Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), an aggressive West Wing strategist under President Bill Clinton, has accepted the post of White House chief of staff for President-elect Barack Obama (politico.com). Emanuel is known as a political insider with knowledge of both Congress and the national political landscape (washingtonpost.com).
"Though Rahm understands how to get things done in Washington, he still looks at the world from the perspective of his neighbors and constituents on the Northwest Side of Chicago, who work long and hard, and ask only that their government stand on their side and honor their values," Obama said in a statement announcing the move this afternoon (washingtonpost.com).
Of his decision, Emanuel said: "I'm leaving a job I love to join your White House for one simple reason -- like the record amount of voters who cast their ballot over the last month, I want to do everything I can to help deliver the change America needs" (washingtonpost.com).
The choice of Emanuel sends a signal that Obama is ready to work with Congress and plans an aggressive agenda that will focus on the economy, taxes, energy, education and health care (politico.com).
The chief of staff is commonly known as the second most powerful job in Washington. The chief supervised hundreds of aids who work for the president and is the public face of the administration to the press and the negotiator on Capitol Hill (politico.com).
According to friends, Emanuel viewed the decision as being not about personal advancement, but about putting aside personal ambition to bring change to the country (politico.com).
Emanuel holds the title of Democratic Caucus Chairman and is the fourth-ranking House Democratic leader (politico.com). He was on the path of being the next speaker but decided to divert his career and take the position (washingtonpost.com).
For more information:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/emanuel_accepts.html
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15371_Page2.html
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