Rahm+Emanuel

arguably the second most powerful man in the country and already one of the highest-profile chiefs of staff

key White House staff member.

Mr. Obama often allows him to speak first and last.drawn to Mr. Emanuel's experience in both the White House and Congress and called him the whole package of political acumen, policy chops and pragmatism. He is also a skilled compromiser. Mr. Emanuel, who initially resisted taking the job, accepted after Mr. Obama insisted, also assuring him that the position would be the functional equivalent of a No. 2 or right-hand man,

After leaving the Clinton White House, he worked as an investment banker for three years. He banked $16 million Mr. Emanuel, born Nov. 29, 1959, in Chicago, received a liberal arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College, and a master’s from Northwestern. He served briefly as a civilian volunteer on an Israeli military base during the Persian Gulf war of 1991. //Jan. 26, 2009//

In the Clinton administration, he was aggressive, frequently profane and instrumental in shaping domestic policy on issues like health care, welfare and trade. //He earned the nickname Rahmbo for his determination and take-no-prisoners approach — an advantage when trying to bring a thorny issue to resolution// His Second City roots (Mr. Emanuel represents a slice of the north side of Chicago and adjoining suburbs) and his ties to the family of Mayor Richard M. Daley, which has been a source of support, guidance and experience for Mr. Emanuel, who was initially known for his fund-raising skills. Mr. Obama has been close to Mr. Emanuel since arriving on Capitol Hill; Mr. Emanuel considers David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist, to be one of his closest friends. **In his own words:** //“We’re going to put in front of the American people the fundamental question of this election: Who’s going to change the economic policies in Washington that resulted in a lower standard of living for middle-class families?”// From an Obama campaign conference call with reporters on Sept. 12, 2008. **Used to work as:** An investment banker for three years after leaving the White House and before being elected to the House. He banked $16 million while handling mergers and acquisitions with an emphasis on utilities. In his youth, Mr. Emanuel badly cut a finger on a meat slicer while working at an Arby’s. The wound became infected, and he lost half of the middle finger on his right hand. The shortened digit is something of a trademark.

criticism of being too allied with Wall StreetCritics have asserted he was only able to succeed in the banking world because of his political connections. Since he is part of the Daley circle, Mr. Emanuel’s appointment as chief of staff could also create the appearance of a White House that is too Chicago heavy. His manner can also create enemies, and Mr. Emanuel has ruffled the feathers of many on Capitol Hill, particularly black and Hispanic lawmakers.

Training as a ballet dancer. And his brother, Ari Emanuel, a Hollywood agent, is the model for the abrasive agent Ari Gold in the HBO series “Entourage.”

Born Nov. 29, 1959, in Chicago ... liberal arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College, masters from Northwestern ... married to Amy Rule, three children ... a regular swimmer and a voracious reader, using his hours aboard airplanes to consume books ... served briefly as a civilian volunteer on an Israeli military base during the Persian Gulf war of 1991.





Has already moved or launched several major initiatives, with still more under-the-radar programs in the pipeline. Deserves much of the credit for getting an Administration filled with White House first timers (including his boss) off to a fast start, with only a few minor errors of substance, tone and relations with Capitol Hill. Living up to the great potential Obama saw in him when he insisted that Emanuel take the job.

Huddle Gibbs listens to Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel as Obama reads a document in the Oval Office on St. Patrick's Day.

Rahm Israel Emanuel (Hebrew: רם עמנואל‎) was born in Chicago, Illinois.[31] His first name, Rahm, means "high" or "lofty" in Hebrew,[32] while his last name, Emanuel, means "God is with us." According to his father, his son is the namesake of Rahamim, a Lehi combatant who was killed.[33] Rahm’s surname was adopted by his family in 1933, after Rahm’s paternal uncle, Emanuel Auerbach, was killed in a skirmish with Arabs in Jerusalem.[34] His father, the Jerusalem-born Benjamin M. Emanuel, is a pediatrician and former member of the Irgun,[33] a Zionist militia active in the British Mandate of Palestine between 1931 and 1948.

Lehi (IPA: ['lɛxi], Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel, "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel", לח"י - לוחמי חירות ישראל), also known as the Stern Gang, a term coined by the British[1], was an armed underground Zionist faction in Mandatory Palestine whose goal was to evict, by force, the British authorities from Palestine, allowing unrestricted immigration of Jews and the formation of a Jewish state. Initially called the National Military Organization in Israel, the name of the group became Lehi only after the death of Avraham Stern, its founder. Lehi was described as a terrorist organization[2] by the British authorities and United Nations mediator Ralph Bunche.[3] The Israeli government banned the organization under an anti-terrorism law passed three days after Lehi assassinated Folke Bernadotte.[4] Lehi was also responsible for the assassination of Lord Moyne along with other attacks on the British authorities and Palestinian Arabs. Israel granted a general amnesty to Lehi members on 14 February 1949 and in 1980 honored the group by instituting the Lehi ribbon, a military decoration which may be worn by the organization's former members.

Rahm was a civilian volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces during the 1991 Gulf War and was born a citizen due to his father's (dual) Israeli-U.S. citizenship, but relinquished his Israeli citizenship when he turned 18

Emanuel was born in Chicago, Illinois to [|Jewish] parents.[|[4]] His father, Benjamin M. Emanuel, a [|Jerusalem]-born pediatrician, was a member of the [|Irgun].[|[6]][|[7]] His mother, Martha Smulevitz, was the daughter of a Chicago [|union] organizer.[|[1]] She worked in the civil rights movement and owned, briefly, a local [|rock-and-roll] club.[|[6]] She is now a psychiatric social worker.[|[6]] The two met in Chicago in the 1950s.[|[1]] Emanuel's older brother [|Ezekiel J. Emanuel] is an [|oncologist] and [|bioethicist], and his brother [|Ari Emanuel] a [|Hollywood] talent agent.[|[5]] He has an adopted sister, Shoshanna, 14 years his junior.[|[5]][|[6]] Emanuel's first name, //Rahm// (רם) means //high// or //lofty// in Hebrew

The surname Emanuel means //God is with us//

Emanuel was encouraged by his mother to take [|ballet] lessons as a boy and is a graduate of the Evanston School of Ballet. He won a scholarship to the [|Joffrey Ballet] but turned it down to attend [|Sarah Lawrence College], a liberal arts school with a strong [|dance] program. He graduated from [|Sarah Lawrence College] in [|1981], and went on to receive a [|master's degree] in Speech and Communication from [|Northwestern University] in [|1985]

Emanuel's wife, Amy Rule have a son and two daughters; the older two attend the same [|Conservative] day school Emanuel himself attended as a child The **[|White House] Chief of Staff** is the highest ranking member of the [|Executive Office of the President of the United States] and a senior aide to the [|President]. The office-holder has been dubbed "The Second-Most Powerful Man in [|Washington]" due to the nature of the job.[|[1]] The current White House Chief of Staff is [|Rahm Emanuel], serving in this position since [|January 20], [|2009] , when [|President] [|Barack Obama] was [|inaugurated].[|[2]] the Chief of Staff has been responsible for overseeing the actions of the White House staff, managing the president's schedule, and deciding who is allowed to meet with the president. Because of these duties, the Chief of Staff has at various times been labeled "The Gatekeeper" and "The Co-President".