Rahm will ensure at least two things:

[oviedodem]

A DISCIPLINED front office.

Someone on MSNBC said Rahm is the alter ego to Obama, that being the case it is safe to assume that gone are the days "no message". I think we all can say that Bush's WH was total undisciplined crap and that won't be tolerated now.

IN addition, I feel Rahm will help with some of the new Congressional democrats working with Obama, i.e. 2 down here in florida (Kosmas & Grayson).

[last1standing]

1. I can't stand Emanuel but he will provide muscle and contacts.

I really hate to say it but this may just be a brilliant move by Obama. Those of us who read history know that Jimmy Carter's administration was often subverted by his own Democratically controlled Congress because he didn't know, and his staff had little interest in learning, how to work with the establishment that still controlled the party. In many ways, the Democrats in Congress preferred Reagan to the upstart Carter and they showed it.

By incorporating people like Rahm, Obama could be showing, once again, that he knows the game better than those who wrote the rules.

[FSogol]

2. You are correct. He's insuring that his administration doesn't become the Carter admin. n/t

[davidwparker]

3. So far, his picks have been spot on (Biden, interest in RFK Jr.) The ADULTS

are about to be in charge again.

[damonm]

4. *sigh*

I really hate to say it but this may just be a brilliant move by Obama

He's made damned few moves in the past couple of years that WEREN'T brilliant.
Think what you will of Emanuel, but there is no arguing the guy is a no-nonsense SOB who knows how Congress works. He had the discipline to help bring us the 2006 midterm victory that presaged the tsunami of last night.
I don't know what you've got against the guy, but he will CERTAINLY help Obama run a tight ship, and he can be an EXCELLENT "bad cop" for Obama with Congress, whilst the Pres does the conciliation and outreach at which he excels.

[last1standing]

11. I have a lot against Emanuel.

He is a DLC corporatist who believes that the Democratic party needs to be wedded to a few people's interests instead of the many. He takes credit for winning back the Congress when he had no intention of competing in many of the seats that were won because they didn't fit into his limited view of where the party could compete. It was Howard Dean and the DNC that pushed for those victories and Emanuel who took the credit. And lastly, I don't like his conservative bent on many issues. Is that good enough for you?

So while you sigh, I have reasons for disliking the guy. That said, I still think it possible that he could be a very good choice if indeed the offer was extended, which we do not know at this point.

[avaistheone1]

7. I think it is important that Emmanuel does not run his COS responsibilites

like he is the National Chamber of Commerce. Emmanuel has such a corporatist bent, it worries me that he is going to allow too much access to Obama to the corporations and lobbyists interests. That kind of bent reminds me too much of the failures of the Bush admin.

[Parker CA]

5. MSNBC has reported that this offer has NOT YET been accepted by Emanuel.

[scarletwoman]

6. It assures me that neo-liberalism will be alive and well in an Obama administration.

whoopee.

[NYCGirl]

8. So the Chief of Staff makes policy? NT

[Lumpsum]

9. Well.

They don't call it the 2nd most powerful position in Washington for nothing.

Seems like most of you here just think the CoS runs around answering phones for the president.

[NYCGirl]

10. The COS does a lot of things. One exception is setting policy. NT

[avaistheone1]

12. The COS is very powerful. He is the gatekeeper in terms of who has access to the president.

The COS has a great deal of interface with the president, and has alot of influence with the president. The COS is like another set of eyes and ears to the president.

[NYCGirl]

13. And the President is the boss. NT

[scarletwoman]

14. Do try not to be purposely obtuse, okay?

First of all, I've never been under the illusion that Obama is any sort of populist, progressive hero. He's basically a mainstream centrist Dem, I've had no expectations of him being otherwise.

Second, do you really imagine that a President would pick a Chief of Staff with whom he has any fundamental philosophical disagreements?

sw