The Hill: 'Cracks are beginning to show in Emanuel’s once-impregnable political armor'

AMERICAblog (Joe Sudbay):

According to The Hill, Democrats on Capitol Hill are focusing their ire on Rahm:

Democrats in Congress are holding White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel accountable for his part in the collapse of healthcare reform.

The emerging consensus among critics in both chambers is that Emanuel’s lack of Senate experience slowed President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

The share of the blame comes as cracks are beginning to show in Emanuel’s once-impregnable political armor.

Emanuel has presented himself as the all-powerful. He's led Obama's presidency into a tailspin (and Obama let him). While Emanuel hasn't worked in the Senate, his Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, is a long-time former Senate staffer. How Emanuel and his crew destroyed the Obama brand so quickly will be the subject of debate for years to come.

Criticism of the Obama leadership team is becoming more pervasive. Over the weekend, Steve Clemons wrote a very powerful post about the President's management team, led by Emanuel. John posted it here. It's definitely worth a read as is the Financial Times article by Edward Luce, to which the Clemons post refers. As John noted, Steve has excellent sources around D.C. The traditional media is paying attention. Steve has been discussing the problems with the Obama White House leadership team on news shows for the past several days. I saw him in a clip on the TODAY Show this morning.

In an analysis of the FT Times and Clemons articles, Digby, as usual, nails it:

And Rahm, by the way, is way more trouble than he's worth. Even Nixon's advisors were more subtle --- and far more lethal. You don't keep a nasty henchman who makes enemies of everyone and inspires loathing by his very presence if he can't even get the job done.

Howie P.S.: When you put all your emphasis on "winning" you better not lose.