Rahm Emanuel takes job; what makes great White House chief of staff?

After Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois today agreed to become Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, praise came from an unexpected quarter.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who was at John McCain's side almost every day of the 2008 general election campaign, negotiated the details of the presidential debates with Emanuel, representing Obama.

In a statement, Graham said:

This is a wise choice by President-elect Obama. Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together....

I worked closely with him during the presidential debate negotiations, which were completed in record time. When we hit a rough spot, he always looked for a path forward. I consider Rahm to be a friend and colleague. He's tough but fair. Honest, direct, and candid. These qualities will serve President-elect Obama well. 

Toughness is the quality cited most often by presidential scholars -- and several former occupants of the position -- in describing what matters in a White House chief of staff.

Dick Cheney, chief of staff to President Gerald Ford, has developed something of a reputation for toughness himself as vice president to George W. Bush.

But Cheney told political scientist Martha Kumar in 2001 that organization was the key to being White House chief of staff. In an interview for the Presidency Research Group, for which Kumar spoke to 80 former White House staffers, Cheney said:

His reach, his ability to sort of guide and direct the government, to interact with the Cabinet, to deal effectively with the Congress, to manage his relationship with the press, all of those are key ingredients to his success.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Comments

[aure lambert]

CRAWFORD?????? no way. The Ex Pres and Wife will live in DALLAS TX,,,,probably the uper income ultra conservative incorporated uber rich bastion of Highland Park. you didn't really fall for the "ranch" krappola did you?????

[Kaori]

Sounds like a good choice.

[Give them hell]

Everytime the republicans lose, they talk about working together. When they win, they go off and make closed door policies that end up screwing up the country. When the democrats took over the congress in 2006, they worried so much about not making any mistakes that they didn't do what they were elected for. This is the time to act, not worry about pleasing the stupid right wing radicals who continually screw this country up. Just do what needs to be done to get the results to turn this country around and the results will speak for themselves. The right wing radicals (fox news, rush limbaugh, etc.) will always pander to the ignorance of weak minded rural conservative americans. Emanuel is a step in the right direction. Don't give in and select a cabinet member to please the right. History will judge this administration (like the last one) for what it has done, not who it pleases.

[Jazzaloha]

So how is Emanuel's organization skills?