White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, pictured here at left in an Oval Office meeting, is leaving his job in the Obama administration. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary for the Obama administration, is leaving his post. Gibbs hasn’t given a reason for leaving the White House. He is expected to depart in February.
Robert Gibbs leaving the White House
Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary for the Obama administration is leaving his position as chief liaison to the press for the president, according to the USA Today. There hasn’t been a reason given yet for Gibbs’ departure, though the Obama administration has seemed to have high rates of turnover. It is anticipated that Gibbs will be leaving sometime in February, likely after the president delivers the State of the Union address. He will be remaining an outside adviser and consultant to the President Obama, who has said that Gibbs would “continue to have my ear as long as I’m in this job.” A successor hasn’t been named, though announcements are expected to be made in time.
High turnover in Obama White House
The Obama White House has had high rates of turnover. Not long ago, it was speculated that Joe Biden would leave and Hillary Clinton would become vice president, though it was fervently denied. Former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel departed last year to run for mayor of Chicago. Gibbs’ leaving was not entirely unexpected, and it has been rumored that he may be groomed to take over as chief adviser to the president, a position David Axelrod currently holds.
Tough year awaits
New Congress members are taking their seats today, and many of those seats are being filled with Republicans. The House of Representatives now has a Republican majority, but not in the Senate. Though both parties have been known to be able to compromise at times, a rocky period is anticipated in the months ahead as a Republican majority is likely to come to loggerheads with the White House at some point in the near future.
