Pit-bull without lipstick.

Was anyone ready to see Obama move to the right so fast? By choosing Rahm Emanuel as White House Chief of Staff, he has made real Mid-East peace almost impossible. Emanuel's father fought with the terrorist organization Irgun against the British and Palestinians in the 1940s, and he himself has been stout in defending Israel's positions in Washington. The Israeli paper Maariv has called him "our man in the White House", and Bill Clinton once said he was "a pit-bull". An even-handed approach to Israel and Palestine is essential for improved relations with Muslim-majority countries from Syria to Indonesia, so this appointment looks seriously bad. Watch out to see if Obama gives Dennis Kucinich a job; he is the most dedicated and effective radical in Congress.