Five Reasons Rahm Emanuel Survives CPD Crisis
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With calls for his resignation echoing from the streets of Chicago to the halls of the Statehouse, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has quietly begun his campaign to make good on this pledge to regain peoples' trust.
"The mayor's focus is not on his own personal politics ... [but] on the residents of this city," Emanuel's office said in a statement today. He met with residents on the West Side today, without fanfare.
Can the mayor survive the crisis, following the shooting of Laquan McDonald? Despite polling that shows his approval rating in the teens? Despite a proposed recall bill in the works in Springfield? Despite negative national coverage?
As CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports, the answer is, yes.
And here are five reasons why:
Reason No. 1: That proposed recall bill, in the words of a top election law expert "is unconstitutional" because it is "changing the rules in the middle of the game."
Reason No 2: Those polls are misleading. The real drop in his approval rating came after he pushed through a tax increase to balance the city budget. Not as a result of the police scandal.
Reason No. 3: There's no ready alternative to Emanuel and his brand of "I do the tough stuff."
His statement today described him as "energized by the challenge in front of us, and committed to driving real solutions for our city."
Reason No. 4: He is not running for re-election, having told his inner circle before this spring's primary:"This is my last election and I don't intend to lose it."
His only concern now is his legacy.
Reason No. 5: He's stubborn. The louder they scream, the more determined he is to stay right where he is.
Will Rahm survive? You can bet on it. But you can also bet on more scrutiny from aldermen and everyone else.