Also asked today by NBC's Brian Williams which government program the U.S. government could do without, John Boehner responded that he couldn't name one off the top of his head.

"I don't think I have one off the top of my head," he said. "But there is no part of this government that should be sacred. Uh, I believe there's room, to find savings in the Department of Defense. There are a lot of needs at the Department of Defense. And I think Secretary Gates has a reasonable plan to allow the service chiefs to go in there and root out wasteful spending -- so they can find the money that they're going to need to make sure that we have the weapons of the future."

Williams then asked him what the bare minimum of government should be. The speaker's answer: "Well, clearly, I believe in the safety net. You know, we live in a competitive society. We live in a capitalist society. For those who can compete and do well, fine. Some Americans can't compete. I think we have a responsibility as a people to help those who can't compete. But do we have a responsibility to help those who won't compete? I would have serious doubts about that."

Here's the exchange:

Williams: Do you consider the defense budget, sacred? Do you consider...

Boehner: Absolutely not.

Williams: Do you consider the homeland security budget sacred?

Boehner: No!

Williams: What goes?

Boehner: Listen...

Williams: Name a program right now that we could do without.

Boehner: "I don't think I have one off the top of my head. But there is no part of this government that should be sacred. Uh, I believe there's room, to find savings in the Department of Defense. There are a lot of needs at the Department of Defense. And I think Secretary Gates has a reasonable plan to allow the service chiefs to go in there and root out wasteful spending -- so they can find the money that they're going to need to make sure that we have the weapons of the future."

Williams: What's the bare minimum we should expect from our government? You and I. What are the services beyond which you won't go.

Boehner: Well, clearly, I believe in the safety net. You know, we live in a competitive society. We live in a capitalist society. For those who can compete and do well, fine. Some Americans can't compete. I think we have a responsibility as a people to help those who can't compete. But do we have a responsibility to help those who won't compete? I would have serious doubts about that.

The rest of the interview will air on "Nightly News" beginning at 6:30 pm ET.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In his interview with John Boehner, NBC's Brian Williams got the new House speaker to react to today's outburst by a birther in the House gallery during the reading of the Constitution.

Williams: I'm curious as to how much responsibility you feel specifically because of something that happened this morning. During the reading of the Constitution, Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey, was reading a portion of the document, interrupted by someone who heckled from within the chamber. It was to express doubt over the president's American citizenship. Provided you believe the president is an American citizen, you've got 12 members co-sponsoring legislation that does about the same thing, it expresses doubt. Would you be willing to say, "This is a distraction, I've looked at it to my satisfaction. Let's move on"?

Boehner: The state of Hawaii has said that President Obama was born there. That's good enough for me.

Williams: Would you be willing to say that message to the 12 members in your caucus who seem to either believe otherwise or are willing to express doubt and have co-sponsored legislation?

Boehner: Brian, when you come to the Congress of the United States, there are 435 of us. We're nothing more than a slice of America. People come, regardless of party labels, they come with all kinds of beliefs and ideas. Uh it's, it's the melting pot of America. It's not up to me to tell them what to think.

The rest of the interview with air on "Nightly News" beginning at 6:30 pm ET.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From NBC's Athena Jones
The Treasury Department is confident the new Congress will act by the end of the first quarter of this year to raise the government's debt ceiling, a move that would avert a default by the United States on its obligations and a subsequent financial crisis.

Despite the apocalyptic language used by White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee over the weekend about the dire consequences of a failure to raise the nation's debt limit from its current level of $14.29 trillion, Treasury officials today called the debate over the debt limit a "routine matter" and played down the feisty rhetoric coming from some lawmakers opposed to an increase.

"It needs to get done; it will get done," one official said. "Whatever you think about taxes and spending going forward, responsible individuals will, I think, have to reach the judgment that defaulting on the US' obligations is an unthinkable thing."

At the moment, the outstanding U.S. debt subject to the limit stands at $13.95 trillion, leaving approximately $335 billion of "headroom" beneath the current limit. Officials gave reporters a copy of a four-page letter Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saying that failing to raise the debt limit would lead to an unprecedented default by the U.S., while at the same time expressing confidence that it would get done.

"Because Congress has always acted to increase the debt limit when necessary, and because failure to do so would be harmful to the interests of every American, I am confident that Congress will act in a timely manner to increase the limit this year," Geithner states in the letter.

The letter does not "predict with precision" the date by which the debt limit will be reached, citing uncertainty associated with tax receipts and refunds during the spring tax filing season and other variable factors, but says the limit could be reached as early as March 31, 2011 and most likely sometime between that date and May 16, 2011.

There are several "exceptional actions" that Treasury could take to delay the date by which the ceiling is reached -- like suspending sales of State and Local Government Series (SLGS) Treasury securities and suspending reinvestment of the Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF), among other things. The Department has taken some of these steps in the past but wants to avoid having to repeat them.

The officials who briefed reporters noted that the debate on the debt limit had so far had no impact on bond yields and were not expected to do so -- a sign that investors also believe Congress will act in time. They declined to discuss what kinds of concessions might need to be made pass an increase in the debt ceiling, arguing that budget cuts should be part of a separate discussion.

Geithner had been talking with members of Congress about the issue and would continue to do so, but officials could not provide a list of those contacts.

While the letter was addressed to Reid, the heads of relevant committees in both Houses and "all the Members of the 112th Congress" were cc-ed.

Worst case scenario
Default would have worse and further-reaching effects on the country than the temporary government shutdowns of 1995 and 1996 and could be more harmful than the 2008-2009 financial crisis, causing potentially millions of job losses and hurting the U.S. dollar and the status of U.S. Treasury bonds as safe haven investments, according to the letter. It would also jeopardize a range of payments from Social Security, Medicare and veterans' benefits, to Medicaid and unemployment payments to states, to student loan payments and military and federal civil service salaries.

"It will have enormously negative consequences to the country, to American individuals, families, businesses, the whole gamut and none of that ought to be jeopardized by, you know, whatever the result of an important and, you know, obviously complicated set of discussions about taxes and spending," said one official.

A U.S. default would mean the country could not borrow additional funds or pay the interest on funds it has already borrowed. Officials did not say how quickly a default would occur if the debt ceiling is reached.

The letter states that a default would also impose a "substantial tax" on Americans by raising all borrowing costs for state and local government, companies and consumers, including an increase in mortgage rates.

"Equity prices and home values would decline, reducing retirement savings and hurting the economic security of all Americans, leading to reductions in spending and investment, which would cause job losses and business failures on a significant scale," it reads.

A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office out this morning shows the Republicans' bill to repeal health care would add $230 billion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years.

The CBO is the independent agency that scores legislation.

Here's the language from the CBO's letter to Boehner:

"We expect that repealing that legislation would increase budget deficits. ... Consequently, over the 2012-2021 period, the effect of H.R. 2 on federal deficits as a result of changes in direct spending and revenues is likely to be an increase in the vicinity of $230 billion, plus or minus the effects of technical and economic changes to CBO's and JCT's projections for that period."

Here's the full CBO letter.

The AP has the breaking news, which NBC News' Mike Viqueira has confirmed:

Two administration officials tell The Associated Press that William Daley will be the next White House chief of staff.

President Barack Obama has chosen Daley, a former commerce secretary, to replace interim chief of staff Pete Rouse.

Rouse, who did not want to stay in the job and recommended Daley for it, will remain at the White House in a senior position as counselor to Obama.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Obama has not yet made the announcement. Obama is expected to do so later Thursday.

*** UPDATE *** The White House now says President Obama will make a personnel announcement at 2:30 pm ET, ostensibly to unveil Daley as his new chief of staff.

From NBC's Michael Isikoff
The country has a new guardian for its national security secrets: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

The outspoken Minnesota congresswoman, and Tea Party favorite, has been tapped by House Speaker John Boehner for a coveted slot on the House Intelligence Committee, giving Bachmann a new role as overseer of the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the rest of the U.S. intelligence community, her office confirmed today.

The move comes at a time when Bachmann is seeking to burnish her national security credentials, as as she weighs a possible run for higher office. Bachmann's spokesman, Doug Sachtleben, confirmed this week that she is planning to speak at an Iowans for Tax Relief fundraiser in Waterloo, Iowa, later this month, a move that has fueled speculation that she may be planning to carry the Tea Party banner into the GOP presidential primaries.

"She's not taking anything off the table as far as her political future," he said.

Sachtleben said there was "no connection" between Bachmann's possible future plans and her recent request to Boehner serve on the House Intelligence Committee. Bachmann, who until now has not served on any committee that deals with foreign policy issues, wanted to serve on the intelligence committee, because "she was concerned as a mother" about the threat of terrorism and other national security issues. He did, acknowledge, however that the new position will be "helpful" in giving her "further credentials in the international area."

The selection of Bachmann to serve on the intelligence committee has already created a buzz among our House colleagues, especially among Democrats who noted her penchant for provocative, if sometimes not fully supported, statements on a range of issues. Bachmann, for example, was one of a number of conservatives who fueled false claims that President Obama's official trip to India after the election was costing taxpayers $200 million a day. (When challenged, Bachmann told the BBC she was only "quoting a newspaper out of India.")

One House Democrat, who asked for anonymity, said the real issue about Bachaman is "will she able to keep quiet" about everything she gets briefed on in the intel committee since almost all of it is classified. Sachtelben, Bachmann's spokesman, said the congresswoman has already discussed this with her staff and "she understands the terms."

New Speaker John Boehner released this statement on raising the debt ceiling:

I've been notified that the Obama Administration intends to formally request an increase in the debt limit. The American people will not stand for such an increase unless it is accompanied by meaningful action by the President and Congress to cut spending and end the job-killing spending binge in Washington. While America cannot default on its debt, we also cannot continue to borrow recklessly, dig ourselves deeper into this hole, and mortgage the future of our children and grandchildren. Spending cuts - and reforming a broken budget process - are top priorities for the American people and for the new majority in the House this year, and it is essential that the President and Democrats in Congress work with us in that effort.

So now what? … Our NBC/WSJ poll provides one answer why House Republicans will read the Constitution beginning at 10:30 am ET… NBC’s Brian Williams to interview Boehner for tonight's "Nightly News"… Could today (or tomorrow) be the day we hear if Bill Daley becomes the new White House chief of staff?... Robert Gibbs sits down for an exclusive interview on “Daily Rundown”… On Pelosi’s speech and the 19 Dems who voted against her… Tea Party-backed members hire insiders to be their chiefs of staff… Daniels mixed signals on 2012… And Michele Bachmann ducks the 2012 question on “TODAY.”

From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Now what? All the pieces for our 2011 Washington chess board are now in place, or are about to be. John Boehner is the newly minted House speaker; the Tea Party members of Congress have been sworn in; and President Obama appears ready to tap a new chief of staff (Bill Daley?) as well as other new senior aides. The question becomes: Now what? Well, the day after taking power, House Republicans will read the U.S. Constitution in full on the House floor, beginning at 10:30 am ET. After that comes the House vote -- on Jan. 12 -- to repeal the health-care law, which is unlikely to go anywhere in the U.S. Senate. And there will be the showdown -- sometime in March -- over raising the debt ceiling. What does Boehner think about these and other issues? Tune into NBC’s “Nightly News” tonight for Brian Williams’ exclusive interview with the new speaker and the new face of the Republican Party.

*** Why read the Constitution? Regarding today's reading of the Constitution, the Washington Post notes, “The House historian's office found no record of the Constitution ever having been read aloud on the chamber's floor, although twice lawmakers have submitted the text into the Congressional Record. Roswell Flower (D-N.Y.) did so in 1882 and Thomas Reilly (D-Conn.) in 1915, according to House Historian Matthew Wasniewski.” Why are Republicans reading the Constitution? Look no further than our NBC/WSJ poll right before the midterms. In it, 38% of conservatives, 41% of Republicans, and 50% of Tea Party supporters said one of the top messages they wanted to send in the election was returning to “the principles of the Constitution.” By comparison, just 8% of Democrats, 8% of liberals, 17% of moderates, and 22% of independents said that. Simply put, this is a hat tip to the GOP’s fired-up base that the party believes propelled them into the House majority.

*** A major retooling? Today -- or tomorrow -- could very well be when we get the news if former Clinton Commerce Secretary Bill Daley becomes Obama’s new chief of staff. Yesterday, per NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, Daley met at the White House with the president and interim chief of staff Pete Rouse, who’s also being considered for the job permanently. At his press briefing, outgoing White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs admitted that there was a “pretty major retooling" going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. And he’s right: In the next month or two, it could very well be that Rouse (possibly returning to his role as senior adviser, if Daley becomes chief of staff), Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, and Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett are the only remaining old members of Obama’s top leadership team.

*** New Order: The two biggest players in this new White House order, by the way, would be Daley and Plouffe. They would have the largest portfolios of any senior aides in the building. Now it doesn't mean the influence of others would be diminished, but the expansive portfolio of Plouffe, in particular, does say a lot. And one other reminder about the signal the Daley hiring would send: Daley and Plouffe are not being brought in to manage Washington and a legislative agenda (a la Rahm, Rouse, Messina, Schiliro). Daley and Plouffe and the new team are coming in to retool the West Wing to become more responsive to OUTSIDE Washington needs; more responsive to governors and mayors -- you know, the folks that matter a heckuva lot more in an election year.

*** Gibbs’ exit interview: By the way, Gibbs will sit down for an exclusive interview today on MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown.”

*** Pelosi’s final pitch: While critics have accused Republicans of re-litigating the past -- like with next week's health-care vote -- the same could be said of Nancy Pelosi's speech yesterday introducing Boehner. In it, Pelosi once again touted the successes of the past Congress. "As I now prepare to hand over the gavel, I know one thing above all else. Thanks to you, we have stood for those children and for their families-for their health, their education, the safety of the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the food they eat, she said. "Thanks to you, for those children and families, we -- made the largest-ever commitment to making college more affordable; enacted Wall Street Reform with the greatest consumer protections in history; and passed a strong Patient's Bill of Rights.” By the way, the San Francisco Examiner notes that Pelosi’s speech introducing Boehner was longer than Boehner’s speech.

*** Breaking down the anti-Pelosi 19: As we observed yesterday, these 19 House Democrats didn’t vote for Pelosi: Altmire (PA), Barrow (GA), Bishop (GA), Boren (OK), Cardoza (CA), Cooper (TN), Costa (CA), Donnelly (IN), Giffords (AZ), Holden (PA), Kind (WI), Kissell (NC), Lipinski (IL), McIntyre (NC), Matheson (UT), Michaud (ME), Ross (AR), Schrader (OR), and Shuler (NC). Of these 19, seven hail from districts McCain won in ’08; 12 hail from Obama-won districts; seven voted for the Obama agenda (both cap-and-trade and health care); eight voted against the Obama agenda; eight won re-election with 55% or more; and 11 won re-election with less than 55%. House Dem leadership aides believe there's nothing to see here about these 19 members. But it was a much bigger number than many privately believed would ultimately go public. And it probably means Pelosi is on a much shorter leash as leader of her caucus than many would like to admit. These 19 can't simply be explained away as disgruntled Blue Dogs. It's a more ideologically and geographically diverse group of dissenters.

*** The inside game: Remember when Obama, who campaigned as an outsider, received flak from appointing the ultimate insider -- Rahm Emanuel -- as his chief of staff? Well, Roll Call reports that many of the new Tea Party-backed members of Congress have also tapped insiders as their chiefs of staff. “A Roll Call analysis of new Members’ picks for chief of staff found that of the 96 chiefs, at least 60 have previously worked for a Member of Congress or a committee…. GOP leadership had nudged new Members to hire experienced staffers, even putting together a list of about 75 potential chiefs of staff, including current and former Capitol Hill staffers and lobbyists.”

*** Daniels’ mixed signals: Earlier this week, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) signaled that his family might not have the stomach for a presidential run. “It scares them to death,” he said of the media’s scrutiny. “And it should.” But now Politico’s Martin is reporting that Daniels will speak at next month’s CPAC cattle call. “It's another sign that Daniels is thinking seriously about a White House bid,” Martin says. “He has previously eschewed the Republican cattle call circuit, insisting that he's entirely focused on his day job. The CPAC appearance offers Daniels a high-profile platform to address his comments last year that there ought to be a ‘truce’ on cultural issues to address the country's pressing fiscal problems.”

*** Bachmann ducks the 2012 question: Asked on “TODAY” about if she was serious about a White House run in 2012, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) essentially ducked the question. “What I'm serious about is focusing on the issues.” When NBC’s Meredith Vieira pressed her for a firmer answer, Bachmann replied that she’s giving a speech in Iowa. “If you speak in Iowa today, most people think you're running for president.” What is Bachmann up to? Well, if Sarah Palin decides not to run for president, there certainly would be a Tea Party and female void in the GOP field. But here’s something else to chew on: Is Bachmann simply keeping the door open to a presidential run to build up a donor base for a possible Senate run against Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D)?

Countdown to release of the monthly jobs report: 1 day
Countdown to the RNC chair election: 8 days
Countdown Chicago’s mayoral election: 47 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 306 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 396 days
* Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up

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"The 112th Congress opened a new era of divided government Wednesday, and newly empowered Republicans immediately moved to advance their agenda of attacking government spending," the Wall Street Journal writes. "Mr. Boehner, in his maiden speech as speaker, acknowledged his party has been thrust into the majority in an era of great political volatility, capping two decades in which control of the House has changed parties three times. 'The American people have humbled us,' Mr. Boehner said. 'They have refreshed our memories as to just how temporary the privilege to serve is. They have reminded us that everything is on loan from them. That includes this gavel.'"

The New York Times on yesterday's congressional activity: "To reverse what they say is a Congressional process tilted toward spending increases, the new Republican majority in the House — over strong Democratic objections — approved rules that would require spending increases to be directly offset with cuts elsewhere. But the rules would allow future tax cuts to be enacted without offsetting spending reductions, and would permit repeal of the health care legislation, which was estimated to save the government more than $140 billion over 10 years, without any requirement that those revenue losses be made up elsewhere."

"Democrats criticized the changes, saying Republicans were returning to the policies that had put the government on a path to deep deficits in the first place and would open the door to “Enron-style accounting” that covered up the costs of tax cuts and their other legislative efforts."

Politico on the GOP's broken promises: "After calling for bills to go through a regular committee process, the bill that would repeal the health care law will not go through a single committee. Despite promising a more open amendment process for bills, amendments for the health care repeal will be all but shut down. After calling for a strict committee attendance list to be posted online, Republicans backpedaled and ditched that from the rules. They promised constitutional citations for every bill but have yet to add that language to early bills."

The Boston Globe’s front-page goes with a centerpiece photo of Boehner’s head buried in his handkerchief before Pelosi handed over the gavel.

In a nod to the Tea Party, there will be a full reading of the seven articles and 27 amendments of the U.S. Constitution beginning around 10:30 am ET today. And AP reports, “Also on Thursday, the House is to take up its first spending cut measure, a proposed 5 percent trim in the budgets of leadership, rank-and-file member and committee offices. Republicans have estimated that this will save $35 million over the next nine months.”

The New York Times notes, “Congressional historians say they believe this has been done only twice before.”

The Washington Post has more: “The House historian's office found no record of the Constitution ever having been read aloud on the chamber's floor, although twice lawmakers have submitted the text into the Congressional Record. Roswell Flower (D-N.Y.) did so in 1882 and Thomas Reilly (D-Conn.) in 1915, according to House Historian Matthew Wasniewski.”

The New York Times' Zeleny: “William M. Daley, who was commerce secretary in the Clinton administration, visited the West Wing to meet with the president and other advisers for a final series of discussions about serving as chief of staff. He has told associates he would accept the job if an offer was extended, and officials said Mr. Obama was favoring him. Gene Sperling, a counselor to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, was expected to be named on Friday as the director of the National Economic Council, the top economic policy job inside the White House. Mr. Sperling also held the position in the Clinton administration.”

“President Obama will address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce [on Feb. 7], underscoring his dramatic recent efforts to shed his administration’s anti-business image,” The Hill writes.

Hotline’s latest whip count for the RNC Chair race has Wisconsin party chair Reince Priebus continuing to lead, though he’s not yet close to the 85 votes needed to win: 33-Priebus; 15-Michael Steele (current chair); 12-Ann Wagner (former MO party chair); 10-Saul Anuzis (MI committeeman); 7-Maria Cino (former Bush admin. official); 91-undecided.

BACHMANN: “Rep. Michele Bachmann is beginning to consider a presidential run, according to close congressional aides,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “As part of that effort, the Minnesota Republican is traveling to the early caucus state of Iowa on Jan. 21 to confer with state GOP leaders and address a group of conservative tax activists… While Bachmann has made no firm decision about a White House bid in 2012, ‘nothing is off the table,’ press aide Sergio Gor told the Star Tribune Wednesday, confirming an earlier ABC News report.

BARBOUR: Local NBC affiliate WDAM says the Mississippi governor sounded “much like a national candidate for office” talking about national energy policy. “Barbour said the nation's high gas prices were related to the federal government's long term ban on new offshore drilling in parts of the country following the oil spill last spring. The Governor argued for an American energy strategy that requires more production from this country.” He said, "We have always had as an advantage in the United States that we had abundant, affordable, reliable energy. And this administration is moving away from that. Their view is to drive up the cost of energy so people will use less of it."

DANIELS: “Indiana Gov Mitch Daniels will attend CPAC, speaking to the annual conservative confab on Feb. 11,” Politico writes. “It's another sign that Daniels is thinking seriously about a White House bid.”

GINGRICH: “The No. 1 focus of House Republicans must be developing and implementing the right policies that will help entrepreneurs and small businesses create jobs and paychecks,” wrote former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Wednesday in an e-mail sent out to supporters. “A booming economy will help balance the budget. It is also the best social policy we can have for American families. As President Ronald Reagan used to remind us, the best social program is a job because it allows the individual to take care of their family with dignity and independence. Many other activities and programs may make us feel good, but none are as important as creating the right policies for job creation.”

PALIN: Based on a Palin Re-Tweet of something written by commentator Tammy Bruce , Politico’s Barr writes, “Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin -- whose lips have been sealed about the recent repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ -- is now hinting that she supports the move.” More: “Palin aide Rebecca Mansour later relayed one of Bruce’s comments questioning whether the mainstream media would take notice of Palin retweeting “something that stands [with] gays.” But there was no clarity on Palin’s actual position.

PAWLENTY: He’ll be on The View Tuesday.

“Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will sign an order Wednesday that reverses his Republican predecessor's policy barring state agencies from seeking certain discretionary federal health grants, his office announced Tuesday night,” Bloomberg reports.

PENCE: He’ll be in South Carolina this weekend, keynoting the black-tie Awakening Conference’s annual dinner before “dozens of prominent conservatives,” Politico writes.

ROMNEY: He said this yesterday of Republicans taking back the House: “We face many challenges, but in no area is leadership more important than in addressing the economy and the need for new jobs,” noted Romney. “Let’s face it: Washington has become a job-killing beast. It is slowly but surely smothering the very pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit that made America the freest, strongest nation on earth. Fortunately, we took the first step in slaying that job-killing beast by electing a Republican majority to the United States House of Representatives last November. But reclaiming majority control of the House is just the first step. We have a lot of work to do to change Washington and get our economy back on track.”

He’s going to be on The View Feb. 1. It will be his second visit.

From NBC's Savannah Guthrie
Bill Daley, who is being considered to be White House Chief of Staff, is at the White House right now. He has had meetings with President Obama as well as acting chief of staff Pete Rouse.

David Plouffe, the incoming senior adviser, who starts next week, also arrived at the White House this afternoon -- around 3:30 pm ET.

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Here is a further breakdown of the 19 House Democrats who voted for someone other than Nancy Pelosi to lead the caucus.

7 from McCain districts
12 from Obama districts
7 voted for Obama agenda (both cap and trade and health care)
8 voted against Obama agenda
8 won re-election with 55% or more
11 won re-election with less than 55%

North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler got a higher number of votes (6 out of 7) among Democrats from districts that voted for John McCain in 2008. Seven out of the 12 members from Obama districts voted for someone other than Shuler, or in the case of Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop voted "present."

Shuler also fared better among Democrats who opposed President Obama's landmark legislative priorities: the "cap and trade" bill (which did not pass the Senate) and the health care reform law. A majority of Democrats who opposed the Obama agenda (7 out of 8) voted for Shuler, versus 2 of the 7 Democrats who voted for both cap and trade and health care.

The majority of Democrats who voted for Shuler received less than 55% of the vote in the 2010 midterms, including California Rep. Jim Costa whose slim margin over Republican challenger Andy Vidak was not confirmed until more than two weeks after the election, and Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly, who ran several ads, like the one below, touting his distance from the "Washington crowd."

From NBC's Athena Jones
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."

From NBC's Shawna Thomas and Luke Russert; msnbc.com's Carrie Dann:

As her party enters the minority in the U.S. House, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been once again elected to the chamber’s top Democratic leadership spot. But Pelosi’s party wasn’t unanimous in backing her for the job, with almost one in ten members of the caucus voting for a different candidate.

A total of 19 Democrats broke with their party to vote for someone other than Pelosi, whose low approval ratings have been frequently cited as one reason for heavy Democratic losses in the November election.

Eleven voted for Pelosi rival and Blue Dog Rep. Health Shuler of North Carolina.

Here’s a full list of the defectors:

For Shuler (11):
Altmire (PA)
Boren (OK)
Cooper (TN)
Donnelly (IN)
Holden (PA)
Kissell (NC)
McIntyre (NC)
Matheson (UT)
Michaud (ME)
Ross (AR)
Shuler (NC)

For Rep. John Lewis of Georgia (2)
Barrow (GA)
Giffords (AZ)

For Rep. Jim Costa of California (1)
Cardoza (CA)

For Rep. Dennis Cardoza of California (1)
Costa (CA)

For Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee (1)
Kind (WI)

For Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio (1)
Lipinski (IL)

For Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland (1)
Schrader (OR)

Voting “present” (1)
Bishop (GA)

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Domenico Montanaro
Some notable names and faces participating in or witnessing the swearing in of newly elected or reelected senators today:

In the public gallery, above the Senate floor:
- Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito
- Cindy McCain (John McCain was reelected)

Escorting senators to down the middle aisle to be sworn in by VP Biden:
- former VP & Senator Dan Quayle (escorting Dan Coats)
- former senator Frank Murkowski (escorting his daughter Lisa Murkowski)
- former senator Elizabeth Dole (escorting Richard Burr)

Alito famously mouthed, "Not true," during President Obama's last State of the Union, when Obama criticized a Supreme Court ruling. Alito later said he likely won't attend the next State of the Union.

Fox wrote:

The better course, Alito said, is to follow the example of more experienced justices like Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and the recently retired John Paul Stevens. None has attended in several years.

"So I doubt that I will be there in January," Alito said.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
John Boehner (R-OH) has a majority of votes to be Speaker of the House. (He hasn't been sworn in yet, so he is technically not speaker yet.)

*** UPDATE *** Here's the vote tally:

Boehner - 241 votes
Pelosi - 173 votes
Dennis Cardoza - 1 Vote
Jim Cooper - 1 Vote
Jim Costa - 1 Vote
Steny Hoyer - 1 Vote
Marcy Kaptur - 1Vote
John Lewis - 2 Votes
Heath Shuler - 11 Votes
One member voted present
(Pelosi and Boehner don't vote)

(UPDATE: Pelosi voted for herself, somewhat out of the ordinary. Rep. Peter Defazio, D-Ore., was the Democrat who did not vote.)

Lorraine Miller House Clerk: "Therefore the honorable John A. Boehner of the State of Ohio has received the Majority of the votes cast is duly elected Speaker of the house of representatives."

With the New Year comes lots of staff changes in Washington. The latest is Tina Tchen becoming First Lady Michelle Obama's chief of staff, NBC's Athena Jones reports.

Here's the Office of the First Lady's release:

Tina Tchen to Join Office of the First Lady as Chief of Staff
The White House today announced that Tina Tchen has been promoted to Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady. Ms. Tchen most recently served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement, and as Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. She will continue to serve as Executive Director of the Council in her new position.

Statement from Mrs. Obama:

"I am thrilled to welcome Tina to my team. I have admired her work with the White House Council on Women and Girls and her leadership with the Office of Public Engagement. Tina's tenure at the White House has focused on ensuring that communities across the country have a voice and a presence at the White House, and her office has worked closely with mine to develop many of our outreach efforts, so she was the natural choice for this role. We particularly share a commitment to nurturing young women and utilizing the White House as a platform for education and inclusion, and I look forward to continuing that work together.

"As sad as I am to see Susan go, I always knew she would return to her family and her community in Chicago. She arrived here in January of 2009 intending only to stay for a year and her extended tenure as my Chief of Staff has been a gift. She has led my team with an even hand and a clear vision and I am so grateful to her and her family for her time here in Washington.

"When selecting a replacement, I looked for someone who had the right experience to lead my team and am grateful to bring on Tina, whom I've known and respected for 20 years. Tina's success leading the Office of Public Engagement, reaching out to people across the country and encouraging Americans from all walks of life to feel connected to this White House, makes her uniquely qualified to step up to this position. I look forward to working with her in the years ahead to develop effective strategies for the Let's Move! campaign, to broaden our work on behalf of military families, to continue the arts and cultural events in the White House, and to advance our international agenda."

Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, and Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement said, "Tina has been an incredible asset as the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and the Executive Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. As the President said at the Council's formation in the spring of 2009, the issues facing women today are not just women's issues. When women are treated unfairly, that affects our families, our work environments and the next generation of young women. Throughout her career, Tina has been a tireless advocate for women and families, and she brought that wealth of experience and dedication to the White House Council's efforts. She will bring her leadership, wisdom and passion to her new position and continue to have a substantial impact on the issues affecting America's women and girls."

Ms. Tchen began her work for the President and First Lady during the 2008 campaign. Prior to this service, Ms. Tchen was a partner at the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where she worked for 23 years in corporate litigation, representing public agencies including the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), the Illinois Department of Public Aid and the Chicago Housing Authority.

Change can come to the U.S. Senate. But it might take 10 or 15 years.

It turns out that the aughts, or the first decade of the 21st Century, saw the highest turnover of Senators in a generation and the sixth-highest since the direct election of senators began in 1914.

From 2000 to 2010, there have been 71 new senators. That's the most since 1970 to 1980, when there were 91 new senators.

As we wrote in First Thoughts, there will be 16 new senators this Congress, the largest freshman class in the Senate since 1980, when there were 18 new members.

The highest turnover in any decade was from 1920 to 1930, when there were 100 new senators.

TOP DECADES OF SENATE TURNOVER
1. 1920-30: 100
2. 1940-50: 98
3. 1930-40: 94
4. 1970-80: 91
5. 1950-60: 81
6. 2000-10: 71

SOURCE: Congressional Directory via U.S. Senate official Web site.

The jockeying for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination has gotten off to a slow start -- at least compared to the '08 cycle.

But former Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, who appears very likely to jump into the White House race, made some news today in tapping a conservative operative to be his PAC's New Hampshire director.

The scoop from the Union Leader:

Mike Biundo, the veteran Manchester conservative political strategist who guided Frank Guinta's campaigns for mayor of the state's largest city and then for the U.S. House, has been tapped as the first pre-presidential primary staffer by a likely soon-to-be candidate.

Republican former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum later today will formally announce that Biundo, 42, will be the state director of Santorum's political action committee, America's Foundation.

Santorum will visit the state for the eighth time in about a year next week, planning an appearance before conservative activist Ovide Lamontagne's new Granite Oath PAC at Lamontagne's home on Jan. 11 and then two stops in Bedford later that day and on Jan. 12.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will leave the White House -- not just his position as press secretary.

His official departure will be after the State of the Union. No successor has been named, and that search may be expanded if a new chief of staff -- potentially ex-Commerce Secretary Bill Daley -- is named before the end of the week as some administration aides expect.

As for Gibbs, he'll continue to work for the president but as an outside consultant, essentially setting up the Washington-arm of the Obama re-election campaign. David Axelrod, who will be leaving the West Wing around the same time, will be setting up the Chicago-arm of the Obama re-election campaign.

*** UPDATE *** Here's the president's statement on Gibbs:

"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. 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."

What GOP control of the House means… And what it doesn’t mean… Excerpt of Boehner’s speech today: “This is the people’s House. This is their Congress. It’s about them, not us.”… Today’s transfer-of-power ceremony in the House begins at noon ET… Around 2:00 pm ET, Pelosi will speak and then Boehner will… The Dem-controlled Senate also convenes at noon… The 112^th Congress by the numbers… Remembering the Clinton-vs.-Gingrich “Showdown”… If asked, Daley will accept… McConnell’s reminder on filibuster reform… And meet the players to watch in the new Congress.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** What GOP control of the House means… : It isn’t every day on Capitol Hill when a political party regains control of the House of Representatives; in fact, it’s now happened only seven times since World War II. Yet as John Boehner today becomes the House’s 53rd different speaker, it’s important to distinguish what this GOP control means and doesn’t mean. Here’s what it DOES mean. One, Republicans now get to control everything in the chamber. As NBC’s Mike Viqueira has pointed out, this is everything from which bills will be considered for debate on the floor (like the upcoming vote to repeal the health law), to what is served for lunch in the cafeteria. Two, it means that Democrats lose their ability to pass legislation without significant GOP support. (Example: If President Obama is able to sign immigration-reform legislation into law, it will have to be a final bill crafted by both the Dem-controlled Senate and the GOP-controlled House.) And three, it will probably mean plenty of partisan bickering -- though that won’t necessarily be new.

*** … and what it doesn’t mean: But GOP control of the House DOESN’T mean that Republicans have the ability to clear legislation they want to, especially with Dems in control of the Senate and White House. (Example: The health-care repeal is likely to go nowhere in 2011-12.) It also doesn’t mean that we’ll see a flurry of vetoes by President Obama. (The reason: With Dems in charge of the Senate, any legislation that advances to the president’s desk will have say from the White House and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who’s essentially the president’s pocket veto.) And it doesn’t mean we’ll only see congressional gridlock. (After all, it was a Democratic president and a GOP Congress that passed welfare reform in the mid-1990s.) The biggest challenge for Boehner: the expectations game. “The problem is going to be the grassroots movement out in the countryside,” GOP strategist Vin Weber tells the New York Times. “They have no sense of the limits on a party that controls only one of the three seats of power. Managing that relationship is going to be difficult.”

*** “The people’s House”: In his speech today after receiving the gavel from outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Boehner will call the House the “people’s House,” per NBC’s Luke Russert. “The American people have humbled us. They have refreshed our memories as to just how temporary the privilege to serve is,” Boehner will say, according to advanced excerpts of his speech. “They have reminded us that everything here is on loan from them. That includes this gavel, which I accept cheerfully and gratefully, knowing I am but its caretaker. After all, this is the people’s House. This is their Congress. It’s about them, not us. What they want is a government that is honest, accountable and responsive to their needs. A government that respects individual liberty, honors our heritage, and bows before the public it serves.” On debt and spending, Boehner will say, per NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell: “No longer can we kick the can down the road. The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions."

*** Today’s House tick-tock: Here’s the approximate schedule for today’s events in the House: At noon ET, the clerk of the past Congress calls the House to order, which is followed by a prayer by the chaplain and then the Pledge of Allegiance. At 12:40 pm, the clerk will receive nominations for speaker, with Dem Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-CT) nominating Pelosi and GOP Caucus Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) will nominate Boehner. After that, the roll is called. At 1:45 pm, the clerk announces the results from the vote, which Boehner is expected to easily win. At 2:00 pm, Pelosi will introduce Boehner, and she will make brief remarks. And then Boehner will address the House. At 2:20 pm, Rep. John Dingell -- the dean of the House -- will administer the oath to Boehner, and then Boehner will administer the oath to the members-elect.

*** Today’s Senate tick-tock: Per NBC’s Ken Strickland, here's the latest guidance for the Senate's opening day: The chamber also convenes at noon ET, with the presentation of credentials of re-elected and newly elected. Then Vice President Biden begins swearing in these members on the Senate floor (it happens in groups of four, in alphabetical order). After the swearing-ins, Sen. Tom Udall (D) is expected to offer his resolution on filibuster reform, but the matter won’t be addressed until the Senate returns after its two-week recess on Jan. 24. There likely will be speeches from Udall and fellow Democrats Jeff Merkley, Tom Harkin, Amy Klobuchar, Ron Wyden, and Claire McCaskill on changing the Senate rules. There also might be speeches celebrating the milestone for Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who today becomes the chamber’s longest-serving female senator.

*** The 112^th Congress, by the numbers: In the new Congress, Republicans will hold a 242-193 advantage. In the Senate, Democrats will retain a 53-47 majority. (Two senators are independent but caucus with the Democrats). There are 96 new members of the House (87 Republicans, nine Democrats), and that’s the largest percentage of new members since ‘92. The House will include 43 Tea Party-backed members. The Senate will have five Tea Party-backed members. In total, in the Senate, there will be 16 new members (13 Republicans, three Democrats) -- the largest freshman class in that chamber since 1980.

*** Those who forgot the past are doomed to repeat it: Outside the emerging presidential contest, the battle between the Democratic White House and the GOP House will be Washington’s best political story. And, of course, it’s a battle we saw in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton tangled with Newt Gingrich. If you’re interested in the lessons learned from that conflict, a good guide would be this book by legendary political reporter Elizabeth Drew: “Showdown: The Struggle between the Gingrich Congress and the Clinton White House.” In her first chapter, which takes place on the day of Gingrich’s swearing-in as speaker, Drew writes, “Would Clinton or Gingrich be seriously damaged -- or strengthened -- by the events of 1995?... [W]ould the Republicans understand the mandate of the 1994 election, or would they go beyond it? And how would the American people react?”

*** If asked, Daley will accept: Regarding the staff reshuffling at the White House, we can report this: If former Clinton Commerce Secretary Bill Daley is offered the chief of staff job, he will accept.

*** McConnell’s reminder: As mentioned above, Democrats' first order of legislative business in the Senate will be an effort to change the Senate rules, limiting the minority party’s ability to filibuster or block legislation, NBC’s Strickland has reported. But Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is reminding Democrats they fought this fight before, almost 15 years to the day, and lost soundly. In an op-ed in today’s Washington Post, McConnell recalls the first vote of the 104th Congress on Jan. 5, 1995. It was a bill offered by Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin that would have allowed a simple majority of 51 votes to break a filibuster instead of the 60 this is required under current Senate rules. That proposal failed by a vote of 76-19. "What every Republican senator, and many Democratic senators, realized at the time was that any attempt by a sitting majority to grasp at power would come back to haunt us," McConnell writes.

*** Meet the players to watch: MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” today is profiling some of the key House and Senate members to watch in the 112^th Congress. And here are things you might not have known about them:

-- GOP Sen. Jim DeMint: ran a market research firm before he ran for office
-- Incoming House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa: a key funder of the campaign to recall CA Gov. Gray Davis (he initially tried to run to replace him, but dropped out shortly after); before coming to Congress in 2001, ran a car alarm company
-- House Oversight Ranking Member Elijah Cummings: was a defense attorney before coming to Congress in 1997
-- Incoming House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan: came to Congress at age 28, worked as then-Sen. Sam Brownback’s legislative director for two years
-- Incoming House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers: known to lead constituent tours of the capital and share bits of trivia and history with the tourists; once rejected calls to run for governor because he couldn’t give up his position in the appropriations committee

Countdown to release of the monthly jobs report: 2 days
Countdown to the RNC chair election: 9 days
Countdown Chicago’s mayoral election: 48 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 307 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 397 days (*Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up)

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"Almost as soon as they take control of the House at noon Wednesday, Republicans will embark on a 20-day plan aimed at undoing major aspects of President Obama's agenda as they seek to take advantage of the weeks before the Senate's return and the president's State of the Union address," the Washington Post says. The first move will come Friday, when the House begins the process of repealing the new health-care law. House leaders will then quickly begin to identify tens of billions of dollars in proposed spending cuts and to ease regulations that businesses find burdensome. Much of what Republicans do will be symbolic, given that Democrats still control the Senate and the White House."

The New York Times on Boehner's challenge: "'The problem is going to be the grass-roots movement out in the countryside,' said Vin Weber, a former Republican House member and Washington lobbyist who served with Mr. Boehner in the 1990s. 'They have no sense of the limits on a party that controls only one of the three seats of power. Managing that relationship is going to be difficult.'"

Roll Call makes a similar point: Boehner “must appease a flock of conservative and ambitious GOP freshmen while putting in place a strategy for his party to expand its Congressional majority and win the White House in 2012.”

The Hill reminds that becoming Speaker is something of a comeback for Boehner, who 12 years ago was “ousted from the Republican leadership.”

Roll Call previews Nancy Pelosi’s last speech as speaker: She will “vow to ‘fight for American jobs’ and reduce the deficit during her final speech on the House floor before her successor takes the gavel Wednesday. The California Democrat will pledge that her Caucus ‘will judge what comes before Congress by whether it creates jobs, strengthens our middle class, and reduces the deficit -- not burdening future generations with debt,’ according to excerpts released by her office.”

The Washington Post details what congressional Democrats hope to accomplish in the 112^th Congress. “Democratic leaders say they could take up the cause of deficit reduction, urge a free-trade agreement with South Korea and advocate for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws. All of these issues have something in common: They will require support from lawmakers in both parties to have any hope of passing.”

Democratic Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma says he’ll back the repeal of health care when it comes up for a vote in the House Jan. 12.

As for the Senate, how about this quote from a Democratic aide about the relationship between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, per The Hill: “They are as close as two people with limited social skills can be.”

“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,” the Washington Post front-pages. “Although familiar with the Daley family - William is the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley -- Obama did not have a personal relationship with William Daley and wanted to get to know him better. The secret has been tightly held, without as much as a mention in senior staff meetings, an administration official said."

“But it is only part of a potentially much larger reorganization that encompasses almost the entire West Wing hierarchy, including those who have had the most influence over the administration's direction in its first two years. Among the biggest changes could be the departure of press secretary Robert Gibbs , who is said to be exploring the possibility of leaving the White House altogether, perhaps to set up his own consulting shop and play a leading role in the 2012 campaign, two Democrats said. That move could happen in the coming weeks.”

The New York Times: "With Mr. Obama back at the White House on Tuesday after a holiday vacation in Hawaii, White House aides said some personnel decisions could be announced perhaps this week. Among the announcements expected soon is a successor to Lawrence H. Summers, who has returned to teach at Harvard, as the chief White House economic adviser. The leading candidate is believed to be Gene Sperling, who held the job under President Bill Clinton and is currently a counselor to the Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner."

“President Obama’s strategy for dealing with the new Republican majority in the House is to stay above the fray and look presidential for the 2012 race,” The Hill’s Youngman writes. “The president gave a preview of that strategy during his trip home from his Christmas vacation in Hawaii, when he ventured back to Air Force One’s press cabin and suggested he would essentially take a spectator’s role while House Republicans beat their chests and howl.”

On the other hand, the New York Daily News notes, “President Obama will use his bully pulpit to launch a populist pushback against Republicans, who take control of the House on Wednesday. En route to Washington on Tuesday from a Hawaii vacation, Obama signaled his emerging to paint the GOP as more interested in scoring points than helping ordinary people.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius has an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune, defending the health-care law. She writes, “Repeal would slam the brakes on this progress, taking control away from families and their doctors and putting it back in the hands of insurance companies. Before any member of Congress considers taking such a reckless step backward, he or she should think through exactly what repeal would mean.”

French President Sarkozy will be at the White House Monday.