Daily Kos is not happy with Rahm Emanuel's advice for Obama to stay to the center in order to win re-election. Emanuel was a Fannie Mae exec and therefore knew a future mortgage meltdown was only a matter of time - now he's in charge of the new Pres's agenda--coincidence? or did Emanuel and Chuck Schumer choreograph another Democrat "It's the economy stupid" election?:
From the Los Angeles Times, November 7, 2008
Here are the very first few things Rahm Emanuel, president-elect Barack Obama's White House chief of staff-designate, is going to do. And they're gonna disappoint the DailyKos crowd:
First, be fast out of the gate.
Be well-organized.
Be moderate.
Run to the middle politically. You're going to need those centrist folks for a second term. And it's never too soon to act on that.
Above all, remember: First impressions are crucial. They take forever to correct. Within 90 days Americans in this day and age will be forming some pretty firm convictions about the Obama Administration.
How do we know all this? First, because Emanuel was part of the crummy opening to the first Bill Clinton administration.
It took forever for him to get beyond those mistakes: the bungled appointments, the Hillary health care imbroglio, the flap over homosexuals in the military that all caused many to think (fear) this Arkansas guy was a lot more liberal (and maybe inept) than the centrist that Clinton played in the 1992 campaign against George H.W. Bush.
And the price Clinton paid for all those initial goofs and gaffes was loss of both houses of Congress in the Republican Revolution of 1994.
And we know all this because Emanuel ever so kindly offered all of this specific advice to a newly-elected George W. Bush in an op-ed piece in The Times way back on March 29, 2001, five months before 9/11 seemed to change everything, including erasing for a while some negative first impressions of the new Bush.
Thanks to our co-blogger Larry Harnisch over at the Daily Mirror for uncovering this advisory artifact. You can find Larry's complete report -- and Emanuel's complete column -- over there.
--Andrew Malcolm on November 7, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments:
90 days from inauguration, all US troops out of Iraq. Did we forget about that one? Obama promised all troops out of Iraq within 90 days of coming into office. I count that as on or about April 20, 2009. Time to get busy. The BS portion of this campaign is now over. All troops out of Iraq in 90 days and if he wants to put a cherry on it, explain to the American people what we were doing there in the first place and why over 4000 Americans are dead.
Posted by: Buddesatva | November 07, 2008 at 05:54 AM
This type of Israel lobby access to American presidents has been the norm since the time of Harry S. Truman. During his administration, the lobby broke US arms embargos and smuggled stolen surplus WWII military gear to the nascent IDF. During Kennedy's, the lobby financed Israel's covert nuclear weapons program in defiance of the NPT. With Johnson it laundered tax exempt funds supposedly destined for "Jewish Relief" into US propaganda and lobbying thus destroying the Foreign Agents Registration Act. With Clinton it secured appointments for people like Dennis Ross who derailed peace concessions.
The millions of Americans who bankrolled Obama's win with $100 average contributions for "change" have been immediately betrayed by this entry of Irgun policymaking into the White House. This is not change we can believe in.
Posted by: Institute for Research | November 07, 2008 at 06:04 AM
It is encouraging to see links to source material in more and more op eds and news releases. This morning's ABC comment on Rahm Emanuel contained links to an SEC release on settlements with Fannie Mae exec's and a link to an Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) statement regarding the dereliction of duty by the Fannie Mae board.
It will help the country if the public becomes well informed, and uses that information to keep Congress - and the media - on the path of truth.
Posted by: Erik Kengaard | November 07, 2008 at 06:07 AM
Here, we see the LA Times reinforcing the persistant myth that W. performed his presidential duties admirably in the aftermath of 9/11. But the truth is, his actions and behavior were deplorable and further endangered our national security.. He froze when informed the nation was under attack. Then, he and Cheney disappeared and were not heard from for at least 24 hours.
Then, he appeared before reporters in a very confused and chaotic-appearing meeting with his cabinet, delivering very, very shaky insubstantial statements, shrugging his shoulders, appearing worried and annoyed and rattled -- as if to say, "What do you expect ME to do about it?"
Finally, he delivered a scripted statement -- more than a day after the bombing. At long last, he appeared at the site of the bombing -- posing for the cameras, appearing to be in command .
That final photo shoot is the source of the myth -- and it is bogus.
Note to MSM reporters and editors: You cannot erase MY memory of what really happened in the aftermath that easily -- no matter how many times you repeat it. Bush is personally responsible for allowing 9/11 to happen -- and for enadangering us afterward. He belongs in jail for life.
Posted by: Laura | November 07, 2008 at 06:10 AM
Here, we see the LA Times reinforcing the persistant myth that W. performed his presidential duties admirably in the aftermath of 9/11. But the truth is, his actions and behavior were deplorable and further endangered our national security.. He froze when informed the nation was under attack. Then, he and Cheney disappeared and were not heard from for at least 24 hours.
Then, he appeared before reporters in a very confused and chaotic-appearing meeting with his cabinet, delivering very, very shaky insubstantial statements, shrugging his shoulders, appearing worried and annoyed and rattled -- as if to say, "What do you expect ME to do about it?"
Finally, he delivered a scripted statement -- more than a day after the bombing. At long last, he appeared at the site of the bombing -- posing for the cameras, appearing to be in command .
That final photo shoot is the source of the myth -- and it is bogus.
Note to MSM reporters and editors: You cannot erase MY memory of what really happened in the aftermath that easily -- no matter how many times you repeat it. Bush is personally responsible for allowing 9/11 to happen -- and for enadangering us afterward. He belongs in jail for life.
Posted by: Laura | November 07, 2008 at 06:10 AM
You left out a very relevant point that Rham made in his article. The point he made about moving to the middle is only in the context of someone who did not win a majority. He points out that Clinton only won a plurality and that Bush lost the popular vote, so they needed to appeal to the middle.
Obama won with a majority and a clear progressive mandate to move the country far more to the left than Clinton could have. The reason for that is because we already moved so far to the right after 9-11, that the pendulum needs to swing quite far to the left just to reach equilibrium again.
Posted by: Kyle Pominville | November 07, 2008 at 06:20 AM
I'll tell you what his top priority will be, the same reason he was picked, to cover up the responsibility the Democrats own in our current economic meltdown!
You watch, Pelosi and her clowns will ensure no third party investigation ever sees the light of day about this failed Democrat policy that resulted in the collapse of our housing market!
Hope you simpletons enjoy your CHANGE! Obama's first move was to put the fox in charge of the hen house!
Posted by: Average American | November 07, 2008 at 06:26 AM
Rahm certainly did a good job as a director of Freddie Mac. I guess it's possible he could halp fix the problems he helped create.
Obama is really shaking things up getting the same old cronies into power.
Change you should have counted on.
Posted by: rick g | November 07, 2008 at 06:35 AM
I |
