What Do You Know?

Caption: A veal pen.

Image credit: Found it here

Paul Krugman and I agree on something. Well, sort of:

But don’t blame Rahm Emanuel; this is about the president. After Massachusetts, Democrats were looking for leadership; they didn’t get it. Ten days later, nobody is sure what Obama intends to do, and his aides are giving conflicting readings. It’s as if Obama checked out.

Look, Obama is a terrific speaker and a very smart guy. He really showed up the Republicans in the now-famous give-and-take. But we knew that. What’s now in question isn’t his ability to talk, it’s his ability to lead.

Cossack Rahm Works For The Czar

Blaming Rahm Emanuel for the problems of this Administration is like blaming the mirror for what you see there. Obama knew who Emanuel was. I suspect it's hard to not know who he is if you've been in DC long enough. He hired Emanuel anyway.

I've said all this before, but it bears repeating, apparently. There are an awful lot of people who just don't get this. Firing Rahm won't solve the problems at the White House. Not that I disagree that it should be done, but the reason Rahm was there in the first place is what people need to focus on.

Ironically, one of those reasons you hire someone like Rahm is that you don't have to deal with all those pesky details. Somehow, they just go away. Jane Hamsher provides an example:

The Obama campaign successfully telegraphed to donors that they should cut off Fund for America, which famously led to its demise. It wasn't the last time something like that happened -- just ask those who were receiving institutional money who criticized the White House and saw their funding cut, at the specific request of liberal institutional leaders who now principally occupy their time by brown nosing friends and former co-workers in the White House.

Van Jones: A Moment of Truth For Liberal Institutions in the Veal Pen

Rahm is the guy who makes Obama's problems go away. As you can see, Rahm wasn't doing this to Republicans or conservative Democrats.

I think you can work out the rest on your own.