White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley said Monday he plans to return home to Chicago after President Obama’s re-election campaign.
“I made a commitment to put the president through his reelection, which I’m confident he will do, and then my wife and I will be back in Chicago,” Daley told NBC Chicago.
Daley sidestepped questions about his own political aspirations.
“I’m trying to get through my tenure here,” he said.
This job “is probably the only job I’ve had where I’ve not thought about what’s next,” he added. “It may be because it’s so consuming and there’s so much to do and be involved in and exciting.”
Daley has held the chief of staff position for nine months, after taking over for Rahm Emanuel, who ran and won his current job as mayor of Chicago. Emanuel followed Daley’s brother Richard as mayor.
Daley, who like his predecessor is from Chicago, also defended Obama’s choice to repeatedly select staff from that city.
“The president ... loves Chicago. He has great pride in the city and misses it. But I don’t think [the White House is Chicago-centric],” he said.
Daley also noted that he keeps in touch with Emanuel on an irregular basis.
“We kind of BS back and forth, I give advice, he gives advice,” he said.
