APPOINTMENTS

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 3:00 PM

Reports: Emanuel Accepts Chief Of Staff Position

Barack Obama is losing no time in assembling his new administration, offering up the White House chief of staff position to House Democratic Caucus chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois just one day after he secured the title of president-elect. Emanuel, who had apparently been whispering to friends and colleagues that he was interested in the position, accepted this afternoon, according to NBC and Fox News.

Emanuel, who served as an adviser in Bill Clinton's White House and currently ranks as the fourth-highest Democrat in Congress, certainly fits the bill of a Washington insider who knows the ins and outs of the policy-making process. He and Obama share a close personal friendship and their Chicago roots.

But Emanuel's aggressive style has earned him the nickname "Rahmbo" on the Hill and some -- Republicans in particular -- fear his take-no-prisoners tactics could prove ill-suited for the job.

Check back later for more analysis.

UPDATE: A spokesman for Emanuel is denying reports that he has accepted the job. But, as AP notes, "a rejection would amount to an unlikely public snub of the new president-elect."