Rahm Emanuel Challenges CEOs To Back Reform (VIDEO)

Rahm Emanuel made a rare public appearance at a Wall Street Journal CEO conference last night, where he challenged business leaders to join the new administration in working for real health care reform:

President-elect Barack Obama's incoming White House chief of staff challenged chief executives and other business leaders Tuesday night to join the new administration in a push for universal health care, saying incremental increases in coverage won't be acceptable.

"When it gets rough out there, a lot of business leaders get out of the car and say, 'We're OK with minor reform.' I'm challenging you today, we're going to have to do big, serious things," Rahm Emanuel said, speaking to The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council, a conference convened to elicit corporate opinion on the challenges facing the new president.

Since the president-elect named Mr. Emanuel his chief of staff, the famously voluble Chicago congressman has limited his public appearances and strained to stay out of the news. But on Tuesday night, he was combative with a business audience.

...

He stressed that the new administration would "throw long and deep," taking advantage of the economic crisis to push wholesale changes in health care, taxes, financial re-regulation and energy. "The American people in two successive elections have voted for change, and change cannot be allowed to die on the doorsteps of Washington," Mr. Emanuel said.

Watch:

Comments

[abigail1]

I like it.

[Rockwell]

Oh Rahm! You just sent a little tingle up my leg! Go get'em tiger!

[Progress08]

Get'em Rahm

[Antifascist-08]

Let the games begin. Now we see why Rahm is our man.

[Grunty1]

He keeps this up and he will definitely silence the doubters.

[wendynyc]

Nice!

[zizi]

I love this. New Sheriffs in town!

[HappyIdiot51]

I watched that and man was I completely impressed with Rahm Emanuel. He's a brilliant guy who understands that the American people need the government to work for them not the corporations.

[LesserOf2Evils]

Great screen name Happy, seriously, perfect.
Rahm did more work than any Democrat in slamming the illegal immoral Wall street bailout bill through Congress.
He supports more free money for Detroit now.

Both banking and auto industry executives have made millions in bonuses while they laid off local workers, bankrupted their companies and gave us crappy products. They did this for years, and now we the people who saw our jobs go overseas, bought their inferior cars and mortgages are stuck paying billions to them while we go without health care and our infrastructure rots and decays.

Rahm gave his full support to them, not to us.

[HappyIdiot51]

I'm not sure I should take that a as a compliment but you might want to get your facts straight.

“When Congress considered the financial crisis in September, Rep. Emanuel used his knowledge of the financial industry to help protect taxpayers and significantly strengthen the economic rescue package,” said Emanuel’s spokeswoman, Kathleen Connery. “His experience in government and business will be a tremendous asset as he works with President-elect Obama to help get our economy back on track."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15760_Page2.html

[StopCensoringMe]

Hey there, LesserOf2Persons...

Explain to me exactly how legislation passed by the US Congress and signed into LAW by the POTUS is illegal. I'm sure this is where that No LesserOf2Persons Left Behind Education is going to come in handy.

I'm waiting, brain surgeon.

[Sparty1]

Get 'em, Rahm!

[dhfsfc]

Thank you, Rahm Emanuel and President Obama.

[larry278]

It think Raxm gave us a definate maybe on universal health care. When we get a yes or no? Does BHO know what he's going to do with universal health care? I don't think so.

[hkphooeyd]

Shows how intelligent you are.

[cheforacle]

So what do you suggest? Have you read Obama's health care plan and if so, why do you think he doesn't know what he wants to do with the issue. I would agree with you that the timing, mechanics and way to engage Congress on the issue are up in the air. Teddy Kennedy is apparently now working on the issue. As Obama said on 60 Minutes on Sunday, sequencing of initiatives is being discussed.

[mcrochip]

I think Ted Kennedy is going to appreciate the Obama presidency quite a lot... he's been trying to get health care passed in congress for years. Kennedy has an incoming president that has a plan and will work with him to find the best solution for the health care issue. I think that's what Kennedy wants as his legacy.

[lizr]

FIRST they have to see exactly how deep the hole is that Bush dug for us.. then they will see how much room they have to maneuver in.

My guess... not too much.

[edwcorey]

Hit the ground spanking.

[Hawka]

You go Rahm, take it to them.