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Calling his nearly two years as the president's chief spokesman -- as well as his nearly seven years as a close adviser -- an "opportunity of a lifetime," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he would soon be leaving to take on a new role as an outside adviser to the White House.
Gibbs said he expects to depart his position at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in early February to become a paid consultant working outside the White House to re-elect President Obama in 2012.
"What I'm gonna do next is step back a little bit recharge some; we've been going at this pace for at least four years," Gibbs told reporters at the top of his regular White House briefing. "I will have an opportunity, I hope, to give some speeches. I will continue to provide advice and counsel to this building and to this president. And I look forward to continuing to do that."
The departure of a man who has worked closely with Obama since he ran for the Senate in 2004 is part of what Gibbs himself called a "major retooling" of the White House staff -- aimed at bringing in fresh voices and perspectives from outside the Washington bubble, even if it also includes familiar faces like David Plouffe, who ran Obama's 2008 campaign.
"I think David will bring a perspective that is fresh, because he hasn't been inside of here for two years ,and I think that's important," Gibbs said. "I don't think it's a matter of necessarily just seeing totally different people, I think there's a perspective that you gain when you're not in here every day."
The White House is set to announce members of a reshaped economic team this Friday, Gibbs said. Other personnel changes -- among them naming a permanent chief of staff to replace Rahm Emanuel -- are likely to be made quickly given the amount of work to be done.
Gibbs said there was no doubt the White House was "a tough place to work," and he added that although Obama was a president "that I love and respect," it was time to take a break. At one point, in response to a question, the spokesman said he had not had a vacation without his Blackberry in "probably almost seven years."
Gibbs said Obama would likely be the last political candidate he would work for, but did not rule out taking corporate clients.
The president released a statement hailing his spokesman's work at the podium. Obama called him a "close friend" and one of his "closest advisers."
"I think it's natural for him to want to step back, reflect and retool," Obama's statement read, in part. "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."
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What?
The earlierthread about Gibbs leaving and the resulting Hater-Palooza wasn't enough for one day?
Their med's have finally kicked in and now you want to go and rile them up again? Doesn't that constitute 'cruel & unusual? lol
In the meanime as I said earlier - I wish Robert all the best and believe he will continue to serve our President well!
Poor Gibby-
Can anyone imagine a more thankless job than having to defend the Obama agenda...
Day in...day out, for two years?
Man...I'll bet he's relieved to put that behind him.
Yes...defending Bush.
In case I haven't told you already MB - 'gloating' is a good look for you!
You wear it well you dapper little doggie!
Da Noid-
I can't thank you enough for establishing that equivalency.
You're smarter than you look.
Feisty, you devil...
I'm blushing.
The difference, I guess, is that after defending Bush you can be a mouthpiece on GOPTV...er...FOX News and trash those who disagree with you without fear of being challenged on your own record. Hell, you can even rewrite history.
"We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush’s term." - Dana Perino, 11/24/2009
Good answer Da Noid. Poor Mixed bag's memory doesn't go back that far. His head is too full of Hannity/O'Reilly/Palin drivel.
And by the way, when the Rethugs vote to repeal the new healthcare reform, I will be waiting for the old farts to come out and protect their medicare. Remember the break you are getting for prescription meds............ your rethug BFFs in Congress will be taking it away from you.
And they'll be taking away the no cost cancer screenings, the no co-pay annual physicals, and a host of other things. Yes, the GOPTPers will not know what hit them--seniors vote. Will be interesting when they go home to their Town Hall meetings and face the wrath of "don't touch my medicare" the democrats faced in 2009/10. Maybe the GOPTP won't have any meetings just as they avoided MSM interviews or journalist questions during their campaigns.
Ramboet-
Sean Hannity is the right wing equivalent of Keith Olbermann. Although Keith Olbermann is smarter, he's also a misanthrope with misogynistic tendencies. Which one is worse? How about a coin toss?
Palin...correct on most issues, but unqualified, in my opinion, to be President. Unfortunately, that didn't stop President Obama, dd it?
I kinda like O'Reilly...
So does Jon Stewart...so, I'm in good company, right?
There is no equivalence between Keith Olbermann and Sean Hannity, Or between MSNBC and FOX "NEWS".
Only a propagandist would attempt to conflate the two as engaging in the same activities.
How's the Senate Democrats' effort to change the filibuster and cloture rules in the new Congress going?
Haven't heard much so far...
They still have the majority, right...?
And, they're really, really serious about this, right...?
They don't intend to finish rewriting the rules on cloture and fake filibuster until they get back from break.
I would hope that they would remain serious and retain their option to abuse the fake filibuster until they have "abused" it an equal number of times as the Republicans were allowed to.
Good Job Robert I will miss you!
White House press conferences are no longer embarrassing thanks to Robert and Obama. Gibbs didn't put any phony reporters into the press conferences to ask phony questions. He didn't banish tough reporters to the back row. The press was treated with some respect.
Robert, hate to see you go, we'll miss you. You deserve a break, some time with the family, a vacation. You've done a terrific job, were a breath of fresh air in the Press Secretary slot and did the job with a nice sense of humor even when those journalists kept asking the same questions over and over inserting a different word or two hoping for a different answer.
Working in the White House in a high-profile job has to take its toll on the person and their family. I don't think many make it beyond two years. The long hours pretty much seven days a week. They are always on call, always must be aware of every word they speak, everything they do. It must also be exciting and rewarding.