Barack Obama eyes Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff

[oberliner]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — Officials say Barack Obama’s campaign has approached Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel about possibly serving as White House chief of staff if Obama wins the presidential election. They spoke of the contact Thursday as the marathon presidential race entered its final, frenzied stretch with a Democratic tilt.

The Democrats who described the contact with Emanuel spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to be quoted by name.

Emanuel worked in President Clinton’s White House and is now a member of the House Democratic leadership. An aide, Sarah Feinberg, said in an e-mail that he ‘‘has not been contacted to take a job in an administration that does not yet exist.’’

Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/1252058,barack-obama-rahm-emanuel103008.article

[billyoc]

1. I don't know, Rahm is the number 3 man in the House. He'd be giving up a lot.

[Bucky]

38. Giving up a lot. And for what? Controlling access to the most powerful man in the world

He'd never be elected speaker. He's a smart guy. I'm sure he'd take it, even if he's not quite my cup of Java.
His reputation is for being fiercely partisan. Not quite Obama's style either, but he never did look for yes-men.

[ryanmuegge]

112. I'm sure he'll make the decision based upon where he feels he can do the most harm to the country..

Emmanuel is a clown. Our governor is also a clown.

[struggle4progress]

123. Story has been denied:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x35

[Solly Mack]

2. ...

...

[BrklynLiberal]

3. That would be interesting since the character in West Wing, Josh Lyman was

supposedly based on Rahm Emanuel..


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7672068


That being said, I am not a big fan of Rahm Emanuel. But I feel that Obama knows what he is doing.

[SharonRB]

26. I'm not a fan either

The best news is that it would get him out of the House.

[philly_bob]

91. Also not a big fan. Representative of the old DLC big bizness wing.

Still, choice of Rahm Emanuel would reassure big bizness and old-school DC pundits, and Obama gets to choose the man he wants for chief of staff.

[SlowDownFast]

108. Rahm's brother, Ari, inspired the character

Ari Gold (the talent agent) on HBO's Entourage.

[The Magistrate]

4. A Very Good Man For The Job, Sir

[...of J.Temperance]

34. Agreed n/t

[SlowDownFast]

111. Not.

See my post below (#110).

[musette_sf]

5. nooooooo

oh well, i guess they have to throw the DLC a bone.

[...of J.Temperance]

35. The DLC DON'T need to be "thrown a bone", we are Democrats as well

You DON'T "throw a bone" to a huge section of your own party.

Instead you work TOGETHER as a party, everyone has the same goal here, and thats to do whats best for the people who are suffering out there, and to bring about a healing after the last awful eight years of disasterous divide and conquer rule by W and Co.

On Edit: Dammit spelling error

[Critters2]

37. May we progressives also have a bone, please?

We've been waiting a damn long time.

[...of J.Temperance]

43. Sure, what "bone" would you like?

The REASON why Senator Obama is doing so well, is because he's running as a Centrist, and yes, I was wrong earlier in the year, I thought he was going to be way MORE Liberal than he's been, but I'm VERY happy with how he's ran as our Presidential nominee.

If by "Progressive Democrat" you mean someone who has the political philosophy of say Congressman Dennis Kucinich, well then....Kucinich political positions would have guaranteed that right now we'd be on 30% in the polls and also be facing losing Congress and the Senate as well.

We HAVE to meet each other half way, we have to look at the issues that UNITE us, concentrate on the issues that we ALL agree on, and not obsess about the issues that we don't agree on....this is what Senator Obama is doing, he's UNITING our party, not dividing it.

He's an extraordinary man, a truly unique new politician and I'm proud he's our nominee.

[Critters2]

44. On what issue has the DLC met Progressives half way?

And as to what bone I'd like...single payer universal health care would be a good start.

[...of J.Temperance]

49. The so-called "Progressives" have always shown animosity to the DLC

So try meeting us half way....we have been friendly in trying to extend olive branches, but when we get called all sorts of inaccurate names, such as "Corporate Whores", and that's just one of the nicer ones....then we are not about to bend over backwards to meet people who call us names half way.

You have to meet us half way, and I guarantee when you do, you will realise how much in COMMON we have and how many things we actually agree on.

[Critters2]

52. So, you got nuthin', huh? The entire Clinton adminstration was one long

"meeting the DLC halfway" by Progressives. We'd like a seat at the table this time.

[...of J.Temperance]

54. And the Clinton Administration delivered

Peace and prosperity and millions of new jobs for eight years, halved the National Debt and left office with the Government in SURPLUS for the first time ever....then W got in and fucked everything up MEGA.

[Critters2]

57. And welfare reform and an increase in Greenspan's authority.

It was not the Golden Age. We can do better--by including Progressives in a Democratic administration. For a change.

[...of J.Temperance]

62. A seat at the table as long as it's not on

An Economic subject.

Centrists and Progressives can work together in the area where we agree on the MOST issues, that being in social issues areas, like pro-choice, pro-gay rights, stem cell research, pro-Social Security, educational issues etc.

I admit that on Economic issues we might not agree on too much.

On social issues, that's where we CAN and SHOULD work together on.

[Critters2]

64. So, the DLC wants to decide who gets to talk about what, huh?

You have a strange notion of party unity. I'm a proud Social Democrat. I'd like to be in this big tent, too. Unless it's not big enough. Then we have a problem.

[...of J.Temperance]

68. Someone down thread is talking about "purging" the party

Which is a thing that I've heard before.

Maybe you should take the party unity thing up with those who would like to "purge" the party of those that don't agree with them on 100% of the issues.

The Centrist Democrats are pro-Big Tent, and we have NEVER once demanded that people get "purged" from their and OUR political party.

So talk about party unity with the crowd who want to "purge" the Democratic Party and demand Litmus Tests.

[Critters2]

71. Again, deciding that Progressives are only allowed to speak on social issues

is just this side of purging. They say "purge". You say "silence". Me, I don't see a difference.

[...of J.Temperance]

74. There is a difference

"Purge" means to eject out of the Democratic Party.

I don't think Progressive Economics would be a good thing, Mainstream Centrist Economics is a good thing and if you notice, Senator Obama's Economic plans are Mainstream Centrist.

[Zhade]

115. Check out Sweden's economic strength, then get back to us.

It's impossible to have this conversation with you until you actually understand reality outside of this country's borders.

[girl gone mad]

87. Look, your brand of economics is a proven failure.

We've seen how corporatism works. It's lain waste to our entire economy.

No thanks on meeting halfway.

[...of J.Temperance]

90. Our brand is Clinton Economics and Clinton Economics WORKED for eight years

It's W Voodoo Economics that have lain waste to the entire economy.

President Clinton was DLC and his economic plans were successes, I'm pleased that Senator Obama's economic plans are very similar to President Clinton's.

This shows that Centrist Economics work, if they didn't there wouldn't have been EIGHT YEARS of economic stability under the Clinton Administration and Senator Obama wouldn't be running on a Centrist Economic platform.

You have it wrong, it's the W Voodoo Economics that have ruined the economy, not Centrist Economics.


On Edit: Dammit spelling error

[Zhade]

116. NAFTA proves you dead, undeniably WRONG.

NT!

[blm]

127. Covering up BCCI matters was part of that economic plan - how did that turn out for this nation in

the long run?

[Solon]

134. Clinton was incredibly lucky...

No more, no less, his economic policies were not severely tested by economic downturn. Indeed, his economic policies neither hurt nor helped the economy during the 1990s. After the recession of the late 1980s, and the relatively lack of growth during the Bush I administration, the economy was ready to expand at the time.

In addition, the explosion of the internet, and internet commerce accelerated this growth tremendously. Much of the economic expansion of the 1990s can't be attributed directly to Clinton at all. Indeed, some policies, such as NAFTA, the Gramm-Leach-Bililey Act and other policies wouldn't have there problems felt for years after he left office, now in fact.

In addition, the wage gap didn't shrink any significant amount during his tenure, and the working poor were, again, seeing their wages not keeping up with inflation. Centrist policies work fine when everything else in the economy works fine, but faced with a crisis, they end up faltering badly, and leave many people behind.

[girl gone mad]

144. Well said. n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

167. Solon!

Haven't seen you around (though I'm not on here as often as I used to be). Anyway, just wanted to shout out a "hi" to a fellow old-timer.

Carry on.

[PassingFair]

154. Riding the crest of the dot.com bubble does not an "economic success" make.

The DLC candidate was beaten this cycle.

Prepare to be marginalized.

Does THAT sound better to you than PURGING?

[fascisthunter]

135. yeah, because the DLC does such a bang up job on Economics

you have got to be kidding yourself.

[kath]

100. And Don't Ask, Don't Tell. And cozying up to the insurance companies in designing a health care

plan.
I want the Democrats to get back to standing up for the little guy (and gal) - and that includes the poor, unions, etc.

[Critters2]

101. Yep, all of that, too.

:grr:

[blm]

126. You forget that it was Clinton who deep-sixed serious matters that should've assured no Bush

would ever take office again. He allowed the CIA to continue as a political tool for GHWBush and the fascist agenda along with the continuing coverups of IranContra, Iraqgate, BCCI and CIA drugrunning - and THAT led directly to Bush2, 9-11, and this Iraq war.

[xxqqqzme]

133. oops, you forgot NAFTA.

What a gem that turned out to be.

Evidently, you have spent very little time on the DLC site. The DLC is PNAC w/ liberal language. The underlying philosophy - America first; over the top defense spending (to appease their corporate masters); unrestrained 'free' trade; privatize everything and deregulattion are share by both.

DLC also supports, what is now called 'the * doctrine'. It is just the support is presented in liberal language. It is not quite as blatant as PNAC ham-fisted approach.

[musette_sf]

58. agreed n/t

[dionysus]

131. because the DLC and their lickspittles are goddamn republican wannabes

:puke:

[yurbud]

151. DLCers solutions to problems never acknowledges business guilt in creating them

or put the burden on them to pay for the damage they have done for society.

[Hawkowl]

113. I'll second that

Single payer universal health care!!!!

[Chan790]

79. The bone I really want is the one that I'll never get...

the DLC to concede that two Reagan terms, one Daddy Bush term and two terms of the Presidunce have completely repudiated Freedmanian economic conservatism as a ideology. I'll meet the DLC halfway on nearly anything else as soon as they concede the entirety of the economic plank of their third way is a big steaming pile of bullshit.

I can compromise on strategy on how to win. Battleground vs. 50-state strategies are not mutually-exclusive. That's a tactics discussion anyways.

I can compromise on certain populism issues. Ultimately, liberals always win on social issues over conservatism every time for more than 10,000 years of human civilization. It just takes time sometimes. I may not like it but the Democratic Party will never be as progressive as I'd like anyways.

I cannot compromise on corporatism...it's actually as evil as the boogeyman of communism was projected to be. I know my enemy...it's the morallessly-capitalist oppressor of the plebs. You can't be with them and be part of this big tent because being with them means you're opposed to the very glue of the Democratic coalition. The equality of all people stands in opposition to the empowerment of the oppressor.

[Omnibus]

95. Hear, hear!

Corporations are valuable tools for the creation of wealth. But they are amoral, immortal sociopathic organizations with no long-term view--BY DESIGN AND BY LAW.

I'll compromise or concede any other points to the DLC, but I won't compromise government by, for, and of THE PEOPLE. Continuing corporate rule is anathema to democracy.

[Critters2]

102. I hope they're not immortal. That's a frightening prospect!

:hi:

[Agony]

146. They ARE immortal!

When corporate charters were first conceived they expired and had to be renewed. Today corporate charters do not expire even tho corporations have been mistakenly granted personhood (for example corporations have been ruled to have a right to free speech).

In a nutshell. this is emblematic of the larger problem. A goal might be to deny corporations personhood and hence any constitutionally guaranteed rights. States could also require corporations to renew their charter periodically...

Edit to add link: If you are interested in this issue and want information and possible action items, a good place to start for information is ----->http://poclad.org/
Program on Corporations Law and Democracy

[musette_sf]

42. sorry, not a DLC-er here

never was, never will be. some of the people they have carried water for, particularly LIEberman, are toxic to the party.

[...of J.Temperance]

46. Holy Joe doesn't even exist to me anymore

And if you notice he's persona non grata totally now to the majority of people.

[musette_sf]

48. mmmmm well

you were too late to help Ned Lamont. the DLC is the only reason Joe the Rat is still around.

[PassingFair]

155. Purged, one might say.

Not that you would have noticed by the
players in D.C.

The people WILL have representation.

It may take a little while to vote out
the war enablers, but it will happen.

[kath]

98. since when does the DLC want to "do what's best for the people who are suffering out there"?

They seem to care a lot more about the corporations. Repub-lite.

[Zhade]

114. Sorry pal, the DLC's in the minority and out of touch with the rest of the party. They admitted it.

NT!

[harpboy_ak]

124. No, DLC is not real Democrats

The DLC are a bunch of triangulating corporate whore DINOs, and we don't need any more Repuke Light fake democrats involved in the Obama administration. Obama should just ignore the DLC, and give them absolutely NO credence. We don't need any corporate whores in OUR party! If they want to pimp for the big corporations, let them go join the losers on the Repuke side of the aisle.

The people are taking control of our party, the Real Democratic Party. People power is winning this election, and we're not going to let the corporations wrest that control away from us.

[diamidue]

163. Everyone has the same goal here?

Not from what I've seen. The only ones who appear to have the same goals are the Dems currently in power and GWB. I was hoping Obama would bring in some new blood, but with Emanuel and pro-war Biden, he seems to be telling us we will have more of the same.

[Demeter]

6. Well, That's ONE Way to Get His Ass Out of Congress

Making him press secretary would be even better. He's a natural: lies like a rug, knows nothing, and wants to be liked and influential.....

The White HOuse could keep him in the dark and feed him manure, just the way he likes it, and he'd be a good little mushroom.

[depakid]

7. Better there than in Congress n/t

[Truth2Tell]

10. I disagree

COS is the gatekeeper. Very very powerful post.

[olddad56]

8. That is what Obama needs now is for someone to leak the name, any name, of an appointment

McCain will jump on this with more rhetoric about how Obama thinks he has already won. It will just make the GOP fix easier.

[progressivebydesign]

24. That's WHY the AP wrote it. to help McCain. Dont' fall for it. n/t

[Truth2Tell]

9. Say it ain't so Barack!

Floating this isn't a very useful way of turning out wary progressives in five days, IMHO.

[aquart]

13. "Wary progressives" is a genuinely nauseating statement.

I don't want a peep out of "wary progressives." Not a peep. GET FUCKING REAL. Utopia is not happening. We will be lucky to repair half the damage of the last 8 years in the next 8 years, never mind going forward.

And we have JUDGES to appoint.

Unbelievable that I'm still hearing this crap with the situation we face.

[alarimer]

27. Screw you.

I am tired of this shit from Democrats (I am not one any longer because of it). It is not utopia we are looking for but something other than corporate pieces of shit running for office. The Democratic Party, like the other party, is almost completely beholden to their corporate masters. I only hope that, over the next few election cycles, we start electing more progressives to congress. Just to piece people like you off, if for no other reason.

[...of J.Temperance]

41. Nearly ALL Democrats elected to Congress in 2006 were Centrist Democrats

Pretty much ALL of those running for the Senate this time are Centrist Democrats, there's hardly a "Progressive Democrat" running.

I don't even really know what a "Progressive Democrat" is.

We have DEMOCRATS running, and Centrist Democrats are economic conservatives and social liberals, which is what is needed, there needs to be some sane economic policies and on social issues, the rights of women to have an abortion, the rights of gays to become equal in every way and the funding of Stem Cell research including Embryonic Stem Cell Research needs all to be safe-guarded.

ALL things that Centrist Democrats support.

If the Right-Wing loonies get in again, they can fuck it up for a entire generation, there will be at least two Supreme Court vacancies in the next four years, nobody wants two Right-Wing Judges given lifetime appointment, to swing the USSC fully to the nutters.

[KamaAina]

67. There's no dictionary definition of a "Progressive Democrat"

but a good place to start is Democracy for America's DFA-List. To take one example, Donna Edwards (MD04) kicked incumbent DLCer Albert Wynn to the curb in a primary. That seldom happens.

[...of J.Temperance]

76. I would have to check out Donna Edwards as I'm not

Previously aware of her, so thus feel I can't comment regarding her.

[Chan790]

96. Thankfully...

my congressman is one of those "compassion is a Democratic value and corporatism isn't" Democrats. I think you'd call him a centrist (because he is on many and most issues) but he surely isn't your sort...and that's why I'm voting for him. I'd rather lose than vote for the likes of yours. (For the absence of a cutesy term to describe such a POV...I think I shall propose that I am a pink dog.)

While I hate the term progressive (because I'm a liberal, damn it.) like I hate Hell, Bushes and the GOP I'm not sure what your confusion is as to who are Progressive Democrats. They're: Liberals, Social Democrats and Keynesians. GLBTQ, feminists, the environmentally-conscientious, the working poor, union labor and everybody else the DLC brood want to sell down the river as inconvenient. We can be defined as simply as the totality within this coalition opposed to the DLC. We are vast because we are legion and someday you'll realize that you need us a hell of a lot more than we need you. "Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." Walt Whitman was clearly a Democrat.

[Truth2Tell]

30. Yes sir. No more peeps from me sir. Oh, and

may I please have another berating sir? Please.

I promise to stop expecting progress. What a jerk I've been.

Progress is for losers and whiners. I really need to get back to my television set and start acting like a grateful citizen again.

And also, I promise to "never mind moving forward," just like you say. Good advise indeed, sir.

Oh, and I'm very sorry if you became nauseated at my mention of progress. I'll definitely think twice before harming your delicate sensibilities with such horrifying thoughts ever again. Really.

PS - will you and Rahm be holding any circle-jerks soon sir? I'd really love an invite.

[Zhade]

117. Oh, then you'd better log off, because FUCK YOUR INSANE REQUEST.

We WILL NOT BE SILENT. I'll go out of my way NOT to be silent, just to piss off authoritarians like you.

No fucking way are you calling the shots on the debate. Get over yourself - you don't have the power.

[Le Taz Hot]

169. Sorry, sunshine,

"Shut up and vote" hasn't worked since Kerrry's "get over it" statement.

[Pastiche423]

11. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

That goddmaned corporatist shouldn't even be in congress, much less the White House.

This SUCKS!

[blm]

12. Emanuel is known for mocking 'goo-goos' - any Dem who believes in good government accountable to

the people. That would NOT be a great first move for Obama.

[Pastiche423]

47. Emanuel Rahm IS the DLC

Incredibly stupid move by Obama.

[...of J.Temperance]

51. The DLC are NOT evil

The D in DLC stands for Democratic.

I bet the majority of the DLC bashers don't even hardly know a THING about the DLC anyhow, please read DLC articles and documents and discover that you probably have MORE in common with DLC policies and philosophies than you think.

:)

[Pastiche423]

81. The DLC is thr Right Wing of the Democratic Party

They stand up for the corporations, not We, the People. If I had my druthers, I'd throw every single DLCer out of the Democratic Party.

And you can cease w/the "I bet the majority of the DLC bashers don't even hardly know a THING about the DLC anyhow..." shit. It is condescended and pure bunk.

They are nothing more than elephants in donkey clothing.

[...of J.Temperance]

86. If you threw the Centrist Democrats out of the Democratic Party that would mean

The Democratic Party would have about 20 Senators and 100 Congresspeople....thus the Democratic Party would be almost forevermore the Minority Party.

You do realise that?

[fascisthunter]

136. DLC is not Centrist... it's right leaning

[Mojorabbit]

82. The reason we are in the economic mess

we are in is partly because Clinton was too happy to help overturn the safeguards put in place after the great depression. I am not impressed with the DLC's economic prowess. No thanks.

[...of J.Temperance]

84. So the economic mess is President Clinton's fault? Funny, I thought W lit the match

Beginning with his reckless blowing of the three trillion dollar surplus that President Clinton left, and his totally reckless and MINDLESS trillion dollar tax cuts to billionaires.

I thought those things pretty much started the economic mess ball rolling.

But you say it was The MIGHTY Clenis that started the economic mess ball rolling?

Huh?

[Mojorabbit]

89. No it was Clinton

happily signing the repeal of the Glass-Steagall regulations. Thirty years the banks had tried to get those regs repealed and though it had a majority repub backing but he happily signed it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm-Leach-Bliley_Act
He could have made a case against it but to this day thinks it was the right thing to do. Read Clinton's statement when the act was signed. So yes, he does bear partial responsibility. As I said, I am not impressed with the DLC's economic prowess and I stand by it.

[...of J.Temperance]

92. Okay according to YOU the economic mess now happening

Was started by President Clinton....:eyes:

I say President Clinton's economics resulted in EIGHT YEARS of economic prosperity, and it's the W Voodoo Economics that have caused the problems....you know just like Reagan's Voodoo Economics caused the problems that resulted in Bill Clinton winning the 1992 Presidential Election with the slogan:

"It's the economy stupid"

Or have you forgotten, that the Reagan Voodoo Economics look identical to W's Voodoo Economics, and just like now, in 1992 the economy was in meltdown?

From 1993-2000, during President Clinton's terms the economy WAS STABLE, it was stable because of Centrist Economics.

It's only when W got in that things starting getting messy, and eight years of W's Voodoo Economics have resulted in another economic meltdown.

[Mojorabbit]

94. You need to do more research.

I believe close to every Dem senator voted against this. Clinton and Rubin were all for it. You can find plenty of warnings from respected economists then that warned of the disaster we are experiencing now when it was signed. Plenty of examination of how we got where we are now is out there. Sorry, but he does bear responsibility along with a lot of house dems and the republicans. Use your google, pick your fav economists and look up an analysis of our situation.

[Zhade]

118. NAFTA. Learn some fucking history already.

Shit, just read the news - all the layoffs and relocations overseas.

Are you blind?

[blm]

128. He deep-sixed BCCI matters for Poppy Bush and Jackson Stephens didn't he? Came back to bite this

country in the ass BIG TIME.

[harpboy_ak]

125. And the C?

The C in DLC stands for Corporate. You elitists think that Big Business folks have some inherent right to tell the Real People who actually have the right to vote what to think and what to do. You want to screw everyone except big shareholders (the little folks that own just a few shares will be lose) and your corporate director and overpaid executive friends, that same ones that move jobs overseas and run companies into the ground while getting golden parachutes and exhorbitant pay for abysmal corporate performance.

Sorry, the DLC is not Centrist, it's Corporate. You corporate whores have had your day, and it ain't going to happen again.

[dionysus]

132. all except for that corporatist bullshit that defines them.

[shirlden]

14. Don't be shuckin' an old woman like that

Just the rumor nearly caused me apoplexy. Say it ain't so. We do not need to throw the blue dogs a bone. We need to throw them out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:wtf:

[kestrel91316]

15. Rahm Emanuel. Sounds like another one of them AY-rabs!!1!1!!!!

[Bucky]

39. :o)

[pscot]

16. He's from Chicago

which makes him a comfortable fit, and he's Jewish, which would please at least oneimportant constituency. And he's tough and can say "no". Key qualities in a COS.

[leftchick]

17. ahhh the very first DLC appointment

:(

[Doctor_J]

18. Oh boy. Let's hear from the Kucinich/Wellstone wing

:popcorn:

[kath]

106. Oh, bite me. Many of us are damn fuckin' proud to be of the Kucinich/Wellstone wing -

two *real* Democrats in the liberal tradition, not corporatists. Both my grandfathers and my dad were union organizers, and Kucinich and Wellstone are exactly the type of Dems they would support. My grandfathers put their livelihoods and safety on the line to stand up for workers back in the 30s and 40s. It's tragic that so much of the New Deal has been undone.

[diamidue]

166. Amen! n/t

[Zhade]

119. You're going to. I promise you.

We aren't going to shut up. We stand for something other than giving in to corporate donors.

[NashVegas]

19. Eeeeeeeewwwwwwww!

I guess, if it gets him out of congress ...

[eagertolearn]

20. I'd be careful about rumors like this. McCain is up to complete "no good".

Obama is too careful with everything. I don't know this guy but my first thought was that he has a "foreign" sounding name that would feed right into some of McCains supporters feelings of doom and that Obama will
"take over our country" with other "foreigners".

[notaboutus]

50. He's Jewish

[barb162]

109. so what?

[eagertolearn]

165. I live in very a republican territory and if people don't have names like them

or look like them they are suspicious. They are the type that believe everything that Rush Limbaugh says and listen to him all day. They also believe eveything the NRA says and everything the McCain campaign throws at them (oh yes and church is very big out here and it has an amazing influence on people). It's like there are a bunch of zombie's walking around here who have had their brains taken over!!!!

[DissedByBush]

21. My rights

I can see my Second Amendment rights just slipping away...

[bertman]

22. Please say it ain't so. Can you say corporate shill?

P.S. Is this just a ploy to get the wavering Jewish vote?

Either way, Rahm is someone I'd like to see sent back to whatever he was doing before he got into politics.

[progressivebydesign]

23. This is total bullshit. Read the article -- read the bias.

If you read the entire piece, you'll see that AP strikes again!

You have to look at how they frame this story. They talk of secret meetings and "unnamed sources" that tell them this... The key that this is BULLSHIT is that in the same breath they say.. (and I paraphrase) "Obama is making overtures to staff in the White house.. while McCain is out there focusing on the economy and the workers"

Further in you read that that Emanuels spokesperson flatly DENIED any contact had taken place, and that EVERYONE is busy trying to win an election.

It's bullshit. There is NO way that Obama is spending a MINUTE trying to line up employees while locked in a race which is ending in a few days. They are trying to spread the meme that Obama is already measuring for drapes, while McCain is focused on the economy.

I hate these "leaks" and "unnamed sources", who are somehow given more weight than ACTUAL spokespeople for the parties involved.

Read the whole thing before any of you believe it.

[oberliner]

32. Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod are friends who worked together on the Simon campaign

David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, was recruited in 1984 to leave his newspaper job at the Chicago Tribune to run Simon's first general election campaign for the Senate. It was Axelrod who then helped Simon, a mere first-term senator with big ears (sound familiar?), run for president in 1988.

"David and Rahm were in Dad's first Senate race back when Rahm was just a youngster," recalls daughter and law professor Sheila Simon.

Rahm Emanuel was just cutting his teeth on becoming one of the party's most prodigious fund-raisers, not to mention a member of Bill Clinton's inner circle. Back then, said Sheila Simon, it was Rahm's job to force her father to make the fund-raising calls Paul Simon hated to make. "It was a hard job. He would sit with Dad."

Emanuel, who sat out the primary, siding publicly with neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama, remains close to Axelrod, is relied upon for advice, and today is the fourth most powerful member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/marin/2008/10/paul_simon_planted_seeds_of_ob.html

[Zhade]

120. Oh, thank goodness this is bullshit.

NT!

[oberliner]

171. It's not

Obama picks Clinton alum Emanuel chief of WH staff

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081105/ap_on_el_pr/obama

[oberliner]

172. Believe it

No way AP would've published this unless they had some pretty solid leads.

[peacetalksforall]

25. I absolutely protest this decision. I have no expectation that we will get progressive

consideration. Absolutely none.

If I am left of center, Emmanuel is right of center - way right. How much more could he have done for Cheney and Bush than he did in the House?

I am quite unhappy. Emmanuel is 200 per cent DLC. I think DLC has meant bowing to Cheney and Bush over and over and over.

[Critters2]

28. Thanks for reminding me to renew my membership in

[musette_sf]

55. after participating in this thread

i joined the PDA. thanks for posting the logo.

[Critters2]

59. You're welcome! Welcome to the PDA! nt

[musette_sf]

63. thanks! if i can throw the DU $5 a month

i can throw the PDA $5 a month too.

[kath]

107. thanks - I need to join up as well.

[Myrina]

29. The only way this makes sense:

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" :shrug:

[Laelth]

161. Perhaps, but there is another way that makes sense IF Obama is a progressive.

First, I don't believe this story, and I won't believe it until I hear it from Obama,himself, as I said below.

Second, if it's true, it could be good for progressives in one way. Perhaps Obama wants to give him the job, cause him lose his house seat, and then fire him as a warning to the DLC that shilling for corporate interests has got to come to an end in the Democratic Party. In that way, he could send a strong message to the DLC that they've got to toe the line or be thrown to the wind.

That strategy, in fact, could be quite effective.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[LiberalHeart]

31. oh swell

[...of J.Temperance]

33. That would be FANTASTIC, I LOVE Rahm Emanuel

The man is very intelligent, and a genius political operator, it also shows that Senator Obama not only respects and likes us Centrist Democrats, it also shows that he knows that the Democratic Party is ONE party, and that we have more things that unite us than things that divide us.

[choie]

70. "centrist" democrats

are why we were unable to get Pelosi to move on impeachment. Just go along to get along. DLC is another name for mediocrity.

[Zhade]

121. Or quisling. Or Vichy. Or COMPLICIT COWARD.

NT!

[fla nocount]

137. Expedient and self-serving...as long as we're throwing words around. n/t

[dysfunctional press]

36. well- at least it would get one dlc fuckwad out of the house.

i HATED that that shithead was my congressperson when i lived in the city.

[...of J.Temperance]

53. Why do some people have to call DLCer's such ugly names?

There's plenty of Democratic people that are way to the Left of me, and yet I don't call those people names.

I can think they're a bit too Left for me, but I don't feel the need to use ugly names to describe them.

On Edit: Dammit spelling error

[Dr Fate]

61. Because just a few short years ago, they sided with Bush and attacked anti-war DEMS.

In fact- the DLC was attacking "the far left" DEMS more often and more intensely than they ever attacked Bush or his war.

Not only that- but the DLC assisted one of their top, flag-ship members- Joe Lieberman, in starting a pro-Bush, conservative 3rd party that kept a good Democrat out of office...

Considering how wrong the DLCers were on the major issues of our lifetime, I could see how one side is more deserving of insults than the other. Other than sour grapes, why would anyone want to call leftist DEMS bad names at all when they were 100% right on Bush, the balance of power in the Senate & the war?

However- I'll bet we agree that this is a discussion better suited for 11/5 or beyond!!! ;)

[...of J.Temperance]

72. I am

A DLCer, but I don't agree 100% with what the DLC talks about, for instance I was 100% against going into Iraq from day one, and I believe and have believed for more than a year, that the troop withdrawal from Iraq should begin.

I haven't called Left-Wing Democrats bad names, except I think Cynthia McKinney I have I admit called her names, like that I think she's crazy on nearly everything....but that's moot now because McKinney ain't a Democrat no more, so my calling her names now effectively doesn't count....I think I was right about her.

We can have this discussion post 11/5, that'd be better....right now we have to concentrate on Senator Obama, there's four days to go....lets go get those Republican bastards!

[Dr Fate]

73. I'm with you there- lets focus on where we agree- cheers to you & yours!!!

Considering McKinney's move to a 3rd party you wont have to worry about me arguing with you on that one either...

"We can have this discussion post 11/5, that'd be better....right now we have to concentrate on Senator Obama, there's four days to go....lets go get those Republican bastards!"

WELL SAID my friend!!!

[...of J.Temperance]

77. Cool

We have more that unites us than divides us, we MUST ALL remember this.

We are one party, lets go forward and kick asses together!

Cheers to you and yours as well :)

[noiretextatique]

141. in this thread, you said progressives should only be invited to the table

on social issues. maybe that's not name-calling, but it's pretty arrogant and insulting nonetheless.

[dysfunctional press]

88. because they're to OUR party what the religioid-right retreads are to the repuglicon party-

an odious bunch of zealots continually forcing the party ever further to the right trying to appease their god- to the point that it becomes almost unrecognizable.

for the repug rightists, their god is generally the mythical christian one-
for the dlc types- at least the god they worship actually exists- the (once)almighty and holy dollar.

[PassingFair]

156. What issues are they to the "left" of you on?

What makes you "centrist"?

Currying favor with the Bush Administration?

As near as I can tell, "centrists"
enable war and corporate welfare,
while braying on and on about gun control.

I am tired of having to apologize for
the mistakes and behavior of the Clintons.

Guess that makes me a "leftist".

:crazy:

[Doremus]

40. I'm going to hold my tongue for now until the election is over.

IF this is true, and that's a big IF, I will have volumes to say.

For now, suffice to say I am NOT working my buns off so we can have an administration full of corporatists, Rs OR Ds.

No way, no how, NO MORE corporatists.

[madrchsod]

45. yuck...but he probably would be a good chief of staff

if barack is comfortable with him that is really all that matters.

of course this may not be true...

[KamaAina]

69. Effective, yes.

Good, in the larger sense... :shrug:

[unkachuck]

56. how soon we forget....

....Chief of Staff?....I'd rather see emanuel purged from the Party....this is unacceptable....

[Critters2]

60. Purging seems a bit strong. If his constituents want him in Congress,

we have to live with that (Democracy is hard!). But we don't need to give him a promotion!

[...of J.Temperance]

65. I don't know where you get off saying that certain Democrats should be "purged" from the party

WTF? This has NEVER been a political party where we demanded a Litmus Test to our party members.

On Edit: Dammit spelling error, my typing skills are really bad tonight

[Critters2]

66. Not unlike your notion that Progressives should have no voice on economic issues.

I agree...:wtf:

[...of J.Temperance]

78. It's entirely different

That other poster is talking about "purging" people who don't agree with them from the Democratic Party.

You can understand what that means, to "purge"....yes? Or no?

[Chan790]

99. So it is better to be gagged on the only truly important issue...

than to be purged outright? You should consider a career as a stand-up comic...you're a laugh riot.

No...if you want us to back down from the claim that you're not really Democrats you've got to put all issues on the table. Nobody gets a fiat in this tent...that's the GOP way. They'd be happy to have you and we'd send you lovely parting gifts. I have a toaster oven you can have.

[Zhade]

122. YOU WANT TO PURGE THE VOICE OF PROGRESSIVES - IT HAS THE SAME EFFECT.

If they're not allowed to be heard - oh, and fuck that noise, because that will NEVER fucking happen, especially since the dlc is an outdated MINORITY in the party - it's the same as throwing them out of the party.

And you must know this. You're too intelligent not to:

SHUTTING PROGRESSIVES OUT ON ANY ISSUE IS A VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL DEMOCRACY - AND A SILENCING OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED THOSE PROGRESSIVES INTO OFFICE.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNAMERICAN.

[Chan790]

152. I'm wagering he doesn't care. n/m

[unkachuck]

103. then it's high-time....

....we start demanding a litmus test....it's the Good Doctors' progressive model, not the corporatists' model, that's bringing our Party success this year....

....let the old-time, cigar-smoking, back-room corporate power-brokers get the hell out of our way and stay out of our government....the grassroots has found its' path to power....and we take notes....

[Le Taz Hot]

170. I've got to correct you here.

The REAL old-time Democrats WERE progressives (social security, women's rights, civil rights). It's the "new Democrats" (read Clinton and his minions and Emmanuel is the key ghoul) that came in with Clinton in 1992 and made a deal with the corporate devils in order to get elected that are the true enemy of the party. NAFTA, "don't ask, don't tell," -- all were REPUBLICAN issues that Clinton and the DLC championed. All of this is now coming full circle (I hope!) and the corporate sell-outs CAN NOW BE PURGED.

[liskddksil]

75. Lets win this before we get carried away

But in 2010, it would be nice to have some primary challenges for those who side with the corporate wing of the party.

[EFerrari]

104. There's a good idea! Let's win first!

lol

:)

[Imagevision]

80. Fitzgerald could make a great Attorney general?

[MasonJar]

83. Not a good choice!!!!!!!! Tried to get rid of Dean who has energized our

party nationwide.

[fla nocount]

139. BO knows who the head of the party is...

all Dr. Dean has to say is NO.

[Ian David]

85. Oh, fuck, no... I mean... If it's good enough for Obama, it's good enough for me! n/t

[dpbrown]

93. That would be disappointing

The less DLC, the better.

[kath]

97. EWWWWWW. DLC asshole.

ACK. :banghead:

[jonnyblitz]

105. I am not surprised. nt

[Name removed]

110. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

129. Oh, bleck. :(

Well, I guess now it as good a time as any to start hammering Obama -- I've spent 7+ years riding GW's ass when I smelled bullshit, I will be twice as hard on our new Dem leaders.

Methinks this is payback for all those nice speeches the Clintons made on his behalf.

[RCinBrooklyn]

130. Rahm is a very disappointing candidate for this post. Not a fan of his.

[DainBramaged]

138. Another day, another thread for DU to disagree on

If Obama WANTS him as COS, there is NOTHING we can do to change his mind.

PS

We got this

[blues90]

140. Rahm Emanuel is a freak , blue dog enabler freak

So now there is Powell and puffy and Emanuel and Biden . For me none of this is good news.

[fascisthunter]

142. I Would Never Entrust the Likes of He to Such a Position

no fucking way.... politics make very interesting and sometimes bad bed fellows.

[Zorra]

143. Appointing him Ambassador to someplace like Albania would be more productive.

DLC goes down next after we get rid of the republicans.

[yurbud]

150. TEST for DLCer: you see a banker stub his toe while foreclosing someone's house; who do you feel

sorry for?

[Nye Bevan]

145. I first saw Rahm defending Bill Clinton on TV in 1998

and I was greatly impressed by him then, and have been ever since.

I hope this report is true as he would be an excellent choice for chief of staff.

[Octafish]

147. The War Party's BFF

We were warned, back in 2006, that a new Congress, under the leadership of Pelosi, Hoyer and Emmanuel, would NOT end the war in Iraq, no matter the rhetoric. For those who give a damn about peace and so on, John Walsh in CounterPunch spelled it out.

Election 2006 - The Fix is Already In: How Rahm Emanuel Has Rigged a Pro-War Congress

Who most benefits from a continued war in Iraq -- besides Israel and al Qaeda -- is the Military Industrial Complex.

[PassingFair]

157. Lest we forget...

Thanks for the link.

Nice to remember just HOW HARD,
and with so much money, the DLC
fought to kill Iraqis for their oil.

[mdmc]

148. beat

[yurbud]

149. He should be choosing DLCers to follow dogs with a plastic baggy to pick up what the DLC has been

giving us.

[undeterred]

153. He should choose Tom Daschle

and ignore Rahm Emmanuel.

[lebkuchen]

173. Please

Daschele doesn't have the killer instinct. I want that in a Chief of Staff. Even if Emanuel doesn't last four years, he can at least clean the bottom-feeders from govt.

[KamaAina]

158. I sometimes wonder who it was who "discovered" Barack

and made sure an obscure Ill. state senator got prime-time air at the 2004 Dem convention.

I'm thinking it would have had to be someone from Ill. (who else would have heard of him?), who had some juice in the Dem party establishment...

Could it have been Emanuel? Could this be... payback?

[sam kane]

159. NOOOOOOOO!

Please let this be b.s.

[Laelth]

160. No way! I'd have to hear that from Obama himself to believe it. n/t

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Mind_your_head]

162. self-delete

[Vidar]

164. First really bad idea Obama has had.

[Jack Rabbit]

168. Good idea

That will help clean up some of the problems with the congressional leadership.