Please, President-Elect Biden, just say no to Rham Emanuel

[OrlandoDem2]

I cannot imagine that he should be anywhere close to a cabinet Secretary position.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-chicago-rahm-emanuel-biden-cabinet-20201114-k3sdltxozjbmjeby6mkoeic67u-story.html%3foutputType=amp


When former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s name quickly surfaced as a possible transportation secretary in a Joe Biden administration, it came as little surprise to those in the political-media ecosystem.
If the longtime Beltway insider didn’t float his own name for a Cabinet spot, he has plenty of friends up to the task. Soon to turn 61 and out of power since abruptly pulling the plug on a bid for a third mayoral term 26 months ago, the TV pundit, investment banker and informal Biden adviser could be looking for a fourth act on the national stage in his third White House.

[cilla4progress]

1. I agree -

what is their fascination with him? He did Obama badly, I thought - terrible advice on ACA! Wasn't he responsible for taking the public option off the table?

Now his brother, Ezekiel, the doctor / medical expert. He's a good one, imho.

[Autumn]

14. No he was not. The public option was dropped by Senate Dems to appease

the conservative Democrats in the House, mainly Lieberman, who opposed the public option is what what given at the time. Majority Leader Tom Daschle wrote in his book that it was taken off in an agreement with hospitals and insurance companies. They wanted to keep the stakeholders happy and that was the price some thought they had to pay.

[unc70]

21. Non of the Emanuel brothers should be trusted

[Autumn]

24. Doesn't change the fact that he was not responsible for dropping the public option.

[kirby]

46. Blame Max Baucus

[Autumn]

53. He was definitely one of them.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Let's not start second-guessing Biden before he's even sworn in.

I'm not a fan of Emanuel either, but if Biden does appoint him he probably has good reasons. https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214564673

[Hekate]

7. The second-guessing got old the day it started, imho

Have any of these folks noticed what Trump did yesterday? Or what he’s doing today? Jesus, he’s still potus. Or are they too fixated on potential Biden appointments — or maybe getting rid of the best Speaker of the House in history for someone younger?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. I guess some people aren't happy unless they're unhappy.

[Hortensis]

11. Exactly. I had a lessened opinion of Biden himself for years,

but given Obama's regard I realized I didn't know all I should. I trusted Obama more than I cared to be a useful idiot for hostile MSM. And I similarly trust Biden to make his decisions.

[lagomorph777]

3. Yeah, no thanks. He'll survive without another Government job.

[bdtrppr6]

4. if Biden screws up with his cabinet picks,

i'll be hard pressed to vote for him again. Some of the names being floated around are 100% deal breakers. Kasich? Any Repuke at all? Screw that. This is all due to Joe having been in Senate for almost my entire lifetime. He wants to play nice, keep his "friends" but there won't be a return on that. The pukes will just do the same BS they always do.

Don't fuck this up, Joe!

[Cuthbert Allgood]

6. Putting a Republican in a cabinet position is complete bullshit.

Come together as a nation? Sure. Cool cool cool.

NO Republican President will EVER put a Dem in a Cabinet position. There is no reason to do it now.

[Jose Garcia]

41. Bush appointed Norm Mineta to his cabinet

[Hekate]

9. Awwwww, I'm very impressed. Trump is still potus, Joe hasn't been sworn in yet...

...and you are staring at a future where you won’t vote for a Democratic president.

That’s some cool prognostication there.

[LakeArenal]

13. Isn't there a rule declaring such on DU?

Don’t say you won’t vote for a Democrat?

[Hekate]

26. Well spotted

[Turin_C3PO]

12. If you don't

vote for Biden in 2024 then you’re just as responsible as the MAGATs in potentially electing another fascist. Nobody that Biden chooses will be even close to as bad as a cabinet Trump or another fascist would pick.

[OrlandoDem2]

17. I could tolerate a Republican depending on whom and what post because

at least I expect a Republican to do, say, and believe certain things. Emanuel is a wolf in Democrat’s clothes. Total shyster. Can’t stand the man.

[LakeArenal]

29. Exactly. I did take a Nicole Wallace or even Steve Schmidt

Before a Rahm.

Republican in the Cabinet doesn’t necessarily mean one currently in office.

[joshcryer]

18. ...and so it begins.

4 years of this I expect.

[PSPS]

25. So, we can mark you down for a vote for trump in 2024. MAGA lives !!111!!!!

[Hotler]

54. +1 nt

[Laelth]

5. No, thank you.

Rahm would call me a goo-goo, i.e. someone who fights for and believes in “good government.” I have little regard for people who act as if good government is a bad thing.

-Laelth

[TDale313]

8. Just... no. Please no. n/t

[lunasun]

15. Connected to police cover up in Laquan McDonald shooting for +1 year

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration Wednesday afternoon released thousands of pages of long-hidden records from the city's investigation of an alleged cover-up for Jason Van Dyke, the officer sent to prison for killing Laquan McDonald in 2014.

The records consist of reports from Inspector General Joseph Ferguson recommending discipline for 16 officers based on his office's 2016-2017 probe into the police department's handling of the shooting, recorded by a now-infamous dashcam video hidden from the public for more than a year by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration.

The release also includes scores of documents that accompanied Ferguson's reports, largely fulfilling a Lightfoot campaign promise to release "all the attachments and the evidence" for the reports.

https://www.npr.org/local/309/2019/10/10/768890035/lightfoot-releases-records-on-police-cover-up-for-officer-who-killed-laquan-mc-donald

[stillcool]

16. I hate shit-stirrers

but it's always good to see who's who.

[Hekate]

35. Ain't it grand?

[stillcool]

40. I left here after Obama was elected...

the incessant barrage of criticism over nonsense, made me miserable. Couldn't figure it out back then, and surely can't now.

[Hekate]

42. I spent nearly the entire 8 years holed up in the BOG with a few trusty friends...

People were trashing the best president of our lifetimes hourly. “Spelunking” was somebody’s clever word for “caving in,” and of course he threw one group after another under the bus...

I’m glad to see you came back.

[mcar]

19. Who surfaced his name?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Probably Blagojevich, another questionable politician, maybe seeking work.

Just kidding. I have no idea.

[PatSeg]

20. I don't expect to like everyone Joe picks

I didn't like all of Obama's choices and a lot of people here didn't as well. But I do respect Joe and trust him in his decision making, even if I might not always agree.

Meanwhile, as others have said, he isn't President yet, so we shouldn't be getting ahead of ourselves. There are plenty of problems with the current president. There'll be time enough for handwringing over Biden's picks come next year.

[Progressive dog]

22. I'm fine with whoever Biden wants

at whichever position he wants them. Biden will have enough trouble getting anyone confirmed with Moscow Mitch still running the senate, he doesn't need his supporters trying to veto picks before they happen.

[mopinko]

27. disagree. he needs an assassin.

he needs someone who can send ppl dead fish, and doesnt need to include a note.
(rahm actually does this.)

[OrlandoDem2]

31. Then he needs to stay away from any office where he will piss off major constituencies

I a teacher and I am still VERY angry at Obama for Arne Duncan. Many of us are in fact.

[mopinko]

36. yeah, well, i loved arne.

i thought that teacher's hatred of him was pretty misguided.
but mebbe that's cuz i am the mom of 5 crazy geniuses. went through every part of the chicago school system.
they like to pretend that when they fail, they leave a kid at zero.
no, when they really fail, kids kill themselves. either quickly or slowly.

he may not have been a teacher, but he was raised in a school.
i homeschooled for 8 yrs. ppl like to rail that us parents are unaccountable. but guess what? my students are gonna pick my nursing home.
cps teachers, not so much. principles, either.
he knew what mattered. and he tried to make it happen.

[OrlandoDem2]

39. Fine and well, but it's time we get an actual advocate FOR traditional public schools.

After 8 years of Arne, 4 years of Devos, and all the others under the Bush admin, it’s time we get someone who understands and advocates for schools where the majority of kids go (like mine) and the majority of teachers teach. It’s our turn for once to have a voice.

[mopinko]

44. it's time we had someone who insisted that all kids are entitled to an appropriate education.

kids at the bottom get whatever they need.
kids at the top get shit.

[mopinko]

45. not surprised to see a teacher who cares about teachers,

but not kids.
met almost nothing but that as a parent.

[OrlandoDem2]

49. Excuse me? Did you not read? I explicitly stated I want someone who understands

schools where a majority of kids like mine go. How hard is they for you to understand? We haven’t had that kind of school leader in decades.

And you don’t put students first by putting teachers last.

I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience but that is not the case for the majority who have had good experiences with their kids’ hard working teachers.

But let’s go ahead and piss off more teachers, a core Democratic constituency.

[mopinko]

52. you explicitly said you didnt like duncan.

and i said, as a parent, i did.

i piss off teachers frequently. in fact, i lost the 2nd election i ever stood for by pissing off teachers talking about charter schools to a nun whose catholic high school was turned into a much needed spanish immersion school.
i was on the board of my local dem party, served 3 terms, but for the first time we had more candidates than seats.
the room happened to be packed w teachers because of our guest speaker that night. one guy picked a fight w me, and i argued calmly until he said- well, who told you your kid was gifted?
i ran out of fucks right there.

and i was the one who got voted off the island. i found it hilarious.

in chicago, ppl have long sent their kids to catholic schools because of the things that happened to children of color in the cps system.
a lot of those things are literal crimes.

till teachers get a grip on bad teachers, they'll get little sympathy from me.

[demmiblue]

57. +1

[Hekate]

28. Joe just added 27 union leaders to his transition team. Thoughts?

[OrlandoDem2]

30. Excellent. But Rham has major baggage.

[Hekate]

32. Yeah, he's a tough SOB. Wouldn't you like Mr Nice-Guy to have someone like that...

....having his back? I would.

[OrlandoDem2]

33. I could go along only if he's nowhere near any office that would piss off major Democratic

constituencies.

I’m still extremely angry at Obama for Arne Duncan.

Rham should have nothing to do with Wall Street, health care, education, environment, etc. Really, the type of person you’re talking about is Chief of Staff.

And now I’m reading of a cover up he was involved with. I have no idea about that but it should be vetted.

[Hekate]

34. Okay, you can stay mad at Obama forever. The rest of us are still crushed by Trump.

[StarfishSaver]

47. Isn't interesting that people complain that Democrats need to stop being so nice and start being

take-no-prisoner assholes. But then they complain about a potential cabinet member because he's a take-no-prisoners asshole.

[Hekate]

48. It is a puzzlement, indeed

[tritsofme]

37. His name is Rahm. Are you intentionally mis-spelling his name as some sort childish school yard

insult?

I for one, hope he is willing to serve in the Biden White House if asked, he would be a great asset.

[OrlandoDem2]

38. No.

[Raine]

43. UGH, just say NO to him ... PLEASE! 👎 nt

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

50. Emanuel will fracture unity among Democrats.

The Democratic party desperately needs to remain united. The drive to beat Trump reunited the Democratic party

Pretty much everyone to the left of Joe Manchin despises Rahm Emanuel. Choosing Emanuel for anything but dog catcher will be counterproductive. It will be destructive.

[UncleNoel]

51. Totally agree! Keep him far away fromthe admin as possible.

[treestar]

55. Not this crap again

And who cares if he is Secretary of Transportation.

[dsc]

56. I was disappointed he wasn't fired by Obama when he called people the r word

that should have gotten him fired. And he is still unfit in my eyes for having done it.