’)So, President-elect Obama has picked a chief of staff with a reputation for knowing the ins and outs of passing legislation and for being hard-nosed about it? Shocker. Ask President Clinton if he could have used a Rahm-type when they tried to pass the health care reform bill back in the ’90s.
What’s next?
Samantha Power for State?
Ask President Clinton if he could have used a Rahm-type
I thought for a second that maybe you didn’t know, but surely you do…when you type “could have used,” you make it sound as though Clinton didn’t have a Rahm-type, when in fact he had exactly that type because he had Rahm.
He’ll be a great “Leo.”
Actually, he’ll make a great “Josh”: fiercly partisan and cutthroat. But Josh was just the Deputy. Leo was the guy who knew that things ultimately had to get done.
The analogue would be Karl Rove as Chief of Staff instead of Andrew Card. With this and the Biden pick, Obama is now 0 for 2.
He already was Josh (seriously, Rahm was the inspiration for Josh). Josh mellowed out and became Leo.
And you say “0 for 2″ with authority even though the criteria you have to judge these picks is something you have not articulated and which is suspect, anyhow, since I’m sure nothing Obama does will ever be right to you.
Oliver, Rahm was not only on the Clinton staff at the time, he was Clinton’s leading strategist in trying to institute universal health care.
Hopefully, he has greater experience now. Personally, I am reserving judgement. I am thinking more about the cabinet.
Rahm is perfect for the job. He has the organizational skills and the right temperment. Bringing him in as COS is a clear signal that President Obama intends to implement the Democratic, modestly progressive agenda he campaigned on. And that he’s not going to let either the GOP or the Blue Dogs stop him.
For way too long the Democrats have tried to reach across the aisle to the GOP and been kicked in the teeth for doing so. Emmanual don’t play that. President Obama needs people that have the strength of will required to implement a Democratic agenda, and that will require grinding down the GOP obtructionists.
Remember, the other side does not play bi-partisan footsie. They want their way and have shown they will stop at nothing to get it.
We need someone with the muscle and guts to stand up to them. We need Rahm Emmanual.
I can’t complain about what Obama’s done because he hasn’t done anything yet (other than win, of course).
But in order to win, Obama had to keep Joe the Senator in Dick Cheney’s secret undisclosed bunker lest Joe open his mouth and let loose another “Stand up for Chuck” or “We gathered around the TV to watch FDR” or “No more Coal!” or any of his 7/11 jokes. Can Obama play “Hide the Veep” for 4-8 more years? I doubt it.
Haha, it’s so cute how Farris has basically run out of stuff to say about Obama so now he’s going to just pretend we’re all actually worried about Biden now.
Bullshit. Utter and unadulterated bullshit, Farris. Biden was out on the campaign trail and he did just fine for most of it. The media had no pressing need to report on his appearances where he didn’t say anything more provocative than the message they both were delivering. And nobody is claiming he never gaffed, and nobody is claiming that the Obama campaign didn’t get nervous. But they never bunkered Biden away.
And even Cheney managed to break free just long enough to deliver McCain’s endorsement/kiss of death.
“Mark my Words: there will be an international incident within 6 months.”
Yep. Nothing provocative about that!
PS. Never Bunkered Biden? Uh….
Our new president must restore the balance of our economy. It has been slipping out of balance for a very long time (30 yrs). Incomes have not risen in balance with the cost of living increases and we slip out of balance. As evicenced by the people having to use thier long term equity in thier homes to pay for short term debt because thier incomes were falling short over this period. We live and work within an economic pyramid like the one on the dollar. Most of us are on the bottom working away. But there is the separation between the bottom and top where the eye rests. That distance is metered and when the top gets too far from the bottom the eye cannot see how well the system is working and things begin to crumble. The first economic stimulus was a weak and ineffective attempt at restoring that balance. But a stimulus of $600.00 cannot possibly make up for thirty plus years of slippage. If it had been $30000.00 the system could have been fed from the bottom and there would have been no need to throw $700 billion at the economy in the middle which will not help restore balance. We do not need more credit we need money to pay bills and buy things in the economy.
Bailing out the auto industry is not going to stop job loss in that industry but bailing out the workers will allow them to buy the cars and keep the system in balance.
Just a thought. Dan
Funny how Democrats are supposed to “reach across the aisle” now, especially since Americans soundly repudiated conservative republican ideology. America WANTS Obama to be partisan, that’s why he was elected and that’s why America elected many new Democratic Senators and Congresspeople.
If Republicans have a problem with that, maybe they should try to win some elections (payback is sweet, oh yes).
“Mark my Words: there will be an international incident within 6 months.”
Yep. Nothing provocative about that!
You really need to get the whole thing, Farris. He said that would be true of any new President.
Not a gaffe.
Seriously. Is it just the rampant anti-intellectualism that keeps you conservatives from working on your reading comprehension?
Let’s start with what I said and you misread. I wrote that Biden did gaffe on occasion and it did make the campaign nervous. I also wrote that the media had no urgent need to spotlight the campaign stops he made in which he made no gaffes at all. The statement you mentioned was reported because it was provocative.
Let’s continue with the way you misread your own linked article. The story talks about reining Biden in, not keeping him out of sight. It refers to the way they leashed him and tried to keep his remarks cautious. Nonetheless, he was still out there on the trail and very visibly supporting Obama.
When we talk about Dick Cheney’s bunker it’s because the man was so deathly unpopular that he would literally make no appearances or say anything to the press for weeks and months on end. That’s…what’s the word…different.
Neo-nazi BFF Sean Hannity’s pulling the “radical” card with Rahm
Let’s not forget also that Bush did the same thing w/r/t a guy in a wheelchair.
And wanting a blind guy to take off his shades.
So, there’s that.
Not a gaffe?!? Please. If Palin had said this, she’d have been eviscerated. If Bush had said this, he’d have been accused of fearmongering. But good ol’ Joe says it and everyone says “He’s got a point.”
The worst thing is if, God forbid, something awful does happen, it’s going to inspire a whole new squadron of “Truthers” saying “See, he knew beforehand and they didn’t stop it!!!!” And no one likes a motivated Truther. No one.
Well I guess my point was Rahm was not the boss of the whole healthcare thing the way he will be now with Obama’s agenda.
And Farris, just… sad. Like, isn’t it better not to bother saying anything than saying these silly things? Our side had Joe Biden, but you guys staked your campaign on Sarah Palin and Joe The Plumber. We win, dude. Win.
And when Bush did those things, what was the Left’s response?
* Oh well, go get ‘em next time, Champ!
* Hey, mistakes happen.
* Must be a slow news day.
*OMFG!!!! DUMBEST PREZDINT EVAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! IMPEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess it’s okay if you’re only the Veep. Whoops, forgot Quayle and Palin.
IOKIYAD.
Never mind. I get it now. You’re actually serious about Palin.
Good luck getting her prepped for 2012. Surely by that time she’ll have some sense of who signed NAFTA, what the Vice President’s job is, and what magazines she reads.
It’s tres amusing to watch Farris lose it, just like the rest his party. Hey Farris, perhaps if you use more caps and punctuation you’ll convert us all.
But doesn’t the selection of Emmanuel go against what Obama said earlier this year about change when he specifically talked about the “Washington insiders”?
Emmanuel has been part of the DC culture for nearly 25 years. This isn’t to say that he wasn’t a good choice by Obama, but this is just another example of action going against the rhetoric.
Insert obligatory, “Well what about ___________” now. Sorry fellas. It’s your turn to be on defense.
Little history too people: Mack McClarty was Clinton’s first Chief of Staff.
Shorter Silly Little Jay: I have pulled some arbitrary standards for Obama out of my ass that I will now claim he has not met much to the chagrin of liberals. God I love Cheetos.
Awwww…cartoon man is back.
Actually, my comment is ABOUT THE HYPOCRISY!!!!
See what I learned in the last 8 years?
Rahm Emmanuel did such a good job with Freddie Mac when he was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2000. That really worked out well.
Thank God Obama rushed this Bill Clinton Cronie into the White House.
Change, you should have counted on!!
I don’t recall Obama saying “There will be NO WASHINGTON INSIDERS in my administration!”
He has now made one appointment and you’re whining about broken promises.
He has now made one appointment and you’re whining about broken promises.
But, SpiderJ, don’t'cha know that breaking promises he didn’t make is all Obama does? Like that promise he didn’t make about public financing which he went and broke anyway?
SaveFarris, Nov 7th, 2008 at 8:19 am
The analogue would be Karl Rove as Chief of Staff instead of Andrew Card. With this and the Biden pick, Obama is now 0 for 2.
By that logic, McSenile never even got in the on-deck circle. And Putsch has been hitting them out of the park – for the other team.
You clowns weren’t too big on logic and facts and stuff when you were driving the bus. Now it’s twice as sad. But quite funny…
So much for pathos!
Actually, my comment is ABOUT THE HYPOCRISY!!!!
See what I learned in the last 8 years?
Jay’s a bit of a slow learner.
The lesson the GOP should have learned in the past eight years is the same one they should have learned in the past forty–propping up crooks, liars, and idiots as the soul of the party leads to a country wrecked by crooks, liars, and idiots.
You should have figured that out after the Harding debacle. You should have figured that out after Hoover, and Nixon. For the love of God, please figure it out after W leaves office.
rickg, perhaps you should familiarize yourself with Emanuel’s bio instead of relying on clips from Fox News. He was on the Freddie Mac board for 13 months. No independent director can reform an corporation in that short a time (indeed, I’m working on a case right now that makes the very same point).
“With this and the Biden pick, Obama is now 0 for 2.”
Shut the fuck up, SaveFarris. You don’t know what you are talking about, therefore, your opinions don’t matter.
“But doesn’t the selection of Emmanuel go against what Obama said earlier this year about change when he specifically talked about the “Washington insiders”?”
No. Now shut the fuck up, Jay. You too don’t know what you are talking about, therefore, your opinions also don’t matter.
“Not a gaffe?!? Please. If Palin had said this, she’d have been eviscerated. If Bush had said this, he’d have been accused of fearmongering. But good ol’ Joe says it and everyone says ‘He’s got a point.’”
God damn it. You are a fucking retard.
Republicans say, “Elect Obama and America will be attacked! FEAR!!!!” (They actually used this attack against Kerry.)
Biden says, ‘There will be an attack within six month of an Obama victory.’
Can you not see the difference?
One is using fear for political gain, the other is saying something they believe to be true, even if it is politically damaging.
“See what I learned in the last 8 years?”
Nothing. You’ve learned nothing, which is why you remain a Republican.
PG…just out of curiosity how long does it take to advert a disaster?
But, I hadn’t seen anything on Fox (I guess you are up to date on Fox?) but ABC news is reporting the “entire board was later accused by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) of having “failed in its duty to follow up on matters brought to its attention.” after Freddie “misreported profits by billions of dollars in order to deceive investors between the years 2000 and 2002.”
Incompetence by Rahm? Certainly.
Change? Don’t make me laugh. This guy is part of the problem. To make him part of the solution is a joke.
To ignore it, or cover it up as you are trying to do is also part of the problem.
With Rahm we are sending a signal that we will continue to function as Likdud sock puppets, without any real prospects for a settlement of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.
“Actually, my comment is ABOUT THE HYPOCRISY!!!!”
Yeah, right. The hypocrisy. Obama picks a guy to be his chief of staff who knows how DC works and how to get things done.
No doubt, the right would have been satisfied if he picked a complete DC outsider who has no idea how things work in Washington.
Shorter wingnuts: “Bawww! Obama isn’t filling his staff with Republicans!!”
Perhaps he should’ve taken a page from Bush or McCain and asked his one of the skycaps at the airport.