White House Chief of Staff

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Reuters reported GOP attack on Emanuel, ignored Graham's support

In its November 6 article on the appointment of Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) as President-elect Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, Reuters quoted Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant's assertion that "Barack Obama's first decision as President-elect undermines his promise to 'heal the divides.' Rahm Emanuel is a partisan leader who played a lead role in breaking Washington." However, Reuters did not note that other Republicans have reportedly praised Emanuel, including former McCain campaign co-chair Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who stated that Emanuel is "a wise choice" and that he "understands the need to work together." By contrast, several media reports included quotes from Republicans praising Emanuel. For instance, The Washington Times reported that "Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican and one of Mr. McCain's closest allies in the presidential campaign, said the Emanuel pick was 'wise,' " and quoted Graham saying, "Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together." The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) saying, "I can't think of a better choice. What's the old saying? You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose? (Rahm) understands the poetry, but he can translate it into prose. He is a practical guy who understands politics as well as policy. ... He can be a hard-core partisan when he has to be, but that's part of the game." Additionally, Bloomberg reported that Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) said of Emanuel: "This idea that Rahm is a guy who can't get along with Republicans is just not true. ... The truth is in politics, you can count your friends on one or two hands, but he's been a true friend.'' Bloomberg also quoted LaHood as saying of Emanuel, "The idea that he's just a trash-talking, hard-core Chicago pol does not reflect who the man really is.'' Media Matters for America noted that during the November 6 broadcast of ABC's World News, senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper reported that Obama's selection of Emanuel "prompted criticism from some Republicans" and quoted Boehner's response without noting Graham's praise. From the November 6 Reuters article: Emanuel, a combative 48-year-old Democratic congressman from Illinois who is a veteran of President Bill Clinton's White House, is close to Obama and to many members of his inner circle. Some Republicans were quick to criticize Obama for his decision, pointing out that Obama had promised to improve relations between the two parties. "Barack Obama's first decision as President-elect undermines his promise to 'heal the divides'," said Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant. "Rahm Emanuel is a partisan insider who played a lead role in breaking Washington." In his statement, Obama addressed the issue of Emanuel's experience in Washington. From the November 7 Washington Times article: Some Republicans criticized Mr. Obama's selection. The Republican National Committee drew attention to Mr. Emanuel's fearsome, take-no-prisoners reputation, which earned him the nickname "Rahmbo." "Rahm Emanuel is a partisan insider who played a lead role in breaking Washington," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said. "Our nation will be ill-served if Obama runs the White House the way 'Rahmbo' ran the Democratic Congress." House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, called it an "ironic" choice, given Mr. Obama's promises to transcend partisanship. Mr. Emanuel sought to extend an olive branch to the House Republicans, who he said "serve with dignity, decency and a deep sense of patriotism." "We often disagree, but I respect their motives," Mr. Emanuel said. "Now is a time for unity, and, Mr. President-elect, I will do everything in my power to help you stitch together the frayed fabric of our politics, and help summon Americans of both parties to unite in common purpose." Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican and one of Mr. McCain's closest allies in the presidential campaign, said the Emanuel pick was "wise." "Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together," Mr. Graham said. From the November 7 Bloomberg article: Obama praised Emanuel, 48, a wiry tough guy who also dances ballet and whose slender build belies a muscular intensity. Republicans expressed skepticism. "I announce this appointment first because the chief of staff is central to the ability of a president and administration to accomplish an agenda,'' Obama said in a statement. "And no one I know is better at getting things done than Rahm Emanuel.'' It is how Emanuel gets things done that has sparked numerous battles with Republicans. "This is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center,'' said Representative John Boehner, the House Republican leader. If Boehner anticipates conflict, Emanuel, who once sent a Democratic consultant a dead fish, said he didn't relish a fight. "I want to say a special word about my Republican colleagues, who serve with dignity, decency and a deep sense of patriotism,'' Emanuel said in a statement. "We often disagree, but I respect their motives. Now is a time for unity.'' 'Absolute Enforcer' That's not to say Emanuel will suddenly transform his kinetic personality. "The genius about the pick is this good cop you will have in President Obama and the absolute enforcer you will have in Rahm,'' said John Lapp, who served as executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, when Emanuel served as chairman and Democrats gained control of the House for the first time in 12 years. "He knows where the bodies are buried, what people's wants, desires, needs and vulnerabilities are,'' Lapp said. "He does not tolerate mistakes. He does not tolerate human error.'' At the same time, Lapp described Emanuel as a "policy wonk'' who "loves President Obama like a brother.'' [...] Daley, the younger brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, said Emanuel has the three qualities needed in a successful chief of staff. 'Disciplined and Organized' "One, he's very focused, disciplined and organized,'' Daley said. "He is very good on policy and he does get the interconnection with policy issues and debates. And third, he's close to the president-elect.'' Emanuel has matured since his days in the White House, where he was known as an aide whose elbows were sometimes too sharp, into a more nuanced leader, according to Daley. "The Rahm of 15 years ago is very different from the Rahm of today,'' Daley said. "The young Rahm was pretty full of himself.'' Illinois Republican Representative Ray LaHood agreed. LaHood, who is retiring after seven terms in office, said Emanuel called him the day after he was first elected in 2002 and offered to work with him. The two struck up a friendship and over the last two years organized dinners in Washington among Republican and Democratic lawmakers to try to lower the partisan temperature. 'A True Friend' "This idea that Rahm is a guy who can't get along with Republicans is just not true,'' LaHood said. "The truth is in politics, you can count your friends on one or two hands, but he's been a true friend.'' Added LaHood, "The idea that he's just a trash-talking, hard-core Chicago pol does not reflect who the man really is.''

Hannity branded Emanuel "one of the hardest left-wing ... radicals" -- studies, news reports disagree

On the November 5 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, co-host Sean Hannity asserted that Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), who has just been announced as President-elect Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, is "one of the hardest left-wing ... radicals" and stated that the choice of Emanuel shows that Obama is "hard, hard left." Contrary to Hannity's assertion that Emanuel is "one of the hardest left-wing ... radicals," a study by political science professors Keith Poole and Jeff Lewis, using every non-unanimous vote cast in the House in 2007 to determine relative ideology, placed Emanuel in a tie for the ranking of 126th most liberal Democratic congressman with the late Rep. Tom Lantos (CA). Hannity said of Obama's choice of Emanuel, "He's picked Rahm Emanuel, one of the hardest left-wing -- you know, radicals, you know, on the left, as his chief of staff. There's all the evidence that he's gonna swing to the hard left. And I think they're gonna overreach, and I think we're going gonna see the person that I think Barack Obama is. I think he is hard, hard left." Even the National Journal 2007 vote ratings, which Hannity has himself cited in attacking Obama and which Media Matters criticized as subjective, rated Emanuel the 128th most liberal Democratic congressman with a composite score of 72.3. Further, numerous media reports have labeled Emanuel as "a centrist," who has "worked at good relations with Republicans." A November 6 Los Angeles Times article, for example, asserted: "Emanuel's policies, unlike his politics, have always been centrist, in the Bill Clinton mold. In addition, a different Emanuel has emerged in recent years, one who has forged friendships with Republicans and shown an ability to work with them on occasion." The article also quoted GOP strategist John Feehery as saying that Emanuel "understands that if Obama goes too far to the left, it's not going to be good for the Democrats. ... I think he's the kind of guy who can knock some heads and help Obama guide the Congress toward the middle." The New York Times also reported in a November 6 article that "Mr. Emanuel has worked at good relations with Republicans, and has the grudging respect of some." From the November 5 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes: HANNITY: Senator Obama's now our president-elect, but his tax plan is sure to have small business owners concerned. So, what does an Obama administration mean for the average Joe? Joining us now with reaction is the man who became the face of the proverbial average Joe. Joe Wurzelbacher is back with us, but you know him as Joe the Plumber. Joe, how are ya? WURZELBACHER: Hey, I'm doing real good. How about you guys tonight? HANNITY: Well, all right. You never expect to hear it. You were playing catch with your son, and all of a sudden, Barack Obama walks down the street, one of his few unscripted moments -- and I think it revealed a lot about the real Barack Obama, which is the question that I'm bringing up here tonight. And you asked a question, and lo and behold, now you're out there campaigning with Governor Palin and Senator McCain. And it had a big impact on this campaign. What are your thoughts about the results? WURZELBACHER: Yeah, I was disappointed. You know, I mean, my guy didn't win, but the same token, you know, Obama ran an incredible campaign. That can't be denied, and he's what the people chose. So, you know, now I gotta get behind him and support him, but in my opinion, though, it doesn't give him a blank check. We still need to hold him responsible and accountable to the people of America. HANNITY: Yeah, no -- and I agree with that, too. I -- here's my prediction. I think that liberals will misinterpret -- I mean, for example, we have evidence that they're even gonna strip Joe Lieberman of his leadership position in the United States Senate, retribution. He's picked Rahm Emanuel -- WURZELBACHER: Wow. HANNITY: -- one of the hardest left-wing -- you know, radicals -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Radical? HANNITY: -- on the left -- as his chief of staff. There's all the evidence that he's gonna swing to the hard left. And I think they're gonna overreach, and I think we're going gonna see the person that I think Barack Obama is. I think he is hard, hard left. We'll see. We'll give him an opportunity. But I -- WURZELBACHER: My -- HANNITY: Go ahead. WURZELBACHER: I was going to say, well, you know, SecureOurDream.com is a website I started up. I don't know -- I know you haven't gotten to that yet. But, you know, that's kind of why I'm starting it up, is one, to hold the elected officials accountable for, you know, who voted them in, be you Democrat or Republican, and hopefully be able to head off things like that to a degree and bring it out in the media. HANNITY: Well, you know, if you picture a guy like Rahm Emanuel -- who said about Republicans, "They can go blank themselves" -- if you pick a guy that voted with the Democratic Party 99 percent of the time, you know, it seems like Chicago politics is moving to Washington. That's my interpretation.

Obama and McCain systems were hacked during election run-up

Newsweek is publishing a seven-part "Secrets of the 2008 Campaign" series, which includes reports that the computer networks of both the Obama and McCain campaigns were compromised in a complex systems attack before the election. A "serious amount of files" were downloaded from the Obama campaign's network, according to the piece. Here's the link to "Hackers and Spending Sprees." Snip: At the Obama headquarters in midsummer, technology experts detected what they initially thought was a computer virus?a case of "phishing," a form of hacking often employed to steal passwords or credit-card numbers. But by the next day, both the FBI and the Secret Service came to the campaign with an ominous warning: "You have a problem way bigger than what you understand," an agent told Obama's team. "You have been compromised, and a serious amount of files have been loaded off your system." The following day, Obama campaign chief David Plouffe heard from White House chief of staff Josh Bolten, to the same effect: "You have a real problem ... and you have to deal with it." The Feds told Obama's aides in late August that the McCain campaign's computer system had been similarly compromised. A top McCain official confirmed to NEWSWEEK that the campaign's computer system had been hacked and that the FBI had become involved. Officials at the FBI and the White House told the Obama campaign that they believed a foreign entity or organization sought to gather information on the evolution of both camps' policy positions?information that might be useful in negotiations with a future administration. The Feds assured the Obama team that it had not been hacked by its political opponents. (Obama technical experts later speculated that the hackers were Russian or Chinese.) A security firm retained by the Obama campaign took steps to secure its computer system and end the intrusion. White House and FBI officials had no comment earlier this week. And in related news: Palin's couture shopping spree was apparently far more extensive and expensive than previously reported, and she apparently has a compulsive spending problem. Snip: One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family?clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. Secrets of the 2008 Campaign: Highlights (Newsweek)...