Daley Dismisses Report That He Forced Gibbs Out (EXCLUSIVE, UPDATED)

MIAMI -- The timing of President Barack Obama's appointment of Bill Daley as his new chief of staff, coming less than a day after Robert Gibbs announced his departure from his role as press secretary, has prompted reports that Daley forced Gibbs out -- an allegation the outgoing White House spokesman called "crazy" Friday.

[UPDATE -- 11:35 a.m.: In a follow-up email to The Huffington Post, Gibbs provided a statement from Daley batting down the reports that he forced the press secretary out.

"Robert's name never, ever came up once in any discussion I had with the President or staff about me coming to the White House," the statement reads. "In my view, he has done a great job as Press Secretary for President Obama and I look forward to working with him as he continues to help provide advice to the President and our team over the next two years."]

"I made my decision and told the President before he left for Hawaii," Gibbs told The Huffington Post in an email. "He picked Bill Daley yesterday. It [the story] is crazy."

The shakeup of any political staff, let alone that of a White House, is bound to cause speculation about motives, personality clashes, infighting and the like. But those rumors aren't always well-founded.

"Obama mouthpiece Robert Gibbs was forced out by new henchman William Daley," blared a headline from the Telegraph on Friday morning.

Citing reports from CNN's John King, the story goes on to note that Gibbs "wanted to be a presidential counselor" but Daley "believed that too many cooks would spoil the presidential broth."

All of which makes for some intriguing drama, but that drama is rather thinly sourced. Gibbs isn't quoted in the piece, and when asked whether the rumors are true, he made a fairly convincing case that he and Daley couldn't have had the purported power struggle, given the timing of their respective moves.

While it had been reported that Gibbs was contemplating leaving the administration as far back as Obama's trip to Hawaii, it was not widely known when he made his final decision and told the president.

Comments

[ReHuff]

10:19 AM on 01/09/2011

"Between 1995 and 2004, 469 politicians from the federal district of Northern Illinois were found guilty of corruption."
-From Slate: Why is Chicago so corrupt? http://www.slate.com/id/2206364/

We should start asking if this was a deal required for reelection, or if the President is actively embracing Chicago politics. In either case, the answer isn't very appealing. The fact that Mayor Daley's PR machine is already out there claiming there's no Chicago Mafia in the White House is food for thought.

[adamNsteve]

03:59 AM on 01/09/2011

President Obama is a Wall Street, corporate-loving, screw the working guy-Republican; the Daley appointment is simply the latest evidence in an every growing list.

Only the AA community still strongly support Obama.

Unfortunately, the AA community may help ensure the nomination yet again, but their vote can not deliver the White House.

[NickTAZ]

09:51 PM on 01/08/2011

This clip of Robert outfoxing Hannity is why I'll miss Gibbs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2AaqcaMkU8

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

08:16 PM on 01/08/2011

OMG... That's why John Kings ratings are what they are... because he S U C K S!!!!!!!!

[1donewrong]

06:29 PM on 01/08/2011

Gibbs was a glib buff oon

[respected]

06:07 PM on 01/08/2011

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/giffords-alleged-sh...

[ched]

02:00 PM on 01/08/2011

If Daley did have a hand in showing Gibbs the door, then my opinion of him just jumped a couple notches.

[Dave in Northridge]

06:22 PM on 01/08/2011

Absolutely. Gibbs was a disaster as a spokesperson.

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

10:54 AM on 01/08/2011

Love the FL tr0lls ---- talking about CHICAGO ----

LOOK who they just voted in for GOVERNOR!

KING of MEDICARE Fr0ud! WHOPPPEEEEEE ------ WONDER why FL EDCUATION one of the worst-----

LOOK who they vote for ! RICK SCOTT!

ugh

[Congo Line]

09:54 AM on 01/08/2011

I think the selection of Daley as CoS undermines this administration (and middle class Americans) more than any false story could.

[tchanta]

09:17 AM on 01/08/2011

Still on the mission to undermine this administration with fake and poorly sources stories.

[toldyeso]

10:29 AM on 01/08/2011

poor fanboy!

[Totto]

12:37 PM on 01/08/2011

Mods, take note of these abusive comments.

[SirSlappy]

09:07 AM on 01/08/2011

In no way can Daley be as pitifu| as glorified frat boy Gibbs

[joeinvt]

10:24 AM on 01/08/2011

You got that right.

[pbfishtaco]

11:54 AM on 01/08/2011

Suffering for years with that 172k "modest salary". Time to cash in, perhaps promoting the "No Labels" label. I hear Bloomberg pays well.

[BocaMom]

08:51 AM on 01/08/2011

Ha! Welcome to Chicago politics.

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

10:52 AM on 01/08/2011

You got your King of MEDICARE F*** d - Rick Scott -

What CHICAGO pol tops that?

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

10:52 AM on 01/08/2011

HOW IS RICK SCOTT for you? HCA - COLUMBIA doing good?

HOW MUCH of YOUR TAX DOLLARS did he use for HIS GOVERNORSHIP?

[OpposingViewpoint]

03:02 AM on 01/08/2011

Nah,,,Gibbs was on the way out before the Dailey Show aired in DC. Do you remember the uproar last summer when he said Democrats could lose control of the House in November? This is the comment that angered so many on the left, including former Speaker Pelosi who did indeed lose her position after Gibb's prediction became reality. Nancy Pelosi is known to carry a sharp knife and a long memory.
The "lose the House" comment came on the heels of additional pointed comments and preceded subsequent gaffes that certainly weakend Gibb's standing with the O' Administration. Heck, he even attacked the base when he said "they wouldn't be happy even if Dennis Kucinich had been elected President".
Another example of the gaffe machine was when Gibbs said, while commenting on last year's oil spill in the Gulf, "the spill wasn’t that big after all." He actually compared the spill to “an opened Coke can" 5,000 feet below the ocean surface.

[otop016]

09:47 AM on 01/08/2011

I agree with your points, but you didn't exactly have to be Carnac to see the House was going to shift (and Pelosi knew it)...Don't think his comment had any bearing on the races that were in flight or the eventual outcome.

[SPQR1775]

01:14 AM on 01/08/2011

YES...The progressives are behind it....they have no unityof direction, thought or ideas, that is WHY the GOP won and is going after HCR because the Progressives instead of taking incremental steps want everything in one basket...it is better to run the race at steady pace, hence the story of the Hare and the Tortoise!

[flipsmack]

03:41 AM on 01/08/2011

But,given the chance,the GOP will grab full control of the locomotive that is the US Gov't,all the while belittling that which they are supposed to be representing,and let loose,get on with the pushing full steam ahead of their own initiatives and "mandates" with whatever gusto you ascribe to the Progressives. Be honest.

[1Troubles]

09:03 AM on 01/08/2011

I'm 68 years old and a lifelong Dem-but I agree with every word you wrote!

[pennlady]

01:14 AM on 01/08/2011

Daley is not taking Gibbs job so why would anyone say he is pushing him out.

[Slash14]

02:38 AM on 01/08/2011

To get his own puppett in that Job