Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), number four Democratic leader in the House, has been tapped by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as White House Chief of Staff, reports Lynn Sweet. 

Conservative leaders and pundits, to no surprise, quickly launched missives to pigeonhole Emanuel as a sharp-elbowed hyper-partisan tied to special interests. Indeed, his wily, aggressive approach to politicking is well known inside-the-beltway—garnering both intense affection and enmity by House colleagues—but the notion that he somehow represents the Cindy Sheehan wing of the Democratic Party is rather, well, absurd.

A classically trained ballet dancer, Emanuel ironically earned a reputation as a hard-nosed enforcer on energy, taxes, and health care(arguably the most pressing domestic matters awaiting Obama in January).  And his reputation as a bare-knuckled political operative rightfully earned him the nickname “Rahmbo,” a moniker I’m told he relishes.

In what is now both legend and comedy among seasoned Democratic operatives, Emanuel famously sent a dead fish to a pollster who displeased him. If we’re to believe the hype—which I’m not sure I do—House and Senate GOP’ers should brace for sushi, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Is the Emanuel appointment an indication that an Obama administration will not cede his legislative agenda to Republicans, or rather the filibuster-vulnerable Democratic majority, by way of strong-arming and skull-cracking House and Senate Republicans? Or, conversely, do Emanuel’s relationships with blue-dog Democrats and Republicans send a subtle message to Harry Reid (D-NV) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that Obama will operate as a centrist? I remain, as always, cautiously optimistic the latter will prevail.