‘Rahmbo’ tough enough for Obama

By Editorial Board

In a move that came less than 48 hours after winning the election, President-elect Barack Obama wasted no time in naming his soon-to-be chief of staff-Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel.

The choice of Emanuel for this position has met both opposition and praise from commentators and well-versed Washington analysts, including former colleague and highly experienced George Stephanopoulos. Stephanopoulos was a political adviser for former President Bill Clinton and is now a political analyst for ABC. But ultimately, Emanuel’s history as a ferocious and unrelenting politician is exactly what Obama needs.

As the White House chief of staff, Emanuel will play a critical role in the Obama administration. The position of chief of staff is not a constitutional mandate, and as recently as the Carter administration, some argued that the White House could be run without a chief of staff. However, this no longer holds true, due to the enormous complexities of the modern day White House.

As Emanuel steps into this position, he will be expected to perform two critical roles-a manager and an adviser.

Throughout his political career, Emanuel has shown his unwavering loyalty time and again. For years, he was considered the brains of the Clinton administration. In a 2005 Rolling Stone article, a Clinton staffer recalled that if asked to do something, Rahm “would move Heaven and Earth-not necessarily in that order-to get it done.” This level of dedication and support will serve Obama well as he transitions into his role as commander-in-chief. Emanuel’s ability to get the job done in a swift manner will ultimately help carry out Obama’s agendas with few glitches.

Emanuel’s unapologetic, get-the-job-done mentality is a complimentary contrast to Obama’s undeniable charisma and rhetoric. Having already established a reputation as a hardened, unremittingly aggressive Washington insider, Emanuel is the perfect person to absorb potential blows directed toward the Obama administration. As the White House chief of staff, that will be one of his many important functions. In this position, Emanuel will essentially act as a buffer to the president, and who better to do it than a loyal, experienced democrat, known for his blunt manner and single-minded determination.

But as Obama makes his move into the White House with Emanuel by his side, one thing both men must do is to clearly separate themselves from the exact birthing place of their political careers-Illinois. The land of Lincoln has a history of tremendous corruption, and it is no secret

Emanuel worked tirelessly as senior adviser and chief fundraiser for Mayor Richard M. Daley’s 1989 mayoral campaign. Emanuel is also known for working with Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

In 2005, Emanuel worked closely with the unpopular governor to pressure the FDA to allow prescription drug re-importation. Although concern has been voiced about Emanuel’s connection to the corrupt Illinois government, his unwavering loyalty to Obama is the key in silencing such concerns.

Emanuel might be a little hot-headed and his commentary might be somewhat unpredictable, but one thing is for sure: He has what it takes to help Obama pull this country out of the mess that has been created during the past eight years of the Bush administration.