Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel is the White House chief of staff, serving under President-elect Barack Obama. The announcement of his appointment came on November 5, 2008, the morning after election day; Emanuel reportedly accepted the offer the same day, though a representative for the congressman denied this.^{1 2}

Emanuel is the Democratic representative of Illinois' Fifth District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served as the Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2005 to 2007.

Fast Facts

1. Born: November 29, 1959
2. Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
3. Assumed office: January 3, 2003
4. Party: Democrat
5. Spouse: Amy Rule
6. Alma mater: Sarah Lawrence College
7. Previous position held: Bank executive
8. Author: The Plan: Big Ideas for America
9. Reportedly accepted offer to be President Barack Obama's chief of staff
10. Lost the tip of his middle finger on his right hand after an accident with a meat slicer when he was a teenager³

Key Dates

As the Chairman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Emanuel led the Congress to pass sweeping ethics reforms, increase minimum wage, expand research for stem cells, lower costs of prescription drugs, and cut interest rates for educational loans. In 2007, the Democrats in the House elected Emanuel to chair the Democratic Caucus, which marked him as the 4th-highest ranking member of the House Democrats. As a former banker, the majority of Emanuel's largest campaign contributors have been financial institutions.

2008 Presidential Campaign

Emanuel was one of the speakers on the second day, August 26, of the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver. Emanuel was a key member of Bill Clinton's presidential team and had his loyalties split between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, both longtime friends, during the Democratic primaries.⁴

Related Pages on Mahalo

Obama Cabinet | Democratic Party | Barack Obama | Ari Emanuel | Hillary Rodham Clinton | Bill Clinton | Howard Dean | 2008 Democratic Convention | Denver | Sarah Lawrence College | Illinois | Chicago | Obama Transition Team | Tim Roemer

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