Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel will soon be the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of President Barack Obama on January 20th, 2009 when he becomes the White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has lived a very successful and interesting career as a politician. Here are some of the highlights of his life in an attempt to get to know "Rahm-bo" a little better.








Born November 29th, 1959

Went to a Jewish private school as a younger child. Being raised as a Jew, he feels very strongly about Israel. In hebrew his first name "Rahm" means "high" or "lofty" and his last name "Emanuel" means "God is with us"

Received B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College in 1981

Received Masters in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University in 1985

Worked on several political campaigns right out of college

Acted as director of the campaign finance committe during Bill Clintons campaign for president in the early 90's

Appointed as Senior Advisor to the Clinton White House from 1993-1998

Became known for his "bitterness" towards those who disagreed with him. For example, he mailed a rotten fish to a former coworker that he had his differences with. He also stood up at a celebratory dinner for President Clinton with a steak knife in hand, shouting off a list of "betrayers", and after each name shouted "dead" and stabbed the knife into the table. Since then his close friends say that he has "mellowed out" and has not since had an outburst of this magnitude.

After leaving the Clinton White House in 1998 he became an investment banker at Wasserstein Perella until 2002, reportedly making over 16 million dollars during his 2 1/2 year career there.

In 2002 he pursued the United Stated House Seat as a representative to Illinois' 5th congressional district and won with ease. He is the 4th ranking democrat in the house.

On November 6th, 2008, just two days after Obama took the presidency, he accepted Obama's offer to become his White House Chief of Staff, and will take office on January 20th, 2009.