White House Unsure If Obama Will Campaign For Rahm

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday that it has not been determined if President Obama will assist outgoing Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s mayoral bid.

“I have no information on political endorsements,” Gibbs said, but added that the President holds Emanuel in high esteem.

Obama will be in Illinois next week to campaign for Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias.

Rahm Emanuel Could Leave White House By Next Month

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will likely leave the Obama administration by next month, according to a reports from various news outlets.

Emanuel is widely suspected to be eyeing a run for mayor of Chicago following Richard M. Daley’s announcement that he would not seek the position for a seventh term.

Prior to joining the White House, Emanuel served in Congress for three terms and in 2006 was named the Chair of the Democratic Caucus. His district, Illinois’ fifth, included part of Chicago.

Frontrunner Emerges To Replace Rahm

Politico is reporting that White House Deputy National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Rahm Emanuel should he leave his job as Chief of Staff to run for Mayor of Chicago…

White House Officials Meet With BP Execs

The White House released the following statement regarding a meeting that took place earlier today between senior Obama administration officials and executives from BP:

“Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner, White House Counsel Robert Bauer, and National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, joined by other senior administration officials, met with BP executives Bob Dudley and Lamar McKay this afternoon to discuss a range of issues regarding the ongoing clean up and recovery efforts in the Gulf. They impressed upon BP the importance of living up to their commitment to long term recovery, and underscored that the Administration will remain vigilant in ensuring that promise is met. Among a variety of other issues, the administration officials also stressed the need for BP to move quickly to pay state and local government claims, and reiterated President Obama’s commitment to work with the people of the Gulf to hold BP accountable, and to address economic, health and environmental needs, and restore the beauty and bounty of the region.”