Is Rahm Emanuel--Reportedly Obama's New Chief of Staff--an Agent of Change?
| Wed Nov. 5, 2008 12:24 PM PST
The Obama administration is already under way. And a new theme begins for the Obama tale: is he bringing real change to Washington?
The day after Barack Obama's historic and decisive victory, various media outlets are reporting that the president-elect has picked Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) to be his White House chief of staff. Emanuel is one of the more colorful characters in Washington: a sharp-tongued, quick-witted partisan. He was one of the original Clinton warriors--those political operatives who guided Bill Clinton to the White House and then went to work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He put in five years on the front lines of the Clinton wars--longer than most of his comrades--and then left to make millions of dollars in the private sector. He was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2002 and soon became the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Leading the DCCC, Emanuel was a prolific fundraiser and engineered the 2006 election wins that allowed the Democrats to regain control of the House.
A Washington player he is. Mother Jones profiled him and examined his tough-guy ways in 1993, a few months into his stint at the Clinton White House. When Emanuel left the Clinton White House in October 1998--during the Monica Madness--The Washington Post summed up his years there:
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Continued From Above
In 1993, Emanuel's brash, punish-your-enemies style aptly reflected a White House in which certitude sometimes outpaced judgment. He lost support internally and, in a move that sources said first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton urged, was fired from his job as political director....
With an imprecise job portfolio, Emanuel took on projects that had the cumulative effect of recasting Clinton with a more centrist image. Some were big, such as helping lead lobbying for the North American Free Trade Agreement. But many Emanuel projects were mocked as small-bore, such as Clinton's pronouncements on school uniforms and trigger locks for guns….
Colleagues make fun of Emanuel's penchant for pushing initiatives on to Clinton's schedule. At the Wednesday [farewell] ceremony, [White House aide Gene] Sperling cracked about a fictitious Emanuel proposal to put trigger locks on water pistols and noted that his friend's typical policy proposals must cost no money and be related to "two obscure tragedies a decade."
….While most of his friends in the original Clinton team from 1992 -- including Sperling, Stephanopoulos and political advisers James Carville and Paul Begala -- are traditional Democrats, Emanuel was a major force prodding Clinton to fashion a "New Democrat" image.
[Erskine] Bowles, who will leave his post [as White House chief of staff] next week, said Emanuel's greatest skill was putting ideas into action. While the bureaucracy wants to study things for 18 months, Bowles said, Emanuel would insist that a proposal be ready for a presidential announcement in 18 days. "He moves the trash," said Bowles, using a favorite Southern phrase.
....Emanuel said he has learned to become more politic in his White House years. Even the first lady became a supporter. Acknowledging that he was too brash for his own good early on, he said that "as influence grows, so should humility."
Emanuel as an agent of change? Maybe not. But maybe an agent of change needs someone who can move the bureaucracy (and the trash) to get change done.
Comments
It was Rahm who railed that if Cheney thought he wasn't part of the executive branch, perhaps they should stop paying him. Yes, I have questions about his "supporting" the Iraq war initiative before it happened; as I have problems with Biden's involvement in the drug war. But overall, I like Rahm. He has an attitude that is defiantly anti the "get along with everyone" ("pussy") attitude that many Dems share. He's a go for the jugular kind of guy, which is precisely what Democrats need to get things done. And trigger locks on guns sound pretty good to me!
"fired from his job as political director"
Okay, you do realize that as a political director it was his job to be partisan, right?
"Emanuel took on projects that had the cumulative effect of recasting Clinton with a more centrist image"
"Emanuel was a major force prodding Clinton to fashion a "New Democrat" image"
So is David objecting to the fact that the political director is concerned with image? or that the image Rahm pushed was centrist?
Help me understand what you are getting at?
He's a go for the jugular kind of guy...
Just what our foreign policy is lacking. Won't that make a world of difference in how we get along in the world?!?!
He'll have Mr. Liberal Interventionist himself, Joe Biden right there with him, telling other governments what they'd By God BETTER Do!
That's the America the World Loves! (But somehow, I thought that's the America we were voting to quit being... Did I miss something?)
And trigger locks on guns sound pretty good to me!
Sounds good to hold-up men and rapists, too!
Trigger locks, disassembly of firearms in the home and no private ownership of handguns is what has kept the people of D.C. so safe for the last 30 years..., don't you know?!?!
If the Democrats make that gun control mistake again, as they did in Clinton's administration, their advantage in the Congress won't last 5 minutes. They'll have to learn that same lesson all over again, and learn it the hard way, just like they did the last time.
Right there with you Mindy,
Obama needs a tough guy to keep things moving his way, he needs an old "china-hand" type with experience and savvy.
But of course, our neocon nutty friends with evidently no place to blog and whine and moan of their own, will start criticizing Obama every moves even before he makes one with all the passive agressiveness of a 2 years old.
Let's remember how they love their leaders: brainless, easily spook into a war, or two or three; a fake "compassionate" puppet-like beer guzzler.... Well, now: nothing like Obama
I guess there won't be any stopping to their whining now!!!
Two questions at least are for me raised immediately:
1. Does the selection of Emanuel reflect on Obama's willingness to challenge the hegemony of finance-capitalism and the comcomittant concentration of wealth the past 30 years? What you euphamistically refer to as Emanuel's "private sector" job was in fact a lucrative ($8 million to $18 million earnings in salary and bonus in a couple of years depending on which source you believe) investment banker position with a top Chicago investment bank (Dresdner Kleinwort) Already the names of Rubin and Summers are being floated as cabinet picks. Both are big-finance sycophants and were major contributors (in the Clinton administration)to the rise of unregulated credit-debt markets and the triumph of the "socialization of risk and privatization of reward" that has led to the mess we are now in.
2. What does the selection say (if anything) about Obama's readiness to approach the whole Palestinian issue from a fair and balanced point of view?
Don't start judging every potential staffer by the "change-o-meter". One of the biggest mistakes made at all levels of management is trying to surround yourself with exact copies of you. Obama said from the very beginning that he wouldn't be looking for yes-men, that he would staff his White House with people who knew their business and would challenge him, which I think was demonstrated perfectly by his pick of Biden. It is a sign of wisdom to flesh out your staff with personalities, knowledge and skills that you lack yourself.
Following the 2006 congressional elections when the Dems regained control of the House, I read that Mr. Emanuel had, in fact, chosen 23 candidates for the election and ONLY 6 won their races (they were all pro-war). Anti-war candidates without his support won and turned over the House to the Dems.
The much talked about appointment of the ardent Zionist Rham Emanuel to be the new Obama's Chief of Staff comes as no surprise. It is a mere down payment to a much larger commitment made by Candidate Obama to the Israeli Lobby in return for that lobby to drop its initial opposition to his candidacy. After several little-publicized private meetings with the Jewish leaders which have taken place in Northern Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Southern California, candidate Obama pledged unwavering allegiance to Israel. In return, the lobby dropped its initial opposition to his presidential aspiration and ordered their media watch dogs to cease their relentless attacks on Obama. After these meetings, major positive transformation of attitude toward Obama by major media outlets clearly emerged. The constant negative attacks on Obama by CNN's Blitzer, ABC's Gibson, the Washington Post's Krauthammer, the New York Times, etc.. have changed to implicit praise. Rev. Wright infamous oratories of cursing America began to disappear from the TV screens in America's living rooms.
However, the lingering doubt of the Jewish Lobby about Obama's true core has not totally vanished; and here comes the usefulness of a Zionist like Emanuel to be placed at the heart of the upcoming Obama Administration. From the Chief of Staff Desk, Emanuel can monitor the pulses and any future undesirable inclinations of President Obama and beams early warning signs to the Israeli Lobby.
With the new Iron Curtain of Israeli agents begins to take shape around Obama; the new President challenges will considerably harden: How could Obama reconcile his romantic aspirations and idealistic promises to his progressive base, while turning blind eye to the Israeli relentless violations of human right and international law? How can President Obama keep his promises of world peace while the son of a Jewish Terrorist (Irgun) who served in the Israeli Army is in daily control of his front desk in the White House? Two options are emerging for President Obama:
1. To radically shift to the right and eat up all his campaign promises and let the Israeli dictate his foreign policy
2. To become the second Jimmy Carter, who defied the Lobby, and became the one term president who walked out of the White House in disgrace.
Changes are brought about by the "Policy Makers" not the Policy carry outers which includes above all the Chief of Staff. I haven't heard anyone knock Emmanuel's ability to get tyhe job done! Matter of fact, most say that he most certainly will get it done come Hell or High Water!-That passes my inspection!
Mindy, Cass, BigAl, Jane,
Mr. Independent, William,
Jane-Making peace does not require making best friends with terrorists, it only requires a commitment to stop the mass murder campaign that is partially the cause of it.
All: it should be clear to all of you by now that in order for Obama to take the Presidential helm he had to hire all the Clinton retreads. The Powers that be thought Billary was too much of a risk too soon after Bill Clinton left office in such a disgrace; so they wanted Obama. But in return, he had to hire all the Clintonites that were somewhat responsible for Bill Clinton's many failures in office. One hand washing the other. "CHANGE" is coming alright, but not the change people think. I can't wait for all the SUCKERS who voted for this shape-shifter War Party Democrat finally realize that they have been HAD, AND HAD BIGTIME.
Hey Jane,
Then what do you want Obama to do in the Middle East, more wars? Aren't you tired of Wars? The Israeli Agents (The Neocons) pushed George W. Bush to invade Iraq to protect Israel at very high cost to our Country. And what the Israelis did in return? They spied on us and annexed more lands from the Palestinian peasants to build more illegal settlements, killed more Palestinians and violated more international laws with the Billions of Dollars they get from us every year.
Obama promised to use broad principles of human right in his foreign policy. Yet, for the Israeli Lobby to force a hardliner like Rahm Emanuel to be his Chief of Staff and an Ultra-Zionist like Dennis Ross to be his Middle East advisor makes it difficult for Obama to live up to his promise.
What is wrong with Peace in the Middle East Jane? Wake up, smell some strong coffee and answer my question.
William,
I am afraid that this plea will fall upon deaf ears. Jane, like Rahm Emanuel and Joe "I am a Zionist Biden" sincerely believe in their heart of hearts that "God" gave Israel that land and the Palestinians should never have been there in the first place. I am afraid to break the bad news to you that Obama will fare no better than any other U.S. President in getting a peace agreement because the Israeli lobby will not allow any agreement of any kind unless Israel is able to annex the land(s) of its choosing.
You summed up well Reed; I am in full agreement with your analysis. I am guessing that Jane is nowhere to be found, she may have gone to Israel to do her mandatory service in the IDF following on the footsteps of Rahm Emanuel. After all, blind loyalty to Israel is the best career enhancement formula for all American Politicians who aspire to make it into high places.
Emanuel will make an excellent hatchet man for Obama. Thick, empty Republican skulls are going to have to get busted first before any sense can make its way in.
The Democrats have needed an attack dog for a long time. I sure hope we will have a few.
And since neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis seem to want peace, what can Obama do?
Emmanuel sheparded NAFTA through Congress. He is a Clintonista. Pretty 'centrist' if you ask me.
The people who expect large 'liberal' changes from Obama will be disappointed. The cabinet is going to fill up with mostly moderate Republicans, Clintonites and a stray liberal like Robert F Kennedy Jr.
The Republican meme will be 'centrism, centrism' to keep Obama from going to the left. The Clintonite meme will be 'centrism, centrism' to keep Obama from going to the left. The press meme will be 'centrism, centrism' to keep Obama from going to the left.
So what is the Democratic 'left' going to do? Shut up and follow along is my wager.
I recall Dean Rusk and the negative, hawkish influences he had on President Kennedy, who wanted much less of a US involvement in RVN.
I also wonder about this choice, given the destruction of NFTA on small employers (e.g., sewing employers of 20-50 in the KY and TN areas that closed and went to Mexico).
Perhaps it is the need for a 'bad cop' image, but right now that does not satisfy me enough.
Submitted by Jesus B. Ochoa (not verified) on Fri Nov. 7, 2008 5:28 PM PST.
One: during the congressional elections 2 years ago, Emanuel pushed the conservative dems running. He then joined with Stoyer in successfully pushing Pelosi to the right. The people were not impressed, witness the dismal ratings for the congress.
Two: The president-elect's unstinting support for the Israel neocons has just been cast in stone.
A pity. If this is change, and on another front, bring on the vultures to spend the taxpayers' loot as the big banks use it to buy up more banks.
Rather like Palin on her shopping spree.
Emanual is mart guy, but as far as working together as Obama promised, crossing the isle with an open hand, Emanual is certainly not the guy to do that. That is not a knock, it is a fact. But Obama will just keep on proving, what ever he has said means nothing, just hot air. So when will all the troops be out of Iraq? March 2009 as Obama promised? Many Dem's called Gen Betrayus a liar, but now whose foot fits that shoe?
Then I looked a little deeper into Emanuel's background and found Emanuel described as a mean- spirited, foul-mouthed Rahm Emanuel, a son of an Israeli who promptly left his own Jewishness at the door when Clinton, Missy NotsoBright, and Dennis Ross embraced Arafat after Oslo, as Obama Chief of Staff comes the news that the Obamites have sharpened their knives for their first kill".
None other than the Democratic Nominee for Vice President in 2000 and a staunch friend of John McCain, Joseph Ira Lieberman.
Joe's crime? Being an American patriot, it seems and not an Islamofascist appeaser ala Obama, Biden, Pelosi and Reid.
There is talk that he will be removed from his position as Chair of the Homeland Security Committee of the Senate as early as today. If this is so, then we will definitely have a good idea that It and his buddies will not be Centrists and that we will definitely be in for rough times.
Rahm Emmanuel will be used as President-Elect, Barak Obama's battering ram to push the Obama mandate. This will include pressuring Israel to: withdraw from East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to appease and 'reconcile' with the Palestinians. withdraw from the Golan Heights to appease and 'reconcile' with Syria. not to pre-emptively attack Iran's nuclear facilities despite the Iranians' stated goal of "wiping Israel off of the map." There will be throngs of Jews who will be pushing the Obama agenda despite the risk this agenda poses to Israel's security and well-being. Get ready for a rough ride.
Rahm Emanuel, biggest fundraiser for Clinton in 1992, a radical and a partisan is being touted by as a centrist by the Obamedia. Yes,the perpetuation of the nonsense of Obama's move "to the center" - words matter!
Emanuel once earned $16.2 million as a former investment banker and about his position as a board member of Freddie Mac, a quasi-government agency largely faulted for the current mortgage crisis.
Like Obama, Emanuel has compiled a hard-left voting record in Washington. He currently has a 4 percent rating from the American Conservative Union and has consistently voted in favor of higher taxes, regulation and liberal social issues.
Emanuel was known for his hard-nosed tactics as a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton.
1. Rahm Emanuel has a record, as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, of engaging in top-down machiavellian politics to thwart local candidates by introducing his "recruits", and pumping in DCCC national support to those politicians, who have tended to be less progressive than the Democrats Emanuel has defeated. The choice of Emanuel by Obama signals that President Obama intends to disregard progressive interests in order to maintain his hold on power.
2. Perhaps the Chief of Staff, as an organizational leader, can be machiavellian without negatively affecting progressive policies.
One of his proudest moments during the Clinton Administration "was an event that touched his political sensibilities and his personal ties to Israel: the 1993 Rose Garden signing ceremony after the Oslo accord between Israel and the Palestinians. Rahm directed the details of the ceremony, down to the choreography of the famous handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat."[10]
EMANUEL WAS DIRECTOR OF FREDDIE MAC DURING SCANDAL ABC news
The man and all those Democrat crooks should be behind bars, not bailed out on my dime.
President-elect Barack Obama's newly appointed chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, served on the board of directors of the federal mortgage firm Freddie Mac at a time when scandal was brewing at the troubled agency and the board failed to spot "red flags," ...
The problem with the economy is not the high price but the inability to pay that price.
Cancel NAFTA give every body a raise in pay and that problem is over.
The energy problem is simple also. The first week Obama is in office he takes a spl. ops. team and flys down to Goom Lake and breaks into S4. He then makes all that technology free to the public and a whole new world is born.
This may sound simplistic and it is, new laws will be passed to control the use and we will interface with other offworld cultures to allow us to leave and learn from them in peace forever.
Please do not underestimate the power of this unique man's potential....and don't make unrealistic demands and expect too much too soon. Barack Obama is a "no nonsense" kind of person that ran a "flawless" campaign and I expect that he will run his administration and our country with the same level of expertise. You can contribute to this by not criticizing, just knowing that we now have a friend (someone on our side for a change)in the White House who is dedicated to the welfare of our country and all the citizens contained therein.
I,personally, am tired of wars. Wars are not won. "what you resist, persists." We need a whole new paridigm of level, calm dialogue. We need Unity and we will have it with the Change we have been promised. We have done nothing to curb terrorism in the world. It has only become worse with our attitude of exaltation. ie; "Exalt yourself and you will be humbled." Well, we are being humbled. Better to humble ourselves and be exalted. We do not need criticism. We need a sharing of concerned thoughtful exchange and "maturity" as was mentioned in Obama's acceptance speech. This is something that is being ushered in by example in Obama himself, by example, which is the best way of teaching and sharing.
Emanuel, unfortunately is a Zionist. Israel promotes NOT a vision of a inclusive "multi-cultural," "multi-ethnic" society (like we do in America) for Israel, but instead a racist exclusionary "Jewish state." It is racist because a Jew is defined as coming from a Jewish mother(genes). That state is openly dedicated to the advancement of the Jewish religion, culture, and even the genetic preservation of the Jewish people. Israel uses racial profiling. Israel values Judaism above other religions. Israel should seek to be welcoming and inclusive and respect all religions, or even those with no religion.
Israeli ethnocentric, chauvinism and xenophobic values are just too extreme. Israel does not share American values and let us therefore not share American taxpayer money with them. Israel needs to advance to the 21st century in its values. The days of racism should be a thing of the past. Israeli society is where America's society was 100 years ago. Israel can do better. Let us have that as our goal to advance Israel to the 21st century in the field of civil rights.
Good Choice. Shows Obama is savvy and knows he needs someone to watch his back. Change will be important but it will be imperative for Obama to have someone tough like Emanuel with him to make sure the change gets pushed through
Rahm has been on the campaign trail and advising Barack - so far so good.
Funny how so many people were screaming for a democrat with a spine - then the same folks whine when the spine isn't 100% with their personal opinions?
Purity trolls!~
lolololo
The comments posted by "Liberal Larry" and "William" see right through the facade of Obama and the choice of men he surrounds himself with. Obama's government is going to be more of the same old same old status quo. Nothing will change for the better but I predict it will change for the worse.
Pay attention to Obama's connection with nuclear power. Nuclear power is the wrong type of energy to be forced upon the world. Why is it that only destructive types of energy are adopted by world governments, such as crude-oil, clean/dirty coal, biofuels and nuclear? When the American Government prevents clean, sound green technologies from becoming mainstream alarm bells should sound in one's conscience. Yet, since the time of Nikola Tesla this has not happened. Tesla offered J.P.Morgan the solution to all the energies needs of the world, and was dismissed and erased from the public's knowledge. Even school teachers do not know who Nikola Tesla was.
Ruth Montgomery, a trusted reporter that worked for many years at the White House, was reluctant to write about "dark forces" which rule the world. Later Ruth recognized that it was important to make this known to the public. But leaders without vision and integrity continue to rise to power because they control the Media. It is all a brotherhood of freemasons at the service of self, and believe me Americans they do not give a damn about you; their only interest is to make you their slaves. This is why poverty will never have a solution.
Submitted by Phoenix Woman (not verified) on Sat Nov. 8, 2008 1:44 PM PST.
"Following the 2006 congressional elections when the Dems regained control of the House, I read that Mr. Emanuel had, in fact, chosen 23 candidates for the election and ONLY 6 won their races (they were all pro-war). Anti-war candidates without his support won and turned over the House to the Dems."
Which is why I'm glad that he's been kicked upstairs -- he can't interfere with the DNC any more.
Same with Biden: Pulling him out of the Senate means freeing up his committee chairmanships for Chris Dodd.
Submitted by Phoenix Woman (not verified) on Sat Nov. 8, 2008 1:47 PM PST.
Geez, the troll factor in here is stratospheric.
Rahm is a sharp guy, top notch IQ and he can get things done. But the right things? He is at the pinnacle
of leadership at AIPAC (America Israel Political Action Committee". So far we Americans have given $78 Billion to this racist, militarist evil little empire.
Every tank and bullet used to kill Palestians comes from us.
If we at MoJo support human rights, we should tolerate a man like Rahm being Chief of Staff. He is the ULTIMATE insider. Judaism is a great religion of peace. Zionism is a movement which attempts to camouflage its evil and racism by hiding behind this religion. This would be the same as the Mafia saying it's anti-Italian to crack down on the Mafia. The majority of Italian americans never supported the Mafia. Moral Jews should be raising hell. And the rest of us too. Thanks MoJo for showing that you support diversity of opinion. I will keep reading.
The apppointment of Rahm Israel Emanuel sends the wrong message. SWC Geneva, 24 March 2005,World Council of Churches Refuses Simon Wiesenthal Center's Request To Rescind Israel Divestment Campaign. The general secretary of the World Council of Churches has defended the church body's recent call that its member denominations consider withdrawing investments from firms profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Kobia acknowledged that the WCC move had prompted criticism by US and international Jewish leaders. The WCC called upon Israel to obey international law that bans indiscriminate force against civilians, torture and the wanton destruction of property.The United Methodist Church(Senator Clinton's Church), Presbyterian Church USA, The Episcopal Church, amongst other main line churches call for divestment as well, as well as Obama's spiritual guide, Pastor Wright.
Though I supported the Obama campaign my feelings regarding the choice of Emanuel are not good. So, regardless of stated ideals before the election, the "War On Terror, Inc." will continue unabated, possibly causing even more unneeded deaths in Afghanistan and illegal cruise missile attacks in Pakistan than our current regime. Obama seems to be carrying forward the essential ingredients of Neo-con foreign policy - US imperial world hegemony. Yes, everyone who voted for him must now commit themselves to a continued speaking of truth to power. Never give up the fight to hold the elusive executive agencies responsible for the military madness we are so thoroughly steeped in.
Submitted by Dan Mortenson (not verified) on Sun Nov. 9, 2008 4:01 PM PST.
A lot of you commenters seem to think that Emanuel will be handling foreign policy or some such.
A Chief of Staff is just that: the guy who makes sure all the ducks are in a row -- and the ONLY ducks the CoS would be concerned with, are the ducks in the WH itself.
The President is the Decider in the Executive Branch, remember? Obama will decide, Emanuel will do the calling and badgering, and schedule press conferences. OF COURSE you need someone who can't be pushed around, for such a position. Being too nice would be a decided handicap -- the kind of handicap the old guard neo-cons would LOVE to see this administration start out with.
We're not stupid; and neither is Obama, and neither is Emanuel.
William & Reed: I couldn't agree with you more. Despite Obama's good intentions, it would be too good to be true for the Israeli Lobby to not get involved in our foreign policies. Unfortunately, the lobby has managed to influence a large majority of the public's opinion and suppress any kind of information that reflects poorly on Irael. It's no wonder we've got people like Jane confusing Hamas with innocent Palestinian civilians who can't go about their daily lives let alone get to a local hospital due to IDF roadblocks. Rahm Emanual doesn't exactly strike me as the type to see Israel as an opressor of human rights and violator of international law... again, stuff we would never hear in US news media. How dare we criticise Israel?
David's post is inaccurate in at least one respect - as a couple of posters here have already hinted, Emanuel did NOT "engineer" the Democratic House victories in 2006. That credit goes instead to DNC Chairman Howard Dean and his "50-State Strategy" that put Democratic candidates in position to benefit from Republican scandals in several districts, a strategy that, if memory serves, was stridently criticized by Emanuel. This probably isn't a huge deal anymore, as the Chief of Staff isn't necessarily the President's primary political adviser, but I'd still be curious as to what Rahm has to say for himself now that the 2006 and 2008 elections have revealed something of a tin ear on his part...
thank you for this nice
Submitted by zxzxzx on Sun Oct. 25, 2009 8:17 AM PDT.
