David Swanson on Rahm Emanuel

http://therealnews.com/t/

I didn't know of this news network until just now.

I hope it is as good as my first impression tells me it is!

Al k.

Political views

During his original 2002 campaign, Emanuel "indicated his support of President Bush's position on Iraq, but said he believed the president needed to better articulate his position to the American people".[7] Inspired by his pediatrician father, one of the major goals he spoke of during the race was "to help make health care affordable and available for all Americans".[7]

Emanuel has maintained a 100 percent pro-choice voting record and is generally liberal on social issues. He has aligned himself with the center-right of the Democratic Party, the Democratic Leadership Council.

Emanuel, whose father was in Irgun, is a strong supporter of AIPAC, and personally introduced fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama to the organization's directors during the 2008 presidential campaign.[25] A November 2008 article claimed that while expressing empathy for Palestinians, Emanuel has explicitly condemned their leaders.[26] In June 2007, Emanuel condemned an outbreak of Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip and criticized Arab countries for not applying the same kind of pressure on the Palestinians as they have on Israel. "Fatah and Hamas are tearing the Palestinian area of the Gaza strip apart in what they call a political rivalry, and the Palestinian people are paying a price for Palestinian violence," he said at the time. "Governments from around the world and the Arab world have said nothing. ... I just want you to think for a second, if this were the result of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities, would the international silence and the silence of the Arab world be this deafening?" At a 2003 pro-Israel rally in Chicago, Emanuel told the marchers Israel was ready for peace but would not get there until Palestinians "turn away from the path of terror", according to the Chicago Tribune.[26]

White House Chief of Staff

On November 6, 2008, Emanuel accepted the position of White House Chief of Staff for Barack Obama.[5][27] He would become the third Jewish Chief of Staff, after Kenneth Duberstein, Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan, and Joshua Bolten, Chief of Staff to George W. Bush.[28]

Controversies

Emanuel held a seat on the quasi-governmental Freddie Mac board, which paid him $231,655 in director’s fees in 2001 and $31,060 in 2000. During the time Emanuel spent on the board, Freddie Mac was plagued with scandal involving campaign contributions and accounting irregularities.[35][10]

A 2006 Chicago Tribune article raised speculation regarding a possible connection between Emanuel's Congressional election success and convicted former Chicago water department boss Don Tomczak.[35]

USA Today reported in late January 2007 that Emanuel failed to disclose that he was an officer of a family charity, a violation of law requiring members of Congress to report non-profit leadership roles. The charity does not ask for outside donations and is funded by Emanuel and his family.[36]

This GUY does NOT smell good regarding War and Peace in the Middle East!