"The Soft Side of Rahm Emmanuel"

[madinmaryland]

Ok, now this got me curious and when I found out the David Brooks has fallen in love with Rahmbo, then I knew he was toast...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/opinion/05brooks.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

By now everyone has an image of Rahm Emanuel. He’s the profanity-spewing political street-fighter. He’s the guy who once sent a dead fish to a political opponent. This past week, “Saturday Night Live” spoofed him as an abrasive pit bull. “On Friday, the White House released Rahm Emanuel back into the wild,” Seth Meyers joked during “Weekend Update.”

This image doesn’t square with the guy I’ve covered for the past decade. I began interviewing Emanuel when he was in the House, while he was building the Democratic majority. Then when he moved to the Obama White House, I was one of the many people on his long, long call list. He’d call a few times a week. The calls lasted from 45 seconds to two minutes, enough time for him to tout some speech or policy initiative, answer a question and then be off.

Every conversation, short or long, was a headlong rush. Rahm is always passionately promoting some policy idea. In Congress during the Bush era, he was pushing programs to boost America’s saving rate (which actually would have been a good thing in that debt-fueled decade). Over the past couple years he’s been boosting community colleges, education reform, innovation and job-creation schemes.

He’s like an urban cowboy poking his herd of cattle with a stick. Every head in the herd gets a poke every day. He’s willing to be a relentless noodge to keep the herd moving in the right direction.

I feel soiled from actually reading a David Brooks column.

[monmouth]

1. I had to tune off Joe this morning. There was a photo of Rahm holding

out his hand to shake that of a woman and she pulled back and did not shake his hand. Joey and crew thought this was hilarious and went on and on about this photo. Sorry I don't remember the paper but it was humiliating for Rahm and a fun topic for Joe, who, of course, has never backed down on his dislike of the man. I again, went to Bill Press where sanity reigns...

[MineralMan]

2. Joe Scab is a Republican. That's his excuse for hating Rahm

Emanuel. I'm still trying to figure our what the excuse is for Democrats. Maybe someone will explain why they feel the same way as Republicans feel about the man.

[monmouth]

3. I don't understand the dislike for him either. Of course, I'm originally

from Jersey, his demeanor is normal to me...LOL..

[madrchsod]

4. rahm is a Rockefeller republican

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. They hate him for the D behind his name.

While we hate him for the LC that follows the D.

He's a dem in name only - always willing to pick a fight with fellow dems but never with the Republicans.

Good riddance.

[madinmaryland]

9. I rarely if ever watch Joey. Unfortunately, Bill Press is not on the radio

here in the DC area, even though he broadcasts from DC.

[monmouth]

10. Here ya go!

http://www.chicagoprogressivetalk.com/

Just type in and enjoy. I'm up very early, try to watch Joe but revert to Bill all the time. Enjoy.

[madinmaryland]

11. Heh! I was in Chicago for a week back in June and listened to that

station. Yes, I did hear Bill Press when I was out there.

[mod mom]

6. David Brooks=neocon, rahm=neolib. Not too much difference.

Remember, Wolfowitz, Perle and Feith were originally democrats as well.

[bemildred]

7. I can hardly wait for the Rahm Tribute from David Frum. nt

[joeybee12]

8. The only soft side is his underbelly...

like that of a fish's.