I don't trust Rahm Emanuel as far as I can throw him.

[ulysses]

And he probably prefers it that way. Or would, if he cared, which he doesn't.

That said, I don't expect that he's going to be directing core policy in the White House. If what I've read of the Obama/Biden plans come even partly to pass, particularly on education, and Emanuel takes out a few kneecaps to make it happen, then ok.

[CatWoman]

1. He seems like a scrappy, take-no-prisoners kind of guy

:hi:

All useful qualities, I might add

:)

[ulysses]

5. he's also a valueless centrist by all available evidence.

These can be useful attributes as well, as long as he's not setting policy. :hi:

I hope his elevation is a sign they're going to get a lot done.

[Overseas]

26. I'd rather have him behind Obama than rabble rousing against him.

I'm hoping that the Obama campaign has shown Rahm how wrong he was in trying to push Democrats to the right. Obama won the day with a liberal agenda, not left wing and not conservative. So Rahm's former policy of pushing Democrats to the right was proven wrong.

Obama won by advocating liberal policies like a swift withdrawal from Iraq, fast-tracking energy independence, letting the public buy into the government national health insurance program, and more taxation of the very wealthy and tax cuts for the rest of us.

So now, let's see Rahm team up with Barack to advocate time-honored liberal policies that make pragmatic economic sense-- like the tax policies he proposes that have grown the economy before, and national health insurance such as our competitors in Europe and Japan have, and fast-tracking alternative energy development to stretch the remaining oil reserves on earth a bit farther.

Progressive policies are economically viable and therefore quite pragmatic.

Progressive foreign policy can be lean and mean. Using our intelligence agencies and diplomacy to their maximum would make our national defense much more agile and strong. Lots of former enemies can be seduced through cooperation to move toward democracy. Bombing them and creating torture centers tends to harden our enemies and send them into the camps of religious fundamentalists.

[ulysses]

28. fair points. thanks.

:)

[knixphan]

42. Agreed!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

45. Exactly the kind of guy Obama needs right now.

[az chela]

2. Since everything I read says he is a war monger and has no

intention of ending this war I feel like you do.The man actually terrifies me

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Well then far better he is Obama's COS than in house leadership. That's a victory right there.

[WinkyDink]

21. Then I guess it's better that OBAMA IS PRESIDENT and NOT RE??

[blondeatlast]

23. I think Obama's going to get his own policies thru regardless--and emanuel is a major

league butt-kicker.

As long as Obama is Emanuel's superior I think it's a good fit.

[secondwind]

32. take it easy...........Obama picked the "best man for the job"...........

[liberalmuse]

3. Rahm in action...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1VEcG0cShM

[Jade Fox]

4. You took the thoughts right outta my head....

We need a pit bull. I hope they sic Emanuel on the Right Wing Media, which is already lying about Obama.

[shaysings]

7. What are you basing this comment on?

[ulysses]

8. which comment?

[FrenchieCat]

9. Your statement isn't what is important. What is important is whether

President-Elect Obama trusts Rahm Emanuel.....and it seems like he does.

The fact that you don't trust someone that you don't really know but that Obama appears to know very well is a pretty irrelevant statement in the larger scheme of things.

Just sayin'.

[ulysses]

11. thanks for deciding what's important.

I forget sometimes that my part in this as a citizen is over.

:eyes:

[FrenchieCat]

19. What you think is important to you.....just like what I think is important to me....

However, a statement that you don't "trust" someone that you don't really know, I'm guessing, simply isn't going to be important to many more than just yourself. I find your statement unproven and combative....which is why I gave you my opinion on the matter. I'm sure when you wrote up that OP, you had some inkling that you might get a response like mine from somebody on these boards...I would think.

[ulysses]

22. blanket statements about what's important weren't a surprise, no.

However, a statement that you don't "trust" someone that you don't really know, I'm guessing, simply isn't going to be important to many more than just yourself.

And yet, the fact is that we do things like that all the time here. Opinions are indeed like assholes, and we post ours every day of the year on DU. Were mine more in line with yours, I have to wonder if you'd have deemed it unimportant.

As far as my post being combative goes, you have no idea. That was actually me trying to make sense out of the new chief of staff being a DLCer, an entity I've loathed for years, and attempting to find a little more common ground for folks on the left who don't like the appointment. If you'd like, I could bring out the big guns from the old days.

[FrenchieCat]

30. As you said, "Opinions are indeed like assholes".....

My opinion on your opinion is as well; take it as such.

[crossroads]

10. I hope he is just as ruthless as Rove or Cheney was...

at pushing their agendas on us!
CR

[rdublue]

15. agreed. I hope he sends more stinking dead fish, it sends a message'the dems are not wusses'

[PassingFair]

20. The "agendas" that Rahm has been ruthless in pushing on our

party are

IWR
NAFTA
BANKRUPTCY FIASCO and
DEREGULATION

He's a *ucking hitman.

[crossroads]

29. Hmmm.... yet, that being said...

I still trust Obamas wisdom in choosing him for the job! We shall just have to wait and see...
CR

[PassingFair]

34. I prefer that the sociopaths be taken OUT, not brought IN.

Whether they work for us, or against us.

[saltpoint]

12. Somebody's got to do some serious blocking to give the quarterback

time to throw downfield.

I think Obama's instincts for staff thus far have been just about perfect.

I think he's assembling the most effective team he can to govern.

[ulysses]

13. I think that's true.

And I want him to have that. I just don't know that the offensive line needs to call the plays. :)

[saltpoint]

16. Yep. I think Obama will set the tone early and deep and Rahm will

be the guy who makes the plan happen.

[grantcart]

14. yes of course anybody that doesn't agree with you is absolutey untrustworthy -- a well know key

component of the Obama philosophy.

[ulysses]

17. who said it was Obama's philosophy?

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I heartily agree

:toast:

[ulysses]

25. hey!

Have you checked out the education plan at change.gov? I have to say, I'm intrigued at the least.

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. Where?

I couldn't find that.

[ulysses]

43. looks like it's down for some reason right now, but here's the link

http://change.gov/agenda/education/

[WinkyDink]

24. Leave it to Obama to choose an untrustworthy sort. Are you SERIOUS??

NO KIDDING Emanuel won't "be directing core policy in the White House". What election did YOU just witness?

[demwing]

27. Why don't you trust him?

Spill the details :)

[ulysses]

31. DLC.

That should be detail enough. :)

[demwing]

40. Nope. Al Gore was DLC, Hillary Clinton still is.

Three letters aren't enough of an explanation, IMO :)

[msallied]

33. I think he'll do a fine job.

[sampsonblk]

35. Me either

But his role is going to be appropriate for him.

He's the guy who will be looking out for Obama, and keeping his agenda moving forward. I am all for that. the GOPers have already got the message: this White House will not be a pushover. That's great news!

[S_E_Fudd]

36. Obama trusts him...my guess

Is that he knows Rahm better than anyone here....his instincts have been pretty good so far !

[TheKentuckian]

37. I think some people either can't accept or don't understand

that there are people that are fully capable of executing orders, even orders they don't agree with. Emanuel, I have no doubt will on many issues advise Obama very differently than I might but it appears that Obama trusts him to execute his calls once he makes them and further that the Republicans greatly fear that too.

I don't know Emanuel well enough to know if I could trust him to be my quarterback and run the calls I send in but Obama apparently does. You can't 100% trust a war time consigliere because of their tactics and demeanor but these are the kind of guys you need when you're going to be putting out hits.

Rahm just tells me Obama ain't fucking around.

[ulysses]

38. I'll be happy to accept it.

Like I say, if he gets done what the admin wants done, then I've got no problem with him.

[backscatter712]

39. He's an asshole, but he's our asshole. He's Obama's asshole.

Since his full-time job will now be working directly for Obama, working at his pleasure, I'm assuming that if Obama's not satisfied with him, he can fire him easily enough. That said, he sounds like the right kind of personality for browbeating recalcitrant Congresscritters into submission.

[Elidor]

44. One nice thing about Chiefs of Staff...

They tend to disappear into the woodwork of the White House, seldom to be heard from again. Josh Bolten, Andrew Card, Leon Panetta. These men take the consensus forged in cabinet meetings and make sure that the entire Executive Branch is on the same page. I'm not greatly worried about Rahm Emanuel.

Edit: I still see him as a glorified bag man, however.

[Doityourself]

46. i like him...n/t