Rahm Emanuel

From Mathew Yglesias, a point that so far the best prediction for the Obama White House comes from the TV show about the White House, The West Wing:

• 1998: Josh Lyman is modeled after Rahm Emanuel.
• 2004: Matt Santos is modeled after Barack Obama
• 2006: Matt Santos wins the presidency, and appoints Josh Lyman his Chief of Staff

And what happend:

• 2008: Barack Obama wins the presidency, and appoints Rahm Emanuel his Chief of Staff.

Or in pictures:
As for the Emanuel pick it self, I don't know enough about him to know much, but it seems to fall between people bemoaning Obama picking a highly divisive, Clinton era politico thus giving up his "change" message and those who think it is a good move because it means Obama means business and he is going to hire tough people to enforce his agenda. In my understanding of Obama, I think the second is more accurate. Obama is not, and has never been, a hugs-all-around bipartisan guy. He is someone who always will listen to the opposite side of view, and then come back with a rebuttal strengthened by that conversation. From what I have seen of Emanuel, he will be a very effective Cheif of staff.

Here is Emanuel on the Daily Show a few years ago. I think he intimidated John Stewart!

Rahm Emanuel (p3)
by stewartslams

Good times. Or as this post declares in reference to his harsh style, "Change you can motherf*cking believe in."