The Choice of Rahm Emanuel is a declaration of war on Republicans

[Lunar]

Rahm represents someone who has lots of connections and knows how Congress works. 

I cannot imagine a more *effective* pick for Chief of Staff.

[Lunar]

Here are my thoughts on Rahmbo:

1) He's brutally effective.  He's a perfectionist and a hard bargainer, but he DOES bargain and compromise (thus he's effective).  He was chosen to negotiate the presidential debate formats for a reason.  I can't think of a politician in Washington who could be told to do something within their capabilities and be able to accomplish it easier than Rahm.
2) He knows how laws are passed and almost always knows the perfect balance of politics and policy. 
3) He's a center-right Democrat and has always encouraged his colleagues to adopt more centrist positions to win more elections. 
4) He's incredibly loyal, crazy style.  If he was stabbing his steak knife into the table in '96 again and again as he declares which "betrayers" are "DEAD" - imagine what he'll do for his fellow Windy City homeboy.
5) He leaks to the press, but strategically.  I saw a Politico article noting how Obama's job offer to Rahmbo was one of the first leaks in the last two years.
6) But this is a product of the fact that he talks to everyone, the Republicans and the press.  He has mad connections
7) His partisan loyalties and past accomplishments could ease Obama's inevitable but slight move to the center (like Clinton).  When Obama buts heads with the Dems, it'd be best for Obama to have Rahm there explaining it.
8 ) It represents and outreach to the Jewish/Israeli community.  Israeli newspapers love the pick and AIPAC digs it.  Obama could use their political support now to entrench support of his Middle-East policy (which will likely be to remove forces from Iraq).  It's one of Obama's signature themes that he's a "staunch supporter of Israel" and frankly, this pick proves it.
9) This pick shows a departure from the "cool, calm" style of Obama's campaigning into a "get the job done" style of governing.   Rahm is profanity-laced and brutally honest.  This pick shows that Obama prioritizes an independent thought and blunt truth.  "You got it backwards," Emanuel, who is Jewish, reportedly told Clinton at the time. "You messed around with a Jewish girl, and now you're paying a goyish [non-Jewish] lawyer. You should have messed around with a goyishe girl, and gotten a Jewish lawyer."
10) Rahm would have only accepted the job if he felt like it was not only a promotion, but enough of a promotion that he'd sacrifice his plum spot in the House for a temp job.  I truly think that he intends on being a player more than Card or Bolton or anyone else ever was and redefine the role of what the Chief of Staff can do.
11) It antagonizes Republicans who would have preferred a chief of staff who represented bipartisanship at its finest [all of them].  Does that outweigh the other benefits?  Rahm still talks to Republicans, he just beats them down as much as he can during negotiations.  He does the same for his own party compared to where he thinks they should go.  Personally, I think the GOP is upset about the pick because it shows a doubling-down on Chicago insider politics combined, more importantly, with the fact that Rahmbo has a very good chance at "winning" political fights, more than any other selection.
12) How does this relate to the "50 State Strategy" that Rahm opposed strongly?


Most of all.  It shows that the Obama administration is in it to win it.  They would rather step on some toes and accomplish twice as much than offer bipartisan platitudes and offer the other side little in direct ammo.  You don't choose someone like Rahmbo if you don't have grand plans.

I can't help but if Rahmbo will make a bigger role for himself than Card or Bolton had.  Why else would he be tempted to leave the House leadership if he didn't think this?