If you can pronounce "Barack," you should be cool with "Rahm"

Rahm Emanuel proves he'd be a "good pick."

UPDATE: Rahm Emanuel has accepted the post of Barack Obama's White House Chief of Staff. Obama will take office at a delicate time in American history, and he's going to need all the help he can get. And despite being slammed by John McCain for "measuring the drapes" early, a speedy and well-organized transition will be vital.

Aside from the fact that his name isn't going to make the "he's a Muslim" alarmists any more comfortable, what do we know about the guy who will be what some call "the second most powerful man in Washington"? Find out more after the jump.

Age: 48.

Current job: U.S. Representative since 2003, representing Illinois's 5th congressional district. Chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006, and is now chairman of the Democratic Caucus.

Handsome?: Yes.

Astrological sign: Sagittarius. Known for their relentless pursuit of their goals, Sagittarians believe anything is possible. Ruled by Jupiter, Sagittarians are imbued with wisdom and spirituality; however, they are notorious for their lack of tact, a trait that may come into play in the role of Chief of Staff.

Jewiness: High to extreme.

Nicknames: "Rahm-bo" because of his take-no-prisoners attitude, "Rahm-a-lahm-a-ding-dong" because we're actually just trying to start that one now.

Fun fact: Rahm's brother, Ari, is the founder of the Endeavor talent agency and is said to be the inspiration for Ari Gold, the character played by Jeremy Piven on HBO's Entourage. This does not make Jeremy Piven any less of a douche.

Fun fact that will have Republicans hooting: Emanuel is a graduate of the Evanston School of Ballet and won a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet.

And it gets worse: Emanuel turned down the Joffrey scholarship to attend Sarah Lawrence College, a liberal arts school with a strong dance program.

Why he was chosen: After the disastrous Kerry campaign, Emanuel engineered the Democratic sweep in the midterms, earning a reputation for his ruthlessness and brilliant tactics. That kind of political savagery is necessary when managing the president's schedule.

Why he might not have gotten the offer: One criticism leveled against Obama was that he is not committed to maintaining America's support for Israel, so Emanuel's name was leaked by Democrats to counter that attack. Now that the election is over, it's every Jew for himself.

If he didn't accept the job, then...: Would soon be seen supplanting Wolf as the most popular competitor on American Gladiators.

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"Emanuel Accepts Chief of Staff Job" - NYT