Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election

EXCERPT:

EMANUEL: "Hey everyone. Hope you had a good Labor Day. On my first days as mayor of this great city, I promised to make tough choices and face the hard truth we've not confronted, even when it hurts. Every day for the past seven and a half years, that is what I tried my level best to do. To improve our schools, make our community colleges relevant, put our fiscal house on a stable footing, confront violence and rebuild trust between the police and community, modernize our transportation systems, invest in our neighborhood parks and libraries, and grow our economy into an engine of jobs and opportunity for Chicagoans. I'm not shy, and together, we've never shied from a challenge. Today, the time has come to make another tough choice. As much as I love this job, and will always love this city and its residents, I've decided not to seek reelection. This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime. You hired us to get things done and passed the torch when you've done our best to do what you hired us to do. I've approached public service the only way I know how for the last 23 years. Giving 100 percent, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for President Clinton, in Congress and its leadership, as Obama's Chief of Staff, and finally, as your mayor."