From the Jerusalem Post;
In an interview with Ma’ariv, Emanuel’s father, Dr. Benjamin Emanuel, said he was convinced that his son’s appointment would be good for Israel. “Obviously he will influence the president to be pro-Israel,” he was quoted as saying. “Why wouldn’t he be? What is he, an Arab? He’s not going to clean the floors of the White House.”
From the bbc;
President-elect Barack Obama’s White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel has apologised to the US-Arab community for remarks made by his father.
As Mr Obama’s chief of staff - and one of his closest advisers - he will be responsible for delivering the president’s policy platform.
Some Middle East commentators have voiced concern about the appointment of Mr Emanuel, who has a pro-Israel record.
However, the congressman himself dismissed the idea and said that Mr Obama did not need his influence to “orientate his policy toward Israel”.
The change we need! Yes we can! Etc.
J.K.
It’s around 5.30 AM, November the 4th 2008, somewhere in Dublin, Ireland.
Myself, Ovak, and F-Money are sitting in Ovak’s living room. Glued to the TV. The three of us had sat through it all. An hour or so earlier we watched McCain make a gracious concession speech. Now we were watching Obama making his acceptance speech, and wiping the tears from our eyes.
At the conclusion of his speech F-Money turned to me and said; “So who, or what, are you going to hate now?”. “I’ll think of something” I replied.
It’s true that most of the world (including myself) is overwhelmed with a sense of optimism that I haven’t witnessed at any time over the last 8 years of the Bush / Cheney regime, but nothing has changed yet. And sadly it’s very likely nothing will change.
I do have some hope, but until I see war crimes tribunals, withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, acknowledgements of, and apologies for, wrongdoings, and Wall Street in the dock, I will remain unconvinced. I’m hoping this isn’t merely an illusion designed to give hope to the hopeless.
Till then I’m going to enjoy this euphoria thing a little longer.
J.K.
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