Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel visits Detroit, talks education and possible run for president
Rahm Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago and White House Chief of Staff for then-President Barack Obama, spoke to members of Detroit's Economic Club on Tuesday at the Masonic Temple.
Introduced by Michigan U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, Emanuel focused his conversation on education.
"Our kids are falling through the cracks. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the love of my parents and a good education," said Emanuel.
Emanuel tells CBS News Detroit that to improve literacy in grades K-12, especially in Michigan, where scores have steadily declined, it starts with fundamentals.
"Fundamentals in reading, in math. Back to the science of reading phonics that you grew up on, that I grew up on," Emanuel said.
Emanuel says training in skilled trades and restoring community college education by providing dual enrollment for high school students is his commitment.
"We know 80% of all jobs require something more than a high school degree, but we're not doing anything to address it. Every child will have a post-high-school education plan. We're going to give people who are looking to have a middle-class American dream type life an education so they can find that job," said Emanuel.
Emanuel has served as the previous mayor of Chicago, former White House chief of staff during the Obama administration, and, most recently, Ambassador to Japan. He tells CBS News Detroit that he's now considering a run for president.
"I'm evaluating if what I got, what I offer actually address what I think ails America, and we'll see," Emanuel said.
Though a presidential campaign is not set in stone, Emanuel says he plans to continue to show up and fight for the American people.
"If I think something needs to get done, I will go through walls to get it done, and to me, we are at that moment. We have accepted failure as a norm. We have to wake up and start attacking these problems as Americans, not as blue or red," said Emanuel.
Emanuel also shared memories about the late American civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday at age 84.
"How Reverend Jackson lived his life will be ensured that his name will always be in the history book. Nobody will ever say that he walked through here and didn't make a difference. You may not have ever agreed with him, many times I did not, but he made a difference whenever he was there, and his presence was known," said Emanuel.
