CNN, Bloomberg News and ABC are reporting that:
President Obama is considering appointing William Daley to a top White House Position, possibly Chief of Staff.
If named as chief of staff, Daley would replace Pete Rouse, whom Obama selected to fill the role on an interim basis after Rahm Emanuel resigned Oct. 1 to pursue a bid for mayor of Chicago.
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The White House is not confirming this report, but it has been reported by several news outlets. Bill Daley is an executive with J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and ..."the son of legendary Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Sr. and the brother of the current mayor..."
The discussion on CNN included further possible changes to the White House staff, with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs taking over as Senior Advisor, a position being vacated by David Axelrod.
As the Bloomberg article reported:
Daley was a political mentor to Emanuel. The two worked together to get the union-opposed North American Free Trade Agreement passed in 1993. Emanuel was then a senior aide to Clinton, and Daley was a special counsel to the president.
According to the Bloomberg article, the White House is aware that the Administration has been viewed as "anti=business" by "some business executives", and is "seeking to address" those concerns.
It will be interesting to see what unfolds with the Chief of Staff position over the next few days to weeks.
(UPDATE, I, 8:10 EST): The Washington Postis also reporting Daley’s possible appointment:
"President Obama is expected to begin acting on staffing recommendations from his interim chief of staff, Pete Rouse, as soon as he returns Tuesday from his vacation in Hawaii..."
Why Daley? The Post offers these insights:
"...But the introduction of Daley's name into the mix suggested that Obama's former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is still exerting influence over the White House even while running for mayor of Chicago, people familiar with the process said. Daley also has ties to senior adviser David Axelrod, another longtime Chicago operative who is planning to return to the city in the next six weeks..."
Additionally, Daley’s familiarity with the workings of Washington and Wall St. are noted:
"Daley, 62, is a political heavyweight who would command immediate respect from the Washington establishment. He led the Commerce Department during President Bill Clinton's second term and now is the Midwest chairman of JPMorgan & Co...
Press-friendly and outgoing, William Daley could serve as a potentially powerful liaison to business interests and a vocal spokesman on economic matters - something White House officials have said they want as they focus on unemployment and the economy heading into the 2012 presidential race..."
I’m trying to keep a positive outlook on this: The Republicans are going to be attacking on all fronts, and Daley would be able to take them on.