Emanuel all but certain to run for Chicago mayor, sources say
(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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This is like Rove ,or Bushes brain, walking out mid term and there's no Cheney in this administration except the CIA which seems to be running the contrived "war in Afganistan or Pakistan depending on where you're standing. Timmys half way out the door ,the boys got the dough ,thats what they came for ,nobody's going to do anything about it ,they know that.
Can they Get Arne Duncan to go too??
Can they get Arne Duncan to leave as well?
Just what Chicago politics needs....another crook
Good. It's time that anal-compulsive freak leaves the mess he has helped Obama make. One thing for sure: Rahm will leave with his desk as clean as it always was. Rahm is shrewd enough to jump from a sinking ship before it goes under. I pity Chicago if this creep get elected mayor there. But when he does leave, who will be there to do Obama's work for him??
So go already. We are tired of CNN sitting on pins and needles like anyone really cares.
And this effects us in what way?
Appoint someone ready to bloody his fists on the faces of his opponents.
He may be running against Palin, but she needs to make sure she can see Russia from the Sears Tower.
The sooner he leaves the WH the better. Let him go back to his corrupt city.
See YA! Your Chicago's Problem now!
Take care Rahm ... getting out now is smart.
Good to hear. Let him move on. Obama deserves to get some good team players and advisors as the POTUS.
glenn beck reported this story months ago! amazing! how does he do that!
If so, then good riddance to Emanuel. His conservative politics has made Obama's Presidency look almost as bad as G.W. Bush's. Bring in a more liberal (open-minded, caring, smart, non-bigoted) person in his place so we can get this country fixed (though President Obama would have to grow a backbone and stop using such boring speeches to put the GOP in their place and get people around the country motivated).
Good luck to him. He did his best and is now ready to move on. The mayor of Chicago? why? I don't get it.
Why no one look into how the U.S. taxpayers is paying for the IDF killing tools. The U.S. will enter into a war with itself because of the zion party in our land.
How long is this news going to be in the "Breaking" category? You've been talking about this for weeks now.
Too late to run, Mr. Emanuel.
You are now forever linked with Barack Obama in one dreadful memory of colossal failure at the White House: perhaps the worst failure in presidential history.
Can you PLEASE take the rest of the crooks with you Rahm?
I pray his motives are right but it sounds like he smell money and political influence.
Don't kid yourself. This is not about him leaving to become mayor. The Whitehouse staff couldn't stand him.
I think the shake up is needed I didn't care for Rahm
If the people of Chicago are dumb enough to elect this guy, then they deserve him. Good riddance for the rest of us.
Really CNN? REALLY? Rahm Emanuel plans to run for Mayor of Chicago? CNN, always months behind the rest of the world....