Wonkette
Hmm, very interesting! Rahm Emanuel loudly pooh-poohed Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy — you know, the deal where you actually pretend that states besides Ohio and Florida matter in electing a president — and now he has been offered the job of Chief of Staff to that same strategy’s biggest benefactor, Barack Obama. Of course Emanuel is from Chicago, just like Barack Obama, so he is well versed in CHICAGO-STYLE POLITICS (i.e. cooking deep-dish pizzas for William Ayers in Tony Rezko’s slum kitchens, with Louis Farrakhan).
This is an interesting-ish move, given that Rahm Emanuel seemed to want to be Speaker of the House someday. Now he is “agonizing” over whether or not to take the job Obama offered him. DO IT DO IT DO IT, the next four years will be like Entourage meets The West Wing.
Emanuel offered top Obama slot (Sounds dirty!) [First Read]
Obama Offers Rahm Emanuel Job of White House Chief of Staff [Political Punch]
Somehow I tend to think that Hitler was still worse because his murders were committed in more industrial manner and in shorter period of time, in only 4 years (1941-45). Stalin’s terror was a less organized series of events and it was a consequence of several bad things that had happened in Russia and Ukraine. The real author of the Soviet calamity is actually Lenin and whoever believed in him, not just Stalin.
Also, what makes Hitler worse is that he made it happen in Germany, in a civilized European nation. Russia had faced severe anarchy and civil war and it was being left behind in technological advancement. Stalin was facing the same problem like many other “Czars”: how to render Russia into a modern nation. His methods may seem horrible but what dictator doesn’t want to make his land the best in the world?
…I always thought: “Chicago-Style Politics” = Chains and Lead Pipes
TRUECRISTIAN: Yeah. In order for all that to work, you have to spell “Christian” correctly.
Otherwise, you just look like a rapper with a champaign problem.
I love the faux-outrage borderline douches like Joe Scarborough are trying to concoct in response to this rumor.
The zodiac killer could be COS and it wouldn’t be as bad as what was in there the past 8 years.
TRUECRISTIAN: Ugh. You are boring me. Banned.
The above message is not funny.
Don’t forget the third Emmanuel brother, a bioethicist at the National Health Institute (aka the huge loser in the family).
Sara K. Smith: Haha I don’t know I have to admit every single one of his/her other trolling was bland and lame but it at least seems a little original to start the thread with a non-sequitor argument about Stalin and Hitler to indirectly compare them to the guy he hates. I’m just saying I haven’t seen that before, is all.
Sara K. Smith:
I love you.
As for the post.
Rahm E.
Smart. Check
Asshole. Check
Pitbull tenacity. Check
Smart enough to know when to back off. Half check
Meets all the qualifications that are necessary to be WHCOS.
Did you know that Rahm Emanuel trained to be a ballet dancer? True fact.
You mean Rahm would give up his wonderful Northwest Side district where he was overwhelmingly re-elected yesterday?
And miss all the wonders of Milwaukee Ave?
In a heartbeat!
Yep, we can ban for ‘boring’ right? I mean even if he were a Paultard or neocon, he could still be interesting. But this dude is just a waste of space.
I think Emmanuel should take the time-intensive job and all the pretty Jewesses should send me their panties.
my posting priveleges on freerepublic.com have been revoked…i guess freedom of speech only applies if you agree with them… *sigh*
why is george bush still talking? haven’t we thrown his tired ridiculous ass to the curb???
Sara K. Smith: sara please don’t ban it…remember that change has happened. ban george bush instead!
Looks like he’s got muslim bloodlines…..I’m just saying
Rumor in my office has that he accepted. That’s from our head lobbyist, fwiw, but he also said this yesterday, so who knows.
blader: Jewish.
lolababy:
Unless he’s really fond of the Governor of Florida.
Darehead: close enough
whatever_dc: sadly, no. He is trying to rape the environment as much as possible in the next few months with regulations. n the past two weeks, his Admin has quietly slipped through several proposed rules changes that are insane (chop off the tops of mountains for mining? OK! Measure pollutants from factories by the hour instead of by the day? A-OK!). The country is going to be a charred wasteland by Jan 20, and he and Cheney will be cackling from their privately owned and protected bunkers in TX and WY.
Maybe Laura will dump him for some hot ranch hand, he’ll start drinking again and burn down the ranch one night by accident while blotto. That would be fun.
Yes, Sara. It is wrong.
Smart. Check
Asshole. Check
Pitbull tenacity. Check
Yeah, it was super smart of Emanuel to push for Tim Mahoney to replace Mark Foley. Still, anything that gets him out of the House is good for this country. Though I have no doubt he is already lobbying hard to keep Henry Paulson at the Treasury.
My county in New Joisy voted 76% for Obama. I leaned this other true fact from the neat little charts they have at NYT online. You might even be able to find out how the people on your street voted.
http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html
Doglessliberal: ok thanks for ruining my hopey buzz!!!
ok — not really! nothing could do that although what you write is unfuckingbelievable!!!
on the ranch: they’re not going back there — they’re trying to sell it and they will live in dall-ass. the ranch was simply — like so much else in this disaster — a prop!
Two guys with “weird” names! The wingnuts are gonna love this one! I bet we’ll be soon hearing that Emmanuel is a ‘Muslin,’ too.
whatever_dc: sorry, I got momentarily buzz-killed thinking about Prop 8. But Hopey happiness is back with some caffeine. This whole thing is still sinking in. If you have not seen it, look at this Toles cartoon:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html
dmdlnt: I kept saying to my husband last night “President OBAMA?? Holy crap!” It was like a Chris Rock routine we saw earlier this year where he just repeated “President Obama” with different emphases about 10 times. Damn. It is stunning.
I am standing by my previous statement. Hottest. White House. Ever.
So a jew and a muslim walk into the white house… oh wait… have you heard this one?
So he’ll be Karl Rove in black face?
Why does Rahm hate America?
Doglessliberal: thanks for that although i was really trying to be done with the crying!!!
i’ve sent it to all my republican family and friends in texas…
I prefer New York-style politics over Chicago-style politics. I don’t like the thick crust and overload of sauce that comes with Chicago-style politics. Don’t even get me started on California-style politics, all small and covered in avocados or whatever weirdness.
Doglessliberal: Now I’m crying at work, thanks.
I’m with the alt-text: it is not wrong to think he’s hot.
whatever_dc: vintageways: join the club! It is crying day. Lack of sleep contributes, of course, but the emotion is just overwhelming.
Feeling soooo good. Fairness doctrine!!! bring it on and tear down the reich wing radio.
No lipstick on this pitbull!
Doglessliberal: +1 times 1776.
Doglessliberal: I’m in shock. And I feel like I’m constantly on the verge of tears. Haven’t had a good sob yet, but it’ll happen when I least expect it.
Sara K. Smith: Yaay! I love you more than ever, if such a thing were possible.
wx insider: Racist. How do you know that Karl Rove isn’t a black guy in white face?
Doglessliberal: i took today off just in case… and now i’m glad i did specially since it wasn’t just in case…and you know what? i slept soundly for the first time in MONTHS!!! the alcohol prolly helped but i’ve been sleeping on that for MONTHS so prolly not that.
another thought: i’ve won like 12 games of internet solitaire in a row…what’s up with that???
goddam today show just made me cry again…
the view is on now — i hope whoopie tears elizabeth skankleback a new one!!! wow — she showed up! you have to give her credit for that! now i wanna see some blood!
i haven’t seen any comment on this but with all due respect i hated the NEW FIRST LADY’s dress last night…
whatever_dc: you know, I slept soundly, too, for the first time in ages. You just made me realize that. Holy crap. The stress must really have been affecting us. (I have zero idea how Hopey did it. The man=cool, calm, and collected)
Doglessliberal: stupid the view just made me cry again! i’m soooooo dehydrated!!!
oh great — now they have hopey’s speech up…i give up!!!!
yes we can!
vintageways: almost got me crying. Would have, except that I got it out already this morning while mixing up my coffee at home in front of my kitchen sink. The Today show anchors were talking about how historic everything was and how long it took and that it’s finally over and suddenly I just started sobbing like a baby. Equal parts exhaustion (from working 17 hours at the polls yesterday), happiness, pride (in other Americans finally wising up) and utter relief.
Sara K. Smith: Thanks for banning that jackass. I’m not exactly sure how that Hitler/Stalin comparison is relevant to Rahm Emanuel? Maybe is makes sense in Crazyland?
ManchuCandidate: I agree with the “asshole” part.
BruceLee5000: none of us should be operating heavy machinery today, for sure. Maybe not even the copy machine.
If they can get Chuck Hagel for SecDef, this will be absolutely the studliest administration ever.
That’s CHANGE we can believe in.
(This just in: Jesus appoints Judas his Chief of Staff, “to show those Jews that the status quo won’t continue . . . .”)
InKnockYouUs: Philadelphia went 83% for President-Elect Obama!
I don’t understand why people keep citing lack of sleep today. Granted most of us only got a few hours of sleep last night, but at least for me it was the best sleep I’ve gotten in probably ten years. Totally content.
whatever_dc: i haven’t seen any comment on this but with all due respect i hated the NEW FIRST LADY’s dress last night…
Fer sure. I just assumed she was still wearing her Halloween costume for some reason.
(snark will never die.)
PerhapsSo: it was teh black panthers at the polling places that caused that…no doubt!
anyone besides me gonna phone rush limbaugh’s and sean insanity’s talk show comedy fests today?
Barry as Prez + Rahm-bo as COS + Samantha Power as head of the NSA = sexiest.administration.ever. (Plus serious smarts AND balls! Bonus!)
Doglessliberal: Wow. Just…wow…
pondscum: Agreed. It’s possible to be a jerk AND sexy. Trust me on this ‘un…
Gingah: yeah, Toles hit it out of the park
we really really need a ‘watch the freepers go crazy’ post for such delights as…”When I went to bed last night I was an American; I woke this morning a man with no country, no leader, no direction, and no purpose. I did not leave my country, my country abandoned me.
Jesus asked his Father to “forgive them for they know NOT what they do.” I am not Jesus and will NOT forgive the murder of a country that I once fought for and was willing to die for, that country no longer exists, a breed of americans (note lower case) have beaten it down and traded it for trinkets worth less than the beads that bought Manhattan Island so long ago.”
I got breakfast at the Golden Nugget on Lincoln Avenue and Montrose in Rahm’s district this morning. These two Meat-head types were loudly moaning about how Obama is a secret muslim and a fascist who plans to form an SS style paramilitary force to crack down on conservatives and “real” Americans. My feta cheese omelette was totally ruined.
Sara K. Smith: Thanks. Trolls must amuse, or die.
jagorev: Noted, but Hegel’s a glory-hound who’d spend all day putting on his makeup for Meet the Press. I’d stick with the current guy, who’s telling his own old service, the Air Force, to quit pissing away money on fighter planes nobody needs and start buying the drones that win wars. Probably only a Republican SecDef can get away with that, particularly in a Demo admin.
BREAKING: Muslim Terrorist Picks Jewish Terrorist as Chief of Staff!!!
I really do not like DLCers and how they tried to create the Democratic Party into their own image, i.e. Republican light. That strategy made the party weaker and the only time we recovered from defeat is when new leadership with a different vision – a more progressive one came to power. Emmanuel and his DLC friends fought that vision so why is Hopey handing DLC this important role. I am astounded.
My only explanation is that he is trying to prevent a major clash in Chicago between Emmanuel and Jessie Jackson Jr. over his senate seat. It could also be that he believes that the Democratic tent is big and he wants all represented in his administration.
V572625694: If you think Hegel’s bad, you should check out Heidegger sometime.
Dreamer: Think of this as Reagan picking HW for his VP. Better to have someone like Emmanuel in the tent pissing out than the other way around. I agree that Obama doesn’t owe much to the DLC establishment, but he does need to work with them and get legislation passed, and Emmanuel is probably going to be a good liaison with Congress. Also, Obama is hopelessly obssessed Doris Kearns Goodwin’s idea of Lincoln’s administration, so expect to see more mavericky moves like this one. Can we have John McCain for Secretary of State? Yes we can!
I guess I was naive, and watched too much West Wing, but I thought the leader of the campaign usually became the Chief of Staff as a reward for kicking ass. I guess Rove wasn’t though… “special advisor” and such… hmm… I guess it makes sense for the COS to be a Washington inside who can help secure votes and twist arms to get legislation passed… but that seems like it should be called something different. Should the Chief of STAFF work more with the STAFF? Make Emanuel “Presidential Liaison to Congress”.
jagorev: and I thought I was the one who watched too much West Wing…
jagorev: Who the f___ is that guy? When I Google the last name I get some BFF of Emmanuel Kant.
Nothing wrong with thinking he’s kind of sexy, he is. But well dressed ethinic looking men running the government will make the bitters scared. soooo clearly I can’t wait.
PopeyesPipe: Yeah. They got that from Hannity. I was listening to his sorry ass on the drive home last night while loudly gloating.
jagorev: “Can we have John McCain for Secretary of State? Yes we can!”
Please say it ain’t so Joe! Do mind if I call you Joe?
I am okay with having the inspiration for Josh Lyman as the Chief of Staff…after all, we’re just following the plot line of the last season of the West Wing. We got our Santos and now our Josh, glad Biden did better than Leo…
V572625694: +2.
V572625694: So was Hegel. Sorry, lame philosophy major joke
re: alt-text - if that’s wrong, don’t let me ever be right. Mmmm, badass Jews.
Actually this is just like the West Wing since Rahm Emanuel was one of the main influences for Josh Lyman’s character, and Josh was made COS for Matt Santos (Barack Obama). Not that I’m reading much into this or anything.
V572625694: Raises hand. I know. I know. Heidegger was a German philosopher who nattered on about Being, and was way too accepting of Hitler’s shenanigans.
Semi-conservative citizen here who’s been reading for a while and generally enjoying the banter and wit.
Even though I am mostly conservative, I went with Obama this election and am really hoping he can deliver on the change this nation needs!
One thing I don’t really understand from some of the above comments is the desire to see him vigorously pursue a hard progressive agenda. Haven’t we seen what roughly 8 years of of the other extreme has done to our country? How divided we’ve become? I want to see a president that can unit both ideological sides and get this place back in shape!
Look at all the social propositions from this election and how they’re turning out. It’s about 50/50 between progressive & conservative ones. We are a nation that is pretty evenly split down the middle. Sure there are extremes on both sides, but for the vast majority of Americans we fall into the middle.
I’m tired of seeing this nation fight so bitterly against itself. I want to see a nation that (goofy as it sounds) really does come together and work together to move us forward in a positive light in this world.
Sorry if that’s all a bit cheesy and stuff given the usual amount of snark here. But I just wanted to toss in my opinion.
Thanks and have a great day folks!
Covert7: th-th-th that’s not change we can believe in
I just woke up all hopey happy and headachy and I have to say after a glorious night of wilding in the streets of the East village and celebrating with Mr.102415 after his show was done well into the night and now this sobering and sad Rahm E thing is harshing my high and ruining my hangover.
Howard did the 50 state thing. I backed him with my cash and my heart way back then. I talked about the 50 state thing all fucking night long with people who were like in JRHigh when Dean had the guts to try and put feet on the ground all year round in all the states. Shit, I drove in my big Lincoln down to work with the Acorns in Florida in 2004. I mean, shit.I hate that guy.Let him stay where he is, he’s fine where he is.Let him knock on doors and beg for cash and votes for the next couple of decades.
No hacks for that job please.
Covert7: Stay a while! you’ll soon find plenty to snark on. The goodhearted intelligent idealists are the bestest ones for snarks and turn wicked the fastest.
A few more minutes in bed wouldn’t hurt me.
whatever_dc: I know what you mean. I completed 4 Sudoku puzzles this morning, without breaking a sweat. And two of them were “hard.”
jagorev: You got me. Yes we Kant!
Can Piven play a chief of staff as well as he does an agent? I guess we’re going to need to see an Entourage: Washington to find out. Get on it HBO. Biden is clearly the Turtle role.
http://thesebastards.blogspot.com/
Covert7: Dear Mr. Conservative Guy, Were you talking all middle of the road and compromisey when your boys were in, or is that a new thing?
jagorev: Yep- keep your friends close but your enemies even closer. Rahm’s not half as smart as he fancies himself but he is useful. Best to co-opt him. The DLC needs to be neutered.
I just laughed so hard that milk came outa my nose and I wasn’t even drinking any. Then I died from a hope overdose.
Dreamer: We are all Joe today.
Kimbo: I was going to leave the same comment… It’s really very eerie…
He looks like Javier Bardem, yes? Did anyone else say this already?
AngryBlakGuy: You’re confusing “Chicago Style Politics” with “Chicago Style Law Enforcement”
Doglessliberal: Eye-watering sweetness. Thank you.
gurukalehuru: No, I’ve been fairly unhappy with them right around the time Bush got his second term. Before then, I really didn’t care or think too much of politics.
I just think that broadly speaking, it’s not very healthy for one party to control both the Congress and the White House. Bad things end up happening!
And thank you for the welcome 102415!
Sweet Jesus on a slice I hate that creepy little fuck. AND HE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE JAVIER BARDEM.
Rahm’s supposed hotness is all relative. I mean, c’mon…compared to all the old dinosaurs in Congress, yeah, he’s fuckable. But would you want to do it twice? Eeeeeck. He’s got a long way to go to catch up with Russ Feingold, the Handsomest Senator Evarrrr.
V572625694: “..trolls must amuse or die.”
Ooh, now I’m all nostalgic for Nadine… SHE was a troll we could believe in…
Rahm, become speaker of the house. The only chief of staff anyone remembers is H.R Haldeman.
What does the Chief of Staff do anyway, apart from talk rapidly whilst walking down endless corridors?