Race Fades to Black

"The anonymous trashing of Sarah Palin by blabbermouth McCain aides who are leaking to Fox News is disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. . . .

"At least all the Hollywood and Manhattan Palin-haters were willing to sign their names and put their faces on their attacks.

"Let's assume the rumor-mongers are telling the truth for a moment. Who does it damn more: Sarah Palin or McCain and his vetters who green-lighted her for the vice presidential nomination? Don't need an Ivy League degree to figure that one out.

"Sarah Palin worked her heart out. She energized tens of thousands to come out who would have otherwise stayed home. She touched countless families. I didn't agree with everything she said on the campaign trail. But two fundamental conservative stands she took mattered greatly to me: She vigorously defended the Second Amendment and the sanctity of life more eloquently in practice than any of the educated conservative aristocracy.

"And she did it all with a tirelessness and infectious optimism that defied the shameless, bottomless attempts by elites in both parties to bring her and her family down. Shame on the smearers who don't have the balls to show their faces."

Erick Erickson vows retribution:

"RedState is pleased to announce it is engaging in a special project: Operation Leper.

"We're tracking down all the people from the McCain campaign now whispering smears against Governor Palin to Carl Cameron and others. . . . We intend to constantly remind the base about these people, monitor who they are working for, and, when 2012 rolls around, see which candidates hire them. Naturally then, you'll see us go to war against those candidates."

Now to Rahmbo. I'm one of the few journalists who believe he hesitated to take the White House chief of staff job because of his family. I remember being in his Clinton White House office when he got on the floor and played with his 6-month-old baby. He knows how all-consuming that job is, but the congressman chose to take it anyway.

Emanuel is "a fierce and consummate navigator of the capital's political terrain" ( NYT). "Known for his salty language and political toughness" ( Chicago Trib). "A Chicago tough-guy attitude" ( Boston Globe). "Often blunt and profane, Emanuel is notorious for his aggressive partisan tactics. He once sent a dead fish to a political rival" ( LAT).

Martin Sieff in the Daily Beast: "The selection of Emanuel signals that [Obama] apparently wants to operate with ideological moderation, speed and skull-cracking political toughness . . .

"The notion that Obama would prove too naïve for the wicked ways of Washington and quail before the alleged leftist agenda of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is belied by the bold choice of Emanuel. Making Emanuel chief of staff -- and putting the word out the day after his historic election victory -- tells Washington that Obama is going to push through his political and policy agenda Chicago-style -- not the San Francisco way."

David Corn: "It's hard to depict Representative Rahm Emanuel . . . as an agent of change. After all, Emanuel has been a Washington player for years and, perhaps more important, a leading New Democrat, who, when he served in the Clinton White House, advocated small, modest policy measures over sweeping change."

But somebody's gotta knock heads, right?