The Bad Optics of Bill Daley.

Gibbs' Departure
As Robert Gibbs steps down as the voice of the Obama Administration, the speculation turns to who will replace him. But he'll continue to appear in the media as an outside voice defending the White House, something that will be more important as they head to 2012. John Dickerson of Slate sees confusion ahead. "There will always be a question as to whether Gibbs is speaking for the president. This will get confusing and cause Headaches for Gibbs' successor. "It's not just Gi...

Howard Dean Says Bill Daley Would Be 'Huge Plus' For Obama, Criticizes Outgoing Staff
Howard Dean weighed in today on the rumors that President Obama is considering former Commerce Secretary William Daley to be his new Chief of Staff, saying Daley's appointment would be a "huge plus" for Obama, since he is someone "who knows Washington, but he also is not of Washington." Dean also spoke harshly of outgoing White House staff, The Hill reports, like senior advisor David Axelrod and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, saying they've treated the left with "contempt." "As the...

Lawrence G. McDonald: What You Should Know About the New Congress
Later today, all of the members of the House and a third of the Senate will be sworn in and the new reality in Washington will officially set in. The initiatives that will roll out of each body in the coming days and weeks will be a radical departure from the Democratic dominance of the past years. However, we expect that the most serious proposals will also be strikingly different from the long list of priorities that existed for both parties during the last two shifts in power. In addition t...

Is Obama taking a moderate course with Bill Daley trial balloon?
Guess which conservative pundit wrote the following: “All that is required for the Democratic party to recover its political footing is to acknowledge that the agenda of the party’s most liberal supporters has not won the support of a majority of Americans—and, based on that recognition, to steer a more moderate course on the issues of the day, from Health Care to The Economy to the environment to Afghanistan.” Stumped? Well, it’s a trick question. Those words are f...

Robert Gibbs joins exodus from White House Titanic: Obama's press secretary won't be missed in Britain
Fox News and the BBC are reporting that Robert Gibbs is about to step down as White House Press Secretary, and become “an outside presidential adviser”. His departure comes just two months after the Obama presidency’s “shellacking” in the Midterm Elections, when the Democrats suffered an historic defeat at the hands of US voters. He follows in the footsteps of former White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel and former National Security Adviser Jim Jones who left in October, a

Howard Dean blasts White House for treating liberals with 'contempt'
Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean endorses Chicago business executive Bill Daley, who is rumored to be a key contender to replace Rahm Emanuel as President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff. Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean endorsed Chicago businessman Bill Daley, a rumored Candidate for White House chief of staff, and criticized Obama Administration aides who are departing for treating Democratic Progressives “with contempt.” Who is Pete Rouse? He's not Rahm Eman...

The Debt-Ceiling War: Wall Street Could Be a Casualty
When the new Congress meets for the first time this week, Debt and Government Spending will sit firmly at the top of its agenda. Unlike past debates, this one could have a chilling effect on Wall Street -- as worried traders wonder if the U.S. could end up on the same chaotic economic path taken by Greece or Spain. No one really thinks the U.S. can't pay its bills anymore. But a threat by some Republicans to vote against raising the Debt ceiling -- currently at around $14 Trillion -- could cau...

Gibbs is resigning as White House press secretary
FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2010 file photo, White House Press Secretary Robert... WASHINGTON (AP) - Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary and one of the most visible and forceful advocates for President Barack Obama, said Wednesday he is quitting his job to become an outside political adviser. The change is among the many expected in the coming days as Obama redefines his leadership team to gear up for a re-election bid and a more powerful Republican Party. Gibbs said he would be leaving t...

Obama Administration Delays Gulf Drilling
As Gasoline prices head north of $3.00 per gallon, up nearly $0.41 cents from a year ago, the Wall Street Journal reports that new wells may not be drilled in the Gulf of Mexico until as late as 2012.  The effects are multifaceted, impacting fuel costs, jobs, and ultimately The Economy. The impact of the delays goes beyond the Oil Industry. The Gulf Coast economy has been hit hard by the slowdown in drilling activity, especially because the Oil Spill also hurt the region’s fishing and tou...

Obama Administration Backs Down on 'Death Panels'
Tea partiers aren’t following the race for chair of the Republican National Committee very closely, the Hill’s Sean Miller reports. . . . Go Jonathan Cohn and Ezra Klein make a valid and important point about the new House majority’s push to Repeal ObamaCare. . . . Go Is this a photo of a Chinese stealth fighter? Or so they say. I say: You wish. – Kevin D. Williamson is deputy managing editor of National Review and author of . . . Go ...

Is This Your Average Secular Bear?
Email Sent! You have successfully emailed the post. Cullen Roche is the founder of Pragmatic Capitalism. IS THIS YOUR AVERAGE Secular BEAR? I’ve argued now, for longer than I wish, that we are in a secular Bear Market driven by global imbalances. While rallies are sure to ensue during the secular bear it’s important to understand that a secular bear generally doesn’t end with a few Bailouts and a return to the good old days (think 2003-2007). Secular bears end when the excess...

Coupon clipping in China may help global economy
Beijing (AP) — Ding Can is obsessed with bargains. Her purse is crammed with more than 30 shopper discount cards and dozens of coupons. Her apartment is packed with freebies, from cosmetic samples to key chains. She often lines up before dawn for tickets to discounted movies. Her yen for savings isn't out of necessity. The 32-year-old software testing engineer is relatively well off. She says, simply, "I've never come across a good deal I didn't like." More than a craze, discount shopping is...

Boehner buzz beckons as Ohioans flock to DC to celebrate at speaker swearing-in
COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - The buzz of excitement about long-time Ohio congressman John Boehner being sworn in as the next speaker of the U.S. House Wednesday is so alluring that bus loads of his family and friends are headed to Washington to be there when the blessed event happens. Part of their reward for attending will be the partaking of Cincinnati favorites like Skyline Chili, ribs from the Montgomery Inn and Ice Cream from Graeter's [Cincinnati's finest, since 1870]. This and more will be part...

Bill Daley For White House Chief Of Staff?
The latest rumor out of the West Wing has former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley coming in as permanent replacement for Rahm Emanuel as White House Chief Of...

Wonkbook: Bill Daley as CoS?; House will vote on HCR repeal Jan. 12th; a very long day for filibuster reform
Wonkbook: Bill Daley as CoS?; House will vote on HCR Repeal Jan. 12th; a very long day for Filibuster reform Personnel may be destiny, but it's also, as the White House is finding out, a pain in the neck. The last week has been dominated by rumors that Gene Sperling would succeed Larry Summers as director of the National Economic Council. Sperling, who served in that same role for the latter half of the Clinton Administration, is certainly qualified, but his consulting work for Goldman Sachs and...

Dean Praises White House Shake Up
Howard Dean "took broad swipes at what he called the 'contempt' of some senior, departing White House advisers while, curiously, praising the possibility of former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley taking over as Chief of Staff," the Huffington Post reports. Said Dean: "The core issue is the contempt, which not just the Progressives were treated by but lots of people were treated by, by senior advisers around the president who have been here for 20 years and thought they knew everything and we knew...

Obama staff shakeup may come as early as Friday
President Obama wants to move quickly on naming the next full-time White House Chief of Staff, according to two senior Democratic sources close to the process. The president has narrowed the list down to a two-man race between current interim boss Pete Rouse and former Clinton Commerce Secretary William Daley, said the sources, who noted a slew of staff moves could be announced as early as Friday....

White House Shake Up Could Come Soon
CNN reports President Obama "now wants to move quickly on naming the next full-time White House Chief of Staff and has narrowed the list down to a two-man race between current interim boss Pete Rouse and former Clinton Commerce Secretary William Daley." That and other staff moves could be announced as early as Friday. ...

THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS
VIA MEMEORANDUM: Obama weighs major reshuffling of staff As President Obama returns from Hawaii, he is weighing a major reshuffling of his staff that could see as many as eight people playing new key roles in the weeks ahead ... ... Obama has been mulling for months the possibility of naming former commerce secretary William Daley to be his Chief of Staff, meeting with him at least once in person, two Democrats said. Although familiar with the Daley family - William is the brother of Chicago ...

Gibbs is resigning as White House press secretary
WASHINGTON—Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary and one of the most visible and forceful advocates for President Barack Obama, is quitting his job to become an outside political adviser. The change is among the many expected in the coming days as Obama redefines his leadership team to get ready for a re-election bid and a more powerful Republican Party. Gibbs said he would be leaving the White House by early February. The top contenders to replace him are two of his deputies, Bil...

Will Bill Daley be the new Rahmbo for The One?
Shifting the deck chairs on the Dem Titanic. Rahmbo may replace Bill's not as smart brother Richie as mayor of Chicago, and Bill may head to DC as our President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff, solidifying the Chicago Way--leftism allied with crony Capitalism, milking the Taxpayer. (It's worked so well in Illinois) We shall see. Bill Daley handled the Goracle's ill-fated attempt to wrest the election back in 2000. This White House will have a lot on its plate, starting with a new GOP House vote t...

Howard Dean Rips Obama Regime For Treating Left Wing With Contempt
Nothing like a little red-on-red action to brighten up your day. Former DNC chairman and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean said Wednesday that William Daley would be a “huge plus” for the Obama Administration if he is tapped to be the president’s new Chief of Staff. Dean praised Daley as someone “who knows Washington, but he also is not of Washington.” At the same time, the former Presidential Candidate excoriated Obama’s senior staff. At a breakfast sponsored b...

Administration reverses on end-of-life counseling
(01-05) 09:13 PST WASHINGTON (AP) -- Reversing a potentially Controversial decision, the Obama Administration will drop references to end-of-life counseling from the ground rules for Medicare's new annual checkup, a White House official said Wednesday. The latest shift on the sensitive subject comes ahead of a vote next week in the new GOP-led House to Repeal President Barack Obama's landmark Health Care overhaul. The decision is not likely to have much impact on patients and doctors already d...

Administration reverses on end-of-life counseling
WASHINGTON (AP) - Reversing a potentially Controversial decision, the Obama Administration will drop references to end-of-life counseling from the ground rules for Medicare's new annual checkup, a White House official said Wednesday. The latest shift on the sensitive subject comes ahead of a vote next week in the new GOP-led House to Repeal President Barack Obama's landmark Health Care overhaul. The decision is not likely to have much impact on patients and doctors already discussing options f...

Dean Endorses Bill Daley, Rips Outgoing Obama Aides For 'Contempt'
Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean took broad swipes at what he called the "contempt" of some senior, departing White House advisers while, curiously, praising the possibility of former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley taking over as Chief of Staff. Speaking at the Christian Science Monitor breakfast series, the former Vermont Governor said he expected President Barack Obama's sometimes-rocky relationship with his base to improve once the aides who accompanied him to offic...