Topline
The administration announced Friday afternoon that Rahm Emanuel, a controversial former mayor of Chicago and the brash Obama-era White House chief staff officer, was selected by President Joe Biden to be his ambassador to Japan.
Rahm Emanuel visited the House Of Blues in Chicago, Illinois on January 10, 2011. Getty Images
The Key Facts
Emanuels distinguished public service career was cited by the White House, who credited him with fostering economic development in Chicago as well as facilitating the passage of Affordable Care Act in the Obama administration's early years. Emanuel was widely believed to have been offered a job with the Biden administration. However, he did not get a Cabinet post.
What to Watch
Emanuel must be confirmed by the Senate before he can travel to the U.S Embassy in Tokyo. The Senate is currently awaiting dozens of diplomatic nominations.
Important Background
Emanuel was a Clinton campaign worker and joined the White House staff. He quickly earned a reputation for being a sharp-tongued political brawler. After serving three terms in Chicago's House of Representatives, he became President Barack Obama's chief of staff. He resigned in 2010 to run as Chicago mayor. Emanuels time as the nation's third-largest mayor was marred by controversy about his handling of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police officers. Chicago also delayed releasing footage of the incident. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a progressive, argued that Emanuel shouldn't be given a federal position due to McDonalds' murder.
Surprising Fact
Politico reported that the Biden administration is looking into Emanuels brother Ezekiel to fill the position of commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration. Ezekiel Emanuel, a bioethicist and advisor to the Obama administration on matters related to health policy, is often referred to as the architect of the Affordable Care Act.
Tangent
Biden also appointed Nicholas Burns, a Harvard professor and former career foreign services officer, as China's ambassador. He also chose Michael Battle, a former ambassador of the African Union and military chapplain, to be Tanzania's ambassador.
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The Gatekeeper (The New Yorker).
