David Corn

DC,

Rahm might not even accept it. He is concerned about his family. I guess that isn't GOP family values (read: Gawd, guns and gays) but funny not one M$M'er mentions it.

Obama will form his cabinet. He will do fine.

Good piece and thanks for all you do!

I disagree, I think Obama needs to surround himself with people he feels comfortable with and who knows how DC operates. That is one of things that brought Carter down, bringing in too many outsides who couldn't get things done. Obama can reach out to the Republicans (and I think he will) with Cabinet posts.

(CNN) -- Rep. Rahm Emanuel has accepted Barack Obama's offer to be White House chief of staff, according to a Democratic aide.

Rahm might well be a convert to the change. A new direction will never start with a clean slate.

CoS will be the right hand but not the brain. If Barack is as good as he seems, Rahm might be an effective tool. If Rahm isn't a convert he will be a loose cannon.

Big money still buys influence. That was never expected to be any different today than last week.

Rahm has been close to Barack for a time now. Trust and honesty might trump other considerations. A strong leader needs a strong tool and Barack said he didn't want to be surrounded with "yes" men (persons).

This could be a show of Obama's strength. It will depend on the overall make up of the cabinet, staff and appointments.

Handsome is as handsome does... Our new chapter will unfold as it unfolds... And it's not going to happen nearly fast enough to satisfy the insatiable and compulsive desires of bloggers and blog readers...

...so they'll have to gin up the daily crumbs into whatever grandiose portentous hullabaloo they possibly can....

Six months from now perhaps we'll see what we shall see... I've always said, the progressives jumped on the bandwagon of the most cautious and conservative candidate possible... Bill Clinton had to prove first and foremost that he could take care of the bond traders on Wall St. and govern as an Eisenhower Republican before he had a chance at anything else... which turned out to be not much... There's every likelihood that Obama will fall into the same trap... I'm dreaming of a new FDR.... Damn the deficit, let's put America to work! On all the deferred stuff that we should have doing for the 28 wasted years since Reagan was inaugurated!

But then, I'm a dreamer...

The Bush years have set the bar so low - it would be crazy to think Obama will fail. He will not have to do much to be better - granted that might not be saying much.

We get to hold him to some promises or it will be the end of his credibility. The make up of his advisers and staff have worked well for him as far as the campaign goes.

Six months is a good time frame for a progressive gut check. He was never going to be the liberal he was portrayed as - it will be interesting where he is then. I'm certain he will not be "left" enough for me. I can accept that.

I dream of justice but fear that too is a bit optimistic. Then again not too long ago the idea of Barack winning anything was wildly optimistic too.

We have a bunch of work to do. Feet to the fire will be a non-stop effort.

A picture of Rahm and family on the front page Huffpo.

I didn't know his kids were so young? No wonder he was concerned about "family" as CoS it will be like daddy is on a four year long business trip with a few stop overs at home.

CoS is an intense, uber-stressful and even more full-time position (if that's at all possible) than POTUS.

Rahm's family's sacrifice will certainly be great.

-T

don't we already have enough dual-citizenship (USrael) toadies in high government?

"I am a zionist!"
...Joe Biden

DUAL CITIZENSHIP - LOYAL TO WHOM?

why aren't there any mexican/american dual citizenships?

http://tinyurl.com/2scazt

--------

NADER ON OBAMA'S SUBSERVIENCE TO AIPAC

http://tinyurl.com/5el5ly

Neo-conservatism at the Vatican? Kissinger to become Political Adviser to Pope Benedict XVI

http://tinyurl.com/6rbhpd

on a positive note, obama has picked RFKjr to head the EPA.

Maybe Nader for OSHA?

(not kidding I heard it somewhere - someone on the radio was just spitballing but . . .)

Rahm Emanuel as Obama's Chief of Staff: an Inauspicious Start

In terms of conventional politics, it makes sense to get Emanuel running things in the WH, due to his experience.....

In terms of deep politics, Emanuel is quite troubling:

RAHM EMANUEL as former senior Clinton White House advisor was reportedly implicated in various illicit dealings with the Red Chinese penetrating U.S. industrial, financial, and military secrets. A dual citizen, Israel/US. he left the U.S. about 1990 to serve in the Israel Defense Forces

http://tinyurl.com/6k4vu8

Intersting (and predictable) that an American born Jew would join the IDF instead of the US Army.

I guess he has more faith in the IDF and Israel than his homeland.

David Corn is, among other things, an investigative reporter. Maybe forensic reporter is an appropriate term. I don't know precisely how this is done but I suppose a combination of interviews, telephone calls and even e-mails. Imagine how much harder this must have been in the days before 'instant communication'. In any case, David Corn certainly has done well, including, but not limited to, exposing the lies of GWB.

In my analysis of the WTC events, mainly focused on WTC 1, I used much the same 'instant communication' methods together with studying portions of engineering that were new to me. Then used logical analysis, rather as David Corn does, but differently focussed. I have been somewhat handicapped (but not seriously so) in that, for important technical reasons, I cannot watch videos, so I relied on stills (clips) and other peoples impressions of the events.

There have been valuable technical advances in turning pixels (from the videos) into meters so the progress of the collapse could be dispassionately studied. Then it just became applying physical principles first explained by D'Alembert building on Newton's work. A good way to explain what one sees in the videos is as a vertical avalanche, never seen before that day and hopefully never again.

It took David Corn some effort to correctly document the lies of GWB; afterall, he had covered his tracks fairly well; it wasn't that obvious. (I could never have done it.) Similarly, it isn't obvious that the collapses were vertical avalanches.

capt --- Which is worse, pointing out the Alan where he could find the paper he was interested in, or ignoring his request?

Maybe a Dr. Pepper would be better? I prefer it, myself. :-)

Email at captkjl2@msn.com

I will not respond to your off topic communication on this blog.

Please, I have asked you nicely man to man not to post this kind of crud.

If you are serious about respecting David Corn's work - please offer a little something ABOUT his work, not yours.

We can enjoy communication about any topic you feel you need to address person to person. This thread is about Rahm I duobt that escaped you before you started AGAIN on this thread?

Man up, show something other than contempt for Corn.

Why the petty BS about soda? Do you Ad Hominem much?

Thanks

Inappropriate Hottie Rundown - The Obama Cabinet!

Obama's starting to name his cabinet picks, and the speculation is swirling about who the top contenders might be. Everyone's ranking them by their qualifications and their previous work with Obama blah blah blah, but it's about time someone got around to figuring out which ones are the hottest. After a quick glance, we're thinking this cabinet should be at least as smoking as Clinton's though not quite as hot as Carter's (mmm, Muskie!). After the jump, we rate them one by one. If this cabinet's rockin', don't come knockin'!

http://tinyurl.com/64ww8h

****

23/6 - very funy stuff!

Obama Turns to Building Leadership Team

Obama, Bush to Discuss Transition at White House; Rahm Emanuel Agrees to be Obama's Chief of Staff

[...]

Mr. Emanuel and Sen. Obama, close friends from Chicago, would be a study in contrasts, but congressional sources say that is intentional. Mr. Emanuel wouldn't be a back-room conciliator who brings disparate voices to consensus, but an enforcer who bangs heads and keeps the troops in line. Sen. Obama and his campaign manager, David Plouffe, had a similar good-cop, bad-cop relationship during the arduous campaign.

"They feel Obama comes off as the nice guy and he would come off as the tough guy," a congressional official familiar with the choice said.

http://tinyurl.com/6pgmo6

Dual citizenship is not uncommon around the planet. Nothing to be paranoid about. . . some countries consider one born there to be a citizen for life, period. Some of these comments show how little we in the U.S. are aware of other parts. We've been fortunate in our isolation, but it's a drawback, too, particularly as the world gets smaller w/ modern technology. The global thing. Perhaps names like "Barack Obama" and "Rahm Emanuel" in the national spotlight will trigger more global curiosity around here. . . cosmic?

The Enforcer

Rep. Rahm Emanuel is leading the Democratic charge to retake the House next year. Will his old-school combativeness rub off on his more timid colleagues?

Oct 20, 2005

[...]

"We're the party of change," Emanuel tells me. "We're the party of a new direction -- a break from rampant cronyism and the status quo. Period."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/8091986/the_enforcer/

*****

Sounds more like Obama than anobody else did in 2005. The more I read about they guy the more I like him. Hardly conventional and the force behind the 2006 election victories.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the Democrat congressman for the 5th District of Illinois in Chicago is the son of an Israeli terrorist. Rahm's father, Benjamin, was a member of the Irgun, the Zionist terrorist organization that coined a new word as they blew up hotels, train stations, and other buildings in Palestine in the 1930s and 40s.

Irgun, the army of his father, is short for Irgun Zvai Leumi, which supposedly means something like "National Military Organization" in Hebrew. As a matter of fact, the Irgun was simply a terrorist Zionist group that operated in Palestine from 1931 to 1948. They killed innocent Palestinians and British soldiers and blew up buildings.

Decision 2008 - Obama Victory Coverage

For the news networks, election night is Christmas, Hanukkah, and your parents getting divorced all at once -- in other words -- toys

http://tinyurl.com/6gp389

Too funny~!

Dr. B, you STILL can't watch videos? I thought you got a new computer awhile back.

Jon Stewart said that palin was tagged and released back into the wild. LOL

Firedoglake has a 'say no to Joe' letter to the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee for people to sign.
http://firedoglake.com/
It's about half-way down on the right.

Barack Obama singing with russian soldiers:
http://snipurl.com/54uy9

Барак Обама пение с российскими солдатами
http://snipurl.com/54uy9

"Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss"

DICK MORRIS ON RAHM EMANUEL

mr. morris spoke candidly about what a disgusting person barack obama's new white house chief of staff rahm emanuel is.

mr. morris maintains that emanuel cannot be trusted and that he works only for himself - "rahm is for rahm." mr. morris says that bill clinton never trusted emanuel.

mr. morris says obama "is making a huge mistake in picking this guy."

http://tinyurl.com/6bncjs

IS RAHM EMANUEL A SECURITY RISK?

the FBI has, according to Wayne Madsen, a Counterintelligence file on him for his past connections with Mossad, and that this is what forced him out of the Clinton White House in 1998.

http://tinyurl.com/5eggpn

If Dick Morris hates him I love him more.

Dick has been wrong about everything for many years now.

Talk about a slimy GOP talking pundit!

Dick Morris is a reverse character witness.

Dick Morris vouches for Novak: "He's never proven wrong. He's always right"

Summary: In a Hannity & Colmes discussion of Robert Novak's column claiming that "[a]gents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information" about Sen. Barack Obama, Dick Morris said of Novak: "I know that Robert Novak is almost never wrong," adding: "He's never proven wrong. He's always right." Media Matters for America has identified numerous instances in which Novak has been "proven wrong" -- by others, and by himself.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200711210006

*****

Dicky boy vouches for Novak and hates Rahm! Dick think Novak has never been proven wrong?

Good enough for me.

Fox News repeatedly allowed Dick Morris to solicit funds on air for anti-Obama ad

Summary: Fox News repeatedly allowed Dick Morris to solicit donations for a conservative political action committee to fund an ad attacking Sen. Barack Obama.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200810310018

*****

I bet Dick is really concerned for what is best for Obama and the country.

Dick Morris' claim that Ayers "hired" Obama "to distribute the $50 million that Ayers raised" contradicted by NY Times report

http://mediamatters.org/items/200810070032

Obama brings Change, not his cabinet

http://tinyurl.com/5o7qod

****

Rahm has a spine, some people have been pining for any democrat with a spine. I would vote for Rahm for office, I don't like his voting record on too many issues but he isn't running for CoS - he was asked.

The other thing I like about Rahm is he has the RW's shooting steam out of the ears.

He has to scare them for a reason and I doubt they are putting country first in those concerns.

“Barack Obama’s first decision as president-elect undermines his promise to ‘heal the divides.’ Rahm Emanuel is a partisan insider who played a lead role in breaking Washington,” said Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant, and House Republican leader John A. Boehner called the choice “ironic.”

*****

Obama is the most liberal senator and Rahm a partisan? Rahm voted with the GOP on FISA, MCA, etc.

How loud would these idiots get if Barack had chosen a real partisan or real lefty?

“Obama has made an assessment, and Obama’s no fool — Obama really does know himself,” said former Clinton aide Harold Ickes. “He clearly has concluded that Rahm is the kind of temperament and person that would serve his interests best in this White House.”

And Emanuel is unlikely to be shy in Obama’s circle. In fact, he and Obama share political roots in Chicago, and they share a political brain in the form of adviser David Axelrod. Emanuel’s former DCCC press secretary, Bill Burton, is Obama’s national press secretary. Obama’s communications director, Dan Pfeiffer, is married to Emanuel’s top press aide, Sarah Feinberg. He’s close to Obama’s Senate chief of staff, Pete Rouse, and to his campaign chief of staff, David Plouffe.

“During my time in the Clinton White House, two of the most powerful words you could utter were ‘Rahm says,’” speechwriter Jeff Shesol said on Politico’s Arena page. “His selection makes clear, once again, that Barack Obama refuses to buy into the false dichotomy, the phony binary choice, of Old Hands vs. New Blood. He will have both.”

http://tinyurl.com/6xggdg

Pitbull for change?

http://tinyurl.com/67jtjj

lol

Found: Bro Tex.

Hey, Folks! Just passin' by. Still enjoying the victory.

The working-class folks have hope and a new outlook on life. Lets fight for what's ours!

Use public transportation.
Support organized labor.

Alan | November 6, 2008 11:24 PM --- New computer, same style operating system.

ABOUT RAHM EMANUEL
by justin raimondo

He's mean, he's ultra-partisan, and he's a fully-paid up member in good standing of the War Party: during the Democratic primaries in 2006, when Emanuel headed up the Dems' congressional operation, he backed pro-war candidates over antiwar Democrats every time.

When the House Democratic majority passed a military appropriations bill slated for Iraq, a clause that would have prohibited an attack on Iran without a vote in Congress was deleted at the instigation of Emanuel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. When Rep. John Murtha presaged the popular rebellion against the Iraq war by coming out against it in no uncertain terms, Emanuel urged Pelosi to refrain from endorsing his call for withdrawal, arguing that it would hurt the Democrats politically.

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=13728
------
politics (AND WAR!) as usual.

as_if! | November 7, 2008 5:42 PM --- Disturbing...

Rahm Emanuel Tackles the White House

The Ballet Dancer Turned Political Powerhouse Has His Work Cut Out for Him

[...]

The facts: Emanuel did study ballet when he was growing up and even had a chance to go to college on a ballet scholarship. He did inspire the "West Wing" character. He did lose part of a finger in a childhood accident, but he was never in the Israeli Army, despite serving in a civilian capacity in support of the Israeli military during the first Gulf War.

And the dead fish story, while taking on epic proportions in media coverage of Emanuel, has not been confirmed. But it's so often repeated because it's something that would fit in with Emanuel's tough persona and "take no prisoners" politics.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6207491&page=1

Clinton: Rahm Emanuel Good Choice For Chief Of Staff

NEW YORK — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her first public appearance since former rival Barack Obama was elected president, praised his choice for White House chief of staff, a former top aide to her husband.

"President-elect Obama made an excellent choice," she said of Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, adding that he "understands both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue."

"He gets things done," she said at a news conference Thursday night before she and former President Clinton were honored at a gala at the newly refurbished Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. "Rahm is determined and effective."

http://tinyurl.com/5l2xep

Emanuel's Ex-Boss: Rahm Is The Perfect SOB For The Job

Rahm Emanuel's boss in the Clinton White House praised his selection as Barack Obama's chief of staff, saying the congressman was enough of a son-of-a-bitch to get things done, keep the White House disciplined, and make tough decisions.

"He was just very well organized," said Leon Panetta, Bill Clinton's former chief of staff and Emanuel's ex-boss. "He knows the White House inside and out and now, obviously knows Capitol Hill. So he has all the qualities you basically need to be a great chief of staff. Part of the job description is you have to be an SOB to be a chief of staff, you have to have somebody who makes the tough decisions... There are decisions the president ought not to make that the chief of staff has to. My sense is Rahm will do that."

Panetta, speaking at a forum at the Brookings Institute, dismissed the notion that Emanuel was too partisan a figure to forge political consensus on policy proposals. But his defense could have the counterproductive effect of stirring the concerns of progressive Democrats who have accused Emanuel of lacking ideal ideological firmness.

http://tinyurl.com/6xajp7

Members of Congress / Rahm Emanuel / Votes Against Party

http://tinyurl.com/5gagpr

*****

An "ultra partisan" would not vote against the party of which he is a partisan. Of course Justin quit making any sense to me when he supported Ron Paul, then defended the racist crap in RP's newsletters.

Democrats are very concerned because Rahm voted against the democratic party noting his lack of "firmness" on their issues.

Taking a Stand Against the Kuhl, Hayes and Bachmann Comments

I serve in the House with decent, patriotic Republicans, and as a congressman I have the honor of representing thousands of Republicans. They love their country and respect their neighbors. And yet these recent comments by three of my Republican colleagues must be challenged. Partisan passions always rise two weeks before an election, but calling the other party 'anti-American,' saying members of one party 'hate real Americans' and 'want the American public to suffer' crosses the line.

No wonder Colin Powell is so concerned about the direction of the Republican Party. It is at risk of being taken over by the voices of fear and division. A party so intent on dividing America is unfit to lead all of America. And so I call on my Republican colleagues to disavow these statements. These statements are not worthy of a great nation and a great institution like the United States Congress.

http://tinyurl.com/5e9oeb

that is somewhat disturbing!
corn's question was a good one:

""Is Rahm Emanuel Right for Obama's White House of Change?""

i feel that no-one should get a free pass - everyone who could be in a high position of influence should be inspected as much as possible.
thank god for the internet or we the people would have absolutely no idea what is being done in our supposedly good name and with our tax dollars.
-----

Emanuel Was Director Of Freddie Mac During Scandal

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," according to government reports reviewed by ABCNews.com.

http://tinyurl.com/69ay9w

'Do What You Got Elected to Do' The incoming chief of staff says expect a pragmatic White House.

[...]

Mr. Emanuel avoided the word "mandate," but the future White House chief of staff said that the future president has been given "clear directions by the country to change policies in Washington -- to change a health-care policy that is bankrupting the family budget as much as the federal budget, and to change an energy policy that has us exporting $700 billion of our wealth to countries overseas."

Mr. Emanuel said that the best way for Democrats to avoid overreach in the next two years is by thinking "less ideologically and more in terms of future versus past." You have to "constantly be turning over the intellectual topsoil in order to stay fresh," he said. "The economy demands it. The political system demands it. The country doesn't want divided government. It wants progress."

http://tinyurl.com/5jm9xc

Emanuel vs. Dumbasses

PUHLEEEEZ!!

After eight years of an exceedingly partisan WH, republicans have no credibility whatsoever in throwing partisan stones at Obama's selection of Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff.

The Republican Party is already a joke and in not recognizing how ridiculous they look assures they'll continue their nosedive into insignificance. Having already rewritten the record book for screwups they insist upon making sure their record will forever remain unbroken.

http://tinyurl.com/6zll9o

Hiring Emanuel shows Obama's hand

[...]

There are a million stories about the 49-year-old, profane, pirouetting, ballet-trained Emanuel.

Whether it's ripping up contributions of political donors who lacked the good survival sense to write a bigger check, or mailing a dead fish to express his extreme displeasure or repeatedly stabbing a steak knife into a table to punctuate a list of Democratic politicians he was putting on a "dead" list, Rahm Emanuel mastered hardball long before Chris Matthews peddled it on TV.

Would Emanuel be displeased by the above description?

Nope. He revels in the legend.

http://tinyurl.com/5d9c9j

Obama's Change Leaves By The Back Door

Sources close to Obama have leaked names on the list of candidates for the position of treasury secretary—no doubt as a means of reassuring Wall Street. Included are former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, former Clinton treasury secretary and current Citigroup executive Robert Rubin, another former Clinton treasury secretary, Lawrence Summers, and Timothy Geithner, the New York Federal Reserve Bank president.

All of these individuals played leading roles in the deregulation of the banks and investment houses that facilitated the super-profits and massive CEO compensation packages of the 1990s and first half of the current decade, and contributed to the financial collapse that is now plunging the US and the rest of the world into the deepest recession since the 1930s.

http://tinyurl.com/5wvqv6

Who's who on Obama's new team

Since winning the US presidential election, Barack Obama has wasted little time assembling a team to help him govern.

[...]

As Chief of Staff, Mr Emanuel will be in charge of delivering the president's policy platform.

By appointing an "enforcer" like Mr Emanuel to the post, observers say Mr Obama is signalling that he means business.

Some liberal Democrats fear that Mr Emanuel - a moderate - will drag Mr Obama to the political centre.

Republican opponents are complaining that Mr Emanuel's partisan style will jar with Mr Obama's campaign promises to change the tone in Washington.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7716467.stm

Obama's Pick for Chief of Staff Tops Recipients of Wall Street Money

[...]

As a member of the powerful House Ways & Means Committee--which has jurisdiction over tax legislation, Social Security, Medicare and other entitlement programs--Emanuel is a popular industry target. Private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners has given Emanuel more than any other contributor over his career at $93,600. Emanuel and Obama have more than just Chicago in common; investment bank UBS, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley are among both men's lists of top donors .

Emanuel, who is currently the No. 4 Democrat in the House, has also collected $136,640 from the lobbying industry during his career, making K Street his 13th most generous industry. Obama, on the other hand, eschewed contributions from registered lobbyists for the presidential race. Obama also refused contributions from PACs, an easy task when only about 1 percent of presidential contributions come from these committees. PACs have given Emanuel about 29 percent of his total since he was first elected to Congress in 2002.

During his time in Congress, Obama has collected $2,000 from Emanuel's leadership PAC, Our Common Values PAC, but hasn't received any money from his possible future chief of staff since 2004. Through his PAC, Emanuel has given other lawmakers and candidates 78 percent of the total $2.3 million he's raised since the 2004 election cycle.

http://tinyurl.com/5so2mz

Rahm Emanuel and Israel

[...]

Peace-processors take heart: Rahm, precisely because he's a lover of Israel, will not have much patience with Israeli excuse-making, so when the next Prime Minister tells President Obama that as much as he'd love to, he can't dismantle the Neve Manyak settlement outpost, or whichever outpost needs dismantling, because of a) domestic politics; b) security concerns, or c) the Bible, Rahm will call out such nonsense, and it will be very hard for right-wing Israelis to come back and accuse him of being a self-hating Jew. This is not to say that he's unaware of Palestinian dysfunction, or Iranian extremism, but that he has a good grasp of some of Israel's foibles as well. All in all, it's a very heartening choice.

http://tinyurl.com/5v4ole

Obama’s top aide comes with Hollywood connection

Barack Obama’s first appointment as U.S. president-elect comes with an inside-Hollywood connection. His newly chosen White House chief-of-staff-to-be, Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel, is the older brother of Ari Emanuel, a founding partner of the A-list, Beverly Hills-based talent-management firm Endeavor.

So colorful and well-known a showbiz figure has he become that he inspired the character of the sly Hollywood agent Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven, on the HBO series “Entourage.” The role has earned Piven two Emmy Awards.

http://tinyurl.com/5rvykf

*****

I wonder if Hollywood will be kind to Obama? I see a favorable made for TV movie in the near future . . .

On Kicking Ass, Taking Names

The reaction on the left to Obama's choice of Emanuel -- and mere consideration of Summers -- reminds me of the concern trolling in the week or two in June after Obama sealed the nomination. Many in the progressive blogosphere thought their nominee was betraying the cause of liberalism by abandoning campaign finance reform and not taking a strong stand against FISA. Some were convinced it would bring about Obama's downfall at the polls in November.

Right.

So don't listen to anybody who tries to tell you that the very act of selecting Rahm Emanuel -- or, should he so decide, Larry Summers -- is going to hobble Obama's administration. Hell, Obama doesn't even have an administration yet. Seriously, guys: chill.

http://tinyurl.com/5ztt6c

Obama roasts Emanuel in 2005

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdphzxz64BY

Rahm Emanuel: A Tough Taskmaster for Obama

[...]

Some on both the left and right have criticized Obama's choice of a profane Washington insider for chief of staff as evidence that his promise that he wanted to raise the level of civility in our politics was all talk. But those critics misunderstand the nature of the job and the role Emanuel will be playing. Obama will he the public face and voice of his Administration. He'll set the tone. Emanuel will oversee the hard work of running the White House and pushing the agenda in the halls of Congress. "The job now is to translate the dreams into reality," says Paul Begala, a Clinton White House veteran who knows Emanuel well. "Barack will be the inspiration, Rahm will be the perspiration."

http://tinyurl.com/6r29h6

Obama's designated a--hole

[...]

Yet, for someone as hyper and profane as Emanuel, people who've worked with him seem to love him. "The thing about Rahm that will be great for the administration is he doesn't settle with just good or just great," said Jennifer Crider, a former adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who now works for the DCCC. "He wants it to be outstanding and the best it can be. He pushes and he pushes and he pushes, and he makes the people around him better than they ever thought they could be."

Of course, that's what House Democrats say now, while they're still enjoying the last few days of Rahm being firmly ensconced on their side. Even though Obama plans to work closely with the leadership on the Hill, a time will come next year when the White House clashes with Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over something. And when it does, everyone in Congress will know exactly what they're in for.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/11/07/rahm/

It cracks me up when I read about the profanity stuff.

It reminds me of the time I first heard the Nixon WH tapes and was shocked to hear the foul language from Nixon. I thought to myself "quakers don't curse?"

I'm fairly certain I didn't know what a quaker was. I would picture the guy on the Quaker Oats conainter - although I assumed they weren't suppose to have a potty mouth.

I can swear like an Alaskan but I don't have the White House and Congressional experience to be CoS.

I don't care much for Emanuel as a congressman.

I don't care much for his connections with the Monopoly Game.

But I trust Obama's judgment and if he f**screws up he can be replaced.

"Monopoly Game" - excellent!

""I trust Obama's judgment and if he f**screws up he can be replaced""

ya that will be the day when an unliked politico can be replaced.

Presidential Chiefs of staff are almost invisible.

I couldn't name the CoS of previous presidents.

I can't even name the current Cos for Bush.

The cabinet is of much more concern to me. Expect a few RW's in the cabinet.

Now the "Joint Chiefs of Staff" - THAT is another issue altogether.

"politico can be replaced"

Barack can fire his CoS - they serve at his pleasure.

Wikipedia already trying to delete article on Rahm Emanuel's father

http://tinyurl.com/5sxvdm

Journalist Reaches From Grave To Nail Rahm

Excerpts From Archived News Investigations
By The Late Sherman H. Skolnick

http://rense.com/general84/nodm.htm

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. OBAMA AND MR. EMMANUEL

http://tinyurl.com/57t73g

TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads

[...]

THIS WEEK, WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS

OK. Joining George and Rahm in the middle of their interview as I experience some TiVo problems. GS asks about whether or not Obama supports using the $700 billion bailout package to help the auto industry. Emanuel says that the auto industry is important, and they've already given them $25 billion, maybe they should get to using that. GS asks him a different question, and Emanuel basically gives him the same answer, only instead of enumerating his points "1,2,3,4" he does it "A,B,C,D." Then GS asks again, and Emanuel says that he already answered the question. GOD THIS WILL BE FUN WITH THIS GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

Emanuel says that the two major goals of economic stimulus will be infrastructure growth and middle class tax cuts, but it seems clear that it won't be the focus of the lame duck session. Will Obama "postpone" the tax increase on the upper five percent until the recession is over? Emanuel says that the tax plan is a "net tax reduction," so no, and then reiterates his previous answer, AGAIN. And then he reanswers it again. SO, here is the Emanuel method for answering teevee talking heads:

1. THESIS.
2. I SAID, "THESIS," DUMBASS.
3. SYNTHESIS, LIKE A LEAD PIPE TO THE DOME.

Again. This is awesome. I hope Rahm Emanuel can train these people, like dogs.

http://tinyurl.com/6n6fzv

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Jason is always a crack up on Sunday's talking heads - he watches and reports so I don't have to.

Emanuel Urges Aid for Auto Industry

In his first televised interviews since being named the chief of staff for President-elect Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel on Sunday called for swifter action to lift the struggling auto industry and suggested Mr. Obama and President Bush might clash over a stimulus package.

http://tinyurl.com/6e3s7p

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I'd rather bail out any industry that manufactures anything except bad debt. Auto industry YES - banks NO!

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE....

http://tinyurl.com/5q4pup

The Transition: Speed Is Of The Essence

Face The Nation: Chief Of Staff Says Obama Is Working Faster Building His Team Than Previous Incoming Administrations

(CBS) Rham Emanuel, whom President-elect Barack Obama named as his Chief of Staff, said it's important that Obama gets his economic team in order quickly, and that he is doing so faster than previous administrations.

Appearing on Face The Nation, Emanuel told host Bob Schieffer that Obama is now “going through the names” for his economic team.

“He has been working tirelessly with the transition team on the development of his economic team. … He wants us to move with deliberate haste - emphasis on deliberate, as well as equal emphasis on haste."

He also said, in relation to the auto industry's troubles, that "Washington needs to look at fast-forwarding the $25 billion that has been provided for retooling the factories for, basically, a more fuel-efficient auto fleet.”

http://tinyurl.com/6j5nn7

What if Obama and Rahm Emanuel, instead of building a cabinet that is a Team of Rivals, build a cabinet that can FORM VOLTRON? Do you think Doris Kearns Goodwin would throw her panties at THAT! I know I would lose my mind! SUCK IT ENEMIES, WE ARE VOLTRON!

http://tinyurl.com/6n6fzv

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lolololo

the auto industry!
i'll bet that honda and toyota don't need to be bailed out.
if "american" auto makers made a product that was worthy then they wouldn't need to be bailed out.
case in point:
ford makes a car that gets 60 mpg but it is not sold in the U.S. because "we don't have the diesel infrastructure".
what a crock.
dodge makes a hell of a race-car and monster-truck though!

Emanuel: Colombia FTA doesn’t belong in stimulus

Newly designated White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Sunday that the incoming Obama administration opposes attaching the Colombia Free Trade Agreement to an economic stimulus package in order to get the approval of the Bush Administration.

The White House has suggested it might stomach another stimulus package, which it currently opposes, if it is tagged on to the free trade deal.

Emanuel emphasized on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that issues such as extending unemployment insurance and providing healthcare assistance for states are too pressing to mix with other proposals.

“You don't link those essential needs to some other trade deal,” he said. “What you have to deal with is what's immediate here, and the lame duck is for immediate things that are important. That's what should be the focus, right now. There's an economic recovery package in front of the Congress. Washington should get it done.”

http://tinyurl.com/5cy67k

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So far so good. Seems the spawn of satan make some sense?

Warnings from world leaders all within 72 hours

http://tinyurl.com/6hhrzu

Biden told the top Democratic donors that a “generated crisis” will develop within six months and Barak Obama will need the help of community leaders to control the population as unpopular decisions are made and Americans resist.
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what does that mean - a military draft? why would that be necessary?
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Across the channel from England you have the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warning the press that he believes Israel will strike Iran before they can develop nuclear weapons completley ignoring the fact that the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed ElBradei, said that Iran lacks the key components to produce an atomic weapon.
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when something blows up and many people are killed, who will remember that the IAEA determined that iran does not have any nuclear weapons, and in fact peaceful iran has not attacked another country in the last 800 years?

fuck this - i will not be fooled by any more false-flag terror events.

'Israel war on Iran on the radar'

http://tinyurl.com/5gnx8v

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday that Tel Aviv is 'convinced that Iran continues to try to build a nuclear weapon'.

Tehran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), denies the Israeli claim, insisting that its enrichment program is solely directed at the civilian applications of the technology.

Israel, meanwhile, argues that the use of military force is a legitimate option in halting Iran's nuclear progress.

"Israelis would consider a move such as this before Bush and Cheney leave," said the EU diplomat, adding that once Obama takes office, Israel's chances of striking Iran would be off the agenda.

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so whose children will be drafted into this nonsense war of USrael aggression?

Obama's? bush's?

as if.

wake up fools!

Council on Foreign Relations president predicts coups, genocide and terrorism to test Obama

Echoing Vice President-Elect Joe Biden's promise of a generated crisis and Colin Powell's revelation of a crisis that will happen on January 21 or 22, we now have the president of the Council on Foreign Relations and Biderberger Richard Haas' similar predictions of doom and gloom scheduled for President-Elect Obama.

http://tinyurl.com/5d9gua

Emanuel in 2002: Details of US and Israeli Interests Differ

Prospective Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has taken a lot of heat in the Middle East and in the left blogosphere because there are fears that he will push for the positions of the Israeli right wing. His father lives in Israel and was a member of the Irgun. Rahm Emanuel gave up his Israeli citizenship when he turned 18. He did not serve in the Israeli army, but did help out in a civilian force in Israel during the Gulf War, when Israel was under bombardment from Saddam's scuds.

I think a lot of the hype in the blogosphere is overblown. Emanuel is not responsible for his father's activities or views. Rahm Emanuel was the one in the Clinton White House who arranged the logistics of the handshake between then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1993. He supported the Oslo Peace Process and the Camp David negotiations, which the Israeli Right absolutely hated.

http://tinyurl.com/6pkern