Why Rahm Emanuel?
Among the reasons President-Elect Obama chose Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff might be his sharp elbows, abrasiveness, and attack dog demeanor. However, everyone assumes the reason for a chief of staff with these qualities is to bully Republicans and 
conservatives. The complaint is that beginning the new politics with this appointment seems to be simply a continuation of the old politics. The implication is that President-Elect Obama is simply a hypocrite, a liar, or both. There’s another possibility that seems to have escaped everyone’s grasp. Perhaps, the salient reason for the Emanuel choice is to provide the president with a shield from progressive groups who view the election as an entitlement to implement their projects. Typically, individuals and groups who want a President’s ear must go through the chief of staff. I doubt Obama will use Emanuel as a mechanism to permanently insulate him from such groups. But Emanuel can tell them no without involving the president directly or bullying the other side of the aisle. Consequently, progressive congresspersons and interest groups may have more to fear from this appointment than anyone else. Of course, there are other reasons for Emanuel’s selection. He might provide the president with some capital with the Jewish community. Also, he appears to be considered very bright and he has had experience in the White House and currently has connections on the Hill. But those who might have the most to lose by this appointment, contrary to hysterics such as Joe Scarborough, might very well be those progressives who were first to champion Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency. Progressives will then face a choice to criticize–even stridently–the president’s new style of governing or to permit the president to tackle the economy first before causing dissension in Democratic ranks.
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