Unrest in Democratic Party plays out in Emanuel controversy

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/85353-unrest-in-democratic-party-plays-out-in-emanuel-controversy

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has become a reluctant central figure in the battle between liberals and centrists in the Democratic Party.

A spate of recent reports have portrayed Emanuel, known for his aggressive brand of Washington politics, as either the voice of reason in a weak, liberal White House or the wet blanket preventing President Barack Obama from pursuing the kind of change he promised as a candidate.

Emanuel has become the flash point in those arguments as liberals express betrayal over Obama's failure to convince Congress to pass a public option in healthcare reform and close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

(snip)
"There are people in the White House who are trying to get rid of Rahm, and they are leaking everything they can," said the strategist, who is close to Emanuel. "Some of it's personal, some of it's professional (ly) judgmental, but there is no doubt there's an effort."

Those critics think Emanuel is "too close to the Blue Dogs in the House and too ready to compromise."

[Ardent15]

1. It's a battle between liberals and CONSERVATIVES in the Democratic Party

Not "Centrists."

[Individualist]

3. Exactly!

[leveymg]

4. I hate the mealy-mouthed terms "liberals and centrists."

Make that a Progressive vs Right-wing struggle for control over the party and the American future.

Rahm is not one of us, and I'm becoming convinced he is not with us in that struggle.

[whathehell]

17. Yes, especially because too many people equate "centrist"

as "common sensical"....It's not and in any case, these dems are CONSERVATIVE, not centrist.

[jmondine]

16. I see it as a battle between the liberals and the scum sucking vermin

[xchrom]

2. Rahm is and will always be the lightening rod he deserves to be.

And he does obama's bidding.

[tularetom]

7. I don't buy that for a second

So Obama says to Emanuel, "I want you to make overtures to republicans and right wing Democrats. I want you to assure them that we will do everything in our power to piss off our Democratic base, even though all our efforts will not win us one republican votes and the corporate Democrats will still ridicule us as socialists. And as a result of this, everyone in the country will think I'm an indecisive, wishy washy, ineffective ditherer. This is exactly what I want Rahm, and I think you know how to achieve it."

I think somebody or some group forced this douchebag onto Obama's staff, and he is powerless to dispose of him yet (or maybe ever). He definitely has his own agenda. But the one thing I don't accept is that he does Obama's bidding.

[Individualist]

8. Obama is a New Democrat; Rahm is DLC.

Obama knew exactly what he was getting when he selected Rahm Emanuel.

[bluesmail]

11. I so agree with your statement! EOM

[tularetom]

12. Deja vu all over again

You and I had this discussion a couple of days ago. I'm not gonna change your mind and you damn sure aren't gonna change mine. I'll grant you Obama has turned out way too "centrist" for me.

I'm not interested in labels or club affiliations. Emanuel is an appeaser of republicans and conservative Dems. I still believe Obama is not, but in order to retain credibility he needs to shitcan this loser yesterday.

[xchrom]

10. There isn't a hair's breadth of difference between Obama and rahm. Nt

[amborin]

13. agree; and Obama chose him

[Ardent15]

15. That's just silly

Obama is an nice guy in person. Rahm is a total asshole.

[jaxx]

5. I don't think the battle is between liberals and centrists,

I think it's between I want it all and reality. Rham is the largest target....next to the President himself. That has been somewhat quashed so we have the next best thing.

[shraby]

6. Sounds to me like more of a battle between the media

and the Obama administration. They'd like nothing better than to create the illusion of dissention in the White House. It undermines Obama and what he is trying to do.

[AlinPA]

9. I'm not defending Emmanuel, but IMO, Lieberman, Nelson, Lincoln, Bayh, Stupak and their associates

are more responsible for problems that we have had with legislation.

[movonne]

14. There is no doubt that he is close to the blue dogs...he is the one

who put them in office and fought and smeared Dean over progressives...