Emanuel left a House leadership post--and the dream of becoming the first Jewish speaker--to become Obama's staff chief. His oft-caricatured style as the abrasive, hard-charging bully obscures the fact that "at his heart, he is a policy person" and uses his outsized persona to get results, said Steve Elmendorf, a former top House Democratic aide. White House officials credit Emanuel, 49, with keeping everyone focused on Obama's goals while minimizing infighting. Emanuel grew up in Wilmette, Ill., graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, and earned a master's degree from Northwestern University. After a stint at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, he worked for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley before joining Bill Clinton's presidential campaign and winding up as a key aide in the Clinton White House. He later made millions as an investment banker in Chicago and returned to Washington after winning a House seat in 2002. Installed as head of the DCCC, Emanuel pursued an aggressive strategy that helped Democrats retake control of the House in 2006. His colleagues unanimously elected him House Democratic Caucus chairman.
| Is a Lawyer | |
| Has a PhD | |
| Has Worked in Congress |
|
| Has State or Local Experience | |
| Has Lobbied | |
| Has Worked at a Think Tank or in Academia | |
| Has Military Experience | |
| Has Worked as a Business Executive |
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| Has Held Elective Office | |
| Undergraduate Alma Mater | Sarah Lawrence College |
| Graduate Alma Mater | Northwestern |
Established: 1789
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500
Phone: 202-456-1414
Website: www.whitehouse.gov
Functions: The Office of the President provides advice and administrative support to the president.
