The Rahm Emanuel pick and the "Does Obama secretly hate Israel?" smear

[sabra]

http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/11/rahm_emanuel_and_israel.php

Rahm Emanuel and Israel

The news that Rahm Emanuel has accepted Barack Obama's request to be his chief of staff is fascinating on many levels, not least of which is Rahm's deep Israel credentials. First, in the interest of full disclosure, I've known Rahm for a long time, and he's yelled at me for no good reason on many occasions. This, of course, is the way he expresses affection. I do believe, despite the yelling, that Rahm is an excellent choice to run the White House, and I'll get into that later.

But for now, a couple of comments about the Israel connection:

1) This choice makes the entire "Does Obama secretly hate Israel?" conversation seem a bit ridiculous (Though the vast majority of Jewish voters seemed to have figured that out by the election). Rahm did not, despite the rumors, serve in the Israeli Army, but he is deeply and emotionally committed to Israel and its safety. We've talked about the issue a dozen times; it's something he thinks about constantly, and his appointment gives me further reason to believe that the Obama Administration will not wait seven years to address the Israeli-Arab crisis.

2) 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.

[Uzybone]

1. These are who Obama really pals around with

Israel lovers never had anything to fear. Thus they voted for Obama by over 70%.

I also like the fact that the GOP is already scared of Emanuel. Its a good sign.

[Romulox]

2. Just as long as Emmanuel hasn't supported a preemptive war in a mid-east country

in the recent past...

Oh, wait... :eyes:

[Unsane]

4. Just like Biden and Hillary and Kerry and Edwards and....

Oh, wait....CoS isn't a policy making post.

Nice try. Maybe Dennis Kucinich should be CoS..:eyes:

[Romulox]

7. Take it up with the OP. This isn't my thread. nt

[Unsane]

10. Why? The OP supports Rahm.

[Romulox]

13. The OP suggests that Emmanuel "will not have much patience with Israeli excuse-making"

Which sounds an awful lot like it is implying that Emmanuel will have some influence on policy...

[Unsane]

19. good, I trust Rahm

I still don't have anything to "take up" with the OP.

[Romulox]

28. You were just arguing that "CoS isn't a policy making post."

That is specifically and directly contradictory to the OP.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Luckily they won't have a place in his admin.

Biden, sure. But the VP doesn't really do anything.

[Unsane]

20. Really? Kerry's a heavily rumored frontrunner for SoS.

Thanks for disparaging our '04 candidate, though.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Meh.

It's a damn shame he supported the war.

[Romulox]

27. self-delete. responded to wrong message. nt

[cali]

5. yeah, and sadly so did folks like John Edwards, until recently

the light of many DUers. Are you honestly suggesting that Obama not appoint anyone who voted for the IWR? Oops. Too late for that. He chose Biden as his VP.

I sincerely hope you voted for Nader or McKinney because if you voted for Obama, you obviously didn't do any homework.

[LSK]

23. The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES protested a certain war in 2002

When it was not popular.

I hardly think Rahm Emmanuel will have sudden influence on him that nobody else has as of yet.

Lets please get some perspective and stop panicking.

[Unsane]

3. Rahm was a great pick.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. The GOP just issued a statement denouncing Rahm as COS

Heard it read on TV so I guess he's a good pick if he pisses off Republicans.

[Lumpsum]

8. Oh, it did.

Boehner had a lot of bullshit to say today.

[JaneQPublic]

15. Boehner is just trying really hard to remain relevant. (nt)

[CalGator]

25. poor Boner nt

[NotThisTime]

9. Good, means we're doing something right after 8 freaking years!

They can all go to hell

[harun]

11. I was against the Rahm pick until I heard it pissed off the Repukes, now

I am good with it. :-).

Every damn decision B*sh made the last 8 years was to try and piss of Dem's, bout time we get the chance to send a few shots over their bow.

[Marsala]

29. Being a good pick is the only real complaint they have against him

Rahm has been a mortal enemy to them in the House, but as Barack's CoS he's going to be butting heads with the Democratic leadership much more often now. The smarter Repukes have realized this and are taking it as a sign of hope that Obama won't be the radical Marxist they all thought he was.

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. I am far from a fan of Emanuel's, but I don't have a problem with this

appointment. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." If a major DLCer like Emanuel is working for the agenda that Obama lays out, that means he is not on the outside working against that agenda. This pick utilizes Emanuel's considerable talents, and at the same time negates his effectiveness as a leader of the DLC opposition. Perhaps, given the chance, he will recognize how the DLC tactics have NOT worked, and how Obama's have worked, and come around to being a proper Democrat.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. That's how I see it too

Also he will be loyal to the president and get the blue dogs into line.

[BoneDaddy]

26. Or a mature adult president knows that we have to work with everyone

if we have any hope. This appointment is sharp in that it shuts down the anti Israel comments about BO.

[TexasObserver]

16. I have my issues with Rahm, but he's highly competent.

He's too AIPAC for my tastes, but so are a lot of Democrats.

[loyalkydem]

18. Repuks

can go to hell. They have no say in who he picks

[monmouth]

22. See, this is why I have such respect for Obama. He doesn't care

who's popular, who's going to pi$$ off the other side. He DOES care if you're intelligent, can get the job done. That's all that matters to me. Of course, the fact that it ticks off the repukes is just icing on the cake....

[1776Forever]

24. I just bought his book: The Plan by Bruce Reed, Rahm Emanuel (2006)

I hope it will give me some incite into his plan - just like the name says.