White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Obama’s New Chief Of Staff Won’t Just Cycle Through

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One of the worst parts about the ins and outs of D.C. is the commute, especially if you’re a biker. Unfortunately that’s exactly what Obama’s new Chief of Staff Denis McDonough is about to face with his new role. Announced last week in the Times, among other things a foreign policy expert, McDonough is well known for being cycled through the District on his bike.

Except not for much longer, as DCist found. McDonough’s preferred method of transportation isn’t an option once he’s formally accepted. USA Today found the line from the president that “Dad will probably have to stop riding his bike to work as chief of staff…I don’t think that’s allowed.”

So what’s a jilted cycling machine like McDonough to do? Inspire a hashtag on Twitter! The League of American Cyclists’ Andy Clarke created #letdenisride over at the LAC’s blog. He’s already come up with five reasons to keep McDonough in a bike seat over the Metro or an Uber car including “he’ll never get stuck in traffic in times of emergency.”

To be fair, riding your bike around the White House is not only dangerous but near suicidal. Even with bike lanes, anything on two wheels seems to be prey to buses, speeding cars or the legion of Circulators that loop around the Hay-Adams. No matter what reason folks find to #letdenisride we’re siding with the president when it comes to keeping McDonough in a car, waiting in traffic like the rest of us commuting back and forth through the District. Then again, it’s not like biking from Maryland into D.C. is faster than Metro.

President Obama names William Daley new Chief of Staff

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William Daley, JPMorgan Chase senior executive and Secretary of Commerce during the Clinton administration, has been named the new White House Chief of Staff.

Daley officially takes over for Rahm Emanuel who left to return to Chicago to campaign for mayor (coincidentally, Mr. Daley’s brother Richard serves as Chicago’s current Mayor). Pete Rouse, who served as interim chief of staff, will continue as a Counselor to the President.

See the full story in the New York Times.

Bill Daley, Bill Daley Jr., Tom Hynes, and Terry Dee at the CURE Epilepsy Benefit in Chicago 2010

In today’s special announcement in the East Room, President Obama said he was “proud to announce the appointment of an experienced public servant, devoted patriot, and my friend, fellow Chicagoan Bill Daley, to serve as my Chief of Staff. Few Americans can boast the breadth of experience that Bill brings to this job.”

Susan Sher Exits East Wing

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Tom Hanks and Susan Sher at The Jefferson Hotel after a screening of the HBO mini-series "The Pacific"

Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to the First Lady and longtime friend of the Obamas will be returning to Chicago after the first of the year.

“Susan has been both a colleague and a dear friend for decades, and I have been grateful every day for her leadership and wise counsel in Washington,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “I also very much appreciate her generosity in staying longer than she initially planned – spending so many months away from her family in Chicago – to help me build my office in the East Wing. I wish her all the best.”

Sher spearheaded the First Lady’s high-profile anti-obesity campaign Let’s Move! and served as the Administration’s liaison to the Jewish community. She came to Washington with the Obamas in January 2009, working in the White House Counsel’s Office to support the Office of the First Lady. In June 2009, Sher took over as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, adding stability and her own personal style to the East Wing.

Rahm: "Mr. President, Thank You."

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Not even 24 hours after NBC broke the news of Rahm Emanuel’s departure, President Barack Obama opened this morning’s announcement with, “Good morning and welcome to the least suspenseful announcement of all time.”

The President came to praise his former Chief of Staff through his efforts on health care reform and leading the White House’s staff through these turbulent times. “We’re also losing a comparable elader of our staff and one who we’re going to miss very much,” the President said. “When I first started assembling this administration I knew we were going to face some of the most difficult years our country has seen in years.”

[Read more…]

Rahm Resigns on Friday

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White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel will resign tomorrow according to MSNBC.

Savannah Guthrie spoke on Andrea Mitchel Reports today and will be confirmed on Friday during a press conference from Robert Gibbs. Of course, today Gibbs refused to speculate as to what the nature of the press conference will cover, but the writing has been on the wall all week.

Politico’s speculated on Rahm’s exit and what could happen next, namely that Pete Rouse could (i.e. will) assume the role

A Emanuel-to-Rouse [sic] swap is less notable for the obvious shift in personalities than it is for the way Rouse would appear to be a better fit for the post-legislative focus of the White House after the Nov. 2 midterms.

In the short term, Emanuel’s absence won’t change the dynamic in the West Wing, where he is a fixture in all major policy discussions. Congress will have finished its business by Thursday or Friday and won’t be in session for the next five weeks, when Obama and fellow Democrats, including those in the White House, will be consumed by the midterms.

While the speculation can now officially run wild for the next 24 hours, we’ll wait for President Obama’s “personal remarks,” per Gibbs, tomorrow.