Rahm Emanuel: Obamas Spindoktor ohne Fortune

--- Barack Obamas enger politischer Berater und Büroleiter Rahm Emanuel war vor einem Jahr noch hoch gehandelt worden als rhetorische und strategische Allzweckwaffe und Spindoktor des US-Präsidenten. Die LA Times widmet sich nun seinem wenig glück- und erfolgreichen Wirken in den vergangenen Wochen und aktuellen Fettnäpfchen:

A senior presidential aide is supposed to solve problems, not create or compound them for his boss. So the White House was knocked off-stride when Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was forced to issue a public apology for using a derogatory word for people with learning disabilities. But even before the gaffe, Emanuel was becoming a magnet for criticism of President Obama's difficulties in turning his ambitious agenda into achievements. In an unguarded moment, Emanuel had referred to a group of liberal Democrats as "retarded." When reports of the remark began circulating, the former Chicago congressman -- already famous for his foxhole profanity -- moved to express his regret and promised to help leaders of the disabled community sensitize the public on the issue. ... But for all of the relationships Emanuel built in helping Democrats recapture the House in 2006, he has not succeeded in greasing the way for Obama's programs. The healthcare overhaul is in limbo. And the president's political fortunes seem to have dwindled, with his approval rating falling and Democrats suffering embarrassing setbacks in a trio of elections over the last year.