"Chief of staff is the only White House job with two titles: chief and staff. The first allows for structure and accountability. The second, well, just remember whose name was on the ballot, check your ego at the door and understand you're there to serve the President and ensure that his—or, someday, her—vision is being executed. When I had the role, I used to joke on Fridays, "Lucky us, just two more workdays until Monday." It's an all-consuming, thankless job—but walking through those gates at the beginning and end of each day, no matter how early or late, brings a tingle to your spine. The day that goes away is the day it's time to go."

“With Rahm, you get someone who is both a great strategic thinker and a great tactician. It's great to have someone who knows the Congress inside and out. There can often be major differences between the executive branch and the congressional branch, even when you're from the same party. It will certainly help in terms of getting things done.”

“rescued the economy from the worst recession.”

“is a tough holiday for Rahm Emanuel because he's not used to saying the word "day" after "mother.”

“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not before.”

“Is there no decency to this man?”

“This is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil and govern from the center.”