Rahm Emanuel Criticizes Democrats for Ignoring Mississippi's Reading Success

Former Obama Chief of Staff says party has lost focus on education

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:36am by

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A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary desk in a dimly lit government office, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, capturing a pensive mood around shifting education priorities.As the Democratic Party grapples with shifting education priorities, a pensive mood settles over the halls of government.San Francisco Today

In an interview on HBO's 'Real Time,' former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel criticized the Democratic Party for getting distracted by 'culture wars' in schools instead of focusing on improving education. He pointed to Mississippi's success in improving reading scores, from 49th to 9th in the nation, as an example that 'a lot of interest groups don't want to talk about.'

Why it matters

Emanuel's comments highlight a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the balance between progressive social policies and a traditional focus on improving educational outcomes, especially for underperforming states like Mississippi. His critique suggests the party risks losing credibility on a core issue like education if it becomes too distracted by divisive cultural debates.

The details

Emanuel said the Democratic Party 'invited a bunch of culture wars into our kids' schools' in recent years, pointing to debates over renaming schools and issues like bathroom access. He argued the party has 'lost the plot' on education, noting Mississippi went from 49th to 9th in reading scores, a fact he said 'a lot of interest groups don't want to talk about.' Emanuel, a former Obama chief of staff, said the party 'used to be really great about education' but has since 'lost it' by not focusing on the 'primary thing.'

  • The interview aired on HBO's 'Real Time' on April 18, 2026.

The players

Rahm Emanuel

A CNN Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, former Obama Chief of Staff, and former Chicago Mayor.

Mississippi

A state that went from 49th to 9th in the nation for reading scores, according to Emanuel.

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What they’re saying

“The Democratic Party, taking 2024, going back to 2020, invited a bunch of culture wars into our kids' schools, and we lost that war.”

— Rahm Emanuel, CNN Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator, former Obama Chief of Staff

“Went down to Mississippi, they went from 49th to 9th in reading. A lot of interest groups don't want to talk about it. We messed this up in our party. We used to be really great about education. We've lost it, because we're not focused on the primary thing.”

— Rahm Emanuel, CNN Senior Political and Global Affairs Commentator, former Obama Chief of Staff

The takeaway

Emanuel's critique suggests the Democratic Party risks losing credibility on education if it becomes too distracted by divisive cultural debates instead of focusing on improving academic outcomes, especially in underperforming states. His comments highlight a growing tension within the party between progressive social policies and traditional education priorities.