's side," Emanuel said.
He is just one of the half dozen or so candidates that have or announced or are expected to announce a run.
From CNN Politics
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Sorry, but I never liked Rahm Emanuel, he operated too much like righties did, everything he said was the opposite of everything he did.
Rahm is a gift to Chicago that most cities wish they had, he knows Washington politics inside out and is no amatuer. You go, Rahm.
Chalk up a big win for the corrupt public employee unions and a big loss for Illinois taxpayers and I guess for the rest of us since eventually we will end up bailing them out. Chicago and California both represent what happens when unions control the government and Obozo is their big fish.
When you accept the Chief-of-Staff position for the President it isn't a job that you do until something better comes along. Chiefs of Staff stay on until the beginning of the second term to keep things running smoothly unless they are so bad they are asked to leave early. Rahm's departure from the White House before the 2 year point and 3 months before the mid-term elections is a signal of just how self-centered this guy really is. Nobody that is that self-servicing can be that great and given enough power, we will see the ugly side that has been hidden from us.
Um, can i return this "gift"?
CA we don't care whether you like Rahm. He's running Chicago.
Claudia got it right, Emanuel is hand made for Chicago with his inner knowledge of Washington DC politics, he as corrupt as they come...he'll make Blago look like the poster child for the Boy Scouts.
I am sure he will do everything to, ooops, I mean for, Chicago that he did for the country. It will be interesting to see if Chicago will elect as their chief administrator a guy who has zero hands on experience in municipal government.
Emanuel "God is with us" everything is possible! Go! Go ! Rahm you are a winner
Yeah Claudia, he knows Washington inside and out, he's one of them, did you expect anything else?? Another crook to feed on this great city, people are dumb and might vote this guy in...where is this country going is my question...down the drain that's for sure...One more thing, this guy lived in Wilmette more than he did in Chicago, did they "help" him get his address in Chicago and erase the one in Wilmette???
Rahm will continue the corrupt politics of Chicago. But that is what Chicagoans seem to like.
Just hand out money. Isn't that how it's done in Chicago?
Just another political crook vying to run the Chicago machine.