Friday, May 28, 2010

asset or liability?

WH had Clinton try to ease Sestak out of Pa. race

PHILIP ELLIOTT - Associated Press Writer (AP)
Originally published 11:23 a.m., May 28, 2010
Updated 02:43 p.m., May 28, 2010
WASHINGTON (AP) — Forced to disclose backstage political bargaining, President Barack Obama's embarrassed White House acknowledged on Friday it had enlisted Bill Clinton to try to ease Rep. Joe Sestak out of Pennsylvania's Senate primary with a job offer.
Nothing wrong with that, the White House said. Oh yes there was, Republicans countered.
The administration admission — it said Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had asked the former president to call Sestak — left many questions unanswered, and it seemed unlikely the issue had been put to rest. For Obama, the revelations called into question his repeated promises to run an open government that was above back room deals. And for Sestak, they raised questions why he ever brought up the offer — a 60-second conversation, he said Friday — in the first place.
"I wasn't interested, and that was the bottom line," Sestak said on the steps of the Capitol.
Seeking to quiet the clamor over a possible political trade, the White House released a report describing the offer that was intended to clear a path for Sen. Arlen Specter to win the Democratic nomination. Sestak stayed in the race and eventually defeated Specter to become the Democratic nominee, ending Specter's 30-year Senate tenure.
After a week of silence, Sestak answered reporters' questions on last summer's offer.
He said he cut Clinton short after hearing only a few words about a possible post on a presidential board and said the former president immediately dropped the subject during a phone call.
"There was nothing wrong that was done," Sestak said.
White House Counsel Robert Bauer rendered his own verdict in a two-page report that said there was no improper conduct in the offer. No one in the administration discussed the offer with Sestak, Bauer said. The report did not say what, if any, contacts or promises the White House had with Specter on the matter. It also did not reveal whether Obama was aware of Clinton's role.
The report didn't impress Republicans.
Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House oversight committee who unsuccessfully had sought a Department of Justice investigation, said Obama had become a part of the Washington culture he decried.
"It's pretty clear from the White House statement that they intended to get him out of the race by offering him a position, and that's illegal and it's unethical," Issa said just moments after Sestak spoke.
Said Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele: "The memo frankly raises more questions: What was Bill Clinton authorized to offer? Did President Obama sign off on this conversation before it took place?"
"Now more than ever it is clear that this White House is not capable of policing itself and needs to open itself to an independent investigation."
Sestak, who had said a job was offered but had provided no details, acknowledged Friday that he had had the conversation with Clinton. He said the former president told him he should stay in the U.S. House and perhaps join a presidential board, either involving intelligence or defense matters to use his background as a Navy officer.
Specter declined to comment. Clinton, campaigning in Little Rock, Ark., for Sen. Blanche Lincoln's re-election bid, ignored reporters' shouted questions.
The report said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel enlisted Clinton's help as a go-between with Sestak. Clinton agreed to raise the offer of a seat on a presidential advisory board or another executive board if Sestak dropped his bid, "which would avoid a divisive Senate primary," the report said.
Under the proposed arrangement, Sestak would have been able to remain in the House while serving on a board. It was not clear why the White House — which has the power to offer Cabinet posts and sought-after embassy jobs — believed Sestak would be interested in just an advisory position.
Sestak defeated the five-term Specter, who had switched from Republican to Democrat last year at the White House's urging, in the May 18 Democratic primary.
Emanuel and Sestak both worked in the White House when Clinton was president in the 1990s, and both remain close with their former boss. Sestak was a supporter of Clinton's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her 2008 presidential bid.
Bauer, in the White House report, argued that previous Democratic and Republican administrations, "motivated by the same goals, discussed alternative paths to service for qualified individuals also considering campaigns for public office." The report said such actions aren't illegal nor unethical.
For weeks, the White House had insisted officials did not behave inappropriately but had declined to elaborate. But after Sestak won the nomination, Republicans renewed their questions of the administration and White House lawyers prepared to release a report they had been compiling for months.
At a White House news conference on Thursday, Obama told reporters a full accounting would be forthcoming.
"I can assure the public that nothing improper took place," he said.
The accounting came Friday, as the public turned its attention to the Memorial Day weekend instead of politics. Both parties often release unfavorable information during times when many Americans are focused elsewhere.
Two top Democrats — party chief Tim Kaine and Dick Durbin of Illinois, the party's second-ranking leader in the Senate — said during the week that the White House and Sestak needed to address the questions. So, too, did Sestak's Republican challenger in Pennsylvania, former Rep. Pat Toomey.
___
Associated Press writers Charles Babington in Washington and Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock contributed to this report.


Current Position: Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama (since November 2008)
Boss: President Barack Obama
Credit: Melina Mara/TWP


Why He Matters

This is Emanuel’s return trip to the White House. In between, the man known as “Rahmbo” amassed a reputation as a shrewd party operative, millionaire investment banker and congressional leader.
A skilled campaigner and fundraiser, Emanuel was one of the architects behind the Democrats’ 2006 House takeover. After being elected to represent Illinois’ 5th district in 2002, he quickly became a top player on Capitol Hill, joining the House Ways and Means Committee in his second term and rising to chair the House Democratic Caucus in his third.
But his first year in the White House was rocky. Faced with an ambitious agenda and a struggling economy, Emanuel was criticized by progressives for compromising too many of their principles on things like health-care reform, and some liberals even called for his ouster. Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010(1)Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
But Emanuel is a surviver, and he will likely maintain his perch atop the Washington food chain as long as he wants it.Milbank, Dana, The Washington Post, "Why Obama Needs Rahm at the Top," Feb. 21, 2010 (2)Milbank, Dana, The Washington Post, "Why Obama Needs Rahm at the Top," Feb. 21, 2010 The enactment of historic health-care reform, which he pushed relentlessly, certainly won't hurt.

Path to Power

The son of an Israeli immigrant, Emanuel grew up north of Chicago, and began his career at Illinois Public Action, a consumer rights group. He got an early start in politics when ex-Rep. Tony Coelho (D-Calif.) recruited him to join the DCCC in the 1980s, and he went on to work for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (D).

Clinton White House

In 1991, after volunteering on an Israeli army supply base during the Persian Gulf War, he joined Bill Clinton’s campaign for president, and worked vigorously as a fundraiser.Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999(3)Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999 When Clinton won, Emanuel became a top aide in his White House, working on welfare reform, gun control and children’s’ health care, an issue he would embrace in Congress as well.Pierre, Robert E., “From Front Line to Front Stoop; Clinton Ex-Aide Pounds Pavement in Bid for House Seat,” The Washington Post, March 22, 2002(4)Pierre, Robert E., “From Front Line to Front Stoop; Clinton Ex-Aide Pounds Pavement in Bid for House Seat,” The Washington Post, March 22, 2002
As White House political director, his aggressive tactics rubbed some people the wrong way and he was demoted to manager of special legislative efforts. He once sent a rotting fish to a pollster he didn’t like (Alan Secrest), and he was known for yelling at Democrats he thought were disloyal to the party.Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999(5)Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999
Despite his tactics, he worked his way back up the Clinton ladder to become a senior adviser again when George Stephanopoulos left the administration in 1996. Emanuel left in 1999 and worked as an investment banker for a couple years, making millions. Roll Call estimated his wealth at $5.02 million, making him the 50th richest member of Congress."Roll Call’s 50 Richest," Roll Call, Sept. 22, 2008(6)"Roll Call’s 50 Richest," Roll Call, Sept. 22, 2008 Among other skills, he is a classically- trained ballet dancer.

2002 House Election

Emanuel returned to politics in 2002, easily winning the Illinois 5th district seat vacated by future Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.). His opponent in the primary, state Rep. Nancy Kaszak (D), tried to paint Emanuel as a carpetbagger, but her campaign stumbled in the final weeks. Emanuel’s political clout gave him a huge advantage as well. Already a prolific fundraiser for other candidates with a large rolodex of wealthy Democrats, Emanuel threw a fundraiser at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) house and drew praise from Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe. He was one of the nation’s most prolific congressional fundraisers in his inaugural campaign, raising $1.98 million in the first quarter of 2002. "I wish I had 200 of him running for Congress," McAuliffe said. "He will get in, he will mix it up, he will stand tall for the Democratic Party."Zeleny, Jeff, “Emanuel get boost from ex-boss; Candidate raises funds at Clintons’” Chicago Tribune, June 19, 2002(7)Zeleny, Jeff, “Emanuel get boost from ex-boss; Candidate raises funds at Clintons’” Chicago Tribune, June 19, 2002
Even before he was elected to the House, Emanuel made it known that he wanted a seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee, a statement that rubbed some the wrong way.Huse, Carl, “Clinton aide heads to House, with waves preceding him,” The New York Times, Aug. 23, 2002(8)Huse, Carl, “Clinton aide heads to House, with waves preceding him,” The New York Times, Aug. 23, 2002 He didn’t get the coveted spot in his first term, but he did manage to nab one in his second.

House Democratic Leadership

Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel.jpgIn January 2005, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appointed Emanuel to chair the DCCC, the committee where he got his political start as a staffer. Emanuel thrived in the role, actively recruiting moderate Democrats to challenge Republicans who were struggling politically because of the unpopularity of President George W. Bush and the Iraq war. He also fought with party Chairman Howard Dean about Dean’s “50-state strategy” that required investing funds even in states where the GOP traditionally ran strong.Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006(9)Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
Unlike Dean, Emanuel wanted more money dedicated to House candidates and less to the party’s state infrastructure. When he didn’t get as much as he hoped, he encouraged candidates to raise massive sums of money and run ruthless campaigns.Easton, Nina, “Rahm Emanuel, pitbull politician,” Fortune, Sept. 25, 2006(10)Easton, Nina, “Rahm Emanuel, pitbull politician,” Fortune, Sept. 25, 2006 His strategy worked, and House Democrats picked up 30 seats in the 2006 midterm elections. "You've got to have a thirst for winning," Emanuel said. "You know what our party thinks? 'We're good people with good ideas. That's just enough, isn't it?' Being tough enough, mean enough and vicious enough is just not what they want. ... They just want to be patted on the back for the noble effort. No."Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006(11)Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
The overwhelming election victory had Emanuel’s stock soaring in November 2006, and he briefly thought about running for House majority whip. But he decided Clyburn’s support was too strong, especially in the Congressional Black Caucus. Instead, Emanuel was unanimously elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, where he presided over the election of a stream of socially moderate Democrats that has broadened, and challenged, his party.Bresnahan, John, “What does Rahm want?,” Politico, July 16, 2008 (12)Bresnahan, John, “What does Rahm want?,” Politico, July 16, 2008 Biographical and career data taken from Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition(13)Biographical and career data taken from Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition

Blagojevich Controversy

In the immediate aftermath of the 2008 elections, Emanuel's name surfaced during the investigation of Blagojevich for attempting to sell the Senate seat vacated by Obama. Emanuel was allegedly instructed by Obama to approach the governor's aides to talk about candidates Obama supported for the seat. But Emanuel was not accused of discussing a quid pro quo for the seat.Weisman, Jonathan, Bendavid, Naftali and Simpson, Cam, "Emanuel, Blagojevich aides discussed Senate seat," The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 15, 2008(14)Weisman, Jonathan, Bendavid, Naftali and Simpson, Cam, "Emanuel, Blagojevich aides discussed Senate seat," The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 15, 2008
According to the April 2009 indictment of Blagojevich, Emanuel, referred to as 'Congressman A,' was allegedly the target of 2006 extortion by Blagojevich. The indictment said Blagojevich tried to withhold money requested by Emanuel for a school unless Emanuel's brother held a fundraiser for the governor. The fundraiser never happened, and the indictment doesn't say whether Emanuel ever actually learned about the request.McCormich, John, "'Congressman A': Rahm Emanuel," Chicago Tribune, April 3, 2009(15)McCormich, John, "'Congressman A': Rahm Emanuel," Chicago Tribune, April 3, 2009

The Issues

As White House chief of staff, Emanuel has followed his pragmatic political instincts, which have often put him at odds with his party's more liberal wing. He got into hot water when he called progressives "[expletive] retarded" for threatening to run ads against centrist Democrats who disagreed with the president's health-care reform push. Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010 (16)Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
While in the House, the Illinois Democrat was a member of the moderate, pro-growth New Democrat Coalition, and in his 2006 book, "The Plan," he outlined his ideas for revising the tax code, including making it easier to understand and lowering rates for the middle class. He told The Washington Post that Americans prefer governing from the center “and not polarization.”Haygood, Wil, “Democratic ‘Golden Boy’ rahm Emanuel, Basking in the glow of victory,” The Washington Post, Nov. 9, 2006 (17)Haygood, Wil, “Democratic ‘Golden Boy’ rahm Emanuel, Basking in the glow of victory,” The Washington Post, Nov. 9, 2006 
As the DCCC chairman, Emanuel recruited a large number of centrist Democrats to run for traditionally GOP districts. And even though he is pro-abortion rights and pro-gun control, he often recruited candidates who were not, saying he wanted candidates who would win.Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006(18)Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
Rahm_Emanuel_in_Oval_Office_c_WH.jpgBut he has also been a strong Democratic Party loyalist, supporting Speaker Pelosi in her “100 hours” agenda at the start of the 110th Congress.Zahn, Paula, Interview with Rahm Emanuel and Mark Foley, CNN (19)Zahn, Paula, Interview with Rahm Emanuel and Mark Foley, CNN

The Economy

A former investment banker who spent time on the board at Freddie Mac, Emanuel was a key figure in negotiating the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street in October 2008. He warned of more turmoil when Bear Sterns went under in March 2008, and worked tirelessly with then-White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten to negotiate the bailout. He held six Democratic Caucus meetings in just a few days to help explain the deal to  Democrats, and helped rally support for the deal among both parties.Tankersley, Jim, “Dogged bailout backer; Rahm Emanuel takes lead role for Democrats,” Chicago Tribune, Oct. 3, 2008  (20)Tankersley, Jim, “Dogged bailout backer; Rahm Emanuel takes lead role for Democrats,” Chicago Tribune, Oct. 3, 2008   “It was hard for a lot of members to get their arms around the depth and the dimension of this crisis," Rep. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) said. "He was able to put that in perspective for people."

Health Care

Emanuel has led the push for President Obama's landmark health-care reform bill. Progressives criticized him (some even calling for his resignation) for not being bold enough and abandoning their beloved public option, but Emanuel's supporters argued that he was simply being realistic.Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010 (21)Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
After more than a year of legislative wrangling, the House passed the Senate version of health-care reform on March 21, 2010, clearing the way for the Senate to approve a package of amendments insisted on by the lower chamber with a simple majority (using a process known as reconciliation).
The $940 billion bill requires most Americans to carry health insurance and require that insurance companies cover them, regardless of pre-existing conditions.  It establishes a national insurance exchange allowing Americans to compare and purchase insurance plans. The bill will be paid for by increasing taxes on well-off Medicare recipients and by taxing premium insurance plans. By the end of the bill’s 10-year roll-out, 32 million uninsured Americans will have health coverage and the deficit will be $138 billion lower, the Congressional Budget Office estimated. Murray, Shailagh and Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post, "House Passes Health-Care Reform Bill without Republican Votes," March 22, 2010(22)Murray, Shailagh and Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post, "House Passes Health-Care Reform Bill without Republican Votes," March 22, 2010
As a senior aide in the Clinton White House, Emanuel worked on expanding health insurance to those who didn’t have it, especially children.
He sponsored a bill to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, though Democrats couldn’t gain enough support to override a veto from President Bush.Babington, Charles, “House votes to expand insurance for kids,” Associated Press via USA Today, Sept. 26, 2007(23)Babington, Charles, “House votes to expand insurance for kids,” Associated Press via USA Today, Sept. 26, 2007 As a freshman congressman, he teamed with then-Rep. Cal Dooley (D-Calif.) to introduce a drug benefit plan under Medicare, breaking with his party’s leadership early in his Congressional tenure.Pear, Robert, “Medicare drug benefit plan is proposed by 2 Democrats,” The New York Times, April 2, 2003(24)Pear, Robert, “Medicare drug benefit plan is proposed by 2 Democrats,” The New York Times, April 2, 2003 The bill was designed to extend Medicare drug benefits to elderly and low-income people.

The Network

The 2008 Democratic primary tore Emanuel between Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y), whose husband he served as a senior aide, and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) — and Obama’s chief strategist David Axelrod, one of Emanuel’s closest friends.
Rahm,_Messina,_Schiliro,_Gibbs,_Rouse.jpgEmanuel did not endorse in the contest until after Obama had claimed a majority of pledged delegates. After years in both the Clinton White House and Chicago politics, Emanuel is also close to the family of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Other friends include Clinton White House alumnus and Obama co-transition chair John Podesta. On the Hill, he’s close to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.); he lived in the basement of the home DeLauro shares with her husband Stan Greenberg, a prominent pollster who worked in the Clinton White House.
Emanuel also has some Republican friends, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), with whom the Democrat negotiated the terms of the 2008 presidential debates. Graham praised Emanuel’s selection as White House chief of staff.
Meanwhile, one of Emanuel’s brothers, Ezekiel, is an adviser to the Office of Management and Budget, and another brother, Ari, is the model for the Hollywood agent Ari Gold on HBO’s Entourage.The National Institutes of Health and the Los Angeles Times(25)The National Institutes of Health and the Los Angeles Times

Footnotes

1.Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
2.Milbank, Dana, The Washington Post, "Why Obama Needs Rahm at the Top," Feb. 21, 2010
3.Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999
4.Pierre, Robert E., “From Front Line to Front Stoop; Clinton Ex-Aide Pounds Pavement in Bid for House Seat,” The Washington Post, March 22, 2002
5.Loson, Laura M., “White House externs; Two turns of the revolving door,” The New York Times, Feb. 3, 1999
6."Roll Call’s 50 Richest," Roll Call, Sept. 22, 2008
7.Zeleny, Jeff, “Emanuel get boost from ex-boss; Candidate raises funds at Clintons’” Chicago Tribune, June 19, 2002
8.Huse, Carl, “Clinton aide heads to House, with waves preceding him,” The New York Times, Aug. 23, 2002
9.Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
10.Easton, Nina, “Rahm Emanuel, pitbull politician,” Fortune, Sept. 25, 2006
11.Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
12.Bresnahan, John, “What does Rahm want?,” Politico, July 16, 2008 
13.Biographical and career data taken from Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition
14.Weisman, Jonathan, Bendavid, Naftali and Simpson, Cam, "Emanuel, Blagojevich aides discussed Senate seat," The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 15, 2008
15.McCormich, John, "'Congressman A': Rahm Emanuel," Chicago Tribune, April 3, 2009
16.Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
18.Bendavid, Naftali, “The House that Rahm built,” Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006
20.Tankersley, Jim, “Dogged bailout backer; Rahm Emanuel takes lead role for Democrats,” Chicago Tribune, Oct. 3, 2008  
21.Wallsten, Peter, Wall Street Journal, "Chief of Staff Draws Fire From Left as Obama Falters," Jan. 26, 2010
22.Murray, Shailagh and Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post, "House Passes Health-Care Reform Bill without Republican Votes," March 22, 2010
23.Babington, Charles, “House votes to expand insurance for kids,” Associated Press via USA Today, Sept. 26, 2007
24.Pear, Robert, “Medicare drug benefit plan is proposed by 2 Democrats,” The New York Times, April 2, 2003


Progressives’ anger grows against White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel



A remarkable thing is happening to Rahm Emanuel: he is losing his aura of invincibility.
A year ago, Emanuel was the untouchable attack dog for a president on top of the world.
Now, according to some liberal critics, he is “a cowardly, petty, small-minded thug.”
Discontent among liberal progressives against President Obama’s chief of staff has been bubbling for some time. It’s now nearing a boiling point.
And the narrative emerging from those who hate Emanuel is far different from the one that has been built up over the last few years about the political knife fighter from Chicago.
“The beltway crowd thinks of him as rough and tumble,” said a well-placed leader in the netroots community.
“Progressives see him as weak-kneed because they don’t think he’s fighting for them on anything really.”
Few in the Obama administration appeared more formidable than Emanuel did a year ago as the new president entered the White House. He was recruited out of his congressional leadership position by Obama, who wanted only Emanuel to run his White House.
He was regarded as a fearsome political force, the enforcer and implementer of the Obama agenda, as “Rahmbo.” Profiles were written conveying that though Emanuel had matured somewhat since his somewhat wilder days in the Clinton White House, he still had the edge that made him so feared by many.
The story of Emanuel in 1992, after Bill Clinton was elected president, driving a steak knife into a table and shouting, “Dead!” over and over as he named off political enemies, was told again and again.
That story is now being reinterpreted by the ascendant liberal grassroots, which has grown disillusioned with the Obama White House.
“You’re not a tough guy if your first thought upon assuming the power of the presidency is to take it and use it to punish your enemies. You’re a cowardly, petty, small-minded thug,” said Jane Hamsher, founder of Firedoglake, a liberal blog that has been one of the most vocal critics of the health-care bill.
“I’m sure Rahm spreads it around to promote the myth of himself as a rebel and a fighter, but most people experience ‘that guy’ as a brown-nose for power willing to bully on behalf of the status quo,” Hamsher said in an e-mail to the Daily Caller.
Progressives blame Emanuel for most of the compromises they most detest: deals with drug and insurance companies on health-care reform, the continuation of many Bush-era counterterrorism measures, pushing many issues most important to the gay rights community to the back burner and working closely with Wall Street to keep large firms from failing.
A senior White House official defended Emanuel in an e-mail: “He has led this administration in accomplishing a series of important progressive achievements that languished for years before President Obama was elected: expanding SCHIP, tobacco regulation, credit card reforms, banning torture, the Ledbetter Equal Pay Act.”
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the Maryland Democrat who took the reins of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from Emanuel in 2008, also defended his former House leadership colleague.
“Rahm Emanuel’s blend of policy smarts and political acumen helped Democrats win the House in 2006,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “It is important to have a seasoned hand on deck to assist the President in navigating choppy political waters.”
The White House official added: “Rahm is not an ideologue. He is a pragmatist.”
That is exactly why many on the left don’t like Rahm. They think he does not care much, if at all, for their ideological and policy goals. He is, they say, driven by one thing: power.
“People see Rahm as somebody who just wants to get something done, he’s willing to get something done at any cost,” said a senior Democratic political operative.
And progressives feel that Rahm has disrespected them and taken their support for granted.
“He comes from the Clinton school of fighting, which is scream at liberals, deal with Republicans,” said a netroots think tanker.
Most disconcerting for many on the left is their concern that Emanuel’s behavior may, in fact, be supported by the president they helped elect.
“The tough question for people like us is to what extent is he reflecting the preferences of his boss.”

enough already

Glenn Beck smears Obama's 11-year-old daughter

May 28, 2010 11:13 am ET by Simon Maloy
Glenn Beck, who repeatedly and angrily tells his alleged persecutors to "leave the families alone," spent a good chunk of his radio program this morning mocking and attacking the intelligence of President Obama's 11-year-old daughter, Malia.
Obama remarked yesterday during his press conference that Malia asked him of the Gulf oil spill: "Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?" Beck, taking off on this, mockingly affected Malia's voice, asking "Daddy" why he "hates black people so much." Then Beck attacked Malia's intelligence, saying: "That's the level of their education, that they're coming to -- they're coming to Daddy and saying, 'Daddy, did you plug the hole yet?' "
This routine continued for several minutes, as Beck and his co-hosts touched on a variety of topics and laughed the entire time, all of it at the expense of an 11-year-old girl.

UPDATE: Glenn Beck apologizes:
In discussing how President Obama uses children to shield himself from criticism, I broke my own rule about leaving kids out of political debates. The children of public figures should be left on the sidelines. It was a stupid mistake and I apologize--and as a dad I should have known better.
Transcript below the jump:
BECK: (imitating Malia) Daddy? Daddy? Daddy, did you plug the hole yet? Daddy?
PAT GRAY (co-host): (imitating Obama) No I didn't, honey.
BECK: (imitating Malia) Daddy, I know you're better than [unintelligible]
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Mm-hmm, big country.
BECK: (imitating Malia) And I was wondering if you've plugged that hole yet.
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Honey, not yet.
BECK: (imitating Malia) Why not, daddy? But daddy--
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Not time yet, honey. Hasn't done enough damage.
BECK: (imitating Malia) Daddy?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Not enough damage yet, honey.
BECK: (imitating Malia) Daddy?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Yeah?
BECK: (imitating Malia) Why do you hate black people so much?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) I'm part white, honey.
BECK: (imitating Malia) What?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) What?
BECK: (imitating Malia) What'd you say?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Excuse me?
BECK: (laughing) This is such a ridiculous -- this is such a ridiculous thing that his daughter-- (imitating Malia) Daddy?
GRAY: It's so stupid.
BECK: How old is his daughter? Like, thirteen?
GRAY: Well, one of them's, I think, thirteen, one's eleven, or something.
BECK: "Did you plug the hole yet, daddy?" Is that's their -- that's the level of their education, that they're coming to -- they're coming to daddy and saying 'Daddy, did you plug the hole yet?' " Plug the hole!
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Yes, I was doing some deep-sea diving yesterday, and--
BECK: (imitating Malia) Daddy?
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Yeah, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I was doing--
BECK: (imitating Malia) Why--
GRAY: (imitating Obama) Yeah, honey, I'm--
BECK (imitating Malia) Why, why, why, why, do you still let the polar bears die? Daddy, why do you still let Sarah Palin destroy the environment? Why are -- Daddy, why don't you just put her in some sort of a camp








Hannity Guest Compares Obama Administration Policies To Nazism (VIDEO)

First Posted: 08-24-09 11:36 PM   |   Updated: 09-24-09 05:12 AM
A guest on Sean Hannity's show on Monday night compared Obama administration policies to Nazism.
Ironically, disabled Marine veteran David Hedrick, who attended a town hall held by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), was on the show to discuss his anger that the congressman compared unruly town hall protesters to "brown shirts"
So, Hedrick threw out his own charge against the White House, despite the fact that the administration itself has not used such language to describe protesters:
"National Socialism is very much what we see today in this administration, it's a policy almost line for line. It's the same economic policy, it's the same political policy. And so if they want to talk about Nazis, they better be careful about that conversation because they might find that the swastika is on their own arm."
Hannity responded, "OK," and continued to ask Hedrick about his experience at the town hall, where the veteran claims that Baird refused to apologize to him.
WATCH:

 

 

okay, if bush could get phil donahue fired for opposing the iraq war, and dan rather fired for questioning his air national guard record and ted kopple fired for wanting to name the dead in the iraq war, why can't we, as liberals get rush limbaugh, glenn beck and sean hannity muzzled?  

 

Phil Donahue on his 2003 MSNBC firing: "We had to have two conservatives on for every liberal. I was counted as two liberals." October 29, 2004 12:36 pm ET On the October 28 edition of FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes, veteran talk show host Phil Donahue remarked on being fired from MSNBC in February 2003. As The New York Times reported at the time, when Donahue's MSNBC show, Donahue, was cancelled, "he was actually attracting more viewers than any other show on MSNBC." SEAN HANNITY (co-host): What happened at MSNBC? DONAHUE: Well, we were the only antiwar voice that had a show, and that, I think, made them very nervous. I mean, from the top down, they were just terrified. We had to have two conservatives on for every liberal. I was counted as two liberals. HANNITY: You have the force of two liberals. DONAHUE: I mean, you know, it's a shame, you know? Now, we were replaced by Michael Savage, and now they have Chuck [sic: Joe] Scarborough. And by the way, I wish them all well. A lot of the people who worked for me, incidentally, a wonderful crowd of very young, bright people who worked for me, some of whom have now matriculated to other programs on MSNBC. So I want them to do well, but I certainly wasn't -- it was a very, very unhappy time for me. HANNITY: You felt mistreated? You felt mistreated? DONAHUE: Well, we were very -- I was isolated, and we were very alone at the end. And then we had nobody supporting us, and our numbers were very decent. We weren't Elvis, but we were often the best number -- HANNITY: You were the highest-rated show on the network. DONAHUE: Yes. And we were told to leave. — Copyright © 2009 Media Matters for America. All rights reserved.

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2004

Dan Rather Statement On Memos

Newsman No Longer Has Confidence In Authenticity Of Bush Guard Documents

(CBS)  Below is the text of CBS News Anchor Dan Rather's statement on the documents purportedly written by President Bush's National Guard commander: Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a "60 Minutes Wednesday" story about President Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question-and their source-vigorously. And we promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome. Now, after extensive additional interviews, I no longer have the confidence in these documents that would allow us to continue vouching for them journalistically. I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers. That, combined with some of the questions that have been raised in public and in the press, leads me to a point where-if I knew then what I know now-I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question. But we did use the documents. We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism. Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully. ©MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Sinclair Broadcast Group refuses to broadcast Nightline episode on fallen soldiers

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On Friday, April 30, 2004, ABC News extended Ted Koppel's 'Nightline' program to 40 minutes to air The Fallen, during which Koppel read the names of "more than 700 U.S. servicemen and women killed in action" in Operation Iraqi Freedom. [1] The following is an overview regarding the media control which was exercised by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. in boycotting the airing of Koppel's The Fallen on its affiliates.

Contents

[hide]

The Controversy: Nightline's The Fallen

  • "ABC newsman Ted Koppel's plan to devote [the Friday, April 30th] 'Nightline' to reading the names of the more than 700 U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq has stirred anger and praise, and prompted one media company to bar its stations from airing the program.

"Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group said Thursday that the unique program is politically motivated and ordered its seven ABC affiliates ... not to air it." Hartford Courant, April 29, 2004.

"The ABC Television Network announced on Tuesday that the Friday, April 30 edition of 'Nightline' will consist entirely of Ted Koppel reading aloud the names of U.S. servicemen and women killed in action in Iraq. Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq.

"There is no organization that holds the members of our military and those soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in service of our country in higher regard than Sinclair Broadcast Group. While Sinclair would support an honest effort to honor the memory of these brave soldiers, we do not believe that is what 'Nightline' is doing. Rather, Mr. Koppel and 'Nightline' are hiding behind this so-called tribute in an effort to highlight only one aspect of the war effort and in doing so to influence public opinion against the military action in Iraq. Based on published reports, we are aware of the spouse of one soldier who died in Iraq who opposes the reading of her husband's name to oppose our military action. We suspect she is not alone in this viewpoint. As a result, we have decided to preempt the broadcast of 'Nightline' this Friday on each of our stations which air ABC programming.

"We understand that our decision in this matter may be questioned by some. Before you judge our decision, however, we would ask that you first question Mr. Koppel as to why he chose to read the names of 523 troops killed in combat in Iraq, rather than the names of the thousands of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks since and including the events of September 11, 2001. In his answer, we believe you will find the real motivation behind his action scheduled for this Friday. Unfortunately, we may never know for sure because Mr. Koppel has refused repeated requests from Sinclair's News Central news organization to comment on this Friday's program."

"We respectfully disagree with Sinclair's decision to pre-empt Nightline's tribute to America's fallen soldiers which will air this Friday, April 30. The Nightline broadcast is an expression of respect which simply seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country. ABC News is dedicated to thoughtful and balanced coverage and reports on the events shaping our world with neither fear nor favor -- as our audience expects, deserves, and rightly demands. Contrary to the statement issued by Sinclair, which takes issue with our level of coverage of the effects of terrorism on our citizens, ABC News and all of our broadcasts, including 'Nightline', have reported hundreds of stories on 9-11. Indeed, on the first anniversary of 9-11, ABC News broadcast the names of the victims of that horrific attack. In sum, we are particularly proud of the journalism and award winning coverage ABC News has produced since September 11, 2001. ABC News will continue to report on all facets of the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism in a manner consistent with the standards which ABC News has set for decades."

  • The list of the names of the "servicemen and women who will be honored on Friday's 'Nightline' ... organized alphabetically by state and includes those whose names have been released by the Pentagon since March 19, 2003. Names released between now and Friday April 30, will be added to the broadcast." Also "'Nightline' reading list of fallen troops," Chicago Sun-Times, April 30, 2004.



Blatant Partisan Politics

"LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Times reports that a broadcast group has ordered its TV stations around the country to air an anti-John Kerry film days before the election."

"Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or programs content for stations in 62 markets, including several swing states."

"The Times says it has ordered stations to run "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." The documentary features former P-O-Ws blaming Kerry's anti-Vietnam War efforts for prolonging their plight."

"Sinclair gained attention in April when it refused to air a "Nightline" segment on seven stations. In the segment, Ted Koppel read the names of U-S soldiers killed in Iraq. Sinclair called it a political statement disguised as news." Broadcast group to air anti-Kerry film on eve of election

BBC News - 11 October 2004 - Anti-Kerry film ignites new row:

"The Sinclair TV Group, whose executives have given tens of thousands of dollars to President George W Bush's re-election campaign, have revealed plans to show the film later this month, followed by a panel discussion to which they say Senator Kerry will be invited."


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November 12, 2005

NPR's Scott Simon talks with Ted Koppel, who, after more than 25 years hosting ABC's Nightline, is leaving the anchor chair -- and ABC News.

Copyright © 2005 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

SCOTT SIMON, host:

The end of "Nightline" as we now know it is approaching. Ted Koppel will host his last broadcast of the show on November 22nd and will step down from the program he helped invent more than 25 years ago.

(Soundbite of "ABC News Nightline")

Announcer: This is "ABC News Nightline." Reporting from Washington, Ted Koppel.

Mr. TED KOPPEL (Host): Good evening. This is a new broadcast in the sense that it is permanent and will continue after the Iran crisis is over.

SIMON: Since its beginning, Ted Koppel has won scores of the most prestigious awards in broadcasting and delayed bedtime for millions of Americans who've come to consider "Nightline" to be a kind of national stage and town hall, shedding light and often striking sparks with Mr. Koppel's signature interviews and what can only be called his moral authority. He's been both gracious and pugnacious, sympathetic and exacting, friendly but unflappable and sometimes unforgiving.

(Soundbite of "Nightline")

Mr. KOPPEL: I understand.

Unidentified Man: Well, let me just speak...

Mr. KOPPEL: I understand the rationale.

Mr. GEORGE BUSH (Former Vice President): ...what I think I'm entitled--but you just don't like my answer.

Mr. KOPPEL: No, what I'm saying is I find your answer to the question...

Mr. BUSH: You ask the question, but you don't like the answer. What do you want me to say?

Mr. KOPPEL: I find the answer inconsistent with the evidence, is what I'm saying.

Mr. BUSH: Well, that's your opinion. Dan, I'll take all the credit, all the blame for that if you...

Mr. KOPPEL: No, Dan--Dan--Dan's the other--Dan's the other fella.

Mr. BUSH: I mean Ted.

SIMON: That's then Vice President George Bush getting Koppelted over the Iran-Contra affair. We sat down with Ted Koppel over at ABC this week. He remembered that in November of 1979 when he was first called in to host a late-night news special about the taking of US hostages at the embassy in Tehran, he thought the story just wouldn't last.

Mr. KOPPEL: I didn't for two reasons. The selfish one was that it was a Sunday morning and I really didn't want to go in to work. The more cerebral answer was that there had been a similar incident just a few months previous and the then US ambassador had come out, had spoken to the students and they had given up after just a couple of hours. And I said, `This thing isn't going to last and it'll be over in a matter of hours.' And they said, `Well, come in anyway.' So I did, and it wasn't, and that was the beginning of "Nightline."

SIMON: How much did the technology that was just coming into use then contribute to making a show that was lively and could be topical and where you could actually have people talk to each other directly?

Mr. KOPPEL: Huge, because we discovered, more by accident than anything else, that it was possible to have one person sitting in Tehran and another in Moscow and another in Washington and since they could all hear each other, it simply remained for me, as the host of the tea party, to say, `Well, foreign minister, why don't you respond to what the defense minister here just said?' And before you knew it, you had people, who under normal circumstances wouldn't talk to each other, engaging in the most extraordinary free-wheeling conversations. We had Iranians talking to Iraqis during the Iran-Iraq War. We had Israelis talking to Palestinians. We had Irish Protestants talking to Irish Catholics. And we were able to maintain the mythology that they weren't really talking to each other because they were talking through me.

(Soundbite of "Nightline")

Mr. KOPPEL: And it perhaps symbolic of the delicacy with which the negotiations proceeded just to bring this panel together and to bring this audience together, but it has been suggested to me that we need a symbolic divider between our Israeli guests on the one hand and our Palestinian guests on the other. I must tell you that it has been so difficult to arrange this broadcast that that was one small price that we were prepared to pay. So here it is. I will try and spend as much time on one side as on the other. Let me, in fact, as I move across our fence right now, let me go immediately to one of our panelists and I'm going to be introducing...

(End of soundbite)

Mr. KOPPEL: And it would be `Well, Ted,' and then the other guy would come back. And as long as you said, `Well, Ted,' before he gave his response they weren't really talking to each other.

SIMON: Your first interview with Nelson Mandela, what was that like?

Mr. KOPPEL: Well, it was--I wasn't alone. I mean, Dan Rather was there, and I forget who the hell was there for NBC, but there were a lot of--you know, there were a lot of people there and we were all, in effect, as smoothly as possible trying to elbow each other out of the way to get the first interview. I mean, it didn't really make any difference. We all got it for our programs that night.

(Soundbite of "Nightline")

Mr. KOPPEL: Take me back to Robben Island for a moment. Explain--pretend for a moment that one of your grandchildren is here. To someone who has no idea what Robin Island was like. Do you remember the first day or the first night when you were taken there?

Mr. NELSON MANDELA (Nobel Prize Recipient): Oh, yes. I was at the back with another comrade and there were two others in front. And they were very harsh. And then I whispered to my colleagues that, `Look, we must fight right from the beginning. They must know what type of men we are right from the beginning.'

(End of soundbite)

Mr. KOPPEL: You know, it's rare--I don't know about you but over the years I tend to--I tend to become--Lily Tomlin has a wonderful line. She says `No matter how cynical I get, I can never keep up.' And I tend to feel that way about most public figures that I have met. Very few of them live up to the expectations. Nelson Mandela did...

SIMON: Yeah.

Mr. KOPPEL: ...and does.

SIMON: Do you think the growth of the show and the way with--among a great many Americans it seemed to be a way of announcing that an issue was important, is something you've been able to take advantage of and move the viewing public along, issues that you've taken on?

Mr. KOPPEL: I don't think so. I'm afraid there is just too much of us, Scott, too much media. I sometimes think we have become so obsessed with the means of communication that have been developed that we have lost all contact with the message that is being conveyed. And part of the problem is that because, at least at our end of the microphone in commercial broadcasting, we have to worry about selling product. More emphasis is placed now on trying to tailor the news and tailor the stories that we cover to the perceived interests of our favored commercial customers rather than newsmen and women doing what I've always believed we should do and that is tell people what is important, try to make it as interesting as we possibly can, but focus on the importance of the issues rather than focusing simply on what it is they think they want to hear and see.

SIMON: Is there some lesson in "Nightline," though, that you can do an outstanding program and tens of millions of Americans will watch it? And somebody ought to be able to make a lot of money doing that.

Mr. KOPPEL: Yeah, and--look, let's face it. Over the years first Paramount and then Cap Cities and more recently Disney has made quite literally hundreds of millions of dollars, and they have compensated me handsomely for being in some small measure responsible for their making all that money. And it is only fair--and I have no complaint with the system, it has served me very, very well--that as we make less money and as I made more money over the years with each passing contract, that my importance to the company diminished rather than rose. In other words, I cost more, I'm bringing in less, therefore, it's time to bring in a new group who cost less and who, one will hope, bring in more of an audience and, therefore, more money.

SIMON: Just this, bluntly, what are your feelings toward ABC at this point?

Mr. KOPPEL: Wonderful.

SIMON: Mm-hmm.

Mr. KOPPEL: I've had--I've had a--look, I was 23 when I came here. I'm 65 now and it's been a joy. I cannot imagine any other profession that would have given me as much satisfaction, as much pleasure and as much comfort in the final analysis as this one has, and that's been ABC. I joined ABC when ABC was fifth in a three-network race and lived to see the day Peter--Peter Jennings and I, you know, dreamed when we were in our early 20s that we would somehow be party to making ABC a network that would rival NBC and CBS. And we did, and that's a source of great, great pleasure.

SIMON: Ted Koppel, thanks very much.

Mr. KOPPEL: Thank you.

SIMON: Ted Koppel will host his last "Nightline" on November 22nd. "Nightline" will continue with new anchors and a new format. Ted Koppel will keep on going, too.

(Soundbite of "Nightline")

Mr. KOPPEL: That's our report for tonight. For all of us...

Here at ABC News...

This is Ted Koppel in Mogadishu...

Lipowalk(ph)...

Wilmington, Delaware...

Moscow.

We'll be back in Washington next week.

I'm Ted Koppel in Ramallah. For all of us here at ABC News, good night.

(Soundbite of "Nightline" theme)

SIMON: This is WEEKEND EDITION. I'm Scott Simon.