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There's no comment from White House press secretary Jay Carney on an incident in which President Obama's former chief of staff, ex-U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, physically got in the face of a reporter for asking a question.
The issue of the face-off now-Chicago Mayor Emanuel had with NBC reporter Mary Ann Ahern was raised by Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House and the second-most senior reporter on the beat.
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Kinsolving asked, "NBC's Mary Ann Ahern reported that Mayor Emanuel 'positioned himself inches from my face and pointed his finger directly at my head and asked, how dare I ask where his children would go to school.' My question: Is the president regretful about his former close aide's treatment of this lady, or doesn't he care about it?"
Carney said, "I haven't heard him discuss it, so I don't have … I think that's – I'm sure this has been amply covered by the Chicago press, but I don't have a personal opinion about it."
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According to a first-person report on the incident, Ahern explained:
During a sit down, one-on-one interview, I asked where Emanuel's three children will attend school upon their return to Chicago.
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The interview was supposed to focus on a new Emanuel initiative – the creation of an Office for New Americans – but I crammed in questions on labor, Mayor Daley's union negotiations, and more. But when his press secretary Tarrah Cooper said time was up just 10 minutes into what was scheduled as a 20 minute interview, I tossed him the school question.
Similar to his former boss, Emanuel said it's a private decision.
While I appreciate the desire for privacy, I tried to explain that the mayor's family is now in the public eye as Chicago's First Family, and that the public would want to know whether Emanuel is confident enough in the public school system to send his own children there. But Emanuel broke in.
"Mary Ann, let me break the news to you. My children are not in a public position," he said, curtly. "I am. You're asking me a value statement and not a policy. … No, no, you have to appreciate this. My children are not an instrument of me being mayor. My children are my children, and that may be news to you, and that may be new to you, Mary Ann, but you have to understand that I'm making this decision as a father."
Ahern reported that Emanuel wasn't done even then.
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"Emanuel doubled back. He looked directly at my two college interns, and said, 'You are my witnesses.' Then, the mayor of Chicago positioned himself inches from my face and pointed his finger directly at my head. He raised his voice and admonished me. How dare I ask where his children would go to school!"
"You've done this before," he said, according to Ahern's report.
Ahern reported she later called Emanuel and was told, "You are wrong and a bully. I care deeply for my family. I don't care about you."
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Ask President Obama your own question.