Rahm Emanuel's Christmas: Cute and Filling

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers.

It's almost Christmas, so our friends are sending their cards to Whispers. Just today, we received one from Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama's incoming chief of staff. It's pretty cute, featuring his kids and wife in a summer setting. Better yet, he tells us that, "In the spirit of the season, a donation has been made to the Greater Chicago Food Depository." No, that's not code for Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Senate pay-to-play account.

Another comes from Sen. John Kerry and his wife, Teresa, that features a snowy picture of Boston Public Garden. Theirs is interesting in that it includes a Democratic trademark Rahm's doesn't: a union printing label.

And then there's the very colorful card from PETA, which features a purple deer whose antlers are decorated with songbirds. "Peace Begins With Compassion. Wishing you holiday cheer and cherished moments with those you hold 'deer.'"