More Rahm

By Joe Klein | @JoeKleinTIME | March 4, 2010 | +

This is the most unBroderian column I have ever–ever–read, in which the dean slags his own newspaper, and several of his colleagues by name, for staging the Rahmadan festival of recent days. This part seems plausible to me:

But, as one White House staffer said to me, “Rahm likes to win,” and when the losses began to pile up, he probably vented his frustrations to some of his old pals in Congress. It’s clear that some of them are talking to the press.

But still, this is something I thought I’d never see: the Post’s marquee political writer of the past 40 years beating up on the Post.

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kbanginmotown

Pretty meta for today.
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Does “Rahmadan” mean that Rahm is having a “mad-on”?
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OK. I’ll stop. It’s Thursday.
pierogielunaire

Rahm represents a complete waste of an ill temper and a foul mouth. All the vehemence and expletive-laden tirades in the service of milquetoast centrism? Please… Good for Broder for making sense for once and hopefully this stupid pattern of Dems berating a Dem president will signal the end of the Rahm’s tenure as CoS. Rahm cares more about winning than the substance of the what has been won, and that has not been any more obvious than in HCR. I wish Obama would send him packing.
FlownOver

Even Broder slags the Post? I thought that would be a race to the bottom, and it appears the paper got there first.
sacredh

If Broder keeps biting the hand that feeds him, will they stop feeding him?
Jonathan Evans

I’ll withhold my applause until Broder retracts his paeans to Palin.
Andy from MA

David Broder? He’s still alive?
xxception

I guess those calling Rahm the Karl Rove of the left weren’t too far off.
http://elvisberg.wordpress.com Elvis Elvisberg

This was a witty, insightful article rejecting conventional wisdom. I have no idea what they put in David Broder’s cereal yesterday morning, but I sure do hope they keep doing it.
jsfox

All this chatter about RAHMMMMMMMM! reminds me of Kremlinology from the cold war. Everybody knew what was going on inside the Kremlin from where people sat in meetings or pictures still hanging on the walls. They knew they were right until they found out they were wrong more times than not.

As for WaPO it’s stopped being a serious newspaper when it started trying to out Murdoch Murdoch.
sevenoaks07

A Broderian surprise! I cannot recall when I last read DB and came away satisfied. I did not think he had it in him: to name his “paper” and name names. I guess I should not be surprised. The Post has become The Village Rag and “In Defence of Rahm” is the week’s meme.
afguy

Andy: even though he’s still writing articles, the jury’s still out that question.
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However, this article might prove that there’s still brain activity present.
kevin

Zombie David Broder roams Washington, D.C. in search of biiiiiiipaaaaaarrrrrrtisssaaaannnshhhhhippppp and brrrrraaaaaiiinnsss.
formerlyjames

Nobody voted Rahm into the WH. When it becomes all about him, he’s gotta go.
Jim, Foolish Literalist

Okay, kudos to Broder. Now will someone (Dionne? Robinson? The ghost of Molly Ivins or Mary McGrory? You?) return the favor and point out to Teh Dean that it is not, in fact, 1973? That Bob Michel and Howard Baker and other responsible Republicans of Uncle Broder’s fantasies are long gone? That even Dick Lugar is little more than a stooge for the likes of Mitch McConnell, John Kyl and John Cornyn?

I won’t hold my breath.
kevin

The Civil War at the post continues, with E.J. Dionne destroying the lie-filled op-ed that Orrin Hatch published there this week.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030303097.html
grape_crush

Yup. I seem to remember something about an unwritten ‘no drama’ rule.
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Problem is that if you gently suggest Emanuel seek other opportunities, you run the risk of him turning all Rahmbo on the Obama administration.
afguy

Like I said, Rahm don’t fall on no sword for nobody!!
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Not without taking a few down with him.
square1

Great comment.
square1

Ironically, Rahm may succeed where Rove failed: in making the GOP a permanent majority party.
shepherdwong

If I were a cynic I’d say that the whole thing smells not of burnishing Rahm’s “centrist” credential – why would he need that – but of liberal-washing Obama to the base (he’s really more liberal that the policies coming out of The White House but it’s because of Rahm).
Ike Jakson

Rahm has always been Rahm, his own man with his own private agenda, and the wrong man for the position. It’s a comedy of errors that will play itself out. Read:

http://ikejakson.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/comedy-at-its-best%e2%80%a6deserving-full-sets-of-oscar-and-emmy-awards/