"Chicago mafia" blamed for Obama's problems

In addition to what the Times of London writes, I'd like to add that another reason President Obama isn't getting his agenda passed is that his proposals are destructive.

He and others lay the blame on the Chicago team, advisers from Obama's adopted city. "Obama's West Wing is filled with people who are in their jobs because of their Chicago connections or because they signed on early during his presidential campaign," complained Doug Wilder, who in 1990s Virginia was America’s first elected black governor and was an early backer of Obama. "One problem is they do not have sufficient experience at governing at the executive branch level. The deeper problem is that they are not listening to the people."

Obama relies on five people, four of whom are Chicagoans. They are Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, David Axelrod and Jarrett, his political advisers, and Michelle, while the fifth kitchen cabinet member is Robert Gibbs, his chief spokesman, who comes from Alabama.

The president consults them on everything. Military commanders were astounded when they participated in Afghanistan war councils and referred to them as the "Chicago mafia." It was this group that inserted into Obama's Afghan surge speech the deadline of July 2011 as a date to start withdrawing.

With Democrats fearing big losses in the mid-term elections in November, the knives are out for Emanuel, whose abrasive manner and use of profanities have won him few friends. Although his job is to deflect criticism from his boss, Rahmbo, as he is known, seems to have gone over the top.

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