As I think is only right, I spent yesterday congratulating Dear Leader on the best campaign money could buy (not for nothing, but does anyone seriously believe that if McCain had outspent Obama by a factor of 3 to 1 that wouldn't be THE post-election story? Upsides to the New Order #6: Liberals can never again whine about the corrosive effects of private money in politics.). However, lacking the shadow cabinet tradition of parlimentary systems, November through January is a painfully short time to staff the leadership of the largest organization on the planet.
So Dear Leader began preparing for his New Order by selecting his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. Although the Kabuki theater that governs much of American politics ignores this fact, in most administrations this is a much more important pick than the Veep (I don't know Dick Cheney, Dick Cheney has never been a friend of mine, but Joe Biden is no Dick Cheney-even if I suspect he wants to be.) And Emanuel is an interesting pick. He's probably the smartest and toughest person in the Ruling Party, which probably makes him a good pick for the new regime, but...
....but I can see this as a disappointment to the Obama base. Emanuel is no moon-eyed liberal. As the field general for the Clinton years he was known more for his need to win more than his commitment to policies. And to the extent he's been a policy wonk they have not been policies to warm William Ayers radical heart. An Emanuelist Obama Agenda will not be the great Leap left the people who were celebrating in my street Tuesday night were hoping for.
...but I can see this as a disappointment for those hoping that Obama will end partisan divisions. Emanuel is not a liberal, he's a Democrat. He's sharp, abrasive and sees Republicans not as people to persuade, but as enemies to destroy. Every administration needs those guys, but that being the dominant tone from the CoS's office doesn't bode well for a "higher" type of politics. Given the choice between passing a compromise bill and screwing Dear Leader's opposition, I fear it won't be a hard call for Emanuel. The Ruling Party needs more seats in Congress after all.
...but I can see this making it harder, not easier, for the Ruling Party to impose its will.Through no fault of Obama's (though of course we all know NOTHING bad can be Dear Leader's fault), the Ruling Party is stuck with a moron as Speaker (no, that's not hyperbole. Nancy Pelosi is almost tragically inept). This isn't as tragic as having a bad Majority Leader in the Senate (though they have that problem too.), as the minority in the house has about as much power as I do, but it has to be easier to get things through when your leader can find her ass with both hands and a map. Emanuel would've served as the Regime's point person in the House of "Representatives" On the other hand, Obama needn't worry about losing control of the agenda, as there is no evidence of Pelosi ever having had a policy idea.
Do I think Emanuel is the right pick to be Obama's Majordomo? A leader who's shown himself incapable of taking criticism picking a ruthless operator as Chief of Staff doesn't bode well for open debate in the New Order. The Regime may be more effective, but there's no evidence yet that's a good thing. Sarah, how are those Change Camp inmate T's coming?
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