Pelosi to Emanuel: This Is My House

Speaker wants White House to go through her to get to Dems
By Gabriel Winant,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 16, 2008 10:35 AM CST
Pelosi to Emanuel: This Is My House
With Rahm Emanuel leaving Capitol Hill for the White House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has given him firm guidelines for how the Obama administration must deal with congressional Democrats.   (AP Photo)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is setting clear parameters for how she expects the Obama White House to work with House Democrats now that former lieutenant Rahm Emanuel will be chief of staff, Politico reports. When Emanuel recently offered advice on a leadership race, she replied that it is “an internal House Democratic Caucus matter, and we’ll handle it.”

Though Pelosi and Obama say they share an agenda, she’s making sure Emanuel doesn’t work behind her back. Says one source, Pelosi “is not going to allow Obama to triangulate her”—that is, make himself look pragmatic at her expense. Pelosi promoted Emanuel to the Democratic leadership, and OK’d his jump to the White House, but she wants it clear: He works for a new boss. (More Nancy Pelosi stories.)

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