I don't like Obama's first call. I don't like Rahm Emanuel, I don't like the DLC

[mudesi]

I would rather have had him choose Hillary Clinton over Rahm Emanuel, and that's saying something. Do we really need to see another 8 years of bending over backwards to conservative demands? I'm just sick and tired of seeing two right wing parties running things, and it's high time the Democrats get back to the center, never mind the left.

Rahm Emanuel is being described as "tough". Give me a break. What does that even mean? He's not tough, he's conservative. I don't want "tough", I want smart. I want thoughtful. I want LIBERAL. I'm sick of this macho man nonsense.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but didn't Obama get the majority of his funds from small donations over the Internet? Apparently, he's beholden to no corporation or special interest, right?

So why am I seeing a DLC corporatist toadie being chosen as his chief of staff? I, for one, am not going to sit back and defend or praise Obama in whatever he does just because he has a "D" next to his name. The election is over, and it's time to criticize him when he makes the wrong decisions, and he's off to a lousy start.

Rahm Emanuel: :puke::thumbsdown: :puke:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. I don't like pie. n/t

[amdezurik]

8. warm pecan pie?

oh man you gotta try it!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. I hate pecans.

Someone from the DLC once ate a pecan. PECANS ARE DEAD TO ME NOW.

[Vickers]

Aw man, don't tell me that.

I fucking LOVE pecans.

:(

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

27. DEAD. TO. ME.

[JBear]

34. No! Its not true!

Pecans are as pure and wholesome as grass roots democracy! They are in fact in touch with the roots of my grass right now...I need to go pick them up and start shelling!

I may not like the DLC, but I still loves my pecan pie!

:bounce:

[billyoc]

2. Emmanuel's a fucking dickhead. But it's Obama's call.

I can live with it.

[tekisui]

3. He is a friend and an ally from Chicago.

He has worked in the WH before, is a leader. He will be working for Obama.

I am still in wait and see mode.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Would you prefer him as speaker of the house?

Frankly, I think this marginalizes him.

[bread_and_roses]

36. That's rather my hope....or to put it in a less negative light....

...using rahm's skills where they can be useful, not harmful (at least i do fervently hope so). i detest rahm.

[babylonsister]

5. Sigh. I knew the euphoria wouldn't last.

Do some reading up on Emanuel if you have a moment. I found two bits of info. He's very friendly with Axelrod and has been for years, and the rethugs can't stand him/are somewhat fearful of him. I like both ideas.
And I'm willing to give President-elect Obama the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he's doing. He earned that title a full day ago. I'm not ready to beat him up for any decisions he makes yet.

Edit to add: We all respect Waxman for being a pit bull. Emanuel apparently is, too, and in this case, that's a good thing imo.

[tavalon]

20. Obama is the smartest man in the room

Rahm makes me squeek but I'm going to take a wait and see attitude. I want to give Obama room to be Obama.

[PassingFair]

31. Waxman, to the best of my knowledge,

didn't deliberately sabotage Progressive candidates
in the field.

He didn't strong-are weaker democrats into voting
for anti-working class bills like NAFTA, the
Bankruptcy Bill, FISA and the IWR.

Emanuel has cheerfully ushered in the WORST
legislation in our history.

Okay... minus the Japanese internment camps.

He may be good at what he does, but I thought
this was the dawning of a new way.

This is the equivalent of Bush's appointing
Candice Miller (the THUG) as COS. Even HE
didn't hire such and obvious bully.

[dkofos]

6. All I can say is "Tim Mahoney ".

[Redbear]

7. I think its brilliant

Nothing will get done without at least some DLC/Bluedog votes.

Who is better at convincing those congresspeople to vote a certain way than one of their own?

[Libertyfirst]

40. I agree. He gets things done. Obama can trust him. n/t

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

9. Well it IS all about you after all! (LOL!... just kidding... n/t)

[Lex]

10. Obama has been more correct on things than most backseat drivers here.

[Political Heretic]

I'm going to wait and see. It depends on who's driving this bus.

If Obama is really "in charge" meaning he has his vision and agenda and Rahm can either be the muscle to carry it out without deviation or hit the curb - then great.

But if Obama is swayed by whoever speaks in his ear, and it ends up being Rahm's show, we're all in a lot of trouble.

I just feel uncomfortable with knee-jerk reactions. I'm not saying your post was one. I just want to wait and gather some more information, and see what kind of policy begins to emerge before I conclude anything.

[jimmybama]

15. Don't

Think for a minute that any one of you here think they know
more than Barack. He will make the choices of people that he
thinks will be able to get the job done. There is a tough road
ahead and I will support his every decision. I'm sure in time
he will tell us why he did it. I happen to likr the Emmanual
pick. He is just the guy we need to stand up and tell the
right to fuck off.
There!!

[Political Heretic]

17. That sounds pretty blind.

I feel like my post that you responded to made it pretty clear that I was open-minded and reserving judgment.

But I can't agree with the sentiment of "I will support his every decision." Support is earned. I will give Obama my patience and thus give him the time he needs, and I will do my best not to jump to conclusions. But he is not somehow so far above the people that we can't possibly understand - we shouldn't just all sit back and give our unqualified assent.

I will disagree with things President Obama does from time to time I'm sure - and when I do, assuming I have done my best to carefully consider all the information to the best of my ability, I will most certainly say so. That's sort of our duty as citizens - to be involved in our government and tell our leaders what we want, and whether we support what they are doing.

[tavalon]

21. Yeah............No.

I'm willing to give him a little leeway right now but our two big jobs in this administration will be to hold Obama's feet to the fire and to protect his back. They are not mutually exclusive and to my reckoning, you are abdicating the first responsibility to accomplish the second.

He will want to govern from the middle right. That is unacceptable. The Republicans will want to destroy his Presidency. That is also unacceptable.

[mudesi]

37. I can agree with that

Let's hope Obama doesn't become another DLC corporatist. But it still disturbs be that he would appoint one so close to him.

[aquart]

Dear me. Why is everyone trying to get Hillary out of the Senate?

And to make her a servant? Please.

[Gore1FL]

11. I think he is very smart.

He isn't liberal, that is for sure.

I don't take issue with his appointment in the sense that it fits with the "team of rivals" promise. I suspect we are going to see a lot of people from across the spectrum. Ultimately, realize, this will make the decisions more debated, but no less Obama's.

It'll be fine. We'll hear names that will make us all rejoice, and names that will piss us off. It takes a strong leader to surround himself with people who aren't simply "Yes" men.

[Cattledog]

12. I love Rahm!

I'm glad O picked someone who is considered a "Badass" on Capital Hill. He will be there to "motivate" those who need it.

[Marr]

26. A bad-ass? He's a corporate shill.

I'd have a hard time thinking of anyone who more personifies the corporate wing of the Democratic Party than Rahm Emmanual.

This is one of the guys who was against the 50 state strategy and wanted to play the old "big money" game instead. And when the 50 state strategy paid off, ending the party's long DLC-guided losing streak, he wrote a book taking credit for it.

[antigop]

13. Hillary? She has a leadership position in the DLC. n/t

[Danieljay]

16. I don't like liver. But I DO respect Obama's Judgement. I have a little story for you.

There was a man, traveling to new city. He comes across the gate to a city and there is a wise man sitting outside the gate. The man says "I am seeking a new city and I'm curious as to what kind of people I'll find here". The wise man asks "what were the people like in the city you just left?" to which the traveler responded: "they were mean, cruel, and always disappointed with their lives and the lives of others". The wise man said: "These are the types of people that you will find here, in this city". So the traveler wanders on.

A few days later, another traveler came across the same city and the same wise man was sitting outside the gates. The man says,"I am seeking a new city and I'm curious as to what kind of people I'll find here". The wise man asks "what were the people like in the city you just left?" to which the traveler responded: "They were kind, beautiful people who supported one another and trusted each other" to which the wise man responded: "these are the types of people that you will find here, in this city".

[jannyk]

18. He's no Leo McGarrity that's for sure. Thumbs down on this pick. nt

[MercutioATC]

19. "Tough" and loyal are what a Prez needs in a Chief of Staff. Rahm fits the bill.

I have no problem with this pick.

[TreasonousBastard]

22. That's why Obama's President and you're not. n/t

[Marr]

23. I don't like it either. It's awfully early for me to be using up my

"benefit of the doubt" cards, but we'll see.

[madokie]

24. So

wgafwyt ;-)

[ogneopasno]

25. If you want liberal, why did you vote for Obama? I could be wrong; maybe you didn't.

[Zomby Woof]

42. He's from Canada

So he didn't vote for Obama. During the primaries, he served as an ideological nanny, telling us who to vote for and other meddling. Histrionic anti-Hillary threads were the usual order of the day.

Not to sound xenophobic, but I just helped get my country back, and I don't need some meddlesome twit from north of the border telling us how to run our affairs.

[northernlights]

28. Rahm is not his 1st call, not even his 2nd call...

and staff choices aren't (or shouldn't be) ideological litmus tests. They should be about working relationships, trust and competence.

His 1st call was Biden. Many people in here were outraged that he didn't pick another fresh face. I wrote then, and I'll write it again -- if he's going to change Washington, he has to know where the bodies are buried, which closets have the skeletons. He needs people who know how the wheels turn. Biden turned out to be great choice, did what he needed to do and was requested to do, with nary a slip up.

His 2nd call (ok, actually the family's call) is the 1st dog, which I read in here will be a rescue. I suppose some breed elitists will be unhappy with the choice. Shoulda been a black lab. Shoulda been a golden. Shoulda been this. Shoulda been that. Personally, I think it is absolutely brilliant and cried harder more joy at that choice then his acceptance speech.

So Rahm is his 3rd call, not his 1st.

Bottom line is, Obama is the one who has to work with him day-in and day-out and has to trust him to be honest and has to trust he knows what he's doing.

I get the feeling with Obama that staff choices are not gonna be about pleasing one wing of the party or another. They aren't going to be about ideological litmus tests. It's going to be about competence and honesty, plain and simple.

It's one thing to criticize policies, but I really don't think it's reasonable to criticize choices of partner. There are so many factors that play into working relationships.

[bread_and_roses]

35. A rescue? That's brilliant! As well as responsible. (n/t)

[dansolo]

29. Look at it this way

If he is Obama's Chief of Staff, he won't end up as Speaker of the House. Between the two, I'd rather he be working for Obama.

[dansolo]

30. Hillary is even more DLC than Emanuel

You do realize that Emanual was in the Clinton Administration, and that the DLC was basically founded by the Clintons, right? She is as much a corporatist as Emanuel.

[Mz Pip]

32. Less than 48 hours

and already some are disillusioned. It looks like there will be plenty to complain about on DU even after Obama got elected.

How is Rahm Emanuel not liberal? How is he not smart? How is he not thoughtful? It's pretty hard to find anyone in politics who doesn't have some ties to a corporate or special interest group.

Wouldn't Hillary Clinton be more suited for something like the SCOTUS than chief of staff?

[Irishonly]

33. There's One Thing I Have Learned This Election

I have learned not to question Obama's judgment. I don't care for Emanuel personally but my nose isn't out of joint because he didn't ask my opinion. Obama is strong and I don't think there is any politician around that can run over him.

[yellowcanine]

38. Hear hear. Let Obama exercise his best judgement. He hasn't been wrong yet.

Many armchair generals her at DU have been though. So why don't we let him be for the next while and see how things look after the first 100 days?

[yellowcanine]

39. I would also like to remind everyone that Emmanual is one of the reasons Dems have picked up House

seats for two elections running and took back the House in 2006. So a lot of House members owe a debt to him. That has to help WH - congressional relations.

[neverforget]

41. I voted for Obama not because I agree with 100% but because he best

fits my values and ideals. Rahm has the experience to help get Obama's agenda through Congress by twisting arms and doing the dirty work when needed. For that reason, he is a good pick.