Update: MSNBC reports Rahm has accepted the post - 2:50 eastern

081105_rahm_obama.thumbnail.jpgThe talking heads on Morning Joe are consumed with the rumor that Rahm Emanuel will be named Chief of Staff. 

I wrote the other day that "Rahm doesn't do bipartisan," and Scarborough resoundingly echoed that sentiment.  He said that appointing Rahm as COS would be like Bush appointing Tom Delay.  He's basically telling the Republicans to go Cheney themselves.

I subsequently got into an email exchange with someone who argued that Rahm was was very much a bipartisan operator, who orchestrated the caucus to capitulate to bipartisanship bullshit from 2006-2008.

I replied that it's not conservatism Rahm hates, he's actually quite fond of that.  It's Republicans. 

When Rahm works to get legislation passed, he beats up Democrats, he doesn't reach across the aisle and try to negotiate with Republicans and make them happy.

Rahm doesn't really operate from an ideological standpoint.  He sees political parties more like sports teams.

I'm not necessarily arguing that this is a horrible move -- Rahm is unrelenting and having a bulldog in that position could be important to implementing Obama's agenda.  And I personally hate the word "bipartisan," especially as peddled by its chief pimp and bottle washer, Joe Lieberman.  It's a phony concept that assumes the GOP operate in good faith.  They don't, and only people paying marginal attention could believe that they do.  I actually appreciate that the charade is now over and we can face that political reality.

Clinton got hamstrung early on by Democratic infighting, and Rahm will work hard to keep the party in line.  There's nothing "kinder and gentler" about his approach.

But bipartisan?  I'm with Scarborough.  It's laughable.

Don't appoint Chuck Hagel to some meaningless post and tell me it's raining.

Update: Cizzilla says Rahm is mulling over the job offer. We can hardly wait.