Emanuel would be 'excellent' mayor of Chicago, Obama says

09-09-2010 • Christi Parsons, latimes.com

Reporting from Washington — White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel would do a good job as Chicago mayor, President Obama said in an interview Thursday morning, but he predicted Emanuel's decision about whether to seek the office likely wouldn't come until after the November congressional elections. Emanuel is currently focused on his job at the White House, where there is a long to-do list at the moment, Obama said. The president's party is bracing for a tough election, with Democratic majorities in Congress at risk. "One thing I've always been impressed with about Rahm is that when he has a job to do, he focuses on the job in front of him," Obama told ABC's' George Stephanopoulos. "And so, my expectation is he would make a decision after these midterm elections. He knows that we've got a lot of work to do."