There has been a lot of buzz lately about the possibility that Rahm Emanuel, the President’s Chief of Staff, will be saying “Sayonara!” after the mid-term elections in November. Articles appearing in a few “insider” blogs as well as comments made by various Washington players have been leading people to begin the inevitable process of deciding “why” and “what for” regarding his departure. But, it could be just wishful thinking because when asked for a comment about this he issued a statement: “This is BS. And if you need it for translation, it’s baseless."According to Mr. Emanuel, the chief obstacle to taking the White House job originally was doubts about moving his three children from Chicago. According to another former Clinton official, he has let friends know that he is "very sensitive to the idea that he is not a good father for having done this".
Definitely one of Washington's more colorful characters, Rahm Emanuel is the son of Jewish immigrants and was an accomplished ballet dancer at school. He served as a civilian volunteer with the Israeli Defense Force in the 1991 Gulf War.
The rumors about his departure seem to be gaining strength recently. Washington insiders say he will quit within 6 to 8 months in frustration at some White House and Congressional unwillingness to "bang heads together" to get policies pushed through.
Rahm, 50, enjoys a good working relationship with the President but they supposedly have reached an understanding that differences over style mean he will serve only half the full four-year term.
Friends say he is also worried about burnout and losing touch with his young family due to the pressure of one of most high profile jobs in US politics. "I would bet he will go after the midterms," said a leading Democratic consultant in Washington. "Nobody thinks it's working but they can't get rid of him – that would look awful. He needs the right sort of job to go to but the consensus is he'll go."
An official from the Bill Clinton era said that "no one will be surprised" if Rahm left after the midterm elections in November, when the Democratic party will be battling to save its majorities in the house of representatives and the senate.
It is well known in Washington that arguments have developed between the pragmatic Mr. Emanuel, a veteran in Congress where he was known for driving through compromises, and the idealistic inner circle who followed Barack Obama to the White House.
His abrasive style has rubbed some people the wrong way. There has also been frustration among the President’s closest advisers that he failed to deliver a smooth ride for the President's legislative agenda. "It might not be his fault, but the perception is there," said one consultant, who asked not to be named. "Every vote has been tough, from health care to energy to financial reform. Democrats have not stood behind the president in the way Republicans did for George W Bush, and that was meant to be Rahm's job."
There were sharp differences over health care reform, with Mr. Emanuel arguing that public hostility about cost should have forced them into producing a scaled down package. Mr. Obama and advisers including David Axelrod, the chief strategist, and Valerie Jarrett, a businessperson and mentor from Chicago, decided to push through with grander legislation anyway.
Rahm has reportedly told friends that his role as White House chief of staff was "only an eighteen month job" because of its intensity. Regarded as the most demanding after the president, it involves controlling the president's agenda, enforcing White House message discipline as well as liaising with Congress.
His departure would regarded as another sign of how President Obama's presidency has been far more troubled than expected.
Mr. Emanuel has privately expressed a readiness to run for mayor of Chicago, which is also his home town though he was never part of the Obama set and did not endorse the then senator in the Democratic primary in 2008. That would however depend on Mayor Richard Daley stepping down when he is up for re-election in 2011.
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