Ballet in the White House

Ambinder on the choice of Rahm Emanuel:

Advisers say that Obama has sent a not-so-subtle message to Congress: President-Elect Obama will not cede much agenda-setting ground to liberals.

I agree with the general consensus in the blogosphere about Emanuel's choice. It signals that an Obama administration will be pragmatic and centrist. That's not surprising for those of us who have been following Obama for a little while, especially his choices over the summer such as his decision to forego public financing. I know this decision has infuriated some of my friends who are pinning their hopes that Obama will veer the government far to the left. But personally, those decisions confirmed my support for Obama in that they showed he is not only a great orator with good ideas; he is also going to do what it takes to change the world, and do it with competence. What the US need most right now is a competent and pragmatic government that can correct the mistakes of the past 8 years and weather the storm of the finanacial crisis and this decision seems like a step in the right direction.

*The title of the story refers to the fact that Emanuel is a former ballet dancer.