Rahm Emanuel

Memoir to recall lives of Chicago mayor Emanuel and family

Jennifer Lipman — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:13:41 +0000

One brother is the mayor of Chicago, the other perhaps the most powerful player in Hollywood, and the third a respected academic in the field on medical ethics.

Together they are the Emanuels, the sons of an Irgun fighter who grew up in a working-class home in Chicago and have gone on transform Americans politics and entertainment.

Now the story of Rahm, Ari and Zeke Emanuel is to be told in the pages of a memoir by oldest brother. Zeke Emanuel, 55, is a Harvard and Oxford trained academic and heads the medical ethics department of the University of Pennsylvania.

"Growing Up Emanuel" will tell the stories of the brothers' extraordinary rises. By the age of 34 Rahm Emanuel – the basis for west Wing character Josh Lyman - was a senior White House adviser to Bill Clinton, having previously served as a congressman. He went on to become President Obama's chief of staff, and is now mayor of Chicago.

Meanwhile Ari Emanuel, the basis for the ferocious agent in the series Entourage, is the chief executive of the major entertainment agency William Morris, known among other things for leading the blacklist of Mel Gibson after his infamous rant against Jews.

The book is to be published in the US in March.

Jack Lew named as Obama's new chief of staff

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:55:01 +0000

A Shabbat-observant Jew will take over as chief of staff to President Barack Obama.

Jack Lew, who previously worked for President Clinton, has been named as the successor to William Daley.

Mr Lew, 56, is President Obama's second Jewish chief of staff. Until October 2010 he was served by Rahm Emanuel, but the combative son of a onetime Irgun fighter stepped down to run – successfully – as mayor of Chicago.

It is not Mr Lew's first role in the Obama administration; he was deputy secretary of state from 2009-2010 and since has been working as budget director, the same position he held under President Clinton.

Seen as an expert in Washington politics, Mr Lew's insider knowledge has been welcomed as a contrast to Mr Daley, whose background was state politics rather than the federal government.

Mr Lew, the son of a Polish immigrant to New York, is well-known for his refusal to work on Shabbat. However, according to Washington lore, President Clinton once called his answer-phone on a Saturday urging Mr Lew to respond. The devout politician consulted his rabbi, who gave him his blessing to answer urgent calls from the president.

Tweeting congressman Weiner on US Jews top 50 list

Jennifer Lipman — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:22:10 +0000

A Jewish-American newspaper has named a congressman who lost his seat following an online sex scandal as one of the 50 people who have made the most impact in US Jewish news this year.

Former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner has had a bad year, after he accidentally posted an obscene picture of himself on Twitter last June and then denied it. But he can take comfort in the fact that he has been included in the Forward 50, an annual list of "Jewish men and women who have made a significant impact on the Jewish story in the past year".

While Mr Weiner is described as "a national laughingstock and an embarrassment" for one of the most "spectacular political self-immolations in memory", others on the list are praised for their contributions.

Among them are actress Natalie Portman, celebrated as "one of Hollywood's leading Jewish lights", architect Daniel Libeskind, chosen to rebuild the site of the World Trade Centre, and playwright Tony Kushner, who was at the centre of a debate on free speech earlier this year when his invitation to a graduation ceremony was rescinded because of his criticism of Israel.

Several politicians are noted, including House Majority leader Eric Cantor and Rahm Emmanuel, formerly President Obama's chief of staff and now the mayor of Chicago.

Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman who was shot during a killing spree last January but who has showed "resilience and strength" in her recovery, is also featured.

President Obama was named in the honorary 51st slot, traditionally reserved for a non-Jew.

"Support him, loathe him or feel wildly ambivalent," said the editors, "whatever you think of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States has done more than any other non-Jew we can think of to shape the American Jewish story in 2011."

Rahm Emanuel sworn in as Chicago mayor

Jennifer Lipman — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:25:32 +0100

Rahm Emanuel has been sworn in as the first Jewish mayor of Chicago.

The former chief of staff to President Barack Obama officially replaced long-time incumbent Richard Daley on Monday afternoon following his victory in February's bitterly fought election.

Mr Emanuel, whose father fought for Israel during the war of independence, also previously worked for President Bill Clinton.

In the crowd for the inauguration ceremony was Mr Emanuel's wife and their three children, his parents and his two brothers, one of whom is Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel.

Rahm Emanuel wins Chicago mayor vote

Jennifer Lipman — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:22:46 +0000

The son of an Irgun member who fought during Israel’s war of independence has been elected the first Jewish mayor of Chicago.

Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, will succeed the city’s incumbent mayor Richard Daley after winning 55 per cent of the vote.

It was a solid victory for the native Chicagoan, despite a campaign marred by a legal challenge to his candidacy.

Mr Emanuel, 51, who also worked as a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, described his victory as humbling.

Addressing his supporters at a victory rally, the famously highly-strung politician said: "You sure know how to make a guy feel at home.

"Tonight we are moving forward in the only way we truly can. Together. As one city with one future.

"I am determined with your help to meet our challenges head on and to make a great city even greater."

President Obama said of his former aide’s win: "As a Chicagoan and a friend, I couldn't be prouder. Rahm will be a terrific mayor for all the people of Chicago."

Rahm Emanuel offers reward for Twitter alter-ego

Jennifer Lipman — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:14:33 +0000

Barack Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has offered a charity reward if an internet user pretending to be him on Twitter comes forward.

The politician, who is in the last stages of his campaign to become the next mayor of Chicago, has offered up to £3,100 if the person reveals their identity.

The Twitter account, unlike Mr Emanuel’s real one, is filled with angry and often obscene remarks, in recognition of Mr Emanuel’s famously short temper.

“@MayorEmanuel” has 2,000 more followers on Twitter than Mr Emanuel.

Mr Emanuel, who served as aide to Bill Clinton during his presidency, said: "After the election, I am offering a donation to the charity of that gentleman or woman's choice.”

He added that the fake account had caused some confusion. He said: "A lot of people say, 'I just read your tweet,' and I say, 'Huh?'".

It is not the first time a fictional version of Mr Emanuel has caught public attention. Josh Lyman, deputy chief of staff in the White House of Aaron Sorkin’s West Wing, was said to be based on him.

Mr Emanuel is also not the first public figure to fall victim to a fake tweeter.

Last year Melanie Phillips was rumoured to have joined and even gained 800 followers before she blogged: “For anyone who may have been taken in by an impersonator who is pretending that I am now on Twitter, let me make it clear – I am not on Twitter and have never uttered a single Tweet.”

Rahm Emanuel back in Chicago mayoral race

Jennifer Lipman — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:03:27 +0000

Barack Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is back in the running to become the next Mayor of Chicago.

Mr Emanuel, the son of an Irgun fighter, confirmed his interest in succeeding long-time Mayor Richard Daley in the post last October, when he left Washington Dc to return to his home city.

However his candidacy has been beset by queries over whether he qualifies as a resident, having lived outside the city, and earlier this week a court ruled that his name should be taken off the ballot.

Mr Emanuel vowed to appeal and has now been successful in doing so, as the Illinois Supreme Court overruled the earlier ban.

Advance voting for the election, which takes place on February 22, begins next week.

Polls suggest that the former Bill Clinton aide is a frontrunner in the hotly-contested race.

Rahm Emanuel vows to fight on in Chicago mayoral race

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 09:59:20 +0000

Rahm Emanuel is expected to appeal against a decision banning him from running for mayor of Chicago.

Mr Emanuel, formerly President Barack Obama’s chief of staff and a onetime senior aide to Bill Clinton, has been declared ineligible for the vote on February 22 because he has not been a resident in the city for long enough.

An Illinois court said that Mr Emanuel did not qualify to appear on the ballot because he had not lived in Chicago for the last year.

The son of a former Irgun fighter, Mr Emanuel was born in the city. He said that he remained a resident because he owned a home in Chicago, which was merely rented out while he was working in Washington DC.

Mr Emanuel, who previously served as an Illinois congressman, gave up his White House position last year to concentrate on the mayoral bid. He vowed that the decision would not stop him and said he would appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court.

Mr Emanuel said: "I have no doubt that we will in the end prevail at this effort.
“This is just one turn in the road. The people of the city of Chicago deserve the right to make the decision on who they want to be their next mayor."

Mr Emanuel is hoping to succeed Chicago’s longtime mayor Richard Daley, who announced last year that he was stepping down after 22 years in office.

Barack Obama's man Rahm Emanuel challenged by own tenant?

Jennifer Lipman — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:19:33 +0000

Barack Obama’s former chief of staff has hit an unusual obstacle in his bid to become the next mayor of Chicago.

Rahm Emanuel, the Jewish politician who left the White House in September to concentrate on the 2011 vote, could be challenged by his own tenant.

Rob Halpin, who has described himself as “a businessman, not a professional politician”, has told US reporters that he is planning to take on his landlord.

He has already proved a problem by refusing to move out of the property he was renting when Mr Emanuel returned to the city from Washington.

Mr Halpin said his candidacy was “not a joke.”

“I do want to be mayor,” he added. “This has nothing to do with Rahm Emanuel.”

President Obama’s home state has long had a reputation for political drama – in 2008 it emerged that the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was attempting to sell the state’s Senate seat governors – and it seems the mayoral race will be no exception.

Mr Emanuel, who previously served as an Illinois congressman and was an aide to President Bill Clinton, is also facing questions over whether he can legally run to be mayor because he has been living in Washington DC.

Around 20 candidates have already applied to stand in the race to succeed Richard Daley, who is retiring from public life after twenty years as mayor.

Zuckerberg, Emanuel on Fortune power list

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:46:58 +0000

The 26-year-old founder of Facebook has been placed fourth in an annual list ranking the world’s top businesspeople by Fortune magazine.

Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg, who created the influential social networking site from his college dorm-room in 2004, is the highest ranked Jewish businessman on the list.

The list also includes the CEOs of Starbucks and Kraft Foods, Howard Schultz and Irene Rosenfeld.

Ms Rosenfeld, who last month was named the second most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine, is one of only three women on Fortune’s list of 50.

Israeli businessman and former IDF general Shlomo Yanai, who runs the Teva Pharmaceutical company, was placed at number 20. The Jewish co-founder of business networking site LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman, was listed at number 41.

Ari Emanuel, the Hollywood agent and brother of President Barack Obama’s former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, is placed at joint 49th on the list.

Mr Emanuel is said to be the inspiration behind the character of Ari Gold on the television series Entourage.