Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel has opted to accept President-Elect Barack Obama's offer to be his White House Chief-of-Staff, sources say.
On Wednesday, the day after winning the 2008 Presidential Election, Barack Obama charged out of the started gates and offered the position to Emanuel, the #3 Democrat in the House of Representatives. Emanuel's name had previously rumored prior to Election Day.
Rahm Emanuel weighed the offer for a day before accepting the job. He told Chicago's WLS-TV:
''I have a lot to weigh: the basis of public service, which I've given my life to, a career choice. And most importantly, what I want to do as a parent. And I know something about the White House. That, I assume, is one of the reasons that President-elect Obama would like me to serve. But I also know something about what it means to a family.''
House GOP Leader John Boehner issued a statement criticizing the choice:
"This is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center."
However, analysts say the choice of Rahm Emanuel is more about his bulldoggedness: Obama will make policy, and Emanuel will enforce it.
While Rahm Emanuel is now in the fold, Obama has many other positions to fill. Other names being bandied about currently are Robert Gibbs as press secretary and Senator John Kerry as secretary of state.
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