Rahm on Primetime

SNL introduces Rahm Emanuel to America.

Roasting Rahm

In 2005, Barack Obama playfully joined in a roasting of his future chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, at an event sponsored by Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy. Good stuff.

The Chief of Staff

Recently, the Fix provided "10 facts about Rahm Emanuel that tell you everything you need to know about the next White House chief of staff."

1. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and is a classically trained dancer.

2. The dead fish story is true -- although neither Emanuel nor pollster Alan Secrest like to talk about it publicly and it happened TWENTY years ago. (Old news folks; people change.)

3. He is on a first-name basis with every political reporter in Washington.

4. No one in Washington (with the possible exception of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham) better understands the give and take between politics and policy better than Emanuel.

5. He comes from a ridiculously accomplished family. One of his brothers -- Ezekiel -- is the chairman of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health while another brother -- Ari -- is a Hollywood agent and the basis for the character of "Ari Gold" on HBO's "Entourage." And, no, we are not kidding. [More on the three brothers here.]

6. He is a man comfortable with profanity. Extremely comfortable. And the more he swears at you, the more he likes you.

7. Although known as a relentless partisan warrior, he has made some friends and allies across the aisle. Witness this statement by Lindsey Graham: "Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together. He is well-suited for the position of White House Chief of Staff."

8. The foremost Rahm scholar among reporters? Naftali Bendavid of the Chicago Tribune, who wrote a book entitled "The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution."

9. Advice to incoming White House staff from DCCC executive director Brian Wolff: "Develop a thick skin, cancel vacations, weddings and all personal appointments........ learn what the term 25/8 means......25 hours a day .....8 days a week......expect to be available."

10. Rahm's closest friend in Congress: Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro. (He lives in a basement apartment in DeLauro's house -- she is married to Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg -- during his time in Washington).

Toxic Support

In the Politico, Jonathan Martin asks the question “What should McCain do about Cheney?” An excerpt:

He’s a highly effective fundraiser in an election cycle in which Republicans are starved for cash, a hero to the wing of the party that views John McCain with the most suspicion. He has four decades of campaign experience, ranging from a short stint running Gerald Ford’s election bid in 1976 to two successful races on the presidential ticket.

Yet despite that pedigree, Vice President Cheney is unlikely to share a stage with McCain anytime soon — and may not be called on to play any role at all in the 2008 presidential campaign. In part, it’s a reflection of political expediency. Though Cheney is one of the nation’s most influential and talked about vice presidents ever, his favorability ratings are near toxic lows. But Cheney and McCain also have had a rocky relationship.

Rahm Emmanuel offers his two cents:

“The last time they put him on the road was for the Mississippi special, and look at how he worked there. I look forward to and I will pay the travel fees to put Vice President Cheney out on the road to talk about energy policy. Because it will remind this country of where this administration has been and who their friends are. And their friends are doing very well.”