White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel seems to be a fellah with too much time on his hands. He is speculating about a new job, when he still has his old one -- or has he? Rumor was that he wanted to return to the House of Representatives and one day become speaker.  It has been widely reported in the press that when he left the House to work in the White House, he negotiated with Democratic leaders an agreement for him to keep his House seniority. Now, Mr Rahm Emanuel is looking for something different -- The top Chicago job? Mayor of  Chicago? 

He was on the PBS show Charlie Rose, and told the host that he wants to be Chicago's mayor. The next election for mayor is next year. "I hope Mayor Daley seeks reelection,”  he added, wisely  -- don't think that he wanted a truck to fall on him.  He said, “I will work and support him if he seeks reelection. But if Mayor Daley doesn't, one day I would like to run for mayor of the city of Chicago. ... That's always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.” As for being Speaker of the House,  Mr. Emanuel said those dreams  are "over." He would have to wait through Speaker Nancy Pelosi's tenure. She may serve as long as Tip  O'Neill -- ten years. Then there is Steny Hoyer waiting. So he dreams of Chicago’s top job.

Mayor Daley shows no signs of going anywhere. His father and namesake died in office. I think Mr. Mayor Daley, the younger's, plans to go out like his father. And he plans to stay put for a long time in the future. Well, there's always an ambassadorship to somewhere far away.