rahm the enforcer

So apparently Obama has offered Rahm Emanuel the all-important job of chief of staff. No word yet, on whether Emmanuel has accepted (his family are based in Chicago and aren't keen to leave, and Emmanuel had designs on Nancy Pelosi's job as Speaker of the House). But it would surely be difficult to say no.

As West Wing fans know, the CoS runs the president's White House operation, acts as the gatekeeper to the president, and liaises with the Hill on the president's legislative efforts. In other words, he's a pretty important guy.

So what does Obama's choice of Emanuel tell us?

First, that he recognises the need for a bad cop. In the House, Emanuel has been a very effective operator, famous for the intensity and determination with which he pursues legislative deals - and for his ruthlessness. Whilst he has enormous self-discipline and control, Emanuel is not someone you'd  want to meet in a dark Washington alley after crossing him (he is said to have mailed a rotting fish to someone he fell out with). Having someone like that by his side enables Obama to stay above the fray (everyone needs a Campbell). Obama's closest advisers - like Axelrod, Plouffe, and Daschle - tend to be nice, temperate people. But sometimes nice and temperate won't get things done, especially when you're dealing with the shower on Capitol Hill.

Second, and related, is that Obama grasps how hard it will be to get things done in Washington. He's not expecting, thankfully, to just sweep in on a wave of change, issue edicts, and see Democrats and Republicans follow them with beatific smiles on their faces. It will be tough, and to coin a phrase, there will be blood. It will be crucial for the White House to maintain and establish relationships with legislators throughout, and Obama, as a one-term Senator, doesn't have a very broad or deep set of relationships himself. With Emanuel focused on the House and Biden on the Senate, Obama will have two guys of great legislative experience and guile who know how to persuade, seduce and - where necessary - bully senators and congressmen into obeying the will of the White House.

Third, that he wants to keep close to Hillary Clinton. Emanuel is one of the few players who genuinely kept a foot in both camps during the long Obama-Clinton battle in the primaries. He's a Chicago guy, which is how he knows Obama. But he worked for Bill Clinton as a senior adviser in the 1992 campaign and then in government (he is reputed to have said to Tony Blair, who was appearing with Clinton at Clinton's press conference since the Lewinsky scandal broke, "This is important, don't fuck it up"). Hillary Clinton's cooperation and support will absolutely indispensable to the successful passage of healthcare legislation. Emanuel is the perfect go-between.

UPDATE: he says yes.

Comments

[Rowland Manthorpe]

Went to a talk at the RSA over lunch: Candace Allen, Stryker Maguire, Stefan Halper. Halper very negative about Emanuel - but then, I wonder if that's what you want from your Chief of Staff.

Also - any thoughts about Hilary? Majority leader?

[Marbury]

Hillary: I really don't know. I don't think there's any chance of her becoming Majority Leader in the foreseeable future...there doesn't seem to be a vacancy. I also doubt that she'd want to take a job in an Obama administration. Governor of New York? Hmm...I think she likes Washington. So that leaves being a powerful Senator, and in particular leading the healthcare effort. Even there she runs up against seniority problems in the Senate. But I'd guess that's what she's focused on - being a reforming Senator and a powerful influence on the Obama administration.

[peter]

Odd, isn't it, how the supposedly muslim Obama would choose an alleged Mossad agent as his Chief of Staff. Just shows how devious all these non-Americans can be!

[Ben]

As a West Wing fan, I think you missed a bit of an angle there, given that Emanuel is also supposed to have been the inspiration for Josh Lyman, hence adding further to the uncanny resemblances to the Santos-Vinick election race.

[Ron Towns]

What an amazing time in American history. Dreams do come true! Did you all see how Oprah Winfrey revealed this week that she uses a vision board to visualize her goals and harness the power of intention? Oprah created a vision board, months ago, that emphasized Obama as president and the gown she intended to wear during his imagined inauguration.

FYI, a vision board is collage of image that symbolizes a desired outcome. By looking at these images daily and imagining these desired outcomes – like accomplishing a goal – your brain becomes more honed in to making this reality. Many top athletes, entrepreneurs, presidents, and philanthropists have used vision boards to help them accomplish their goals.

I know that on www.TheVisionBoardKit.com you can download a free chapter that includes the eight basic ingredients of a successful vision board.