Emanuel would bring tough edge to White House job

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a combative member of the Democratic congressional leadership, is in line to become President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, party sources said.

The job was offered to fellow Chicagoan Emanuel on Wednesday, just hours after Obama was elected, and he was expected to quickly accept the post -- making him one of the most important members of Obama's new inner circle, the sources said.

A one-time adviser to former President Bill Clinton, Emanuel has a reputation for being a master strategist. But he has also been viewed as a highly partisan fighter in the rough world of Washington politics.

"I am a man who has been called temperamental, vindictive, foul-mouthed and mean. And that's just my mom bragging about me," he said in a self-deprecating speech at an annual dinner held by Washington journalists last year.

Some Republicans questioned whether Emanuel could pull off Obama's goal of bringing congressional Democrats and Republicans together to end gridlock and approve major legislation -- a major element of Obama's campaign appeal.

"Rahm is one of the most partisan politicians in the country and a consummate Washington insider," said Kevin Smith, spokesman for House Republican Leader John Boehner.

"It would be an ironic and controversial choice, to say the least, for a presidential candidate running on a promise to change Washington," Smith said.

'CRACKING DEMOCRATIC HEADS'

Republican strategist John Feehery suggested Emanuel was chosen to help keep the Democrats in line.

"It's good for Obama," Feehery said. "He is going to spend most of his time cracking Democratic heads, getting them to move from the left to the middle. Obama is going to need a bad cop to his good cop. Emanuel fills that role nicely."

Emanuel served in the Clinton administration and helped engineer the 2006 Democratic takeover of the House, ending 12 years of Republican rule.

He has strong ties to Obama's inner circle through his close friendship with the president-elect's top political strategist, David Axelrod. Axelrod had done political consulting work for Emanuel.

As White House chief of staff, Emanuel would serve as gatekeeper to Obama, deciding who has access to the Oval Office. The duties of the position vary from administration to administration, but generally the chief of staff serves as the president's top adviser, plays a major role in selecting the president's appointees, and manages other White House officials. He would help plan the president's agenda.

While seen as a tough guy, Emanuel, 48, also has an artistic side -- he once studied ballet.

He was elected to the House in 2002 from Obama's hometown of Chicago and quickly moved into leadership.

After Democrats won back the House, Emanuel was elected chairman of the Democratic Caucus, making him the party's fourth-ranking member in the chamber.

Obama, who will be sworn in as president on January 20, is moving quickly to put together his new administration.

One aide said Obama aides were working particularly fast to "fill Obama's economic and homeland security teams."

(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro and Donna Smith; editing by Patricia Zengerle)