As anticipated, President-elect Obama wasted no time in choosing his Chief of Staff. The lucky recipient? Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL). 

What does this mean for the rest of the country? As a member of the New Democrat Coalition, Emanuel advocates moderate positions and a pro-business stance. Can we believe this from someone who once said that “Republicans can go f*** themselves?” It is possible in the rigors of political life that this quote was spoken in well-deserved anger based on his positions, so it may be moot.

He also represents a very powerful advocate for the state of Israel, which is sure to reassure voters who doubted Obama’s Israeli commitment. Predictably, he is also not opposed to war. He supported President Bush’s position on the war in Iraq in 2002. 

In many respects, he could balance out certain far-left tendencies of our President-elect. His habit of bluntly speaking his mind is also a desirable quality in a Chief of Staff, assuming Obama will listen.