Monthly Archives: June 2010

Roundup: Is Rahm Emanuel Sick of the White House?

He’ll bail this year according to the Telegraph. Apparently, Obama’s patchouli-scented inner circle just isn’t Machiavellian enough to appreciate Rahmbo:

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is expected to leave his job later this year after growing tired of the “idealism” of Barack Obama’s inner circle.

Washington insiders say he will quit within six to eight months in frustration at their unwillingness to “bang heads together” to get policy pushed through.

Mr Emanuel, 50, enjoys a good working relationship with Mr Obama but they are understood to have reached an understanding that differences over style mean he will serve only half the full four-year term.

Leaving would also potentially free him up to purse an office of his own – Godfather of the Chicago syndicate (Mayor).

Reaction:

NewsBusters
Can the Obama administration’s inability to smoothly implement its agenda really be due to an excess of pragmatism? How will this change the makeup, perception, and workings of the White House?

Jules Crittenden
I enjoyed this bit: “Democrats have not stood behind the president in the way Republicans did for George W Bush, and that was meant to be Rahm’s job.” They needed someone to do that for the One? Whatever happened to the blinding righteousness? It’s like saying Jesus needed a ward boss.

Hot Air
The question of who replaces him will set the tone for the rest of Obama’s presidency. If he selects someone with more subtlety and diplomacy with both parties on Capitol Hill, then Obama may attempt to move back towards the center in a Clintonian fashion. If he picks another ideologue, expect the Obama presidency to run completely off the rails in its final two years.

Outside the Beltway
Emanuel’s departure, then, could be taken as a sign that the idealists have won the ground war inside the West Wing and there are some bloggers who are making the leap into assuming that Emanuel’s departure is a sign that Obama will be facing a serious challenger for the Democratic nomination in 2012 by a pragmatist.

Another Black Conservative
Something tells me that Rahm won’t be the only one looking for an exit after midterms. The oil spill has washed away any of the Hopey Changey hype of 2008. What is left will be pretty hard to defend going into 2012. Add on the inevitable circular firing squad that is sure to follow the massive Democratic losses in November and I am certain Rahm won’t be the only one looking for the door.

Wizbang
If Obama and his inner circle think Emanuel’s departure will solve their problems, they are in for a rude awakening. This administration is severing its carotid artery with its turn toward socialism, its apathetic reaction to the Gulf oil spill, and its outright hostility to our nation’s allies; applying a band aid will do nothing to stop the hemorrhaging.

Sister Toldjah
My gut feeling is that he’s not planning on leaving, seeing as he’s the guy who said shortly after the 2008 election of Barack Obama that you should never let a crisis go to waste. And considering the hot button issues on the front burner in America these days, this is the kind of political environment that a guy like Emanuel relishes.

Belmont Club
So this is how the message might read. “Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is threatening to leave his job later this year unless Barack Obama gets real. Rahm has made a lot of personal sacrifices to join the White House. He gave up being a congressman, Chicago deep dish pizza and being a father to his children for what? To be blamed as abrasive when the midterm disaster unfolds. No way he’s taking the fall for that.

Lieberman: Concerns Over Internet ‘Kill Switch’ Driven by ‘Misinformation’

Senators and the Internet – A sometimes amusing, often terrifying, combination:

Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday whether he was trying to “seize control or shut down” the Internet, Lieberman answered “no way” and added that “the government should never take over the Internet.”

Lieberman said the Internet was “constantly being probed by other countries for weaknesses and that “we need the capacity for the president to say to an Internet service provider, ‘We’ve got to disconnect the American Internet from all traffic coming in from this country.’”

He cited China, which has long been criticized for its Internet censorship, as an example. “Right now, China can disconnect parts of its Internet in times of war. We need to be able to do that too.”

China’s infrastructure and policies were put in place to manage and control public opinion, stifle free speech, block the flow of information, and identify critics for punishment. Citing China as an example is probably not the best way to address the concerns of your “misinformed” critics Joe.

Anyway, I suggest reading through the bill and supporting material:

Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act
Cyber Bill Supporter Quotes
Cyber Legislation Section by Section
Cyber Bill One Page Summary

Coast Guard Halts Oil Vacuuming Barges for Safety Checks

Heads should roll for this one. Someone should be empowered to override this kind of stupidity during a crisis.

“The Coast Guard came and shut them down,” Jindal said. “You got men on the barges in the oil, and they have been told by the Coast Guard, ‘Cease and desist. Stop sucking up that oil.’”

A Coast Guard representative told ABC News today that it shares the same goal as the governor.

“We are all in this together. The enemy is the oil,” said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Dan Lauer.

But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges.

Gov. Bobby Jindal could lead the response in Louisiana effectively (he’d certainly keep this sort of stupidity to a minimum) but I can’t imagine that the Obama administration is eager to do anything that would boost an already rising republican star.

Reaction

The Corner
I have to wonder, when Churchill was evacuating the Brits and French from Dunkirk, did he let the Royal Navy stop ships so they could make sure there were enough fire extinguishers?

The Moderate Voice
We have been told the the oil spill is the greatest catastrophe in American history. We have been told this is equivalent to Chernobyl, and that the livelihoods of millions depends on rapid action using all available resources. No less than the President of the United States told us that this was war, and that we would do “whatever it takes”. Apparently, none of this means that barges that suck up the oil will be allowed to operate without Coast Guard verification of the correct number of life jackets and fire extinguishers on board.

Grim’s Hall
The Federal government is asserting veto power over state actions; it is reading that power in the broadest possible way, even in emergency situations. It’s unresponsive to the needs of the people of the state; but every piddling regulation (“How many fire extinguishers do you have on that oil-sucking barge?”) is put ahead of doing something about the emergency at hand.

Outside the Beltway
I’m not against martime safety, of course, but it strikes me as more than a little absurd that the Coast Guard it worry about life vests and fire extinguishers while the Governor of Louisiana is worrying about stopping the oil from entering the Louisiana marshes.

Protein Wisdom
Well, you see, Gov Jindal, the White House has a big problem with you. You’re a Republican.

Right Wing News
Consider the BP spill: the Coast Guard has shut down oil sucking barges. Who ordered that? Based on the way this regime does business, you know it had to come from someone within. No CG commander would even consider stopping the barges and face the public wrath.