Obama’s Chess Pieces: Mao Cheerleader Anita Dunn Stepping Down, Rahm Emanuel Says He Wants to Return to Elected Office Sometime Soon
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on November 10, 2009
Whiners in the White House: Barack Obama and Anita Dunn, who is stepping down this month
I don’t know what to make of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s declaration that he wants to return “to elected office at some point in the not-too-distant future.” White House Communications Director Anita “I Love Communist Mao” Dunn stepping down also looks suspicious. Dunn’s attacks on FOX News, for which she was criticized by both the left and the right, and her declaration that Communist Chairman Mao was one of her favorite philosophers may not be the reasons. I know that the spin is that she is returning to her former job at Squier Knapp Dunn. But if she was doing well as part of Team Obama, you know that she’d be there longer, basking in the “hopenchange” spotlight. This news does present many delicious theories about Maoist Dunn’s announced step down.
The approval rating for this administration continues to plummet. This moving of the Team Obama chess pieces seems to be orchestrated. Emanuel, though, is a puzzler.
Is all not going well with Team Obama? Are egos colliding? Hmm… very intriguing.
From The Washington Post, Dunn leaving White House, Pfeiffer takes over:
White House communications director Anita Dunn will step down from her post at the end of the month and Dan Pfeiffer, her deputy, will take over, according to sources familiar with the move.
Dunn, a longtime Democratic media consultant, took over the job on an interim basis earlier this year when Ellen Moran abruptly left the post to take a job at the Commerce Department. Dunn will return to Squier Knapp Dunn, the consulting firm where she is a partner, but will remain as a consultant to the White House on the communications and strategic matters.
The move will be formally announced later today.
Pfeiffer began working for Obama in 2007 following Sen. Evan Bayh’s (Ind.) decision not to pursue the presidency. He served a stint as the traveling press secretary for Obama’s presidential bid but eventually took a slot overseeing the campaign’s communications operation.
Prior to Obama, Pfeiffer worked for Sen. Tim Johnson’s (S.D.) re-election race in 2002 and on then Sen. Tom Daschle’s (S.D.) unsuccessful bid in 2004.
The passing of the baton from Dunn to Pfeiffer had long been expected within White House circles as she had made clear when she took the job that the “interim” in her title was meant to be taken literally.
Unlike when Moran left, the transition should be somewhat seamless as Dunn and Pfeiffer are longtime confidantes — having worked closely in Daschle’s political orbit for years.
The turnover in the communications director slot is the only change in Obama’s senior staff with 10 months (or so) of his presidency having passed.
Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff and former Illinois Congressman, has made clear he would like to return to elected office at some point in the not-too-distant future and, if past presidencies are any guide there will be some further turnover in the senior staff over the next year or so.
Eyebrows were raised recently when David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, was asked in a live chat with the Washington Post about why he had not joined the Administration and responded: “I needed to take a couple years to re-balance and spend time with my family, knowing that perhaps in the future my life will need to get unbalanced again.”
Sister Toldjah has her theories: Anita “I hate Fox News” Dunn steps Down:
While she’s not being thrown under the bus like so many other embarassing Obama associates, I suspect with all the heat she’s taken over her recent comments about Fox News – and her praise for Chairman Mao, it’s a bit of welcome news for the WH. Considering the reported “truce” allegedly reached between them and the popular cable news network, they’re no longer interested in being overtly anti-Fox, as Dunn was and is. Now they’re interested in keeping it “behind the scenes” – hush-hush, if you will, via threatening Democrat analysts/commentators/consultants who appear on the network via warning them to stay off of it – or else.
Additional reading:
Doug Bandow, The American Spectator: Thanks Be to Obama
Moe Lane: The October Rasmussen Trust numbers. (Ten for ten)
Jules Crittenden: Quagmire! and First, Do No Harm
Tim Graham, NewsBusters: London Telegraph: Obama’s Failed to Defeat Conservatism in U.S.
JustOneMinute: I Will Be Stealing This Idea
Peter Schweizer, Big Government: Obama vs. The American Businessman
Capitol Confidential, Big Government: Obama Back-Tracking on Net Neutrality?
GayPatriot: The Day for Disclosure of Doctored Democratic Data
Reason.TV: Killer Chic, Hollywood’s Sick Love Affair with Che Guevara
Political Derby: Obama wrong for the 34,837th time since being elected
Michelle Malkin: If you like Medi-fraud, you’ll love Obamacare
Big Hollywood: Exclusive Excerpt: ‘Without Fidel’ — Hollywood’s Useful Idiots Go to Cuba
Christopher C. Horner, Big Government: AstroTurfing and Global Warming: The Testimony You’re Not Supposed to Hear and
GayPatriot: Major Shift in Political Winds in USA and The president’s unbecoming defensiveness
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Nixonian: Obama’s White House Tries Blackout of FOX News from Press “Pool” Interview with Pay Czar, Other News Stations Refuse (video) and Blame FOX News! Obama’s Approval Index Back Down to Minus 13, Record Consecutive Low, Plus Funny SNL Obama/Biden Spoof (video) and Stunning Admission: Glenn Beck Reveals That One of Anita Dunn’s Favorite Philosophers Is Murderous Mao Tse-Tung (video) and Anita Dunn… Glenn Beck Has Red “Hotline” Phone Installed for You to Call Him (video)
Veronique de Rugy, Big Government: We Are Living in an Ayn Rand Novel
Ztower: President Obama, perhaps intent on driving his “ratings” to the cellar, consults experts with proven track records – MSNBC and NYT.
Gateway Pundit: Majority of Americans Say US Is on the Wrong Track Under Obama and Obama Tells Military: “I Won’t Risk Your Lives Unless It’s Necessary & If It’s Necessary I’ll Back You to the Hilt” and Warner on Obama: Bare-fisted Politician at Home- Pantywaist Abroad and Obama Can’t Find a Single Pentagon Official to Sign Off on Biden’s Afghanistan Plan and Unreal. White House Bans FOX News from Press Pool Interview — Then Relents After Protest (Video) and Far Left Haters Have Even Infiltrated the Greeting Card Industry and Will the Media’s Bush-Bashing Ever Cease?
Hot Air: Rasmussen: ObamaCare support dropping again and Not quite understanding the word mandate and WH to Congress: Czars won’t meet with Congress because Fox wants it
Matthew Vadum, Big Government: BREAKING: ACORN Ally Nadler Resists Probe While Giving ACORN Advice
Los Angeles Times: Democratic Party encounters ‘Obama hangover’ in state, local elections
VotingFemale Speaks!: Valerie Jarrett Get’s Punked on CNN for attacking FOX News and The Fringe Media is afraid this is going to “LEAK OUT” and get their Chosen One all Wee-Wee’ed Up! and Obama Declares National Emergency; His Poll numbers – the real emergency
OC Register: Mark Steyn: Obama a tough guy, at least with Fox News
Times Online: Morale dips for American marines in Afghanistan
Nice Deb: How Does Obama Like Being Compared To Nixon? and Video: White House Tries To Exclude Fox News From Pay Czar Interviews
Health Care BS: MODERATE RETARDATION
New England Republican: It’s the Economy, Stupid!
Diary of a Mad Conservative: Fox feud has unintended consequences
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: $2 million of stimulus spent on hair dressers and UNBELIEVABLE! Obama tried to ban Fox News from Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg interview
Scared Monkeys: OUCH: Harris Poll has Barack Obama at 45% Approval Rating (-20 Favorability Gap Among Independents)
The Strident Conservative: Bad Day At The White House? Just Blame FOX News
Patterico’s Pontifications: Obama’s War on Fox News Escalates . . . And Other News Organizations Fight Back
Start Thinking Right: Lying, Demagogic White House Finally Gets Its Media Smackdown
Cadillac Tight: Tell me another one, Steve
Patriot Burr: White House vs. FoxNews Gets Uglier
About the author
These people don’t do anything without a plan. While Dunn’s move has been known for a long time, and she is not an integral part of his administration, Emanuel’s statement comes as a surprise to me.
I wonder what he has up his sleeve?
These are the sneakiest and most calculating bunch of people I’ve ever seen in politics and I don’t trust any one of them.
Amen to that, Roxy.
The Rahm declaration is totally wacky, from out of left field (sorry for the pun, couldn’t resist!).
Something is indeed brewing behind the scenes. And like you, I DO. NOT. TRUST. THEM.
Pelosi may not be re-elected.
They need muscle in the house and the senate to keep Obama’s socialist policies on track.
The 2010 election is critical for reversing the direction of the congresses attention toward the American People’s opinion.
Obviously they are ignoring us, and pass onerous bills that have hidden traps that will demean the capitalistic policies that made this country what it is.
Emanuels declaration that he wants to return to elected office amuses me.
We all know who and what he is, and the only way he could be elected to public office is with an army of ignorant voters.
Wait,… maybe Mayor of Chicago.
HA! Obama would have it made !!!!!!!
I think Rahm is seeing the writing on the wall. If Obama flails away for the next year, Emmanuel may determine that he wields more influence in a Congressional seat. Health care killed the political star.
That’s a good point, Rick. Rahm is no slouch at all… in fact, he may be about the only one there on Team Obama with the chutzpah and brains (and killer instinct) to be what I like to call “The Puppet Master.” If one indeed exists (beyond Mr. Moneybags, George Soros), my bets would be placed on Rahm pulling everyone’s strings.
You’re dead-on… “health care killed the political star” (love your sly allusion to “Video Killed the Radio Star”).
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