Daniel W. Drezner
My dream job in the Obama administration
Ever since Barack Obama was elected, I’ve received myriad queries about whether I’m going into the administration. And, for a variety of reasons, my answer has always been, "no, not interested." After reading Ryan Lizza’s profile of Rahm Emanuel in The New Yorker, however, I must confess that there is one job that I would ...
Ever since Barack Obama was elected, I've received myriad queries about whether I'm going into the administration. And, for a variety of reasons, my answer has always been, "no, not interested."
After reading Ryan Lizza's profile of Rahm Emanuel in The New Yorker, however, I must confess that there is one job that I would do for free:
I noticed that over [Emanuel's] left shoulder, on the credenza behind him, was an official-looking name plate, which he said was a birthday present from his two brothers. It read “Undersecretary for Go F**k Yourself.”
Ever since Barack Obama was elected, I’ve received myriad queries about whether I’m going into the administration. And, for a variety of reasons, my answer has always been, "no, not interested."
After reading Ryan Lizza’s profile of Rahm Emanuel in The New Yorker, however, I must confess that there is one job that I would do for free:
I noticed that over [Emanuel’s] left shoulder, on the credenza behind him, was an official-looking name plate, which he said was a birthday present from his two brothers. It read “Undersecretary for Go F**k Yourself.”
Now that’s my kind of job. It’s a bit senior for me, though. If asked to serve, I would consider the stepping stone to that position — Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eat S**t and Die.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at Tufts University’s Fletcher School. He blogged regularly for Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2014. Twitter: @dandrezner
More from Foreign Policy
Sudan’s Future Hangs in the Balance
Demonstrators find themselves at odds with key U.N. and U.S. mediators.
Traffic Jams Are a Very American Disaster
The I-95 backup shows how easily highways can become traps.
The Human Rights vs. National Security Dilemma Is a Fallacy
Advocacy organizations can’t protect human rights without challenging U.S. military support for tyrants and the corrupt influence of the defense industry and foreign governments.
The Problem With Sanctions
From the White House to Turtle Bay, sanctions have never been more popular. But why are they so hard to make work?
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today from Foreign Policy’s newsletter writer Colm Quinn.
By signing up, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to occasionally receive special offers from Foreign Policy.