RAHMBO

Emanuel's Straight Talk

Watch your back, Paul Krugman.

While his job is traditionally a behind-the-scenes gig, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has thrown the rulebook out the window and become one of the most recognizable figures in the Obama administration. The New Yorker takes a look at the man tasked with pushing Obama's agenda through Congress and reveals that the president began courting Emanuel for the job several months before the election, sending an e-mail to the reluctant future staffer with the message: "Heads up, I'm coming for you." As with any Emanuel piece, there's also some straight talk for his opponents—he singles out Paul Krugman for playing armchair legislative negotiator. “No disrespect to Paul Krugman, but has he figured out how to seat the Minnesota senator?” Emanuel is quoted as saying, referring to difficulties cobbling together a majority while Al Franken's victory is disputed in court. “Write a f—ing column on how to seat the son of a bitch. I would be fascinated with that column. O.K.?”