Democrats in Congress are holding White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel accountable for his part in the collapse of healthcare reform.The emerging consensus among critics in both chambers is that Emanuel's lack of Senate experience slowed President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.
The share of the blame comes as cracks are beginning to show in Emanuel's once-impregnable political armor. Last week he had to apologize after a report surfaced that he called liberal groups "retarded" in a private meeting.
While Emanuel has quelled that controversy by meeting with advocates for people with disabilities, on Capitol Hill he's under fire for poor execution of the president's healthcare agenda in the Senate.
"I think Rahm ran the play his boss called; once Obama called the play, Rahm did everything he could to pass it, scorched-earth and all that," said a senior lawmaker, who added that Emanuel didn't seek a broader base of Senate Republicans. "I think he did miscalculate the Senate. He did what he thought he had to do to win."