Rahm Might Leave White House in October
Time reports:
White House aides are preparing for the possibility that Rahm Emanuel may step down as chief of staff as soon as early October if he decides to run for mayor of Chicago, according to a person familiar with deliberations in the West Wing.
One issue hastening the timing of Emanuel's departure is concern over whether he can build a campaign operation while holding down the second most powerful job in the Federal Government. If he chooses to go forward with the mayoral race, Emanuel intends to be sensitive to the fact that his dual role could create the appearance of using his government office to his personal advantage, say two people familiar with internal deliberations.
Like other White House staff, Emanuel has been briefed by the counsel's office about the importance of not using government resources for personal endeavors. In recent days, he has been working the phones of Chicago political and community leaders; he has fielded a poll testing his chances; and he has met with Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., a potential rival in the crowded field. "His consideration of the mayoral race does not interfere with his official obligations, and he is fully aware of all the applicable requirements for conducting these deliberations," says an aide close to Emanuel.
