Responding to a recently published list of White House salaries–including $100,000 a year for the “director for lessons learned,” Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) ran through a few “lessons” the White House apparently missed.

  • Money quote: “When you’ve ‘turned the corner’ in Iraq more times than Danica Patrick at the Indy 500, it means you are going in circles.”

    • Chicago Tribune:

    Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) has taken a recent report on White House salaries and turned it into a sharp stick to poke in Republican eyes.

    Here’s a press release on Emanuel’s House floor speech.

    Emanuel on White House Director of Lessons Learned

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) released the following statement in advance of delivery on the House floor:

    “Mr. Speaker, yesterday the President said we continue to be wise about how we spend the people’s money.

    “Then why are we paying over $100,000 for a ‘White House Director of Lessons Learned’?

    “Maybe I can save the taxpayers $100,000 by running through a few of the lessons this White House should have learned by now.

    “Lesson 1: When the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State say you are going to war without enough troops, you’re going to war without enough troops.

    “Lesson 2: When 8.8 billion dollars of reconstruction funding disappears from Iraq, and 2 billion dollars disappears from Katrina relief, it’s time to demand a little accountability.

    “Lesson 3: When you’ve ‘turned the corner’ in Iraq more times than Danica Patrick at the Indy 500, it means you are going in circles….”

    Link

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