First Wave Of White House Aides Leaving Administration

The New York Times:

Eighteen months into President Obama's term, some of the first-generation team that arrived with him at the White House are moving on. One by one, usually with little fanfare, they have turned in White House badges and BlackBerrys to rejoin the outside world, some eagerly seeking the exit, others unhappily shown the door.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[socrate johnson]

12:02 PM on 08/13/2010

The rat always leave first.

[0311Marine]

10:05 AM on 08/13/2010

Soon their leader will follow, and all will be right with the world...

[Nichole Boultas]

02:01 AM on 08/13/2010

Why am I not surprised by this tidbit of news regarding his White House team I guess you'd call it, when I had heard of a couple of them exiting, I just thought to myself that perhaps they weren't prepared for their jobs and what it entailed. And the fact it happened nearly two years into Obama's presidency just didn't shock me. I just hope the White House can find suitable replacements. It wouldn't look too good if those left as well. I also hope the President can do a bit better regarding our debt that seems to keep rising and hopefully bringing our troops home.

[mariusvinchi]

11:15 PM on 08/12/2010

Given the weak-kneed advice they've been providing to date, I would say its overdue! President Obama needs scrappy advisors who aren't afraid of getting bloody in the trenches. The GOP isn't playing with kid gloves, or by any conceivable set of rules, nor should the Democrats.
The White House needs to go head to head and project strength. They need to clarify positions and policies when the GOP obfuscates and outright lies. The "Death Panel" debacle should have established a learning curve, but the opportunity was lost. The White House needs to use the media with the same fervor and effectiveness as the GOP uses Faux News. When Faux News deliberately misleads viewers with their "advocacy journalism", the White House needs to hit back with facts. Not on MSNBC or CNN, but on Faux News, where most of the viewers watch no other channels for information.
What I'm saying Mr President is your house needs a better attack dog. A Democrat version of Karl Rove if you will....

[pantherburns]

10:46 PM on 08/12/2010

Normal Washington turnover. Nothing to get excited about. All those on the right predicting the apocalypse need to get a firm grip on reality. Much ado about nothing.

[hotrod51]

06:52 PM on 08/12/2010

Hope and change.

[mandinka]

04:58 PM on 08/12/2010

Too bad they can't get rid of Holder, napataleno and bite me

[huff-fan]

05:25 PM on 08/12/2010

I know who Holder is. Now who are the other two?

[alumtrix]

04:34 PM on 08/12/2010

This is music to Vice President of the United States Joe Biden's ears. More jobs for him to count as either saved or created. Fits nicely for the "summer of recovery".

[hobo62]

04:29 PM on 08/12/2010

And the one the american public really needs (Elizabeth Warren) can't seem to get appointed. I would say she is probably worth more than these three put together, Geithner, Sommers, and Emanuel.

[Hank10303]

05:08 PM on 08/12/2010

Have you forgotten the republican still have about 75 Obama appointment on hold.

[zitlight73]

04:00 PM on 08/12/2010

That sound you're hearing is from the ever revolving door of Washington and the wonderful world of cronyism. Like Dr. Julie Gerberding who as head of the CDC from 2002 to 2009 and who was the loudest champion of the vaccine for the swine flu pandemic that never happened and then became the head of Merk's vaccine division who profited handsomely from from the fear and hype that she help manufacturer. All of these people now leaving have to leave now to capitalize on whatever influence they have on quite possibly a one term president. I'm sure every one of them will do quite well for themselves as lobbyists or whatever corporation that offers the highest bid for their services.

[uglygnome]

03:54 PM on 08/12/2010

I hope Gibbs and Emanuel join them

[Hank10303]

05:09 PM on 08/12/2010

Would you rather have Perino

[uglygnome]

09:20 PM on 08/12/2010

What the f**** does Perino have to do with it?!

[Lisbeth35]

03:54 PM on 08/12/2010

Turnover? Hiring? Make Elizabeth Warren head of Consumer Protection Agency!

[1088]

03:49 PM on 08/12/2010

Over worked without any appreciation at all from the left! I don't blame them at all! This is what Linda Douglas said about it all!

Linda Douglass, who was President Obama's communications director in the Office of Health Reform, tells the New York Times that she felt as if she "was losing friendships" during her time in the administration because of the amount of work she had to do.

"I got to the point where I was almost traumatized by how hard I was working and how much stress I was feeling all the time," Douglass told the paper in a story about White House advisers who have left. "I felt like a real burden was lifted from my shoulders. I was really surprised how exhausted I was when I left."

Douglass said she was "never off my BlackBerry" and would sometimes sneak into the bathroom to check it. She added that those who work in the White House are "dedicated and loyal, and torn."

[alumtrix]

04:37 PM on 08/12/2010

I concur. Here is what Linda Douglas said about it.

"Linda Douglass, who was President Obama's communications director in the Office of Health Reform, tells the New York Times that she felt as if she "was losing friendships" during her time in the administration because of the amount of work she had to do.

"I got to the point where I was almost traumatized by how hard I was working and how much stress I was feeling all the time," Douglass told the paper in a story about White House advisers who have left. "I felt like a real burden was lifted from my shoulders. I was really surprised how exhausted I was when I left."

Douglass said she was "never off my BlackBerry" and would sometimes sneak into the bathroom to check it. She added that those who work in the White House are "dedicated and loyal, and torn."

[SamEllison]

03:36 PM on 08/12/2010

There's a couple I'd like to help pack.

[FTBUTAME]

05:16 PM on 08/12/2010

You only have to wait for 82 days.

I wonder if anyone at Team Oduma can rearrange the following well known saying:--
"RATS,LIKE,SHIP,SINKING,OFF,A,"

[A Meat Beetle]

03:36 PM on 08/12/2010

Please tell me that Gibbs and Emmanuel are among the people who are leaving. Please!

[alumtrix]

04:39 PM on 08/12/2010

Gibbs and Emanuel are both leaving. To be honest, I'm just doing what you instructed me to do and I have no proof that my statement is true.

[A Meat Beetle]

05:38 PM on 08/12/2010

Dang, for a second there you had my hopes up.