Rahm Emanuel: "liberal wing cannot be allowed" to shape the agenda

[Leopolds Ghost]

WaPo:

In private talks before the election, Emanuel and other top Democrats told their members they cannot allow the party's liberal wing to dominate the agenda next year. Democrats will hold 30 or 35 seats that went for Bush in the past, meaning that Democratic candidates such as Brad Ellsworth in rural Indiana are likely to face competitive races again in 2008. Still, their interests are likely to collide with those of veteran liberals such as Reps. Henry A. Waxman (Calif.) and John Conyers Jr., (Mich.), who will chair committees.

(snip) ----

DINOs are "the future of the party" in a "nation that leans to the right"

The complexion of the Democratic presence in Congress will change as well. Party politics will be shaped by the resurgence of "Blue Dog" Democrats, who come mainly from the South and from rural districts in the Midwest and often vote like Republicans. Top Democrats such as Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) see these middle-of-the-road lawmakers as the future of the party in a nation that leans slightly right of center.

Dems must "partner" with Bush, "govern from the middle"

The collapse of one-party rule in Washington will transform Bush's final two years in office and challenge Democrats to make the leap from angry opposition to partners in power.

(snip) ----

"We have learned from watching the Republicans -- they would not allow moderates a voice in their party," Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in an interview as he waited to see if Democrats would take control of the upper chamber as well. "We must work from the middle."

[dorktv]

1. Someone slap him.

[populistdriven]

8. Is this thread title accurate? where did he say shape?

[PassingFair]

2. Like Harold Ford?

Big Raspberry to Rahm Emanuel.

Screw him, and his little dog, Chuck Schumer, too.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. look, you SOB. Your plan failed. Dean's won. Your

centrist, DLC crap almost lost our nation's soul. Dean went for the whole country.
Your effort to turn us into GOP-Lite almost killed our chances. Dean saw through that crap.

So, Rahm, no matter how many support you here, I give you a huge
F U K E - Y O U !

[Moochy]

48. 50 State Strategy for teh win!

Did anyone notice them crossing paths on MSNBC or CNN last night? I think Matthews or Blitzer (cant remember which) made a comment about it being good that they (Dean & Emmanuel) were talking.

I don't think there is any love lost between Dean and Emmanuel.

[populistdriven]

4. depends on what he means by dominate - I'm happy so long as there is power sharing of agenda

[deadparrot]

5. Let him talk.

Time will tell.

[readmoreoften]

6. We cannot let this happen. We will not let this happen. We're taking the party back.

I swear to god, if these fuckers run on a right-wing platform, rubber stamping all Bush's nominees, and posturing with ridulous anti-terror legislation the likes of the John Warner Act, I will consider it traitorous to the party. Period.

[PassingFair]

11. We'll be LUCKY if that's ALL they'll do.

These crazy *uckers will take us to WAR
with Iran.

See if they DON'T.

Crowbar them OUT NOW!

[readmoreoften]

31. Let us remember that the neo-cons have publicly stated that they'll work with Dems.

Let's make sure that they never do. That would, literally, be the worst loss of all. I'm not saying they get up on the floor and scream impeachment. I'm saying that they must not become neo-cons. No war last, no racketeering, no torture bills, no theocracy. None of this shit. I'll have none of it.

[blm]

14. I agree 100% - this is a shove at the ENTIRE left by the coverup wing of the party.

This is all directed AGAINST those who would investigate and expose the real corruption the American people want exposed.

[populistdriven]

28. Rahm didn't say "shape" - need link to vet this

[Leopolds Ghost]

37. Link: Washington Post on msnbc

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15618058/page/2/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15618058/

I have another, far more detailed Post article which
I've been saving till after the election.

It describes how Pelosi plans to keep her "liberal,
many of whom are African American" chairmen "in line".

Lots of mealy mouthed words imbetween, of course,
to soften the impact of the Post's reporting.

I will dig it up from October and post it here on DU.

[populistdriven]

43. Can By Peter Baker and Jim VandeHei with Wash Post be trusted because those were their words

They didn't quote Rahm as saying that directly. Either way Rahm is going to have a fight like no other because he gave Howard Dean so much crap before the election.

[Leopolds Ghost]

58. I don't think rank and file Post reporters are conservative enough to interpolate

They are conservative democrats, to be sure

(Lieberman Dems, like the folks at New Republic -- socially liberal
and economically right-wing, in keeping with the values of the wealthy
neighborhoods in which many of them live) But I've met Post journalists
and they are by and large well-meaning folks.

They would not interpolate statements like these
unless asked to do so.

This is how you quote someone "on background". No quote marks,
just paraphrase.

The DLC Dems are trying to send a signal thru the media.

The headline writers, on the other hand, are yellow journalists
whose decisions on wording are influenced by the editors.

If you like, I'll soon dig up the article where the Blue Dogs
state explicitly that they have been promised by Pelosi, that
"liberal chairmen" will be kept in check, and essentially the
Blue Dogs are complain that there are too many African Americans
in chair positions, if you read that article.

[me b zola]

55. I've come to this conclusion:

Republicans publicly respect their base and give them a chunk of what they want for legislation because the republicans created, and there-for control their base.

The "powers that be" (or whom/whatever has taken over) in the Democratic Party cannot control their base but desperately want to. We are people driven, it is the very soul of the Democratic Party to place respect, value, and importance on people rather than big-daddy, but some of those who are in leadership roles don't share the values of their base.

Pushing the party to the right is rather like herding sheep. At some point you gain control of the herd and then can make them go where ever you would like. It's all about power, and powerful "bosses" need to have "control" over their herd to accomplish their goals.


I hope I'm not overly rambling. Bottom line is our system of government works when the power is in the people's hands, not big-daddy's hands. Rahm & a few others do not represent the people or what is in our best interest.

[blm]

72. Exactly - respect the voters as citizens and share the truth with them - inform them

I am sick of "personality Dems" using that force to MANIPULATE the voters instead of telling them the truth, as CITIZENS, opening the books, and let the facts help inform responsible decisionmaking.

[American Jesus]

7. How did I know these DLC slime would pull this shit?

This victory belongs to HOWARD DEAN and the REAL Democrats. Not you corporatist shills.

And change your last name. Emmanuel is MY name, and you are not worthy of it!

[populistdriven]

13. read the post not the title, its misleading - he calls for no "domination" of agenda

not "shaping"

[Leopolds Ghost]

27. When a strong liberal or a strong woman or a strong African American

is allowed to make an impact, they are always described as trying to "dominate the agenda".

Not to mention "exploit people's sympathies in order to dominate the conversation"

I have seen it in the far left of the anti-war movement here in my city -- NEVER MIND in the mainstream of the Blue Dog Democratic party where a few leaders like Webb are honest enough to admit that no white guy in office from the South or Midwest can honestly claim they didn't used to use the word "n---er" (what Webb said -- and he's right)

Northern upper middle class Democrats rely on class and passive-agressive arguments like these ("dominate the agenda" "dominate the discussion" and "You've had your say - as an oppressed minority, we have gone out of our way to make it possible for you to speak. Now you have to listen to those who are entitled to speak."

[readmoreoften]

33. Nail on the head. /nt

[populistdriven]

34. Yes, no one should 'dominate the agenda' especially the DLC!

[MissWaverly]

9. Nice Try Rahm, but it was the netroots who saved the day

we did not give up, we did not give in, we supported Howard Dean and we want progress, if
we had wanted rightwing conservative agenda, we would have voted Republican.

:-)

[mod mom]

10. He sure was quick to take credit for Dean's successful 50 state strategy, which

as I recall, he vehemently opposed and attempted to undermine.

Rahm seems like a fast talking car salesman trying to boost the DLC at the expense of the courageous leaders like Conyers, Feingold, Boxer and others who were the true instigators of mass change.

[theoldman]

12. What is wrong with leaning slightly to the Left?

I think this was Clinton's position and it worked well for him. You may get some independents to lean to the right but not very many Democrats.

[porphyrian]

15. The nation doesn't lean to the right, asshole. - n/t

[populistdriven]

46. I heard KKKarl Rove say exactly that same bullshit. But that is reporters words not Rahm.

see post 43 - how do we know these MSM assholes arent lying?

[Moochy]

49. Rahm and Rove share a common ground

They both hate liberals.

[populistdriven]

54. well then this country is doomed to turn into an authoritarian democracy like singapore or worse

there is no way in hell us progressive democrats will put up with no power sharing from DLC, we will end up not voting or worse

[PassingFair]

16. Link? n/t

Before I BLOW-UP! Please...!

[populistdriven]

20. Yes, Please! Lets not be too quick to fall for possible misquotes.

I see nowhere in the post where he says "shape".

And I agree no part of us should "dominate". Power must be shared.

[Leopolds Ghost]

47. Link: (it is all quoted "on background", not a direct quote. they're not that stupid)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15618058/page/2/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15618058/

I have a far more detailed Washington Post article
from October that discusses how Pelosi plans to keep her

"liberal chairmen in line"

and prevent hearings from getting out of control.

Oh yeah, and on Meet the Press last sunday both Schumer
and Rahm reiterated and EXTENDED Pelosi's pledge.

They said there would be oversight hearings,
but "they would absolutely not lead to impeachment
and that's a promise."

[mod mom]

17. Pls leave comments on his brother's blog @ Huff Po:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-emanuel/postelection-takeaway_b_33627.html

[sandnsea]

18. Why Wyoming is important

And why they're ignoring it. Rahm doesn't want the country to know a left of center Dem is 30 votes away from triggering an automatic recount in Cheney's Wyoming.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/8/205247/707

[Leopolds Ghost]

62. When you say "30 votes away"... does he have a chance? n/t

[sandnsea]

75. I don't know

I didn't watch the up and down of the ballots coming in. I'm not familiar with Wyoming and don't know the peculiarities like I do Montana. I really don't know if he has a chance. I know it's a damned close race, and it shouldn't have been. We should be screaming about this at the top of our lungs. A New York Democrat almost won in Wyoming!

[hatrack]

19. Yes, because the Pukes have governed as centrists since 2001, and . . .

Oh, I'm sorry, I think the drugs just kicked in.

:eyes:

[elehhhhna]

21. scram: define your terms

[Opusnone]

22. I think we all know who Rahm takes his marching orders from

But congratulations anyway!
If we get some truth out there the people can decide on their own. America is still waking up from a long, nightmare-filled slumber. Gove them time and keep at 'em!

[populistdriven]

26. I see nowhere in the post where he says "shape".

[Opusnone]

30. Huh?

Is that word in my post?

[boolean]

23. FUCK OFF!!!

Next on the agenda: NO MORE DINOS!

[unkachuck]

24. hey Rahm....

....bite my shorts....we're the change the country was seeking, you're just more of the same old corporate Washington crap that the country rejected....

....your kind has plagued this Party for years....why don't you go start the Conservative Democratic Party and sell your snake-oil there....

[roamer65]

25. Fucking DLC.

I've never been fond of him. Seemed like a blowhard all the way back to the Clinton days. This victory was mostly due to Howard Dean's 50 state strategy.

[helderheid]

29. join www.pdamerica.org NOW

www.pdamerica.org

[populistdriven]

41. Done! This link should be on greatest page somehow.

[Odin2005]

32. STFU ASSHOLE!!!

I've waited 6 long years for this day, I don't the DINOs fucking us over.

[bigtree]

35. I notice there's no actual quote from Rahm on this

I'm not surprised to find ambitious journalists putting words in our party leaders' mouths to serve their own biased agenda

[lancdem]

42. Exactly

[populistdriven]

51. if you read the articles it is all in the reporters words - who the hell are these two?

[Leopolds Ghost]

67. They're quoting him on background -- that's how they do it.

Otherwise Rahm would issue a retraction and there'd be no story.

I suspect VanDeHei and the other guy are conservative Dems, as
usual, based on other stuff I've seen them write, but the only
people conservative enough to actually make stuff up about how
Dem leaders are planning to move to the right if there's no
truth to it, are the manipulative editorial assholes
(C.Montgomery Burns -- er, I mean David Ignatius -- et al.)
and the folks at the New Republic.

VandeHei's default position as a conservative Dem reporter in
the nation's capital would be that Dems are "limp-wristedly
bowing to their liberal wing again" or some-such.

What reason does he have to invent and pump up Rahm's and Pelosi's
ambitions to "keep their liberal chairmen in check" if no such
ambitions exist?

The reality is Rahm and Pelosi are goign around on the media
circuit talking about "their" liberal (esp. African American)
chairmen as if they were inferior servants that can be hired
and fired at will.

[bigtree]

77. that background crap is perfect for the bias of the writer

but it's fantasy

[in_cog_ni_to]

36. *ahem* If it wasn't for the LIBERAL WING his ass would still be in the MINORITY Party.

:grr:

[diamidue]

38. I remember this guy. Only funded pro-war Democrats.

How Rahm Emanuel Has Rigged a Pro-War Congress
Election 2006: The Fix is Already In

By JOHN WALSH

http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh10142006.html

"Emanuel is not choosing proven fundraisers or winning candidates; he is choosing pro-war candidates".

[bigtree]

45. I remember this guy

got our House of Representatives back for us

[Leopolds Ghost]

70. Yeah, that certainly explains why we won the Senate -- it was Rahm's coattails.

Never mind the man behind the curtain.

[bigtree]

81. who said anything about coattails?

guess who would get the blame if we had lost?

[iconoclastic cat]

39. Looks like someone will be doing the Lieberman Shuffle in a few years. nt

[upi402]

40. I have just lost hope

I warned against DINO's for many years.

We gave them freedom to lead, and they hand their weapons over to the enemy.
Well, who is the enemy? Us?

[PassingFair]

50. Don't lose hope.

We have Feingold, Waxman, Levin, Conyers, Dingell,
and MANY others, in positions of GREAT POWER, to
fight against Emanuel, Schumer, From and Reed and
their ilk.

Put the pressure on the good guys. They are THERE
FOR US. We CAN and WILL force them to REPRESENT
the PEOPLE.

They can't pick up ALL the seats by
running on REPUBLICAN VOTES AND DONATIONS when
they lose primaries!

AND THEY KNOW IT!

[upi402]

53. Here's to hope

:toast: Thanks!
Here's to hoping the speaker elect is doing Muhammed Ali's 'rope-a-dope'.
And comes out swinging when the timing is right.

[populistdriven]

56. we have to throw ALL our support behind these ladies/gentlemen!!!

[upi402]

64. OK, the honeymoon is back on... - But shit still stinks!

[roamer65]

65. DINGELL!!!! My representative!!

The "Fighting 15th" in Michigan.

[Moochy]

52. That's gotta be a record

Assuming you just got hope at about 4pm when AP called virginia for Webb. :-)

less than four hours :-(

[upi402]

57. LOL, when the house went DEM and the senate was reachable -HOPE

Why do DINO's shit on their loyal supporters like BushCo ridicules the religious right?
Our consent and support can be witheld, unlike the evangelicals

[Moochy]

44. Mr Benchley's favorite DLC congressman n/t

[Donna Zen]

59. Rahm and the pundits

Good grief. There would be no Tester if it had been left up to Rahm. There would be no Carol Shea-Porter if Rahm had has his way.

How about this, the Democrats should represent what is best for the American people. Frig K Street. Never forget that it was Rahm who pushed for trade policies that benefitted big-money, left office, and then made millions in two years through his connections.

[Leopolds Ghost]

71. Remember Rahm accusing Dean of paying people to "pick their noses in Montana"

:evilfrown:

[BootinUp]

60. What a thankless job to be an elected official in this fuckin party.

You people piss me the fuck off. :grr:

[LordLovesAWorkingMan]

63. I'll tip a 40 to that, too.

Anyone who woke up expecting far-left nirvana this morning needs to chill out and put on their Patient Pants.

[Ilsa]

61. I think he's just feeding the Independents and conservative

Dems some milquetoast. Watch what he does versus what he says.

[Quixote1818]

66. Howard Dean needs to school him on how this works! nt

[MzNov]

68. Thanks to the DLC and Emanuel's delusions,

some excellent candidates did not win because they were, in his eyes, "progressive" or too liberal.

what a fool!!!!!

[bigtree]

73. I heard we had achieved a historic majority in the house

ZERO Democratic congresspersons lost their seats in this election

under the campaign leadership of Rahm Emanuel

[in_cog_ni_to]

84. And because of the LIBERAL WING of the party who also worked their asses off

for the good of the country. Rahm didn't do this all by himself. This historic majority would never have happened if it was for that Liberal Wing he so despises.

[bigtree]

90. said to despise

I've NEVER heard Rahm Emanuel say he despises liberals. Is it really necessary to substitute these things for what he's actually said, just to put him down?

[atommom]

69. Grrr. I already have a blue dog congressman, and while it's

nice to have a Dem in there, he pisses me off on a regular basis by voting with the Rs, especially on matters pertaining to business interests and trade. If every Dem in Congress followed that voting philosophy, things wouldn't look much different than they did under Republican control. A bit less ruthless, perhaps, but decisions would still be made based upon what big business wants. What, then, would be the point of our working so hard to get them into office? I think it's a mistake to try to force all Dems into the DINO mold. There needs to be a difference between the parties, and if the public sees that the Dems don't care for their interests any more than the Rs did, they may start to look at third parties a lot more seriously. Dems were elected because the public wanted a change, not just the same shit in a different bag.

[Gloria]

74. This is our next fight...to keep this crap from blossoming....

Rahm should shut the f*ck up.

[mmonk]

86. Yes, we are being challenged directly by conservative

democratic brokers seeking control. I will not let them keep the truth of the last six years from getting out. I will not let stand extra-constitutional laws or unconstitutional powers that have been put in place without a fight. This is our party too and we will not be kicked aside.

[mmonk]

76. That doesn't sound like collapse of one party rule

but a continuance or molding of a revised one.

[dysfunctional press]

78. how can a supposedly "christian nation" lean to the right???

jesus christ is the epitome of liberalism-

the only reason that this country thinks that it leans to the right is because the corporo-fascist media keeps saying that it's so.

liberalism is a HUGE part of the supposed "American ideal".

rather than acquiescing to the haters on the right, the dems should REMIND Americans what our ACTUAL "traditional American values" REALLY are.

[KingFlorez]

79. The key word is dominate

There has to be consensus and the caucus has to work together to find solutions. Trying to be too ideological is not good for decision making, everyone has to be at the table and have a say.

[leesa]

80. Will these idiots NEVER learn?!? Yeah...we want to be just like Republicans

WHY do thjey help the GOP by demonizing liberals. God I hate this man and the DLC...they have been working their asses off today to disrespect liberals. Fuck these assholes.

[HeeBGBz]

82. Better keep an eye on that one

Sounds like a DINO.

[Bouncy Ball]

83. He underestimates the liberals.

And he underestimates our organizing power nowdays.

If this is a true quote, FUCK HIM.

[Raiden]

85. Fuck you, Rahm! Nancy's in charge

You hear that? A bona fide LIBERAL is in charge of the House. Our victory was Dean's anyway as far as I'm concerned. He built up the grassroots and allowed us to compete financially in races which we otherwise would have ignored and lost (like VA, MO, and MT)

[mmonk]

87. No say, no stay. Who appointed him king?

[wholetruth00]

88. This is exactly what I meant by the neocons controlling both parties.

Its a no lose situation for them. They won't be a visible, but they will be operating from within the Dem party disguised as "neomoderates." The truly "left wing" of the party must challenge them on every level and expose them when it threatens traditional Dem interests. Most notably they will reveal themselves in their foreign policy stances. We must remain vigilant to keep our country from being handed over to the neocon agenda permanently. It happens oh so subtly.

[Individualist]

89. Damn DLC

:puke:

[mdmc]

91. He got that right

DLC stay the course is as good as it will get.

[Skidmore]

92. If the "liberal wing" hadn't stepped up to and presented real

criticisms of *'s policies, chances are DINOs would be out of work by now or sitting next to Lieberman and his ilk waiting for * to smooch them in reception lines!! Emanuel would do well to remember that many of them were unwilling to criticize or vote against *'s agenda. I did not work for this change in order for us to sit back and be R-lite and ignore the concerns of the people--which is exactly what Rs do. Either this party stands up for working people and the poor and quits kissing up to corporate America or else. America is made up of more than southern states, and personally, I'm tired of both parties sucking up to those people who look longingly back to the Confederacy as the glory days.

[mod mom]

93. Exactly! I don't recall any DLC types forcing the issue of Iraq, which of course

was a major reason for victory. F#@! Rahm!

[blm]

95. No kidding - WE are the ones who worked to counter and PUBLICIZE election fraud

so the Dem candidates could get a fairer chance TO get their votes counted.

If we hadn't kept bringing it up and pushing the issue, they would have had the freedom to steal it again.

[WinkyDink]

94. And who is Rahm Emmanuel when he's at home? IOW~~~Tell it

to the Marines, Wimp-Boy.