CHICAGO (WLS) — U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel is back home in Chicago, with a very blunt assessment of the election.
But, he was also very coy about his own future after his time in Japan ends next year.
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In a recent one-on-one interview with ABC7 Chicago’s political reporter Craig Wall, Rahm Emanuel expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party’s performance in the presidential election.
Former Mayor Emanuel came back to Chicago to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family over the holiday weekend.
As a lifelong Democrat, Emanuel did not find anything to rejoice about in the election results. He was blunt in his assessment of the party’s failures.
Emanuel, a self-described political junkie, had a lot to say about the outcome of the election.
When asked if he was surprised by the results, Emanuel said “yes and no.”
“That’s the honest truth. I don’t know if my head was one place, my heart was another place,” he said.
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But, his frustrations with Kamala Harris’ campaign and the state of the Democratic Party were in many other places.
Emanuel has been known as a tough-as-nails politician and behind-the-scenes power broker.
Emanuel criticized the campaign’s messaging, pointing out that the party had sidelined influential figures like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, under whom he had worked. He attributed the Democrats’ loss to becoming the establishment that voters ultimately rejected.
“We, as a party, go from the anti-establishment, in COVID, wear the coat of the establishment: Listen, put a mask on, close the schools, shut this down. And we become the establishment,” Emanuel said. “We dismiss our leaders. The other side watches and learns their political skill, and then we wonder why we lose.”
He said Donald Trump’s victory was a vote against the establishment instead of a vote for change. And it should be a wake-up call for the Democratic Party, which he said is in disarray.
He suggested the party has become elitist, and has lost touch with the American people.
“And here’s what I would say to the Democrats: You have a YETI cup? Sit down and shut up. Stop telling people how to live their lives. Start listening to them a little more,” Emanuel said.
Emanuel said there is a lot of blame to go around in the Democratic Party for Harris’ defeat.
“The Democratic Party’s become a house of mirrors that love the sound of their voice talking to themselves,” he said.
Emanuel will tender his resignation as ambassador to Japan when Trump takes office. He has served in that position since March of 2022.
He leaves with no regrets.
“It’s been the transformational three years on both sides, security side, diplomatic side, political side. We’ve modernized the relationship, and I’d like to say that we’ve kind of taken it from alliance protection to alliance projection,” Emanuel said.
When asked if he was interested in being chair of the Democratic National Committee, which has been speculated in some political circles, Emanuel said, “That’s not what I was thinking about for my life.”
“But, I think we’re at a very crucial point, and there’s a lot of different ways, doesn’t have to be party chairman to contribute to the development and kind of ‘regirding’ the party for the future because we are on our back heels right now,” he said.
Emanuel also brushed off questions about whether he wants to run for Senate or governor. But, he made it clear he is not done with public service. When he gets back in six weeks, he will take a break, and then evaluate the possibilities.
Emanuel will be honored by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Tuesday night, for his leadership as ambassador to Japan. He returns to Japan Wednesday.
As for the current budget battle at City Hall, Emanuel said he avoids talking about other mayors, but would be available to offer advice to Mayor Brandon Johnson if he called.
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