FILE - In this April 27, 2010 file photo, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel laughs as he takes some good natured ribbing about his recent comment about someday wanting to be mayor of Chicago while participating in the sixth annual Richard J. Daley Global Cities Forum in Chicago. Daley, 68, who has presided over the nation's third-largest city for 21 years, like his father did before him, announced Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, that he will not run for a seventh term. Emanuel said in April during a television interview that "it's no secret" he'd like to run for mayor of Chicago someday.
(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
Obama: Emanuel would be 'terrific' Chicago mayor
FILE - In this April 27, 2010 file photo, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel laughs as he takes some good natured ribbing about his recent comment about someday wanting to be mayor of Chicago while participating in the sixth annual Richard J. Daley Global Cities Forum in Chicago. Daley, 68, who has presided over the nation's third-largest city for 21 years, like his father did before him, announced Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, that he will not run for a seventh term. Emanuel said in April during a television interview that "it's no secret" he'd like to run for mayor of Chicago someday.
(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama says his chief of staff would make a "terrific mayor" of Chicago. But Obama says he expects Rahm Emanuel to hold off on deciding whether to enter the race until after the midterm elections.
Emanuel has long expressed interest in running for Chicago mayor one day. The job came open when longtime Mayor Richard M. Daley announced his retirement this week.
In an interview, Obama told ABC that his chief of staff has got a lot to do, and when Emanuel has a job to do, "he focuses on the job in front of him."
Emanuel represented Chicago in Congress before going to work for Obama.
The interview was taped Wednesday for broadcast Thursday.
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