Presidents of the United States are not supposed to get into food fights, but that is exactly what Rahm Emanuel has prompted. It is beneath the dignity of the presidency to engage in name calling or even debating points with media commentators, which is exactly what Rush Limbaugh is.
Emanuel erred when he chose to elevate Limbaugh to the level of the presidency by responding to Limbaughs radio-broadcast hope that Obama fail. As a result of Emanuels potshot, Limbaugh is having a field day. Hes lapping up the attention, regularly imagining scenarios in which Barack Obama debates him or refuses to do so. Even Limbaugh, with the largest national radio following, could not have devised a better way than Emanuels to promote himself.
We say this without prejudice to the substantive claims of either Rush Limbaugh or Rahm Emanuel. It is one thing for a president to hold a press conference and to take questions from journalists, and quite another to engage or to have his chief administrator engage in debate with a commentator.
Rahms decision to take a potshot at Limbaugh was not well thought out, and only confirms Emanuels reputation as a hothead. It is time for Emanuel to realize that the presidency is not the campaign. The presidency is above that.
