According to Politico, Rahm Emmanuel is eyeing the Presidency, He has the credentials. He served under Bill Clinton as his hatchet man, served in Congress, was Mayor of Chicago for two terms and has just returned from serving as Ambassador to Japan.
I watched him on the Honestly podcast with Bari Weiss. He may be just what Democrats need. He believes Democrats have lost their way because they've been caught up with all kinds of collateral issues like trans rights instead of what really bothers Americans. And that, he contends is the breach of an implied covenant that Americans have with their country to ensure that their children will have better lives than they have or that they themselves can expect to succeed with hard work.
He notes that people are angry with our institutions as well, and they should be. From media to health care to our educational systems, they've really let us down. For example, we are facing off against 1.4 billion Chinese, but two-thirds of our population is unable to read at even an eight-grade level.
School boards and angry parents focus on locker rooms and bathrooms when they should be concentrating on the classroom.
But has the Dem party swung too far to the left for a moderate like Emmanuel? NYC Dems just elected a socialist to be their party's standard bearer in the Mayoral race. But Emmanuel points out that Zohran Mamdani ran against two flawed candidates. Moreover, in states like New Jersey and Virginia. it is moderate Democrats who are supported in the race for Governor.
He said the only reason people responded to Mamdani is, not because they are socialist, but because Mamdani actually addressed the real issues bothering New Yorkers. He noted that they, like most Democrats, believe government can be a force for good. But he doubts free buses will be coming any time soon in a city where the trains don't run on time.
In essence, he believes Democrats need to drop the identity politics and return to basics like the American Dream. He thinks we need to stop bullying our allies. And we need to fund programs that actually work.
His biggest flaw is his brusque manner, but Trump has shown that voters can and do overlook that character flaw.
Unlike the DNC chair "big tent" remark, Emmanuel said there's no room in the Dem party for anyway who defends the slogan "Globalize the Intifada." This can be interpreted as an incitement to violent acts against Jews worldwide or as advocacy for international support of Palestinians. But Emmanuel, who is Jewish himself, said no Israeli soldier should be called up for a fourth tour so he can shoot at hungry people. He has no love for Netanyahu.
