Make no mista'ke: the people who are attacking Rahm are pissed

[EffieBlack]

because they thought they could goad Obama into picking as his right hand a simpering weakling who they could roll at will.

This has nothing to do with any "concern" that Emanuel is too "partisan" or "represents politics as usual.". They're upset that Obama's Chief of Staff is one of the most experienced people in Washington, who knows where the bodies are buried, won't take any crap off of any of them - and, perhaps most important, will protect his boss from them with everything he has.

[onehandle]

Rahm was the perfect choice.

Every night I watch the news confirms this.

[understandinglife]

42. No doubt about it. Obama proves, once again, he intends to kick butt ....

[SharonAnn]

45. Absolutely. He needs to have a strong start, and quick victories to get things going.

Rahm is a perfect choice.

I'd certainly prefer him to be more liberal, but then he'll be taking direction from Obama. And I'd like Obama to be more liberal, but he'll do fine.

[knixphan]

48. ditto and ditto~

[moodforaday]

63. Ah, that magical thinking again!

Obama is not a liberal (true) and he picks a butt-kicking DLC-er for the second top job at the WH, but you expect the end result to be even vaguely liberal?

Funny how soon DUers forget the lesson of 2006 and the dashed hopes of Pelosi and Conyers.

[Spider Jerusalem]

70. And yet Bill Clinton continues to be the object of hero-worship around here

despite the fact that he wasn't a liberal either and his picture should be next to 'DLC' in a dictionary.

[moodforaday]

62. Not a perfect choice if you are

a Iraqi, or a Palestinian.

[jonnyblitz]

1. he has the perfect tempermant for the job despite what an

arrogant and insufferable PRICK he is and his RW pro-war stance.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. James Baker was a prick too but well suited

as a successful COS. My opinion of Baker, who I couldn't stand, was
that he was very good at his job.

[blondeatlast]

17. Actually, his "arrogant and insufferable prick" -iness is what amkes him PERFECT

for the job.

That's why even though I dislike the man, I grudgingly really support the choice.

[jonnyblitz]

28. I completely agree. nt

[codjh9]

2. ... which of course is why I'm GLAD he chose Rahm!

[supernova]

3. Agreed

You just watch; They're gonna be playing Good Cop Bad Cop.

Barack can still claim to be a (relatively) nice guy and Rahm can take the heat.

[moodforaday]

64. Of course the whole point of

good cop / bad cop is to make sure the subject goes soft and the cops get what they want. That may be cool in cop movies, but not so cool when the subject is the citizen.

[wyldwolf]

4. "He's from the Lombardi wing of the party -- he's a guy who wants to win at any cost ...

... and will do whatever it takes."

-- John Lapp, quoted by Politico, about his former boss, Rep. Rahm Emanuel.

[Vinca]

5. When they start bitching, just put your fingers in your ears and

sing "La, la, la, la, la, I can't hear you." Who did the 'pukes think he was going to pick? Roy Blunt?:rofl:

[loveable liberal]

6. Harry Reid!!!! Ahhh haaahahahahahaaaaa :)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. They'd have feigned outrage over any pick, honestly.

Get ready for the bashing of every cabinet appointment, unless there's a (R) after their name.

Even then, they'll still do some bashing.

[stillcool]

77. The (R) part doesn't matter at all...

it's the Obama part that causes all the disturbance. It's getting old already.

[Thrill]

9. They just knew he was going to pick a wimp like Dashcle

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

10. Just look at the message this sends...

A Jew and a "Muslim" working so closely together!

[Hutzpa]

11. Those where my exact same thoughts

them throwing temper tantrum, knowing they can't run rings with Obama.
This message needs to get out there pronto, we are in the driving seat '
now, show the MSM who is in charge now.

Change their talking point from creating division as opposed to solving.

How I so want the corporate media crash and burn.

With employment skyrocketing and the economy in the tank, all they can talk
about is COS Rahm being a bad pick. Obama need to put a stop to this now before
it gets out of hand.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

12. The screaming from the right wing is PROOF that Obama made the right choice.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

14. Bingo! We should be worried if they had been happy. nt.

[Lorentz]

24. Um... The screaming is on DU.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

26. Um... it's also from right wingers like Boehner

[ecstatic]

27. that's why it's so brilliant. If the right and left are irritated by it,

then it appears to be a centrist pick.

[samsingh]

46. if the right wing is crying - we made the right choice

[w4rma]

13. I think Rahm is perfect for this position, currently. (nt)

[Alter Ego]

15. Rahm was a signal that no one was going to fuck with an Obama administration.

If Congress thought he would be weak, they are now sorely disappointed.

[Haole Girl]

16. Obama proved with McCain he can't be bullied

I'm pleased with his choices so far.

[K Gardner]

18. Have I told you lately that I love you, EffieBlack? You rock. K&R

[Pirate Smile]

19. Once again, Obama actually shows how f#$king smart he is and "some" people seem shocked.

[moodforaday]

73. Yeah, "some" people,

like anti-war people. But go on with you smearing innuendo.

[Pirate Smile]

79. I'm talking about the pissed off Republicans bitching about Rahm's appointment.

The Republicans don't like Rahm because they know he gets shit done. They would have rather had Obama pick someone else and they attacked Obama immediately.

Silly me - I'm thinking of the Republicans working against Obama, not Democrats.

[Orsino]

20. No, I was definitely upset because Rahm represents politics as usual.

I've since come to believe that he will be very competent as Obama's Chief of Staff, though, and I'll probably be happier with him out of Congress.

[ananda]

32. Exactly.

I was thinking the same thing. Emanuel could be a real stinker
in Congress, but as a point man for getting things done, he
could be good.

You know.. make your enemy your friend and keep him close.

[monmouth]

21. I love the Emanuel choice, and...he's very handsome IMO....n/t

[moodforaday]

65. Handsome, right. Now tell that

to the Iraqis and the Palestinians, and to every anti-war person on the planet.

[BlueEyedSon]

22. Nothing is perfect. This choice is not black or white, but a shade of gray.

Rahm is powerful, professional and can play the game.

Is he progressive enough, uncompromised enough? Not for my tastes. But I can live with it.

:)

[moodforaday]

72. "Live with it"?

So what happened to holding Obama's feet to the fire?

[loudsue]

23. Admit it! Rahm is DLC.

That's why people are pissed. He supports all of the DLC and NDN positions.

[apnu]

29. I'll admit it. Still a good pick.

The Chief of Staff answers to the President and executes the President's agenda. Not the other way around. Rahm has an iron will, is deeply loyal, and executes the plan with conviction.

Obama needs a pit bull, Rahm is a great pick as a pit bull. The fact that he's DLC is secondary, IMO.

Most Dems need to learn how to fight and fight hard. The DLC maybe be a bunch of old politics and right-wing views on many issues, especially financially, but one thing they do well is fight fight fight.

[theboss]

31. Where does the Chief of Staff vote?

Do you think he is going to send laws to Capitol Hill that Obama doesn't know about?

Why does this matter?

[Renew Deal]

36. So what?

That's no secret. But it's also no secret that Obama is in charge.

[loudsue]

41. Well, I see your point.

And it's a good point. ;)

edited for missing letters....oops.

[treestar]

82. Do his positions on issues matter much in this job?

He has to carry out Obama's directions, whether he agrees with the policy or not, is the idea I am getting.

[ecstatic]

25. I watched the Brookings Institute's take on it on C-SPAN

I got the impression that they think Rahm is the perfect person for the role. :) (Assuming he's matured since the dead fish incident :rofl:)

[adigal]

30. He's the bad cop, so Obama can be the good cop

I think it is brilliant! Now, I want HIllary for Supreme Court.

[ipfilter]

40. Good Cop, Bad Cop

analogy is perfect. The guy on top can be the good guy while his wing man can roll the heads.

[JDwho]

33. I stick by President Obama's decision. He knows what he's doing,

Obviously, the rethugs are threatened, because they know Rahm won't take any crap. Obama is brilliant to hire a bulldog as his COS.

[Stinky The Clown]

34. The dreamer part of me is very unhappy. The realist part of me sees this as a perfect pick.

Yeah .... I'm sitting on the fence. I'm straddling a picket. If I slip, that picket will shove itself ...... uh ....... you get the idea.

President Obama will be well served by a guy who is not just able, but happy, to kick ass and bust heads.

If you have an agenda, then you need ruthless efficiency to achieve it.

[denem]

35. Exhibit A: Chicago; Exhibit B: "I don't do cowering"

[Fired Up Democrat]

37. rahm is a no non sense kinda guy

I heard hannity last night actually sound scared of rahm. no joke. this guy is the perfect guy to help set obama's agenda.

[gravity]

38. Emanuel knows how to find a bipatisan consensus

This guy is tough, but he is also very intelligent and insightful. I saw an interview of him on CSPAN and he has a grasp on the issues, the motivations from each side for supporting it and how to find a compromise to get it passed. This guy knows what the hell he is doing and how to get shit done.

The only reason the republicans are whining is because they want divided partisan battles. The worst thing in the world for them is a strong competent demonstration that can work with both sides, because it will undermine all their power.

[moodforaday]

69. I've seen "ipartisan consensus"

more or less every day since the 2006 elections. You want to see more of the same in foreign policy?

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. Is he strong enough to stand up to the DLC?

[TriMetFan]

43. Also I think people that are pissed on the Democrat side...

are pissed because they didn't want any-one from the Clinton era back into the White House. So I wonder how many more ex-Clinton people Obama will pick?

[geekgrrl]

44. I think Rahm was a GREAT choice! It means he means BUSINESS and that's what we just

hired him to do!

[bvar22]

53. Rahm means BUSINESS alright....

BIG BUSINESS

[moodforaday]

71. Yeah. Isn't it funny

how people cheer him beause he's a butt-kicker, without considering it's their own butts he's gonna kick? And the butts of people they would like to see protected instead?

[rdublue]

47. Emanuel is a brilliant pick.

[Usrename]

49. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...

I think Obama has neutered the asshole by making him chief of staff. He can no longer be some kind of loose cannon in the House.

He will HAVE to support and implement Obama's decisions, whether he agrees with them or not. He no longer has ANY power.

Rahm Emanuel is toast. He can never hinder Obama now.

Brilliant!

;)

[FatDave]

52. My thoughts too...kind of...

I think what you say is part of the situation, but I also think he's a great choice for the job. His personality may be a problem in congress, but it's perfect for COS. I think Obama may have found a better fit for him.

[Usrename]

56. He is competent enough, that's for sure.

But having him in the West Wing means that he cannot make any waves in the House. I really think that's the point. We'll see.

His hesitation in accepting this post is also quite interesting. I think he has WAY too much ambition to accept his excuses.

[Born_A_Truman]

50. I'm sick of the GOP wanting to pick our administation!

They are already whining about wanting Republicans on Obama's team--otherwise he isn't fulfilling his promises.

[Romulox]

51. So Rahm is going to "protect" Obama from progressives???

:puke:

[Whisp]

54. heheh. don't you love it tho, the squealing from the right

about 'o, boo, look! Obama is not reaching across the aisle because he's not picking someone lameass backstabber We would suggest'.

bunch of clowns.
I don't know all that much about Emmanuel, in fact what little I know of him is not good because of his connections to the DLC, etc., but I can say this:

If Obama thinks he is right for the job, then that's the way it is. I have every confidence that Barack is chosing people that he knows will fit the best - his campaign staff already has proven that. He does not do anything without being thoughtful about it.

[JimWis]

55. Me thinks you are right on. Good post.

[AtomicKitten]

57. Obama will be well-served by Emanuel as COS.

Emanuel's ideology is irrelevant since he will not be crafting policy. I can't think of anyone better suited to execute Obama's directives.

[Sugarcoated]

58. They're going to yell and scream and throw tantrums

as the Democratic party changes and asserts itself. Being a kind and fair party doesn't mean it has to be passive and dumb. They can be nice and smart . . . just like our new President.

:patriot:

[Uzybone]

59. A great choice

Rahm has sharp elbows and will tell it like it is. I'm a leftwing liberal but I know that if the govt was filled with folks with my mindset, we would be drummed out of Congress in 2010.

[Lumpsum]

60. The fact that the pick of Rahm is pissing off the repukes so bad is good enough for me.

[pink-o]

61. The Wingnuts are such hypocrites! First they try to paint Barack as being anti-Israel

to scare Jews into voting for McCain. Now that Rahm is going to be his COS, Rush is all about how picking a Jew is gonna piss off the Arab world.

Go take another hundred oxy-cotins and STFU, Rush!

Rahm's father is Israeli, and was part of the pre-1948 Zionist underground (before the "Z" word was so reviled) and Rahm himself worked in Israel during the first gulf war. I know he and Barack are actually good friends, and Rahm has the right personality to scare people into submission. But I bet a lot of the reason for this pick was to get some cred with Israel and American Jews.

As far as I'm concerned, neither Rahm's politics nor his modern conservative Judaism sit well with me (I'm much more to the left, and although ethnically Jewish, an agnostic) but if those traits help out the new administration, more power to them all!

That said: I'm sorry, I think Rahm is hot! I saw him once on The Daily Show and watched the whole interview wondering how I could become the kosher filling inbetween those 2 slices of Jewish Rye!!!

[mmonk]

66. Though my candidate turned President elect has picked an enemy of everything

I stand for and support and believe in, I will withhold judgement and watch how things play out.

[MadMaddie]

67. Don't forget with the pick of Rham

All roads Republican take have to go through Rham to get to Obama...if they want to show their ass...well....guess they will get the shitty room in the basement and then get the lights turned off. Just sayin..

[rucky]

68. What does Chief of Staff do?

[Lil Missy]

74. And the cries come from the party that gave new meaning to the term "partisanship".

Cry me a river. :eyes:

[Mid_FL_voter]

75. Do I care what they are saying?

Heck, no.

Rahm is the right man for Obama's Chief of Staff.
Period.
The end.
Whiners can keep on whining.

[RollWithIt]

76. Message from Rahm: "Fuck you. We're gonna be fucking successful and the circular firing squad ends"

He also went on to say, "Tell those fucking assholes I'm not losing shit. I took out Hastert. We took back the House. And I'm gonna ram all our hopes and wishes down those fucking Republicans throats until it comes out of their assholes."

He went on to rip the door off its hinges, slam it over the reporters head, and then calmly place it back in its place before screaming, "I serve the fucking king of the world!"

[northofdenali]

78. Here to admit my ignorance.

From what I've seen of Rahm Emmanuel (and I admit it's very little) - he strikes me as decisive. But I know next to nothing about him. Can someone give me one or two strong links to improve my education? COS is one of the most vital appointments in any administration, and I'd sure like to be able to speak from knowledge!

Thanks, fellow DU'ers.

[NashVegas]

80. Which People Are You Talking About?

Right wingers? Who cares?

At DU, most who are upset over this choice are pissed because they know Rahm has fucked over progressive and populist Democrats. For example, when he convinced Republican businessman Tim Mahoney to flip blue and run for congress in Florida, when there was already a good Democratic candidate.

I don't mind seeing Rahm give up his congressional seat to another Dem, actually. Might be better for scandal-proofing.

[Clio the Leo]

81. It's like Deniro and Pesci.....

... if you'll forgive me for making light of what is, in all reality, a very serious matter.

I said to myself on Tuesday night at the AMAZING closing scene of that awesome Obama movie we've been watching for the past 21 months that I couldn't wait for the sequel and hoped it was just as good. I have yet to be dissapointed.

Every great movie has a cool, calm and collected guy in charge who's backed up by a secondary figure, often five feet of human being but 8 feet of man. A man who is content existing in the shadows while the head guy take the limelight. A man who would rip the heart out of anyone who crossed them and then dump their body in the desert, never to be heard from again. And it gets even better ... ours, (bless him) is missing part of a finger. Lost in a meat cutting incident.

And just when you think you've figured the man out, like he's walked right out of central casting. Wait! He's a flippin' ballet dancer!!!

Yep, this Obama sequel is gonna be even better than the original.