Valerie Jarrett: 'New Face' May Serve As White House Chief Of Staff

Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett said Thursday that the White House might soon be seeking to fill open staff positions with candidates from outside the administration.

In an interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Jarrett said that people could expect to see some "new faces" with "outside voices" in the White House next year, including possibly in the chief of staff position, which is now temporarily held by Peter Rouse, who replaced Rahm Emanuel when Emanuel left to run for mayor of Chicago.

"I think that we certainly are looking for some new faces. Larry Summers left, Rahm left, there will probably be some new faces," Jarrett said. "I think, as in any administration, after a couple of years for a variety of reasons, people move on and there's an opportunity to bring some new people in. And I think the president is interested in doing that."

A number of other high profile departures have shaken up the White House in the last couple months, with Budget Director Peter Orszag -- now employed by Citigroup -- and head of the Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer both stepping down over the summer. Obama's top adviser, David Axelrod, also announced that he'd be leaving the administration sometime early next year to return to Chicago. Obama's former campaign manager, David Plouffe, is expected to return to the president's side to replace Axelrod.

Comments

[SPQR1775]

10:01 PM on 12/25/2010

CoS Howard Dean!!!

[mapmaker515]

04:48 PM on 12/25/2010

I think Obama should get rid of all his old friends and cronies....he paid his debt to them and they served him terribly. Now lets get some folks in there who will tell it like it is and not be afraid of hurting his feelings. This next two years will be crucial for Democrats and at the risk of sounding too dramatic.......the country.

[devildog09]

10:19 PM on 12/25/2010

I don't think he'll ever leave his comfort zone of surrounding himself with long time acquaintances who think just like he does

[Chase Price]

04:19 AM on 12/25/2010

Russ Feingold as Chief of Staff

[1donewrong]

10:01 PM on 12/24/2010

The should recruit from the DC schools 5th and 6th graders. That way they will improve the avg IQ and ability to reason in his cabinet

[MNValley]

01:48 PM on 12/25/2010

Still looking for those WMDs...

[devildog09]

10:20 PM on 12/25/2010

Hate to tell ya bub, but most of the intelligence guys who wrote those assessments are still working now with Obama in the White House. It's more a reflection of the intelligence community than it is the president, whoever that may be

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

08:34 PM on 12/24/2010

Ed Rendell has a lot of connections to Comcast - be aware...

[scepto-cynic]

06:30 PM on 12/24/2010

Did she say when she will be leaving?

[1johnf]

03:33 PM on 12/24/2010

Ed Rendell...smart, savy, a real feel for what's happening on the ground and a connection to the people. Not buffaloed by the beltway or republicans, a grounding presence and a chance for the president to get a view from a different perspective. Enough with the snark on this issue...let's discuss some viable, realistic, and progressively appealing candidates.

[Joe The Nerd Ferraro]

08:33 PM on 12/24/2010

stole my thunder...

[devildog09]

10:25 PM on 12/25/2010

Ed Rendell- who still believes that Americans really want liberal/socialist policies, but just can't understand them because the ideas are "so complex." I wonder how that will work out for Obama. Rendell can't accept the fact that Americans DO understand trickle up poverty, massive federal deficits and the destruction of traditional American values.

[Randy Wetzel]

12:57 PM on 12/24/2010

I half expect it to be Newt Gingrich.

[Matt12]

12:48 PM on 12/24/2010

Dr. Howard Dean would be perfect

[Sans Octavian]

11:26 PM on 12/23/2010

Slick Willy as CoS.

[voltage356]

08:40 PM on 12/23/2010

David Patterson will be looking for job soon.

[David01]

07:49 PM on 12/23/2010

It's amazing. This post has attracted the trolls and the Obama haters like moths to the light.
Of all the unadulterated hooey I read before the election, this tops them all.

[liveordie]

05:33 PM on 12/24/2010

It's their life. They wake up, look in the mirror, sneer, kick their dog and slap their kids. Hate was born out of a lack of knowledge.

[devildog09]

10:29 PM on 12/25/2010

Funny- since there are a lot of polls out there showing that conservatives are generally happier and more satisfied than liberals. As evidenced by your post, liberals seem to be perpetually angry and seem to project that anger onto other groups. Try lighting some candles and doing that aroma therapy thing

[Duppy]

07:35 PM on 12/23/2010

I think I will send in my resume to apply for the job as his PR person. I would be happy to tell the GOP Tea Baggers where to get off.

[devildog09]

10:30 PM on 12/25/2010

I don't think you understand- he hopes to get reelected in 2 years

[David01]

07:33 PM on 12/23/2010

How about the current mayor of LA, Antonio Villaraigosa? I don't know if he's got the federal chops for it, but he seems smart enough. That would be a killer pick if it could work out. .

[middleoftheroad]

10:11 PM on 12/23/2010

The new person needs to know DC

[David01]

10:31 PM on 12/23/2010

I know, but that makes the "new face" comment kind of problematic.

[FreeProgressLiberal]

07:20 PM on 12/23/2010

Piss of the right and go for Van Jones ...