Rahm Emanuel calls Democrat's party brand 'weak,' appearing to weigh White House run
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel appears to be teasing a 2028 presidential run, urging reforms to a Democratic Party he described as "weak and woke" in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Emanuel blasted the current Democratic platform as "toxic," arguing party leaders need to get back to basics rather than getting dragged into unpopular cultural debates. Emanuel is one of many names in Democratic circles who has been floated as a potential 2028 candidate, alongside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and former Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg.
"If you want the country to give you the keys to the car, somebody's got to be articulating an agenda that's fighting for America, not just fighting Trump," Emanuel said. "The American dream has become unaffordable. It's inaccessible. And that has to be unacceptable to us."
Emanuel recently returned to the U.S. after serving as U.S. ambassador to Japan under President Joe Biden's administration. In addition to serving as Chicago mayor, Emanuel also worked as President Barack Obama's White House chief of staff and served in Congress representing Illinois.
The longtime Democratic insider also argued that U.S. education needs to be more focused on meeting high standards than proliferating social doctrine.
"I'm empathetic and sympathetic to a child trying to figure out their pronoun, but it doesn't trump the fact that the rest of the class doesn't know what a pronoun is," he said.
So far, no Democrats have openly declared their intentions to run for president in 2028, though several have toyed with the idea. Walz told reporters that he would do "whatever it takes" to run if he is "asked to serve."
Similarly, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has said he "would consider" a White House bid.
Buttigieg has also played coy about his all but certain intentions to run, telling Fox News after a town hall appearance in Iowa that, "Right now I'm not running for anything."
Other likely 2028 Democratic candidates include California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
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Boston Globe
7 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
With more than 31% of ballots counted as of 11:15 p.m., Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with more than 48% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 43%. Advertisement The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations -– KBS, MBC and SBS -– earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Pre-election surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. Hundreds of Lee supporters gathered outside the National Assembly, waving Korean flags and singing. Advertisement Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Promise to revitalize the economy In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' He also promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, claimed that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Kim told one rally. Supporters of South Korea's Democratic Party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, react outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. Advertisement His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that is not much different than the position held by South Korea's conservatives. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Advertisement Relations with North Korea Relations with North Korea remain badly strained since 2019, with the North focused on expanding its nuclear arsenal while refusing dialogues with South Korea and the U.S. Since his second term began in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but Kim has so far ignored the offer while making Russia his priority in foreign policy. Lee, who wants warmer ties with North Korea, recently acknowledged it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un anytime soon. Lee said he would support Trump's push to restart talks with Kim, which he believed would eventually allow South Korea to be involved in some projects in North Korea. Foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University. He said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term.
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tim Walz Said We Need To "Bully The Sh—t Out" Of Donald Trump And It's REALLY Making MAGA Mad
We've long discussed left-leaners repeatedly expressing fatigue with the Democratic Party over what they perceive to be a lack of effort displayed by its leaders. Well, it looks like Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is starting to agree. During a May speech at the South Carolina Democratic Party's annual convention, Walz referred to President Donald Trump as a "wannabe dictator" before suggesting, "Maybe it's time for us to be a little meaner. Maybe it's time for us to be a little more fierce." Twitter: @mmpadellan Speaking from his experience as a former teacher, Walz continued, "The thing that bothers a teacher more than anything is to watch a bully... And when it's a child, you talk to them and you tell them why bullying is wrong." Related: A Republican's Response To A "Tax The Rich" Chant At His Town Hall Is Going Viral "But when it's an adult like Donald Trump," he said, "you bully the shit out of him back." "Because at heart, this is a weak, cruel man that takes it out and punches down at people. What they don't want to do is stand toe to toe and punch back with someone who's calling them out for what they do." Related: "I Am So Torn With What You Are Doing" — 11 Posts From MAGA Business Owners Who Are So Close To Getting It And this isn't the first time Walz has expressed a need for Dems to "fight back." Just two months ago, the former vice presidential hopeful shared a video of Americans expressing grievances under the Trump Administration with the title "Tim Walz: It's time to fight back." "I think elected officials have been too damn timid to not stand up for these things. Bullshit," he says in the video. "It's good stuff that makes a difference." Well! One peek at the comment section under Walz's South Carolina speech will show you how deeply MAGA is rallying against his words. But what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: Miss USA's 2024 "National Costume" Has Been Revealed, And It's Obviously An Interesting Choice Also in In the News: One Body Language Expert Spotted Something Very Telling When Donald Trump "Held His Own Hand" At His Recent Press Conference
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was expected to win an early presidential election on Tuesday, a joint exit poll and ongoing vote counts suggested. The victory would cap months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning, but brief imposition of martial law by the now ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol. It was unclear whether Lee's election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea's foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea's alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy. The toughest external challenges awaiting a new president are U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy and North Korea's advancing nuclear program. But experts say whoever becomes president in South Korea can't do much to secure major progress in South Korea's favor on those issues. With nearly 57% of ballots counted as of early Wednesday, Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with 49% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 42.6%. The country's major broadcasters were analyzing that Lee's victory was a certainty. The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations — KBS, MBC and SBS — earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Preelection surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. 'With the vote counting still underway, it's premature to say anything definitively, but if the results stand as they are now, I pay my respects to the great decision of our people,' Lee said outside his apartment in Incheon, just west of Seoul, as his supporters shouted his name. Hundreds of Lee supporters separately gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul, waving Korean flags and singing. Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that isn't much different from the position held by South Korea's conservatives. He said he would pursue better ties with North Korea but acknowledged that it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un anytime soon. This signals Lee won't likely initiate any drastic steps meant to improve relations with North Korea. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea. Paik said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Healing domestic divide The election serves as another defining moment in the country's resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Yoon's impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country's high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. Lee has promised to heal the national split, but his vow to thoroughly hold those involved in Yoon's martial law stunt accountable has sparked concerns that he would use investigations to launch political retaliations against his opponents. In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In a campaign speech Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, said that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea,' Kim told one rally. Hyung-jin Kim And Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
