Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ed on January 27, 2011 at 1:35am

 + 1

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shawn C. on January 27, 2011 at 3:11am

I'm not a fan of Rahm Emanuel either...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on January 27, 2011 at 3:26am

I am informed and I prefer Rahm among the candidates.

Modus vivendi.

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack on January 27, 2011 at 3:38am

Rahm wouldn't have a fraction of the support he has except that he is publicly tied to Obama and people know his name.  Reminds me of that older movie with Eddie Murphy, The Distinguished Gentleman.

 

People are lazy and generally vote for a popular candidate.  Personally, I don't know of anyone running that would be well suited for the job. Then again, Daley wasn't exactly a saint either.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by igz on January 27, 2011 at 4:07am

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J.P. on January 27, 2011 at 4:36am

I think what you call "being a jerk", some people would call brash. Any some do like this about him/or think this is necessary for the position.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig S. on January 27, 2011 at 4:44am

Of course he's a jerk, he's a politician.

 

He was my congressman and I always voted against him when I could.  I can't stand the man but he has my support for mayor.  He's far more qualified than the other embiciles in the race and I can't wait for the day that he flies his finger at Ed Burke and Mike Madigan.  I doubt that would ever happen but one can dream.....

 

I also have the dream that perhaps he'd clean up the corruption in City Hall. Dang, I need a breakfast cocktail now.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on January 27, 2011 at 5:05am

There is the opposite of any indication of this in his record. His ads talking about bringing democracy or whatever to the voters instead of the people with the connections is laughable given his record as white house chief of staff.

Craig S. said:

I also have the dream that perhaps he'd clean up the corruption in City Hall. Dang, I need a breakfast cocktail now.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 27, 2011 at 5:12am

The way he's run his campaign does not give me any confidence that he'd clean up corruption or be open to the needs of regular people.

Peenworm Grubologist said:

There is the opposite of any indication of this in his record. His ads talking about bringing democracy or whatever to the voters instead of the people with the connections is laughable given his record as white house chief of staff.

Craig S. said:

I also have the dream that perhaps he'd clean up the corruption in City Hall.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig S. on January 27, 2011 at 5:40am

I said it was a dream.

 

Please explain how administering a city like Chicago is anything remotely similar to the position of White House Chief of Staff.

Or congressman.

Or advisor to a president

Or as chair of the DCCC.

 

If anything it's an amalgam of all that which, in my opinion, makes him the least objectionable choice.  However, I know there are those here that will make their decision on where he stands on bikes alone.  Whatever.

 

He was my congressman and I typically received a personal response from any correspondence that I would send and while I didn't exactly agree with many of his views or methods, you can't deny his effectiveness. 

 

Anyway, I ain't here as an apologist, this is just my opinion about the man and I'm done with comments until there's more mention of bacon and drinx in this thread.

Peenworm Grubologist said:

There is the opposite of any indication of this in his record. His ads talking about bringing democracy or whatever to the voters instead of the people with the connections is laughable given his record as white house chief of staff.

Craig S. said:

I also have the dream that perhaps he'd clean up the corruption in City Hall. Dang, I need a breakfast cocktail now.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on January 27, 2011 at 5:42am

"Jerk" is a pretty subjective term.

 

Wikipedia is rarely a good resource for primary source material.

 

Investment banks draw from a broad range of academic disciplines including law, economics, mathematics, computer science, as well as MBAs. Being able to leverage relationships to generate new business has far more value to most businesses than an ability to do the work (It is assumed that there are multiple businesses that can "do" the work, the trick is getting it).

 

George W. Bush has consistently been described by allies and opponents alike as a tremendously likeable guy. Very high Social Intelligence Quotient. In both 2000 and 2004, the candidate with whom voters most wanted to have a beer.

 

Since his presidency ended in 1980, Jimmy Carter has repeatedly demonstrated himself to be a truly good man. He was a pretty lousy president.

 

What does being likeable or a jerk have to do with holding public office?

 

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by jlj on January 27, 2011 at 5:51am

I'm sorry.  I didn't explain the whole of my displeasure.  Here are some things about Rahm I lifted from the Wikipedia article about him.

 

From his wikipedia entry:


Although he did not have an MBA degree or prior banking experience, he became a managing director at the firm’s Chicago office in 1999 and, according to Congressional disclosures, made $16.2 million in his two-and-a-half-years as a banker.




Emanuel was named to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) by President Bill Clinton in 2000. His position earned him at least $320,000, including later stock sales.  He was not assigned to any of the board's working committees, and the Board met no more than six times per year.

During his time on the board, Freddie Mac was plagued with scandals involving campaign contributions and accounting irregularities.

Open Secrets reported that Emanuel "was the top House recipient in the 2008 election cycle of contributions from hedge funds, private equity firms and the larger securities/investment industry".  Securities and investments business interests were the main sector contributing to Emanuel's campaigns in both 2006 and 2008.
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".
From the Freddie Mac Wikipedia Entry:

 In 2003, Freddie Mac revealed that it had understated earnings by almost $5 billion, one of the largest corporate restatements in U.S. history.

On April 18, 2006 Freddie Mac was fined $3.8 million, by far the largest amount ever assessed by the Federal Election Commission, as a result of illegal campaign contributions. Freddie Mac was accused of illegally using corporate resources between 2000 and 2003 for 85 fundraisers that collected about $1.7 million for federal candidates.

Kevin Conway said:

"Jerk" is a pretty subjective term.

 

Wikipedia is rarely a good resource for primary source material.

 

Investment banks draw from a broad range of academic disciplines including law, economics, mathematics, computer science, as well as MBAs. Being able to leverage relationships to generate new business has far more value to most businesses than an ability to do the work (It is assumed that there are multiple businesses that can "do" the work, the trick is getting it).

 

George W. Bush has consistently been described by allies and opponents alike as a tremendously likeable guy. Very high Social Intelligence Quotient. In both 2000 and 2004, the candidate with whom voters most wanted to have a beer.

 

Since his presidency ended in 1980, Jimmy Carter has repeatedly demonstrated himself to be a truly good man. He was a pretty lousy president.

 

What does being likeable or a jerk have to do with holding public office?

 

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 8
• Next ›
• Page