Emanuel accepts top slot in Obama WH

Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:38 PM by Carrie Dann

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
A senior Obama advisor confirms to NBC News that Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel has accepted the job of Chief of Staff for the Obama White House.

*** UPDATE *** In an email to NBC News, Emanuel spokeswoman Sarah Feinberg denies the reporting that Emanuel has accepted the chief of staff job.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Good choice. Will we be seeing him on Colbert anytime soon for the "Better Know a Chief of Staff" segment? ;)

Ian (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:46 PM)

Way to go President-elect Obama and to our new COS Rep. Emanuel, CONGRATS!

True Democrat (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:50 PM)

Rahm will run a tight ship for our next President.

Brent, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:50 PM)

Smart move. Emanuel is a class act all the way. I'm glad I voted for Obama. I just love the guy.

Full Moon ...... (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:54 PM)

who is this moron that he picked?

Bob the Goat (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:55 PM)

So far so good.
My God! A brilliant President that speaks the Kings English in properly diagrammed sentences and a White House COS that is intelligent, shrewd, and politically adept.
COMPETENCE!

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:56 PM)

Thank you Chuck, Mark, Domenico and all or MSNBC for excellent reporting through this election. All of you helped me to hold on to hope when it looked like things were getting dark for Obama and Biden.

Thank God Obama/Biden08

jennyp (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

Good I like Rahm! He'll do an excellent job!

Sara, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

Obama, Biden, Emanuel, possibly Chuck Hagel - that's one fine-looking administration there. They're all quite handsome.

gggg (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

How could he not accept the call from the president-elect? Congrats, Rohm, I know you'll work hard and do a great job. Remember to remove your partisan hat and stick it in the closet as much as you can over the next 8 years. The country has a lot of healing to do, and you'll be in a great position to help make that happen.

Indie Woman in Denver (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

Thank God for you and the Great Team that you put together.
I trust God will continue to smile on you, your family and your team.
God Bless America

Mary Jones-Terrell, Barstow,CA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

Great first pick. Rahm can be the bad cop to Obama's good cop.

Tim-E, Roanoke, VA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

Great choice. Let's hope Pres. Elect Obama keeps making good decisions like this.

John, Bowling Green Ohio (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

You call this change? Someone from the Clinton White House as Chief of Staff. I'm think this is only the beginning..

Randy Smith, Raleigh, NC (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:03 PM)

Clintonianism again in the White House-- God help us all.

Marla (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:05 PM)

Great choice!

Becky, North Providence, RI (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:06 PM)

GREAT!

Dee (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:06 PM)

Great choice! Obama has shown himself to be a pragmatist. Rahm will get things done.

And his brother, Ari, can bring Ali G and Marky Mark to parties at the White House.

Harper, Jackson, MS (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:08 PM)

Good for Emanuel. Here's the thing. If we're going to reunite the country, like Barack wants, we need to and can understand the red states. I, for instance, grew up in Miami Beach, was educated in Nashville and North Carolina, then in DC and now in Brussels. What I can tell you is this: people are people. Most want to do the right thing. Most are good of heart. If (yes, if), we can reach out, we can change the world.

howie in Brussels (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:10 PM)

George W Bush presidency has made Americal the most hated country in the World. I have always been facinated by America, but Bush definitely made me change my mind.

I hope President Elect Obama will restore America's image in the world.

Congratulations America, you have elected a decent man.

Samer Hussein, Brighton, UK (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:11 PM)

and This is only the beginning. one small step on the road back to being the great nation we once were. Now is the time for everyone dem and gop alike to stand together behind this great man(BHO not the Rahm) and rebuild all that has been trashed over the last 8 years.send sarah palin back to the tundra and let JSM retire in peace or fade into obscurity.

Monty St Joseph, Missouri (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:12 PM)

great news.

voter (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:13 PM)

I hope he is able to help follow through on Obamas policy of cooperation - especially when he is already ranting and raving about those Democrates who weren't faithful to the cause and seeking their demise.

k wilson (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:14 PM)

I like the selection.

Gabriel, Miami (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:14 PM)

Will Obama take a lot of people from IL like Bush did from TX? I hope not; when Bush did it, that caused so much in the way of problems.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:14 PM)

Great pick, well qualified individual. Rahm will
assemble a team of great people to deliver for
the american people.

Abraham Joseph - Clearwater Florida (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:15 PM)

Congratulations to Rep. Rahm Emanuel. Obama has made a very good choice!

JH (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:15 PM)

If you want to know what PresidentObama is going to do, this is a start one day on the job and already he's at work. America don't worry about this country, it's in great hands. America we did a great job all of us. Not just one group of people but all groups of people did a great job.With all our help and support we are going to make this country Great again. God Bless America and God Bless Obama and Biden.

crystal, clinto, md (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:16 PM)

He is a very good man to be on your side hats off to you Obama!

Bobby, Chicago IL (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:17 PM)

Great choice! Another intelligent man in an intelligent Administration!!

Quiet Man (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:20 PM)

Yes, Mr. "Change is Coming" has picked a long-time Washington insider as chief of staff. Nothing really changes, does it?

C Nekkid, Monrovia, CA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:20 PM)

Excellent Choice!

Fountain Hills AZ (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:22 PM)

Obama needs a smart, experienced, forceful person in this position. Rahm fits the bill. The discipline exemplified, from the top down, by Obama's campaign, reassures me that Rahm would understand his role, as well as his place, and be extremely effective in helping our new president pursue and implement his legislative agenda.

Paul Moeller Carlsbad, CA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:23 PM)

Excellent. I think he is very well suited to this position.

ChristieS (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:24 PM)

That is pretty hard core. Doesn't reconille well with his speech last night.

Chris Jay, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:25 PM)

Great, Great Pick. Obama will surround himself with some great minds, I have no doubt. This country is about to move into a new direction. It is time for the old school, so-to-speak, to move over because the demographics and the world views are changing. The younger generation is about to emerge with more understanding of the world as it is today. We cannot run a 21st country with a outdated understanding. This is the passing of the mantle. It does not matter about whether you like Obama or not...what is important is that we recognize that this is a changing of the guard that is more in touch with the future than those of use from an older era are. We should not be afraid of change...hopefully, we have raised and taught our youth to be prepared for this...now it is time to cut the apron strings.

BarbaraH (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:25 PM)

These guys move fast. And now Emmanuel can, in effect, run the transition team which puts everyone in the mode of working for him from the start.

And make no mistake about it. White House staffers serve at the pleasure of the president... but they work for the chief of staff.

At least they do in a well functioning White House. In lesser White House staffs, opposing power cliques develop. A strong chief of staff has to prevent that.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:26 PM)

Seems like an odd choice for the uniter, no?

Frederico Francisco Franco (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:26 PM)

Sweet!

Alan, TN (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:26 PM)

Randi Rhodes will tell you how cool this is this afternoon, Im sure. She is a big fan from what I understand

garrett, santa barbara (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:26 PM)

Rahm is bright, forward thinking, passionate, politically connected, and tough as nails. I think he will make a great chief of staff. My only concern echoes what Joe said this am on Morning joe...that Rahm can be very abrasive. He'll have to calm down a bit...:)

Dr. Ric Jones, Moreno Valley, CA (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:31 PM)

Good - I hope Joe Scarbourgh's head explodes.

jimmy crackcorn (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:31 PM)

Emanuel is a great choice for the job of Chief of Staff for the Obama White House. From what I have read and researched about him. He is on task, steady in thought, politically smart, and always has a rational goal. This is a great start for Obama, and for our nation to move forward.

Rock, Janesville, Wisconsin (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:32 PM)

Thank you Rep. Rahm Emanuel.

Thank you President Elect Barack Obama.

History has been made. November 4th, 2008 is one of the greatest days in America's history.

Thank you America.

Independents vote Obama!

independents vote obama (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:32 PM)

Rahm Emanuel will make an excellent Chief of Staff for Obama. He's a person that Obama trusts and Emanuel has stood by Obama from the beginning. It's going to be interesting to see who else he asks in the next few weeks. That will tell us where he's planning on going with the mess he's inheriting.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:33 PM)

Best Wishes Rahm. You'll be a terrific success---as always! What a long journey from IPAC to COS, ballet to White House (again). Good wishes to Amy and the kids, too! Obama team is looking stronger with each passing minute thanks to you all.

Ernie Rosado, Poplar, MT (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 4:00 PM)

GREAT CHOICE!!! Not even 24 hrs. and OBAMA is making presidential choices from the get-go. Thank you "we the people". We went from "YES WE CAN" to "YES WE WILL to "YES WE DID"

sandy Ct (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 4:13 PM)

Now that we've made history, how about allowing minorities on the exectuvie branch, especially hispanics. So far having Mr Pena as part of a transition team is not people friendly.

BTW I love Rachel and Keith. The only news I watch and the only news I need

Hector San Diego (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 4:25 PM)

Rahm is the perfect choice for COS and would be great in the position. BUT, I'm still not convinced he will take it. He has amblitions to be Speaker of the House and is on the fast track to getting it. This would derail him from his true goal.

David, Paducah, KY (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 4:28 PM)

Best choice!
God bless America.
Serbina/American here.

Victor Victoria (Sent Thursday, November 06, 2008 2:07 PM)

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1654796