[VIDEO BELOW]

�Hi. I�m Rahm Emanuel.

My father came to Chicago as an immigrant from Israel.� I was born here � and my wife Amy and I raised our three children here.

I spent six years in Congress representing Chicago.� Then President Obama asked me to serve as his chief of staff.� It was a great honor to work for him, but I�m glad to be home.

Chicago�s a world-class city today because of Mayor Daley�s leadership.� He deserves our appreciation.

But we�re facing tremendous challenges � from attracting jobs to improving our schools to making ALL our neighborhoods safer.

To be the city we want to be, we can�t have gangbangers taking the lives of our schoolchildren.

And to be the city we want to be, we can no longer accept business-as-usual.� In attacking our budget deficit, there must be no sacred cows.� We should be guided only by the need to protect our neighbors and ensure taxpayer dollars aren�t wasted.

We need leadership that�s tough enough to say no when it needs to be said, and smart enough to know what government should do — and also what it can�t do.

There�s another thing we�ve learned over the years:� To keep Chicago moving forward, every community must participate.� This city belongs to all of us, and every person has a role to play in building its future.

So as I prepare to run for mayor, I�m going to spend the next few weeks visiting our neighborhoods � at grocery stores, L stops, bowling alleys, and hot dog stands.

I�m calling this the �Tell It Like It Is� tour, because I want to hear from you — in blunt, Chicago terms — what you think about our city, and how the next mayor and you, can make it better.

You can also send a message directly to me at ChicagoforRahm.com.

City government belongs to you, so I�m calling on all Chicagoans to participate. With this election, we have the chance for a fresh start and a new beginning.

In the months ahead, I look forward to earning your support.� Leading Chicago would be a great responsibility and a tremendous privilege. I hope to see you soon. Thanks.

(YWN Desk – NYC)