Emanuel Finds No Sweet Chicago Homecoming on Campaign Warmup

[sabra]

Source: Bloomberg

Oct. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Rahm Emanuel, four days removed from the second most powerful job at the White House, learned yesterday that coming home to Chicago isn’t always so sweet.

Rivals to the throne of retiring Mayor Richard M. Daley sent supporters to challenge the former White House chief of staff. Protesters jeered his role in President Barack Obama’s support for Wall Street banks. And black voters criticized him for what they said was the administration’s inability to help Chicago communities suffering from unemployment.

Emanuel, 50, crisscrossed the nation’s third-largest city to talk to residents ahead of a potential mayoral bid, a tour that gave him a fresh reminder that any campaign will test his reputation for deal-making, stamina and political toughness.

“I’m a middle child,” he told three men seated at a south side restaurant long frequented by vote-courting lawmakers, explaining that his own upbringing prepared him for political fights. “You know what our motto is? War or peace, we can do either one.”

As Emanuel tried to leave, another man made it clear the day wouldn’t unfold to the tune of the blues standard “Sweet Home, Chicago.”

“You are going to be asked some hard-ball questions, and get your bat out,” said Paul Johnson, 49, who complained to Emanuel that the Obama administration has failed to deliver enough economic stimulus dollars to his south-side neighborhood. “Welcome to Chicago.”

Emanuel responded: “Great. Thank you.”

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-10-05/emanuel-finds-no-sweet-chicago-homecoming-on-campaign-warmup.html

[joeybee12]

1. Sounds like Rahm is learning that life in Washington is life in a bubble...

just because the Washington Compost thinks you're doing a bang-up job, doesn't mean one single peorson in the real world does.

[orbitalman]

2. If I were in Chgo, I wouldn't vote for him (I am close). n/t

[rocktivity]

3. As I understand it, Rahm has also found that he has no home!

Emanuel can’t live in his own home in Chicago...because he hasn’t been able to persuade the tenant...to move out before the lease expires in June...

A reporter asked...(about his) residency-requirement issues...“I think the main issue, really, is not my residency, but the residents of the city of Chicago and their concerns,” he said. “People are enthusiastic, energized. They love their city. They know it’s got challenges. And I think that’s what they want to talk about.”

More

:rofl:
rocktivity

[molly77]

4. Rahm's run does not seem well thought

Wonder if he was fired for his mouth problem.

[liberation]

8. No, he is just a shitty shitty politician and sucks as a campaigner.

Just like any good DLCer, they are the kiss of death of any election campaign... including theirs. They are the perennial tone deaf talentless hack who think the fact they can hum in the shower each morning must mean that writing a symphony can't be that hard.

If Obama hadn't ran on the coat tails of Dean's 50 state strategy, he would have been in serious trouble. After all the preferred approach from Rahm was to just concentrate on the "safe" states... which gave "great" results in 2000 and 2004.

[rocktivity]

10. DING DING DING! Liberation, you're our grand prize winner!

If Obama hadn't ran on the coat tails of Dean's 50 state strategy, he would have been in serious trouble.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2717473&mesg_id=2717773

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Hawkowl]

5. Rahm has NO chance

Stupid fucking carpet bagger from Willamette and DC thinks he can come in and play fake Chicagoan for the most powerful job in Illinois? Rahm is a a piece of shit, backstabbing, closet rethuglican and doesn't stand a chance in hell. I look forward when he finally completely disappears from the political landscape leaving only a bad memory like the punchline from a joke in poor taste.

[indepat]

11. Am I to gather that you don't even like him personally?

;)

[liberal N proud]

6. You would have thought there would have been some exploration

before he made the decision to run.

Duh!

[Nordmadr]

7. I think the run is just a cover for him leaving. I don't

think he stands much of a chance; or that he is eligible to run. I'm hoping that this is a conscious decision by the administration to adjust course. Time will tell.

[liberation]

9. In a sense, my denial instinct hopes you are right.

Because otherwise we have to face the fact that Emmanuel really is that incompetent of a hack. And for him to be in such position of power in this presidency means that all BS about n-dimensional chess moves were nothing more than simple spasm of checkers.