Open war over Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama's master of the dark arts

[cory777]

Source: The Observer

Paul Harris
Sunday 7 March 2010

Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's outspoken chief of staff, has become embroiled in a public row with his critics amid accusations that he has damaged the standing of the presidency and undermined his boss.

Emanuel has become the subject of an intense war of words between those who blame him for the failings of Obama's tough first year in office and those who insist that Obama should have listened to him more. If the controversy deepens any further, some feel that he may be forced to resign.

The development has been remarkable for a man in Emanuel's job, which calls for him to adopt a behind-the-scenes role similar to that of a Mafia boss's consigliere, whispering advice in the ear of the president and then strong-arming political targets into obeying his master's will.

But critics say the row shows just how much of a strain Obama's first year of office has taken on his top White House team after a series of political setbacks, especially over healthcare. Officials in Obama's administration, who once appeared so united, now seem to be in siege mode and starting to fight among themselves.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/07/war-rahm-emanuel-barack-obama

[Me.]

1. Music To My Ears

"he may be forced to resign"

Edited to add: Seriously, highly respected?

"highly respected sketch-writer Dana Milbank"

[warm regards]

27. Rahm is not going anywhere. On the other hand, you might want to stick a fork in Axelrod.

[rudy23]

28. Nice sig. nt

[Nikki Stone1]

57. Actually it's an inaccurate sig. There aren't winners and losers...

There are criminals, like Rockefeller, who burned his competition's oil wells to steal wealth and the rest of us who follow laws, rules and morals and get screwed.

[Usrename]

62. I think you've put your finger on the real problem.

The SCOTUS has actually legalized a lot of this type of criminal behavior. Two of their recent rulings stand out, the one where they ruled that bribery of politicians is protected speech and the other one where they said that fraud commited by a news organization is also a protected activity under the same freedom of speech rationalization.

This court needs to be thrown out, beginning with Scalia.

[Mithreal]

63. Well said.

[Mithreal]

61. Actually think the sig is pretty lame.

Can be used by Progressives or conservatives.

If you interpreted it as referring, for example, to the oligarchs, then cool, but this DU'er posts comments that have led me to believe a conservative interpretation is more intentional.

[rudy23]

70. Yeah, I forgot the sarcasm tag. n/t

[Mithreal]

72. .

:hi:

I'm dense sometimes.

[rudy23]

73. The way the Rahmbots talk on here, it's tough to tell the difference. n/t

[No Elephants]

29. Axelrod, whose campaign strategies got the first African American Governor elected in Massachusetts

(the second in the entire nation and the first ever who had not been Lt. Governor). And, for an encore, Axelrod's strategies got the first African American nominated to to the Presidential slot on the ticket of a major Party in American history.

True, it was the perfect storm for election of a Democratic President, but no one said it had to be the only African American in the Democratic field.

Noodles, on the other hand, in a mere 14 months, has rahmed through (see what I did there?) single payer health care reform er, I mean robust public option, er, I mean lame public option, er, I mean no public option, er, I mean no bill at all yet.

And repeatedly and publicly showed his contempt for any Democrat noticeably to the right of Palin, Democrats being his boss's base and Palin being his boss's political enemy.

Sure, Axelrod is the logical choice to cut loose. Why do I say that? Open your eyes. His name begins with the word "axe."

Duuuuh.

[laughingliberal]

39. That was laugh out loud funny! "rahmed through" "noticeably to the right of Sarah Palin"

Would be a lot funnier if we weren't living with the consequences of this truth.

[Greyhound]

51. I don't suppose you want to wager some cash on that prognostication? n/t

[Mithreal]

58. It'd be a bet I, for one, would want to lose.

[inna]

69. Lame (sig and all), to say the least.

:thumbsdown:

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Obama is clearly getting bad advice from a number of people

Rahm the Angry Dwarf is just one of them, but definitely one of the worst.

[slipslidingaway]

14. That may be true, but Obama picked them OR gave into others who picked them

for him, even before the inauguration when the economic team was being assembled we were told to hold our criticism. Either Obama controls the strings or they are controlled by others.

:shrug:

[slipslidingaway]

15. That may be true, but Obama picked them OR gave into others who picked them

for him, even before the inauguration when the economic team was being assembled we were told to hold our criticism. Either Obama controls the strings or they are controlled by others.

:shrug:

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Not Going Anywhere

Obama made a fundamental philosophical commitment when he appointed the crypto-Republican Troika of Rahm, Larry, and Timmy as his inner circle. That group's likely here to stay, as it would be inconceivably difficult to replace them at this point.

I'd love nothing more than to see the whole bunch replaced by Democrats, but I can't imagine it happening.

[Mithreal]

5. Agreed, they are joined to the end.

That's my gut take.

[No Elephants]

31. +1 (Gotta love a post that implies a difference between PNAC and the Democratic Party.)

[Canuckistanian]

6. Good. All eyes on Rahm.

He hates it when he's in the spotlight and NOT being showered with praise.

But then again, he's made his own corporate bed.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dysfunctional press]

11. +1

[Bigmack]

8. I think of him as the Attack Dog that ends up eating the baby! nt

[laughingliberal]

48. Perhaps the best analogy I've ever seen about Rahm's effect on the Presidency.

:applause:

[Wilms]

9. Hey Rahm. How about your very own talk show?

DLC Wing Radio or something.

[Mithreal]

16. Why not Fox? Glenn Beck has a hard one for taking Progressives down too.

TYT discuss the whole fascination with the He-man Progressive Haters Club that Rahm is of course a member, true story.

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

[Wilms]

26. It's troubling that Beck is part of the debate. But how much less so, Rahm?

The manipulation is clear. The more misinformed, the more the nation is ungovernable. And for them, that's "mission accomplished".

[No Elephants]

32. Beck. is paid to fabricate about Democrats of all stripes.

People like him refer to Stupak as "a moderate Democrat."

Not so sure Beck has a hard on, though. (Take that anyway you wish--and you'll probably be correct, whichever way you take it.)

[Mithreal]

34. .

True enough.

:toast:

[earth mom]

10. Rahm needs to go. Period. nt

[ProSense]

12. This article is garbage.

It strings together a bunch of old ridiculous nonsense and rumors:

"One, the influential Jane Hamsher of the blog Firedoglake, even said the Justice Department should investigate him."

"Anonymous sources reported that Michelle Obama had been furious at the Milbank column. "A knife in Obama's back?" thundered a headline in the Los Angeles Times."

"At the end of last week the Post's longstanding political columnist, David Broder, used his column to attack Milbank and his fellow reporters. "

Hamsher, Milbank and Broder?

How absurd!

:rofl:

[flyarm]

13. how about PDA and Rolling Stone ..do "they " meet with your approval?

wow every one of the Obama supporters you slam..all the people who have supported dems for so many years you do all you can to smear..who do you approve of exactly?..obviously you get your talking points..who do you get them from..maybe we can all clear sources through them..perhaps..will that be the only people that satisfy you?? ..

wow remind me never to look to you as a source..you may cut your own throat one day!


http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/news/2010-02-08-08-57-52-news.php
No We Can't
By Tim Dickinson
February 8, 2010

Published by The Rolling Stone.
snip;

The shift in tactics left OFA sitting on the sidelines. A far cry from the audacious movement that rose to the challenge of electing America's first black president, the group has performed like a flaccid, second-rate MoveOn, a weak counterweight to the mass protests and energetic street antics of the Tea Baggers. Rather than turning out thousands of voters at rallies for the "public option" in health care reform, the White House instructed OFA to adopt a toothless, almost invisible approach: asking followers to sign a generic "statement of support." In July, when OFA ran ads asking voters to call their senators and urge them to vote for health care reform, the effort was quickly slapped down by party leaders. "It's a waste of money to have Democrats running ads against Democrats," fumed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Not only did the White House fail to crank up its own campaign machinery on behalf of health care, it also worked to silence other liberal groups. In a little-publicized effort, top administration officials met each week at the Capital Hilton with members of a coalition called the Common Purpose Project, which included leading activist groups like Change to Win, Rock the Vote and MoveOn. In August, when members of the coalition planned to run ads targeting conservative Democrats who opposed health care reform, Rahm Emanuel showed up in person to put a stop to the campaign. According to several participants, Emanuel yelled at the assembled activists, calling them "fucking retards" and telling them he wasn't going to let them derail his legislative winning streak.

[ProSense]

30. Obsession with Rahm is ridiculous media-driven garbage.

People hanging on to the bizarre notion that Rahm is some rogue in the WH are delusional:

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, the President has -- the President believed this in the campaign, the President believes this in the White House, that we all work together as a team, that we rise and fall together as one team. The President greatly values the skills that Rahm brings to the job of White House Chief of Staff. I don't think there's anybody better suited in this job right now as we're trying to get health care reform through Congress. And I don't think anybody that works in this building would say that there's anybody that works harder at getting -- at implementing the President's decisions than does the Chief of Staff.

link

[Mithreal]

37. You're so funny. That Rahm calls Progressives f&@#ing retards

is indicative of the mentality of this White House.

Sure would prefer Rahm remain in the shadows, working his demented magic without a spotlight, hmm?

[laughingliberal]

47. Tee hee. WH damage control talking points used as evidence.

:rofl:

And the funniest part? By someone who considers that credible.

[tekisui]

68. whitehouse.gov is the ONLY credible source!

On any issue. :rofl:

[No Elephants]

33. "the group (OFA) has performed like a flaccid, second-rate MoveOn, "

"Not only did the White House fail to crank up its own campaign machinery on behalf of health care, it also worked to silence other liberal groups. In a little-publicized effort, top administration officials met each week at the Capital Hilton with members of a coalition called the Common Purpose Project, which included leading activist groups like Change to Win, Rock the Vote and MoveOn."

So, OFA and MoveOn are both behaving "like a flaccid, second-rate MoveOn?"

"In August, when members of the coalition planned to run ads targeting conservative Democrats who opposed health care reform, Rahm Emanuel showed up in person to put a stop to the campaign. According to several participants, Emanuel yelled at the assembled activists, calling them "fucking retards" and telling them he wasn't going to let them derail his legislative winning streak."

If anyone called a fucking retard changed their plans on the basis of bullying and name calling by that Napoleon wannabe, shame on him, her, it or them.

[laughingliberal]

41. No publication that trashes Rahm may ever be approved of. Forever after they shall be

those whose names can not be spoken.

[Mithreal]

17. Ridiculous. Read the companion article this was in response to, please.

Lame, lame, lame.

[seeinfweggos]

18. even better

"the INFLUENTIAL jame hamshire"

[Mithreal]

20. Right, progressive activists should be attacked on a Progressive site.

Very transparent.

Don't conservadems have their own site?

[seeinfweggos]

21. she's an anti-obama activist

i am a pro-obama activist.

so yeah it's pretty transparant.

[Mithreal]

22. You might need to see a doctor, or better yet a teacher

You are propagating the idea that one is only either for or against Obama. It is very silly when you think about it. If you care to elaborate, maybe I can help.

[seeinfweggos]

23. your concern is noted. and yes jane hamshire is an anti-obama propagandist. nt

[Mithreal]

24. Is there some sort of conservadem academy where

they teach those responses? I ask because I hear the same phrasing so regularly.

Check your profile: observation and acceptance.

What part of observation went into the whole playing the HATE card on Hamsher? Or is it just your intention to smear? I don't like putting you on the spot, but you might also respond to my original comment. Why are you propagating the whole either for or against Obama meme? And I will also ask when we were supposed to have pledged allegiance to the President, maybe I missed school that day.

[seeinfweggos]

25. lol nt

[No Elephants]

36. "Observation and acceptance?" A lot like "I hear and obey?"

[laughingliberal]

43. Respond to your original comment? Surely you jest

That might require thoughts and facts which are noticeably absent.

That whole false dichotomy thing (for or against Obama) is a favorite on the hit parade here.

[Mithreal]

49. Rahm is not the only one getting better at triangulation.

The more the "supporters at all costs" crowd clarifies their position, the more they paint themselves into a corner.

Allies? Mostly yes, but also mostly unprincipled.

Rahm Emanuel Is the Definition of Unprincipled
http://www.progressive.org/wx060909.html

[laughingliberal]

53. Yes. It's the White House's Message Discipline Team run by Rahm to keep liberal bloggers in line

but I think most here are wannabes.

[Mithreal]

55. True that

[nashville_brook]

38. who the hell is jane hamshire?

[donco6]

59. Hamsher. Fire Dog Lake blogger.

She dared criticize His Floppiness and has forever been witchified.

[No Elephants]

35. I hope you don't confuse activism with posting on a political message board.

Those two things could hardly be more different from each other.

And, it's not all about Obama. It's about Party, policies and/or principles, the country-all kinds of other things. If it's all about Obama, it's not really worth the candle.

[laughingliberal]

44. A favorite DUer of mine remarked that many on DU think activism is manning phone banks while they

watch their 401k accounts grow.

It's not all about Obama. Funny us. We thought it was all about the American people.

[Mithreal]

50. .

The joke is on us.

[laughingliberal]

40. After that word from our sponsor, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming

:rofl:

[freddie mertz]

54. Thanks for this useful and insightful contribution to the discussion. As always.

:rofl: :rofl: :headbang: :fistbump: :yourock: :loveya: :thumbsup: :toast: O8)

[yurbud]

19. kick his ass over to K street where he belongs. From what I've read of his advice, he's been dead

wrong about everything. He is the anti-Karl Rove. He couldn't sell snow cones in Hell, but he thinks he's a political genius because the corporations he toadies to shower him with money.

[laughingliberal]

45. Spot on! Rahm believes campaign contributions trump everything

It is his belief is that his sacred duty is to make sure the corporate campaign contributions come to Democrats and are kept from Republicans. Nothing else matters.

[Mithreal]

60. High crimes and misdemeanors against our democracy pay

I know the bribes he takes aren't technically illegal, but should be.

Obama's Pick for Chief of Staff Tops Recipients of Wall Street Money
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/11/obamas-pick-for-chief-of-staff.html

[Maccagirl]

42. If he was an honorable man of character

Oh, never mind... I know Obama doesn't want to appear to be throwing him under the bus (hear the chirping from Fox, CNN et al) but...Rham's got to go for being a jerk and an incompetent employee.

[Individualist]

46. Honor and character are alien concepts to DLC members.

[anonymous171]

52. I blame Obama for Obama's mistakes. nt

[Mithreal]

56. Obama is so not responsible for members of his administration!

Damn straight. Your spin is NewDemirrific.

[GinaMaria]

64. has this ever happened in our history?

Has a Chief of Staff been let go? Just curious. Once Rahm started kicking the progressives, the progressives started fighting back. I offer no support to anyone who calls people who think like me, fucking retarded. He apologized to Sarah Palin. Did he apologize to progressives?

[CBR]

65. He is actually like Remus Lupin -- easy to blame. nt

[anonymous171]

66. Don't you get it? Once Rahm is gone, the Obama that we have all imagined will manifest into reality.

Then we will live in the glorious progressive paradise that we all imagined Obama would bring to us.

[Mithreal]

67. I don't think that is the core of the dispute.

However, listening to Obama, I believe Rahm's attitude isn't that far removed from Obama's toward those on the left. IF there is a next CoS for Obama, I hope that one treats Progressives better. Do I think that is inevitable? Absolutely NOT, maybe even unlikely.

[Javaman]

71. Yeah, Rahm and Obama never talk to each other...

:eyes: