Cubs Combat Casino
The Return of The Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up
County Sales Tax Rollback Vetoed - Here We Go Again
PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro
Notre Dame Fan Takes It Too Far, Allegedly Punches Clausen
David Axelrod, the man who laid out the plan to get Sen. Barack Obama to the White House, is following Obama as Senior Advisor in the White House. Axlerod has his own consulting firm, AKP&D, and also worked for Deval Patrick, who became the first black governor of Massachusetts. Axelrod is a University of Chicago graduate and a former reporter for the Trib.
But Axelrod isn't the only Chicagoan heading to D.C. We already know Rahm is leaving the 5th Congressional District to become Obama's Chief of Staff, but several other Chicagoans may be following suit. There seems to be collective agreement Valerie Jarret is very likely to head to The Swamp, either as a member of the Obamistration or possibly taking Obama's vacated Senate seat. There's still plenty of speculation to come. Of course, if Mayor Daley has anything to say about it, Chicago Public Schools CEO and Obama hoops pal Arne Duncan will be staying put.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
How f'ing great will the Windy City White House be?
I was turned off by the two main choices I picked a third-party candidate. I'm willing to give Obama a chance but his selection of Emmanuel as Chief of Staff does not bode well for a "new kind of politics." Choosing a highly partisan hatchet man undercuts Obama's message of working together to improve America. I only hope the rest of Obama's appointments aren't made so cynically.
Which Daley-approved hack will get Fitzgerald's US Attorney position after he is "promoted" to D.C.?
Unless that partisan hatchet man is used to make Dems that otherwise wouldn't, play nice with those across the aisle.
Bottom line, we won't know until we see the results.
as crazy as this sounds. I'm still keeping an open mind as he needs some liars amoral Chicagoans and scumbags like Rahm and Alexrod inside the belly of the beast right? Feel free to call me crazy and insanely naive,and for once I will eat insults
Rahm is a good choice...Obama just can't pick staffers and think that Washington will change. Washington is it's own ecosystem, 200+ years in the making. I†'s not going to change overnight and Bizrack needs a guy like Rahm who can get stuff done. Getting stuff done is sort of what Obama's job is and Washington is known for not getting stuff done. Anyone remember what happened when the Dems were last in complete control of the WH and Congress? NOTHING HAPPENED! Rahm is a firm believer in the "Chicago way" and I think it'll ultimately be good.
The Trib editorial today on the Emanuel pick was spot on and a good analysis of the pick.
Gotta read that tower18...
Personally I hate on a moral level anyone who supported NAFTA but I hope that they guy is willing to change his policies under the obama administration.
But yeah it really is a windy city white house.
He will need a guy like Rahm. Do anyone think things will come easy to Obama after all the things said about him in this campaign, about how he wants to turn the country into a socialist state? If Emmanuel can twist some arms to get the stuff that needs to be done done, so be it. Obama can play footsie and be nice in his second term (!)
Choosing a highly partisan hatchet man undercuts Obama's message of working together to improve America.
Besides, how is this appointment not "working together"? The republicans still have their opportunity to contribute to this. Just because the right hand man is a friend doesn't mean there's some "working together" to be done.
i'm not sure that i want the country ran the "chicago way" since we have a 400M budget deficit, horrible public transit, high murder rate and the highest sales tax in the country. To me that doesn't sound very awesome
But perhaps we can look forward to a national improvement in pizza, hot dogs, polish sausage and architecture.
Valerie Jarrett chaired the CTA Board from 1995-2005, overseeing a sharp decline in the quality of CTA service along with Frank Kruesi. Even after her mismanagement she still has Obama's ear. That is unsettling.
For our sake I hope Obama sticks to his pledge to retain Fitzgerald. If Fitz is removed politicians all over Chicagoland will celebrate and return to widespread graft and illegal patronage without fear of retribution. I want Obama to tell those who want Fitz removed to piss off but with Rahm in place I don't see that happening.
Wall Street Journal likes Rahm as well, thinks he is more of a pragmatist who will keep the far left in check.
As Tower pointed out, the Trib editorial is a good assessment of Bizrack's choice. How could the Conservatives be afraid of a guy who is described as willing to chase off any Democrats who want Obama to lean too far to the left? Business as usual in DC for the last 8 years has been Bush's way or the highway. Some Republicans don't play nice with others, don't want to compromise, don't want to bend in the least bit and since they've had their way for the last 8 years I'm sure they don't want to give that up. It's been great for the country though guys, thanks for all the shit you've rained down on us. Now fuck off and let's fix this country because it used to be great and now you made it so everyone hates us. Barack and his administration are going to bring the reds and the blues together. He might not get to accomplish exactly what he wants but he will make this country better because everyone will get a little something that they want.
wait he hasn't appointed Valerie Jarrett to any thing yet, so don't be getting people( mainly me) upset.
At least Rahm and Axel aren't just Daley flunkies I mean they are intelligent capable Daley Flunkies out of opportunity who have gone on the bigger things