Who is Rahm Emanuel and What is a Chief of Staff?

November 8, 2008

Rahm Emanuel is former ballet dancer.  The character “Ari” in the HBO show “Entourage” is based on Rahm Emanuel’s brother, Ari.  Emanuel is the son of an Israeli and remains a practicing “modern Orthodox” Jew.  He is a strong proponent of universal health care, and was a senior adviser to President Clinton.  Emanuel’s appointment has drawn fire from factions of both the right (which seems to view him as a hard-nosed Democratic henchman) and the left (which views him as a hawkish Zionist, a “Jewish Rove”). To be sure, his apparent support of the War in Iraq is disturbing.

The Chief of Staff is a flexible position within a presidential administration.  According to Wikipedia: “The duties of the White House Chief of Staff vary greatly from one administration to another. However, the chief of staff has been responsible for overseeing the actions of the White House staff, managing the president’s schedule, and deciding who is allowed to meet with the president.” Some Presidents rely on a Chief of Staff for policy advise while others do not. Bush’s current Chief of Staff is Josh Bolton, who rarely makes news.

By all accounts, Emanuel gets things done. His fundraising is legendary, as is his work ethic and loyalty.   Assuming, as we must, that Obama’s judgment—particularly in matters of foreign affairs—remains independent from that of his Chief of Staff, Emanuel seems like pretty damn sensible choice for the post.

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