Obama’s Partisan, Profane Confidant Reins It In

(If there is any doubt about Emanuel's power in the White House, just read below, and then decide, if you were the boss of your company, and an employee, like him or not, embarrassed you in front of others, would that person not be fired??)

Haraz N. Ghanbari/Associated Press

Rahm Emanuel is a center of attention, for better or worse, as President Obama’s chief of staff.

WASHINGTON — Early this month, Barack Obama was meeting with the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and other lawmakers when Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, began nervously cracking a knuckle.

Mr. Obama then turned to complain to Mr. Emanuel about his noisy habit.

At which point, Mr. Emanuel held the offending knuckle up to Mr. Obama’s left ear and, like an annoying little brother, snapped off a few special cracks.

The episode, confirmed by Mr. Emanuel’s office, underscores some essential truths about Mr. Emanuel: He is brash, has a deep comfort level with his new boss, and has been ever-present at Mr. Obama’s side of late, in meetings, on podiums and in photographs.