Obama's right hand man threatened journalist with death?

[Liberty Star]

Have not seen this reported in MSM. is this really true?

If so, what kind of violent nutcases has Obama appointed for White Houses positions? Did Obama advise him to escape to Africa during Blago corruption scandal questioning?


The most interesting stories about Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, are recounted with the recording device turned off. "He has a good memory, and I don't want a dead fish delivered to me," snickers one of interviewees. Emanuel once sent a dead fish to a pollster who predicted a significant gap to the detriment of the candidate for whom Emanuel was working

In 1991, during the first Gulf War, Emanuel flew to Israel and volunteered in Sar-El, the Israel Defense Forces program for civilian volunteers, at a base in the north, performing the unglamorous task of rust-proofing brakes on military vehicles. When he first ran in the primaries for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 2002, the then-president of the Polish American Congress, Edward Moskal, who supported his rival, declared that Emanuel was actually a "citizen of another country and served in their armed forces for two years."

As someone who used to ram a steak knife into the table as he shouted the word "Die!" while calling out the names of the political rivals of then-U.S. president Bill Clinton (Emanuel worked in the White House as an advisor to him), Emanuel, who has never had Israeli citizenship, reacted with uncharacteristic restraint.


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1104187.html

[Njon]

I do recall hearing about the fish incident once before; I think it was from Dick Morris on Fox News.

[Liberty Star]

If Morris knows about it than Obama has to too. What does this say about current state of politics we have sunk too?

[Kludge]

Well, at least he didn't have the reporter hanged in effigy, I guess.

[Andrew-Austin]

Oh thats just Rahm, he always threatens to kill people.

[Liberty Star]

Oh thats just Rahm, he always threatens to kill people.

If these reports are true, what does it say about Obama's judgment? Obama in his speeches around the world has been preaching against terror yet he elevates a man known for using terror against opponents to the White House Chief of Staff position?

I brught this up with a democrat friend and best defense offered was that because Emanuel's father came from a holy land terrotist family, he should be cut some slack.. which is totally absurd. Obama must ask him to step down if these allegations are factual.

[Liberty Star]

Well, at least he didn't have the reported hanged in effigy, I guess.

Who did that?

[Kludge]

Who did that?

"We" did (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=201990), but it's okay because he is of an opposing ideology.

[Liberty Star]

"We" did, but it's okay because he is of an opposing ideology.

How does exactly action of an unidentified man at some street protest translate to "we"?


My hat is tipped to ALL of the AFP individuals who chose to walk away as they refused to partake in such ignorance and abuse.

Even then, some unknown man burning an effigy in a street protest in no way equates to a man who is now White House COS sending dead fish to intimidate a journalist.


I'm curious what is your view about OP question, should Obama fire his CoS if it is true that he tried to terrorize some journalist whose view he didn't like by sending him a dead fish? That is, is there room in the US White House for those who employ terror as a tool?

[specsaregood]

Well, at least he didn't have the reporter hanged in effigy, I guess.

Is this and that worse, better or the same as throwing a couple of snowballs?

[Kludge]

How does exactly action of an unidentified man at some street protest translates to "we"?

It was a protest of Obamacare. I imagine we are all opposed to Obamacare.


Even then, some unknown man burning an effigy in a street protest no way equates to a man who is White House COS sending dead fish to intimidate a journalist.

There was no burning.......... Hanging a congressman in effigy is multitudes worse than sending someone a dead fish, IMO, but I guess it's subjective.


I'm curious what is your view about OP question, should Obama fire his CoS if it is true that he tried to terrorize some journalist whose view he didn't like by sending him a dead fish? That is, is there room in the US White House for those who employ terror as a tool?

Relatively, it's a non-issue. I would prefer he didn't, but for the cost of pushing this issue, at best we'd get a replacement tyrant. It's a distraction.

[Liberty Star]

It was a protest of Obamacare. I imagine we are all opposed to Obamacare.

Mother of all neocons Dick Cheney also opposes Obamacare and he also loves torture, does that mean "we" all love torture? Hope this simple example shows how absurd such a logic is.


Relatively, it's a non-issue. I would prefer he didn't, but for the cost of pushing this issue, at best we'd get a replacement tyrant. It's a distraction.

Then is there ever a time to raise a voice against any terrorist or tyrant?

If Obama does not fire him, he would not have moral ground to lecture against terrorism. Obama administration would have to confront shady characters in his adminstration.

[Kludge]

Mother of all neocons Dick Cheney also opposes Obamacare and he also loves torture, does that mean "we" all love torture? Hope this simple example shows how absurd such a logic is.

If Cheney were at an Obamacare protest and he was allowed to torture someone, maybe.


Then is there ever a time to raise a voice against any terrorist or tyrant?

This doesn't matter here. If Rahm had a 5% approval rating, it's still irrelevant. He isn't a representative. Obama is, but unless you're looking to drum up support for impeachment attempts later, it doesn't matter until 2012.


If Obama does not fire him, he would not have moral ground to lecture against terrorism. Obama administration would have to confront shady characters in his adminstration.

Obama does not have moral ground to lecture on terrorism, but Obama's approval is largely irrelevant in achieving liberty-oriented goals. Peoples' acceptance of ideas is more important than their acceptance of people. It's not as though we're going to have a significant decision to make in the 2012 presidential election. That's unrealistic. We can't play politics until we have significant political power.

[Liberty Star]

If Cheney were at an Obamacare protest and he was allowed to torture someone, maybe.

This doesn't matter here. If Rahm had a 5% approval rating, it's still irrelevant. He isn't a representative. Obama is, but unless you're looking to drum up support for impeachment attempts later, it doesn't matter until 2012.

Obama does not have moral ground to lecture on terrorism, but Obama's approval is largely irrelevant in achieving liberty-oriented goals. Peoples' acceptance of ideas is more important than their acceptance of people. It's not as though we're going to have a significant decision to make in the 2012 presidential election. That's unrealistic. We can't play politics until we have significant political power.

I have to disagree, it does matter. Regardless of partisan politics, having a terrorism inclined individual (if alleged claims are factual) running the White House is an issue in itself for all Americans. Exposing hypocrisy of current administration on an issue and working towards lofty Liberty ideals are not mutually exclusive goals ; they would be infact complementary in voter education process.