There is more flight from the Obama administration than geese flying south for the winter... In this case the reason given for leaving is to HELP IN OBAMA'S RE-ELECTION...
Gibbs stepping down as White House press secretary
By Holly Bailey
By Holly Bailey holly Bailey – 2 hrs 34 mins ago
It's official: Robert Gibbs is leaving his post as White House press secretary.
Gibbs, one of President Obama's most seasoned and trusted advisers, tells the New York Times' Jeff Zeleny that he will leave the podium in early February to lend outside assistance to the president's re-election campaign. He broke the news to this staff at a meeting earlier this morning.
No successor has been named, but Gibbs says a successor should be in place within two weeks. Among the names bandied about as a replacement as of late: Deputy Press Secretaries Bill Burton and Josh Earnest as well as Jay Carney, a former Time Magazine writer who currently serves as Vice President Joe Biden's spokesman.
The move marks what will be a major season of transition for the Obama White House on the eve of the president's 2012 re-election bid. In coming weeks, David Axelrod, the president's longtime political adviser, will exit the White House to work for the campaign. Gibbs and Axelrod have worked for Obama dating back to his 2004 run for Senate. Axelrod will be replaced by David Plouffe, who ran Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
At the same time, Obama is looking at hiring a new chief of staff. Pete Rouse, Obama's former Senate chief of staff, temporarily replaced Rahm Emanuel, who quit the White House in October to run for mayor of Chicago, but he's reportedly indicated he doesn't want the job permanently. The president is said to be eying Bill Daley, President Clinton's former Commerce secretary for the job.
In a statement, Obama praised Gibbs but noted he will continue to be an adviser. "For the last six years, Robert has been a close friend, one of my closest advisers and an effective advocate from the podium for what this administration has been doing to move America forward," Obama said. "I think it's natural for him to want to step back, reflect and retool. That brings up some challenges and opportunities for the White House--but it doesn't change the important role that Robert will continue to play on our team."
