Obama Spokesman Gibbs ‘May Leave Within Weeks’

[Hissyspit]

Source: AFP

Obama spokesman Gibbs ‘may leave within weeks’

By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 -- 8:13 am

President Barack Obama's press secretary may leave the White House in a few weeks, part of a reshuffle that could see as many as eight key changes in the administration, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Robert Gibbs, who has been a senior voice in the White House since Obama took office nearly two years ago, is exploring a departure possibly to set up his own consulting firm and to play a lead role in his boss's 2012 re-election campaign, the Post reported, citing two Democrats familiar with the deliberations.

The move, which the daily says could take place in the coming weeks, would mark the departure of one of Obama's closest aides, an advisor who has been at his side since his days in the US Senate before running for president.

As Obama's traveling spokesman during the 2008 campaign, Gibbs gained a reputation as a rapid rebuttal specialist while also advising Obama on key strategic matters.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/obama-spokesman-gibbs-may-leave-weeks

[Fumesucker]

1. What, did he fail a drug test or something?

:shrug:

[monmouth]

2. I think this was expected from the beginning, and I'm not terribly sorry

to see him go. A great guy I'm sure, but a communicator he was not. Would love to see Bill Burton take over. Very articulate, knowledgeable and doesn't seem to allow the press to bully him. There were times when Gibbs acted a little timid with the press corpse..

[mazzarro]

6. You are far more kind than I would

IMO he is out of place as a press secretary. Him and Axelrod come out as bumbling people when dealing with rethugs - not articulate enough to rebut most of their attacks.

[molly77]

7. Bill Clinton would answer quite a few questions with

"Hillary would have done a better job than Obama." Time to get the clinton administration out of Obama's before it is too late. The bushes destroyed the republican party. The clintons destroyed the democratic party. We did not vote for DC insiders, but that is what we have.

[pacalo]

10. The Clintons did not ruin the Democratic Party. That's hogwash.

[tibbiit]

3. a rapid rebuttal specialist

please
tib

[Javaman]

4. tootles gibbs. we on the professional left applaud your departure. nt

[Demeter]

5. And only two years past his sell date

[2Design]

8. none of them stay long in that position - hard to lie all the time and live with yourself

[LiberalEsto]

9. Good riddance nt

[DainBramaged]

11. Buh bye

[placton]

12. he wants to complete his advanced degree in

professional lying, something Rahm and Obama educated him in.

[Vidar]

13. Glad to see him go, but I'm sure Obama can find someone even worse.

[dflprincess]

14. There must be a PR guy from one of the Wall Street firms he can hire nt

[Mr. Sparkle]

15. Gibbs to Leave as White House Press Secretary

Source: New York Times

Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary and close confidante to President Obama, said Wednesday that he will step down and become an outside political adviser to the president and his re-election campaign.

Mr. Gibbs said that he intends to leave the podium in early February. His successor has not yet been decided, he said, but will likely be announced within the next two weeks.

President Obama, who is in the midst of making final decisions on the first major reorganization of his administration, said in a brief telephone interview on Wednesday that Mr. Gibbs would remain a close adviser and “will continue to shape the dialogue politically for many years to come.”

“We’ve been on this ride together since I won my Senate primary in 2004,” Mr. Obama said. “He’s had a six-year stretch now where basically he’s been going 24/7 with relatively modest pay. I think it’s natural for someone like Robert to want to step back for a second to reflect, retool and that, as a consequence, brings about both challenges and opportunities for the White House.”

The departure of Mr. Gibbs is part of a series of moves inside the West Wing as the president prepares for a new phase of his administration.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/gibbs-to-leave-as-white-house-press-secretary/

[tularetom]

16. Don't let the door hit you in the ass Mr Professional Leftist guy

My only fear is that they will replace him with somebody even worse.

[Elmore Furth]

40. As a Professional Leftist -- Is there a dental plan and comprehensive medical?

The way Gibbs described people with my point of view, the Professional Left, we actually had a career path.

Now he is ducking and running.

Sounds like his career path didn't work out so well -- the Amateur Left.

[HankyDubs]

43. my thoughts exactly.

Seeya, prick!

[Botany]

17. Stephanie Miller to Replace Robert Gibbs @ White House

AP 1/4/11 Washington, D.C. In a staff shake up President Barack Obama is expected to replace
current spokesperson Robert Gibbs with Stephanie Miller (64) a southern California talk show host
and wine drinker. Miller is known for her use of sound effects and bad 1970s songs when talking
about politics and is long been known to want a new shot on the national stage after being fired
from the Stephanie Miller show and replaced with Danny Bonaduce.

President Obama has been a long time fan of Ms. Miller and is said to enjoy her use of fart jokes
to avoid answering questions.

[Bette Noir]

29. I wish. Mr. President could use a real lefty in the WH.

Thom Hartmann is in town; how about him?

[Liberalynn]

42. Wish this were true for sure.

:rofl:

[howaboutme]

18. Helen Thomas is available

Wouldn't that shake things up?

[stray cat]

33. the problem is we need a positive shake up

[greiner3]

19. Alan Grayson anyone?

[wtmusic]

21. +1

If he's looking for a way to re-energize his base - an excellent choice.

[MannyGoldstein]

20. Ari Fleischer as a replacement?

Would be bipartisan, and he's used to defending many of the same issues.

[BlueMTexpat]

23. You have got to be kidding.

*'s press secretary? That would be far worse than Gibbs.
Ari was also a significant player in the Plame leak. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Fleischer

[MannyGoldstein]

25. Yes, I'm kidding

Hard to tell these days without a sarcasm warning, sorry.

[BlueMTexpat]

27. A thousand thanks for the reassurance!

Some of us are badly sarcasm-challenged without the thingie!

:hi:

[jaxx]

22. I'm going to miss Robert Gibbs, I really like him.

He's been a good press sec, always on the ball, rarely ever ruffled by the piranha in the press pool. Whoever comes next will have big shoes to fill.

Plus it's great he'll still be working to re-elect President Obama in 2012.

[EFerrari]

24. You can have mine, then.

lol

[jaxx]

30. Your what?

Piranhas?

[stray cat]

34. I liked him too

[Alameda]

38. Good riddance IMHO...I didn't like his anti us comments.

[mod mom]

26. Good riddance. May karma find you in your new endeavors!

Not only did he help alienate progressives but HE SUCKED! as a press secretary.

[AtheistCrusader]

35. He had some lowlights at a couple places, but give some credit...

that job can ruin ANYONE.

[mod mom]

37. he always seemed like a pompous amateur to me.

[robcon]

28. Gibbs was an excellent press sec'y

I hope the president gets someone as good to replace him.

[compaqxp]

31. Good.

I was never fond of him. I wonder who will replace him?

[closeupready]

32. Wasn't he the one who accused liberals of being on drugs?

Good riddance.

[Xenotime]

36. How about somebody like Randi Rhodes. Somebody who won't take shit from the HoR.

[udbcrzy2]

39. Remember when he shouted down Hannity?

That was pretty cool. Here's the YouTube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgn6rjGbp0c&feature=related

[alp227]

51. thanks for the link, it was a great exchange, i'll post on gen discussion presidency

since it was already posted on political videos in nov 2008

[Liberalynn]

41. Yippeee!!!!!!!

Finally some good news.:toast: :bounce: :dem:

I for one will never forgive him for throwing liberals under the bus time and time again.

[Tx4obama]

44. I hope they find someone that can talk faster. Gibbs talked too slow, I stopped watching him. n/t

[A Simple Game]

45. I want

Al Sharpton for press secretary.

Yes I am serious.

Think about it!

[Major Hogwash]

46. Alternative universe headline: Obama creates new job opening at White House.

Working with other members of his staff, Obama has created yet another job at the White House. In less than 2 years, the President has created more jobs in his administration than any president since Ronald Reagan.*


* Note:
I didn't really want to mention Ronald Reagan, but all stories concerning President Obama in the alternative universe must have references to him included in the story.

Hahaha.

[classysassy]

47. Spring cleaning early this year

I f Gibbs goes ,give Gates the gate a terrible selection.Why do democrat presidents select republicans as defense secs?

[Le Taz Hot]

48. Don't let the door hit you . . .

Lest we forget his hand in the smear campaign against Howard Dean:

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2010/8/11/81132/5825

[rocktivity]

49. LIke Fleischer, Perrino, and McClellan before him

He's pretty much has the credibility wrung out of him at this point.

:(
rocktivity

[kimsarah]

50. Heckuva job ...

As a good showman, can't you picture Robert "I Hate" Libbs as Dennis Miller's sidekick on the Bill O'Lielly Dog and Pony Show?