I'm not sure he is stil Orthodox, but politically some say he is a Moderate which I hope is true. Obama chose him because he is strong enough to not let a "Liberal" agenda be forced down his throat which I hope is true too.
I don't want a country that is run by only one particular ideology, and Obama is sending that message to Congress. This country is very divided. Obama won those Ohio, Pa. and Virginia votes based mostly on the economy and he knows that. Clinton knew that too.
Emmanual btw has supported the elections of many Conservative Dems too. Some say he is Liberal others say Moderate, but all say a strong leader who will not let Congress run all over him.
I know that his wife converted to "modern Orthodox" before they were married- not that I really care one way or another.
Emanuel is so vicious by all accounts that even Clinton grew to mistrust him, since he had no qualms about leaking any decision he disagreed with to the Washington Post.
I think you bring up a valid point- one which I had not considered.
Interestingly, I have noticed the rise in people of my generation saying they are "economically conservative, but socially liberal."
I think the 'Publicans are reaping consequences for adding 'Religious Moral Authority" to their list of job qualifications.
Young people that believe in small localized government and free market, do not want to be lumped in with the extreme right who are telling Gay people they will burn in hell.
Perhaps the Republicans have discovered that joining forces with the Religious right- will be to their detriment as Americans are being educated in increasing numbers towards more progressive social philosophies. Nothing is more proof of this than our current president elect.
I hope you are right- and that Americans remember the current state of country was not formed from center-right philosophies. The past 8 years were anything but.
Well said!(I almost said "my fried", but I think McCain has ruined that phrase for a while.)
I do think that EVERYONE is going to have to deal with some compromise and realize that you've got to give a little to get a little. I think that's how Obama will operate, if his experience on the Harvard Law Review is any indicator.
Emanuel is far from left and is in fact a Democratic centrist. Remember that Clinton shifted the party to the right.
With all the terrorist talk about Obama's links to the left, Emanuel's father had a few things to do with the early pre-Israeli terrorists who engaged in bombings against the British.
I understand the character of Ari is based on Emanuel's brother Ari who is also an agent. Well, they both learned the art of dealing.
Emanuel is also very close to Obama and I can only imagine what the Clinton White House must have been like for so many Clintonites to turn their back on Hillary in favor of Obama. That is a book I would buy!!!
The center-right/center-left thing is another non-issue that conservatives like to talk about because most Americans simply don't agree with them on the issues that do matter - health care, Iraq, trickle-down, deregulation, to name a few.
Thank you for saving me the work of debunking this piece of Elephant Poo. I mean really, if we were "right center" or "center right" wouldn't a majority of people have voted for the "conservative" "maverick"?
ShortWoman,
Perhaps you are correct, but another thing to look at besides elections of legislators are the various ballot initiatives. The votes against gay marriage (California) and affirmative action (forgot the state(s)) might be an indication that the country hasn't lurched to the left.
Here's an interesting article about groups key to Obama's win and how they voted in CA:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp...8110603880.html
Food for thought...
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