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President Barack Obama formally introduced Denis McDonough as his chief of staff on Friday, describing his deputy national security adviser as not only a straight-shooter, but also a close friend.
Obama debuted McDonough, whom the president had been widely expected to select, at the White House, saying he had been "counting on Denis for nearly a decade."
McDonough, a longtime adviser to Obama who has advised the president largely on matters of national security, succeeds outgoing chief of staff Jack Lew. The president has nominated Lew to become the next secretary of the treasury.
President Obama introduces Denis McDonough as the new White House chief of staff, saying the former deputy national security adviser was chosen for the job because of "his dedication, his determination."
"He's the consummate public servant who plays it straight," the president said. "And that's the kind of teamwork that I want in the White House."
Of McDonough's national security advice, Obama said: "Denis has played a key role in every major national security decision in my presidency."
McDonough's ascension coincides with a broader staff overhaul at the White House. Among the changes included elevating White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer to a senior adviser role; Jennifer Palmieri, Pfieffer's deputy, takes over that role. Rob Nabors, the director of legislative affairs, was promoted to a deputy chief of staff position. Miguel Rodriguez takes over that role.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
President Barack Obama, with current White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew, right, announces that he will name current Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough,left, as his next chief of staff, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
Obama also singled out his longtime political adviser, David Plouffe, whose last day at the White House is on Friday, for praise.
"David has been with me from the start of this enterprise, running for president," Obama said, adding: "If it were not for him, we would not have been as effective as a White House, and I probably wouldn't be here."
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David Plouffe, David Axelrod, Stephanie Cutter, Jim Messina -
Well done. And we thank you.
Well done guys, they helped build an amazing campaign and now a great administration with Denis leading the team. Congratulations to all for your great work.
I can't remember a presidential administration with fewer controversies among the staff, than the Obama administration. So far, no "heck of a job, Brownie" moments, tell-all books, or Grand Jury inquiries. Somebody's doing something right.
These folks really care, and they pour/ed their hearts into making America anew. A zillion thanks.
Talk about the "A Team"!!!
*stands and applauds*
Shucks, I was so sure Mr. Obama would have Oprah as his Chief of Staff.
Or maybe a Kennedy family member.
Wait a dad gum minute, they were thrown under the ObamaWagon.
Time for the IRS to take to Federal Court the 41 Obama White House staffers, and some of their aides, for NOT PAYING THEIR BACK IRS TAXES.
Guys - the President has chosen well with his staff. He always does. He chooses people who tackle the tough jobs with great sense of integrity and pride. They have all done well and deserve a "well done". And, yes Feisty - definitely the "A Team!"
Hey!
Let's not forget Jen Psaki! ;op
Feisty - LOL! Let's definitely not forget you...er Jen!
obama and his gang of petty tyrants are absolutely disgusting.......
Pat,
From your post earlier today, regarding Mr. McDonough:
What a terrific viewpoint. In all the knee-jerk reactions posted it was refreshing to see someone who actually evaluated the man based upon his background. It is indeed nice to learn about new faces.
Pat, you consistently demonstrate an ability and willingness to rise above the nasty partisan bitterness that pervades this board, yet stay true to your convictions.
the nasty partisan bitterness is nationwide thanks to obama the ass....
"I've been counting on Lurch, Ooops! I mean Denis, for nearly a decade."
Sorry! Can't control myself with this one. It's just so easy. And ya'll know I'm an Obama supporter.
Hi Mark, it's always nice to see you here on First Read.
Someday I will have to tell you how I spent my Christmas vacation - hint: it had something to do with airplanes. And I never left the house.
Fascinating just the same. I can certainly understand your love of flying now.
This President and his appointees are really doing a good job, NOT. Why are those in parts of NJ, & NY still living in tents without heat 3 months after Super Storm Sandy? Where's FEMA and what are they doing besides a few photo ops? Yet we hear no out cry or complaining from the left wing nuts on these posts. All that money spent on the Inauguration could have been better spent helping those in the aftermath of one of the worst storms in the history of the NE.
BTW, I was just as upset at the Bush Administration for the handling of Katrina, which did much more damage. I would have expected that FEMA and other government agencies would have learned from Katrina, but I guess I was wrong again.
OK, mcpaddywak, I have a couple minutes, I'll bite.
Explain to me why you believe what you post (gang of petty tyrants, etc...). Try to be rational and objective, minimize the usage of terms like "obama the ass," use punctuation and capital letters when appropriate.
Go.
Pat,
I look forward to your story.
Mark - I wouldn't hold your breath waiting. mcpaddy will take a while to make up something!
Our nation used up all our money fighting Bush's war in Iraq for Israel. America is now in debt up to our ears. The neocons who worked in the Bush Pentagon, sold the war as a "cakewalk"' Wolfowitz and his cabal claimed the war would last a month and cost about 50 billion dollars. Hell, who wouldn't vote to authorize a quick and cheeap war? Boy, were they wrong. The neocons sold our Congress a bill of goods, based on cherry picked intelligence and some flat out lies. The war will end up costing over 3.5 trillion dollars, mostly borrowed from China.
Conservatives don't ever mention the cost of the war and the effect it has had on our present condition.
We are dead broke, yet we always have money to donate to Israel. No money for FEMA, plenty of money for Israel. If they want more, just ask and our Congress will come running.
Israel wants a war in Iran. There are plenty of Congressmen willing to give the go ahead, starting with John McCain and Lindsey Graham and of course every Jewish Congressman and woman out there. Thank goodness there are still a few level headed ones which might speak up.
I agree, great job Plouffe, Axelrod, Cutter, Messina; thank you. McDonough is a well-qualified choice for Chief of Staff and deserves it.
FYI, Brad Anderson who headed President Obama's Iowa OFA campaign, is running for IA Secretary of State against GOPer Matt Schultz who is a clone of Ohio's Husted and did his best to un-do the 2012 election with underhanded and backroom sneeky tricks except he kept getting smacked down by the Courts. Schultz has spent about $280K of taxpayer money on investigators to find those illegal voters. So far, he's netted 3; two Canadians and one Mexican--all legal immigrants here for years who didn't understand that being here legally didn't mean they could vote.
Amy, true. The only controversies have been the fantasies of the GOPTPers and the non-troversies the media occasionally tries to stir.
Mark So Cal, you are right about Pat Boston. Her posts are always a must read for me. That said, she is not the only liberal poster who does that but she is almost always the one who writes about it. Thanks, Pat.
mcpaddy,
all that hate is gonna give you an ulcer
"Ex" Obama administration people know better than to speak out against the Annointed One
Seeking,
The sound of crickets fills the air..........
Talk about air, I can hold my breath no longer!!!!
mcpaddywack
Take a good look America.
This is your brain on Faux sNewzzzzz.
Any questions?
Salud
Did someone mention a love of flying? When I lived in San Diego, spent a lot of time flying around in small planes with my best buddy; even enjoyed the thrill of stunt flying. Wow! Talk about exciting; crazy eights, hammerheads, loops, upside down, rolls.
sfcret-
Here ya go.
Courtesy of First Read
That was nine days ago.
Your chum-buddies in congress, Republicans Boehner and Cantor, held up the funding.
For you to purposely post information that is 100% BS, is a reflection on you.
You cower behind your avatar and that really shows the type of person you are.
Salud
Jody - if you ever have the opportunity, go to Arizona (I know, I even cringed when I typed that) and take a hot air balloon ride. I did once several years ago and I still remember the absolute thrill. It is like nothing else!
Thomas - You are really stupid and all of your posts bare that out. FEMA had money and still did prior to congress passing the 60 billion in relief. Do your friggin home work before commenting. BTW, this year is 2013 not 2014. The only one cowering is you with your stupid little "salud" sign off.
I'm so thrilled that the president has chosen all these white people to lead our country.
I have complete confidence in President Obama's decisions. His choices will help make his presidency all the better.
Like his unconstitutional recess appointments? Those decisions?
if you voted for obama you are already a dope....
Voted for Mr. Obama a 2nd time ?
Embarassed yet ?
ido - voted for McCain/Palin and Romney/Ryan - mortified yet? Losers!!!!!!
nomoresameo, so do I.
As for the recess appointments, how ridiculous was it for the GOP to make a mockery of our legislative system by keeping one person holding down a seat while everyone else has left for vacation. There was no legislative activity unless you count reading lines out of a book now and then. That said, the Court made the decision based on the existing Senate rule, however flawed that rule is, and that's fine but it is a shame that it was necessary for President Obama to have had to make recess appointments (or any president for that matter because all nominees deserve an up or down vote period). I applaud President Obama for trying because the GOP was blocking ALL nominations even those of people they liked and knew were more than qualified for the jobs--that's just wrong. But the GOPers should not be too gleeful since most of those appointments have already been renominated for the job and the clock starts again.
Federal Appeals Court says Obama recess NLRB appointments invalid. Oops. That story is not on NBC/Pravda.
I think you missed it Mark. I saw the story on Pravda just a short while ago. Go and check it out.
No mention on the Progressive newsstands or on the Internet.
For Mark and Ido, 2 hours ago First Read ran a story about what you each claim are not being mentioned.
Pat tried to explain this but it appears to have been above those who refuse to make an effort to look.
Look at each of the First Read articles from today (posted about 2-3 hours ago) and you'll see why your comments give every appearance that some people simply don't want to admit that they could be wrong or someone with a differing opinion/fact could be right.
Damn!
You all are a lazy bunch!
Why do we always have to do YOUR homework? It's right here on the evil liberal First Read!
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16698275-court-rules-against-obamas-recess-appointments-to-labor-board?lite
Mark and ldo -
Perhaps you missed the thread right here on First Read a couple hours ago?
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16698275-court-rules-against-obamas-recess-appointments-to-labor-board#c73692555
Oops, sorry, Feisty and nomoresameo - do I get a penalty for piling on? Hey, the last time somebody complained about NBC "covering up" a story, when I went back and checked it, the person complaining had actually posted comments on the thread themselves!
nomoresameo and Feisty - they just want to b*tch - we all know that!
Why do we always have to do YOUR homework?
Sad isn't it Feisty?
Some people would rather just spew out anything instead of making an effort. I suppose the reason is because the end result would not match their ignorant rants.
Pravda is Russian for TRUTH.
It's also being reported on the Huffington Post. I guess left-leaning people like their news straight-up.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/obama-labor-board_n_2550788.html
They're suffering brain rot from 4 years of non-stop hate!
You can lead these putzes to knowledge but you cannot make them think!
No kidding, Brian!
And they have the nerve to call liberals lazy... lol
hate? i think not....more like intelligence to see through the bullshiat spewed by obama every time he opens his mouth...
Feisty - just imagine how bad it's going to be after 8 years!!!!!
Feisty - just imagine how bad it's going to be after 8 years!!!!!
LOL!!!! It's going to be a v e r y long time before the haters of the country come to grips with the fact that the party they support needs a complete overhaul before they will ever reside in the White House again.
And on that note I will take my leave for the day. The weather is gorgeous here today and I will take advantage by playing a round of golf and leaving politics for another time.
mcpaddy must of had a big bowl of vile for lunch
Lori - it's his standard order!
Lori W-2777522
People like mcpoopypants have nothing positive to offer in the future of the New America.
People like him are afraid because America is moving rapidly into the 21st Century along with the rest of the civilized world and his beliefs are old, outdated and antiquated.
Goodbye all you Rush Lovers. 20 years of spewing hatred and rascism are coming back to bite you in the @$#.
Salud
a federal court ruled that obama's appointments to the NLRB last year are UNCONSTITUTIONAL...........where is the story MSLSD?....obama needs to be impeached for lying under oath when he swore to defend and uphold the constitution of the united states........congresspeople!!! senators!!!..stand up and remove this poison from the white house....
mcpaddy, you do realize, in America, with our great system of checks and balances, virtually every president in our history has made decisions deemed unconstitutional by the courts. Should ALL of them been impeached? Or, just the ones you don't like?
jimsepa - the far righties scream "impeachment" if President Obama sneezes. They have no concept of an impeachable offense and are so dumb they scream out their ignorance as often as possible! mcpaddywack is wacked!
just this ass obama........
mcpaddywack - "just this ass mcpaddywack!"
I know Seeking, I think they believe one of these non-issues will stick. America is smarter than that, though.
Fact is, I think it's great the courts provide oversight, even if the ruling was against President Obama.
Imagine the next Republican administration without this oversight!. Scary.
Using "puddy-whackers" line of *cough* reasoning - we should of impeached Dubya for just breathing...
really seeking?...lying under oath is not impeachable?....how about obama's war crimes?........dereliction of duty?.....
mcpaddywhack: "where is the story MSLSD?.."
Oh, look, another one who can't see what's right under his nose! Perhaps you, too, should try MSNBC - right here on First Read - over two hours ago:
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16698275-court-rules-against-obamas-recess-appointments-to-labor-board#c73692555
Feel silly yet?
not at all...but i would feel really silly if i voted for the ass obama.....
mcpaddywack - when did the President "lie under oath?' Quick, make something up1 And he has NEVER neglected his duties. YOU SOOOOOO do not want to talk war crimes since Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield and Condi Rice are wanted by the World Court for actual war crimes.
Now go back and make up more lies - it's all you ever have but it appears to comfort you in your senility!
And, you should be mortified and realize your brain has rotted if you actually pulled the lever for Romney!
SeekingSanity - I believe he was talking about President Bill Clinton (D) who was impeached, but found not guilty, for lying under oath. But you knew that already and only want to deflect.
sfcret - no I was merely pointing out that wacked posts are not discernable! So, according to your theory, the war crimes mention was about Bush?
mcpaddywack
I'm sure you feel great voting for Mitt the Liar, and Bush the idiot.
Those are exactly the type of candidates un-educated, rascist, hate-filled chuckleheads vote for.
Salud
SeekingSanity - No that is not my theory, since he mentioned Obama by name. BTW, there were no war crimes by either Bush or Obama, and the World Court has no jurisdiction over elected American officials.
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: why 5 white men?? Besides, we all know Valerie Jarrett is Obama's Kitchen Cabinet Chief of Staff, why not just appoint her??
Shucks, how about Oprah ? Or Beyonce since she can sing without doing it (perfect fit).
All men....where is the outrage from the Progressives or the ACLU on "women's rights" for selection ?
who is waging war on women????.......
Um I believe that I am a progressive and made the comment to begin with, so please refrain from hypocrisy claims. :)
you said it because you know deep down that obama the ass is an utter fraud and charlatan...
No I said it because I am an honest person and not an automaton, and on this particular issue with staff diversity, I am disappointed.
Well, I am female and believe that President Obama is appointing the people he feels are the most qualified for particular positions and will do the best job. I like and admire Valerie Jarrett, she's smart and capable, but she would not be a good match for Chief of Staff and she probably knows it, too. She is very good at her current job; we need to remember that it could be that she prefers the job she already has over others.
Look I love Obama and a lot of his policies and maybe you are right about Valerie Jarrett but the "most qualified person for the job might always be a white man" argument is what has kept women and minorities down for years. I am not willing to give Obama a pass just because he is an African American liberal, who I happen to like a lot. That would be pure hypocrisy.
He's appointing his friends the same as every president has before him.Our government has too many positions and we wonder why we are broke.
This is not shocking at all. President Obama made a great choice.
Progressive - as he usually does. We are SO lucky to have him as our President!
you may think so but you also voted for obama....
Quote:
A federal appeals court has overturned President Obama’s controversial recess appointments from last year, arguing he abused his powers and acted when the Senate was not actually in a recess.
The three-judge panel’s ruling is a major blow to Mr. Obama. The judges ruled that the appointments Mr. Obama made to the National Labor Relations Board are illegal, and the board no longer has a quorum to operate.
But the ruling has even broader constitutional significance, with the judges arguing that the president’s recess appointment powers don’t apply to “intrasession” appointments — those made when Congress has left town for a few days or weeks.
The judges signaled the power only applies after Congress has adjourned sine die, which is a legislative term of art that signals the end to a long work period. In modern times, it means the president could only use his powers when Congress quits business at the end of a year.
“The dearth of intrasession appointments in the years and decades following the ratification of the Constitution speaks far more impressively than the history of recent presidential exercise of a supposed power to make such appointments,” the judges wrote. “Recent presidents are doing no more than interpreting the Constitution. While we recognize that all branches of government must of necessity exercise their understanding of the Constitution in order to perform their duties faithfully thereto, ultimately it is our role to discern the authoritative meaning of the supreme law.”
Another reason we need to give President Obama a Democratic House in 2014, so he doesn't have to break the law to get people appointed. The era of Republican obstructionism is drawing to a close.
out of curiosity, was it democrat obstructionism whey the very same thing was done to a republican president?
a difference is that the republican president respected the senate and chose not to make unconstitutional appointments; the democrat president, a former short-time member of this same senate, chose to ignore both the senate and the constitution.
The Fed Appeals Court opinion is being widely reported, and it can be challenged. "recess appointments" are NOT un-Constitutional.
And oh yea, btw, 8 former Bush appointees have already been convicted of crimes.
time to arrest and try obama for war crimes........numerous killings of innocent pakis and afghans by drone.....
don't forget Libya.....
millerz - and let's not forget 9/11/2001 her and all the innocents killed in Iraq because of Bush plus the 4,000 plus of our own he sent to their deaths - for nothing!
let's not forget that obama approved the execution of an American citizen without any due process
of course according the the rules set forth by the democrat senate the appointments were not made during a senate recess. only in obama's world would anyone consider his appointments legal.
For telling people that high government officials are deverse (race), this is the least dioverse administration I have seen in my 66 years of life.
especially when it comes to independent thinking........
a p garcia - oh honey, get those eyes checked!
I wouldn't go THAT far but I find it disappointing as well
a p garcia-2992672
You do realize, Barack Obama, the first African-American President in U.S. history, is a part of the Obama administration?
Obama wanted to nominate a minority women to the position of Secretary of State, but several GOP senators indicated they would block it without even giving her the benefit of a confirmation hearing. Look how the GOP treated Hilary and she did a heck of a job restoring our relationships internationally that President Cheney, I mean Bush destroyed.
well at least he is half-black.
Just wanted to put this on NBC somewhere because you won't find it on MSM. Come on journalists, do your job without bias!
In an embarrassing setback for President Barack Obama, a federal appeals court panel ruled that he violated the Constitution in making recess appointments last year, a decision that would effectively curtail a president's ability to bypass the Senate to fill administration vacancies.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said that Obama did not have the power to make three recess appointments last year to the National Labor Relations Board because the Senate was officially in session — and not in recess — at the time. If the decision stands, it could invalidate hundreds of board decisions.
Poor Billy Boy,
Apparently, NBC/MSNBC beat you to the punch by two hours? lol
Another conspiracy theory goes *BOOM* - feel silly yet?
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16698275-court-rules-against-obamas-recess-appointments-to-labor-board#c73692555
Feisty - more NBC conspiracy nuts on this site today than usual. It's amazine none of them have the comprehension level of a 5th grader!
Oh, William, considering only 23 were Obama's I guess it will invalidate some made in the past by other Presidents?
Thank you for your comments.
Mr. Fielding,
That story is currently on the Huffington Post, no less. See, even left-leaning journalists are more committed to reporting the truth than FOX News.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/obama-labor-board_n_2550788.html
Whatever. You need a bloodhound and a metal detector to find the story on the NBC site. They've buried it beneath the fluff.
William, thanks for being nice about it.
amy -- many here continually accuse fox of lying. would that be the same kind of lies that msnbc did with a romney clip or the zimmerman story?
an example would be nice. i don't watch fox so i cannot help
I am sorry to have been so tardy in response to your comments, but I have been searching for this story on the Huffington Post and the NBC News website. I see that it is four clicks back on HP and 3 clicks back on the NBC website.
Thank you for showing me where that story is located.
William, I appreciate that you didn't realize the story had appeared; thanks for being nice about the story itself since some have been quite nasty about it.
What should bother all of us is that it was necessary for President Obama (or any President) to do recess appointments of nominees the GOP blocked. Those appointments were made because he needed the jobs filled to keep departments running smoothly. All presidential nominees, R or D, deserve hearings, debate and up/down votes.
it is very amusing how our lefty friends become so excited by anything this president does. regardless of the action it is always the best that could possibly be done.
i am curious if you guys have a site to which you can refer to determine whether the president has a digestive system that permits him to be regular thus providing you at a minimum one thing a day to cheer about.
McDoughnut?
I didn't know McDonalds made doughnuts!
I could go for a doughnut right about now...
Wonder why MSNBC isn't reporting today's DC Circuit Court ruling on Obama's "recess" labor board appointments being illegal?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Wow NBC, you really have lost your way (and your journalistic ethics) as a news organization. There's not one mention of the DC court of appeals judging today that Obama violated the Constitution by making illegal recess appointments.
You liberals are really something else, you allow yourselves to be brainwashed by a news organization that is willing to lie and obfuscate for Obama.
FR/MSNBC put the story up two hours ago, now tell us who's stupid beyond measurement. There are nice posters like William Fielding who posted the story above because he didn't realize it had been reported and did so without the vitriol. Then there are posters like you, LiberalStupid who couldn't just report it but had to do so with a nasty moniker and the accompanying nasty comment.
Jody,
They are crawling all over every thread with this nonsense!
Like I said above, then they have the nerve to call liberals lazy! lol
Hey, BARRY...
So much for trying to circumvent the Constitution, HUH?
Odd...NOT
No mention at all on OBAMANBC about the UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS SPANKING YOUR AZZ TODAY?
Your "Recess Appointments" were UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
HEAR THAT???
Plenty more of that to come, Mr. President...
Keep trying to prevent the "obstructionist" Republican House from doing their job as the third power- and see what it will get you.
IMPEACHED, is what it will get you, you self-serving, arrogant @!$%#...
Hey where is the new Obama broke the constitution in appointing NLRB members over congress. All of their ruling now void. Now how about all the many other rules the king has broken that all democrats and liberal do not want to face.In the media like this you will never hear about it
Are you kidding? This liberal BS site would NEVER report anything like that!
It's a good thing there are some real NEWS sites available and not just this certified-Obama-ass-kissing-site.
Loser #5. I think the big O is going for a national record!
In October 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who determines exemptions to a strict anti-hacking law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), decided that unlocking mobile phones would no longer be allowed. But the librarian provided a 90-day window during which people could still buy a phone and unlock it. That window closes on January 26.
This administration is insane. How are they possibly going to enforce this new law. No wonder they can pass a budget. Let's see nothing bigger than a 16oz soda, 7 rounds in a gun, if you have red hair you have to dye it a different color, outlawing cigarettes and the list goes on and on. Funny the house and senate have all this time to work on trivial issues but no time to work on jobs and a budget.
Another pigman to the trough. They wallow in the mud, and fight at the trough. "Greedy as a pig" fits this bunch perfectly. The 47% has their Royal Court. Let them eat cake.
NBC: Where is the story about half a million people on the DC Mall protesting abortion?
I love coming on msnbc and seeing all the comments from the sheep, that think Obama is special in some way.