Matt Marton/AP Photo
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel at a news conference, January 2017
President Biden chose a Friday afternoon in August to announce that Rahm Emanuel would be named his ambassador to Japan, as if this were something to be ashamed of. And of course it is.
Emanuel epitomizes the kind of opportunistic, revolving-door Democrat who has gotten the party of the people in such trouble with its base. He is a used-up hack politician.
He was a source of relentless bad advice to President Obama, and his sheer vulgarity is the opposite of what one wants in a diplomat. He knows nothing about Japan, which makes his appointment an insult to the Japanese people, who tend to be sensitive about such things.
Rahm didn’t want this job because he follows Japan—he had also fished for the China ambassadorship. He wanted it as a career-capper.
So why on earth did Biden name him ambassador? One likely suspect is Rahm’s pal Barack Obama. It’s hard to imagine who else could have called in this chit.
Since Rahm speaks no Japanese, here, as a public service, are several epic Rahm quotes rendered in the Japanese language, as translated by Google, in case he wants to use variants during his diplomatic service in Tokyo.
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste.” (Emanuel on the financial collapse, where he cut the stimulus sums recommended by Obama’s economists)
Anata wa shinkokuna kiki o muda ni suru koto wa kesshite arimasen.
“Take your f*cking tampon out of your mouth and tell me what you have to say.” (Emanuel to a junior White House aide)
Anata no kusotanpon o anata no kuchi kara toridashite, anata ga iwanakereba naranai koto o watashi ni oshietekudasai.
“Why are you f*cking with me?” (Emanuel in conversation with Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez)
Nande watashi to kusona no?
“F*ck the UAW.” (Emanuel discussing the auto bailout with auto czar Steve Rattner)
UAW o fakku.
“Mr. Prime Minister, I am honored to present you my f*cking credentials.” (I made that one up.)
Shushō, watashi wa anata ni watashi no kuso no shikaku o teiji suru koto o kōei ni omoimasu.
This all may be premature. Senate Democrats refused to confirm Neera Tanden for a lot less.
On the other hand, this nomination was first leaked in May. One suspects that the White House took the time to get commitments out of key senators before going public and possibly embarrassing itself twice.
But it ain’t over till it’s over. (Sore ga owaru made sore wa owatte imasen.)
