The Aggressive Obama White House

Posted on 11/06/2008 at 4:12 pm by Bob Cesca

Ezra on Rahm:

If you thought the Obama administration would be all about bringing people together and would simply make sad faces when stubborn congressmen refused to come to the table, this is a clear sign otherwise.

I like the sound of this. It’s one thing to bring people to the table while also being aggressive about what you want to achieve there — it’s another thing to talk tough only to capitulate in a fight. The latter has been the familiar Democratic style for way too long. The former is also known as “effective leadership.”

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  • http://UfpbARTWL74YJCjH0bfS Readytohurl

    Right on! Enough of this passive-aggressive crap.

  • Nanotyrannus

    You know, one of our biggest laments the past two years is that we don’t have a “Tom Delay” to keep the Democrats in line and on message. Some fucked up legislation has gotten through because the Republicans voted as one block while the Dems went into “Bipartisan Mode” and split down the middle, sometimes giving Bush whatever he wanted as a result.This is exactly what we need.

  • http://www.clusterdouche.com Elvis Dingeldein

    The networks are already shitting on Obama over this choice, saying Rahm doesn’t represent “Change” but just more insider-beltway politicking. To this I think I quote the venerable Woodrow Wilson at Versailles in 1919 when I say, UP YOUR ASS, NETWORKS!More than any other administrative position in the West Wing, you want a hardball-playing Washington insider at your CoS desk, period. Someone who knows the Hill and can work your policy machine; someone with a Don’t Fuck With Me reputation; someone known to get results. Rahm is all of these things, and a great pick for CoS. So much of what goes right and wrong in an Administration rolls downhill from the CoS, so I’m 100% on board with this pick.

  • JG

    Guys you’re forgetting the BBQ logic:When (R) chooses someone tough and effective, it is BOLDWhen (D) chooses someone tough and effective, it is RISKY…especially in our “center right country” that has given the popular vote to the Dems in 4 out of the last 5 elections.

  • Ajabu

    Been reading here daily for several months but never posted before.Rahm Emanuel is EXACTLY what we need. Per the title of an article I just read about him “Change you can motherfucking believe in”.My kind of guy!!Kick ass & take names. Let President Obama remain above it.

  • JustaGuess

    Obama expressed this beautifully the other night when he said ‘I will listen to you, especially when I don’t agree with you.’This is so important in the wake on an administration which wouldn’t even have a discussion.

  • 24hourjack

    this seems perfect to me.obama can continue being the perfectly reasonable,all smiles unifier,and when he really needs to be a dick he can send “rahmbo” out to do it.instead of,y’know, actually being a dick.great first choice.and gibbsy as press sec.top f’in notch.just act sean hannity.

  • 24hourjack

    the fact that so many conservatives are whining about the pick proves to me that its the right one.if democrats had more hardcore,efficient,thoroughly partisans who know how to piss off republicans,maybe we wouldnt have been getting our asses kicked for more than a decade.emanuel reminds me of dennis rodman in the sense that you cant stand the guy when hes on the other team,but you sure as sh** want him on your team.