The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (headquartered in the U.S.) says Obama chose Emanuel strictly for his attack-dog executive abilities:
One thing Emanuel is not, all
agree, is the president-elect’s conciliatory signal to the Jewish
community after a campaign fraught with worries that Obama would tip
toward even-handedness in dealing with the Middle East. Emanuel was chosen strictly for his
political skills and his closeness to Obama, said Steve Rabinowitz, whose
public relations firms does work with both Jewish groups and the
Democratic Party and its affiliates. His closeness to the Jewish
community "would be a tiny factor, if at all" in the hiring, Rabinowitz
said.
But according to AFP/the European Jewish Press:
"Israeli
media on Thursday hailed Barack Obama's choice of Rahm Emanuel to be
his chief of staff, with one daily [Maariv] calling the Democrat of Israeli
descent 'our man in the White House.'"
I would add that Rahm Emanuel once headed the Democratic congressional campaign committee, which is involved in getting money to candidates around the country. Long ago the Washington Post said more than half that money comes from Jews. I once asked the aforementioned Steve Rabinowitz, a Clinton friend, about this. He said that Jewish giving to Democrats was so high that if anyone did a study of it, it would fuel conspiracy theories. Maybe it would just fuel journalism, and democracy.
