CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama's White House chief of staff apologized to the Arab-American community yesterday for remarks his father made to an Israeli newspaper.
Last week, Benjamin Emanuel talked about his son Rahm Emanuel's new job, and told the Israeli daily Ma'ariv that "obviously he'll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn't he? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to be mopping floors at the White House."
That prompted an outcry from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which called on Rahm Emanuel, who is Jewish, to condemn the "unacceptable smear."
