Media Outlets Struggle To Describe White House Chief Of Staff Bill Daley’s Demotion

by Colby Hall | 7:39 am, November 8th, 2011

» 30 comments

The nation is just waking up today to learn the rather huge political news that Chief of Staff Bill Daley‘s role at the White House is changing, with many outlets reporting that he is moving into a more of a “big picture” or “ambassador” role in the Obama administration. The news of Daley’s evolving role at the White House, however, is just about as unclear and muddied as the administration’s detractors claim the White House policies to be; is he being demoted? Is this move a recognition by President Obama that the last 11 months under Daley have been a political mess? Media outlets have all reported Daley’s new role in different ways, which might provide more insight if we look at them as a whole.

Day-to-day operational duties are reportedly going to Pete Rouse, who filled in when Rahm Emanuel left the job for a successful mayoral bid in Chicago. Rouse is reportedly very close to Obama, and many insiders look back at the interim period in which Rouse served as Chief of Staff as a favorable period for the President. Specifically, this was the brief period, following last year’s mid-terms, in which Obama got a number of key legislative victories, including the extension of unemployment benefits, the START treaty and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Daley was announced as the new Chief of Staff in the first week in January.

The specific role of Chief of Staff is different under every administration, though it is considered to be one of, if not the, most important roles in the White House. And if one accepts the current conventional wisdom that the last year has been a tough political one for President Obama, it’s not unreasonable to see Daley’s new role as a result of some potentially embarrassing gaffes. Even the most straight reports on Daley’s new role, however, have not come out and called this a demotion.

Wall Street Journal‘s Carol Lee broke the story, and she led with recent White House missteps:

William M. Daley was hired to help resuscitate Barack Obama’s presidency after deep Democratic losses in 2010. Ten months into his tenure as chief of staff, Mr. Daley’s core responsibilities are shifting, following White House missteps in the debt-ceiling fight and in its relations with Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

On Monday, Mr. Daley turned over day-to-day management of the West Wing to Pete Rouse, a veteran aide to President Obama, according to several people familiar with the matter. It is unusual for a White House chief of staff to relinquish part of the job.

A senior White House official who attended Monday’s staff meeting where Mr. Daley made the announcement said that his new role has not yet been fully defined. But in recent weeks, Mr. Daley has focused more on managing relations with influential outsiders.

Politico’s Glenn Thrush cited Lee and piled on:

Daley’s relationship with some of his West Wing colleagues has been strained, and many pined for Rouse, who served as a bridge between the volatile Rahm Emanuel, now the mayor of Chicago, and Daley, the son and brother of Chicago mayors — who assumed office just ten months ago.

Earlier this year, White House aides told POLITICO they were frustrated with Daley’s top-down management style and insistence that mid-level aides be cut out of some meetings.

Fox News’ White House Correspondent Ed Henry actually calls the role reassignment a demotion, getting an unnamed source to agree with that assessment.

The adviser confirmed a Wall St Journal report saying Daley was being demoted to make way for Pete Rouse, a close ally of the president dating back to his days as Obama’s Senate Chief of Staff. He served as acting White House Chief of Staff until suggesting the full-time job go to Daley, who came aboard early this year to help shore up the president’s standing after a bruising midterm election.

The Obama administration has had some big victories in the last year, though most have been from the realm of foreign policy. The domestic political landscape in the last year has been far less friendly to the White House, in particular a remarkably inimical relationship with Congressional leadership. Considering the botched scheduling of the joint session speech from early September, and what many see as a consistent capitulation to an obstructionist House GOP, the Daley era did not seem to be working. Only history will tell us if that’s because of Daley or others in the White House, but until then, we now are (re)entering the Pete Rouse era in the Obama Administration. What Bill Daley will do — even if he is still the Chief of Staff — remains to be reported.

barack obama, Bill Daley, Pete Rouse, Rahm Emanuel, White House, William Daley

Pablo

I can help! Barack Obama doesn’t want to hear what Bill Daley (and other adults) keep trying to tell him.
Pablo

The Obama administration has had some big victories in the last year, though most have been from the realm of foreign policy.

“Look at all the people I killed!”

Yeah, run on that, Barack.
http://twitter.com/MarkH76248 Mark H

It’s more important (entertaining) for the lame stream media to report on media whore Gloria Allred’s latest client than what’s actually going on in Washington and the White House
Norbit

Uh-oh, Obama acted impulsively – he still thinks Che Guevara is available for the position!
lol
Anonymous

“Fox News’ White House Correspondent Ed Henry actually calls the role reassignment a demotion, getting an UNNAMED SOURCE to agree with that assessment.”

It’s hilarious how FOX News loves unnamed sources unless they are directed at the Right, like when Joe McGuiness or Politico uses them.

lol…this WHOLE Fox story is made up of NUMEROUS unnamed sources…..
______________________________________________________
NYCC’s connection to ACORN isn’t a tenuous one: It works from the former ACORN offices in Brooklyn, uses old ACORN office stationery, employs much of the old ACORN staff and, according to several SOURCES, engages in some of the old organization’s controversial techniques to raise money, interest and awareness for the protests.

SOURCES said NYCC has hired about 100 former ACORN-affiliated staff members from other cities – paying some of them $100 a day – to attend and support Occupy Wall Street. Dozens of New York homeless people recruited from shelters are also being paid to support the protests, at the rate of $10 an hour, the SOURCES said.

SOURCES said cash donations collected by NYCC on behalf of some unions and various causes are being pooled and spent on Occupy Wall Street. The money is used to buy supplies, pay staff and cover travel expenses for the ex-ACORN members brought to New York for the protests.
__________________________________________________________
Anonymous

“Too late to dig well when honorable house is on fire”.
Anonymous

What;s not to understand?Dailey couldn’t stop a capsizing ship.He couldn’t mask the failures and continued missteps.Nothing got better,it all got worse.

So now he’s going away.As usual the transparency is cloudy as hell but basically he’s getting his golden parachute.It’s time for a new lackey who also won’t be able to do much to help except take the blame.

Regardless of who it is next on the chopping block,next in the line of fire,they have a monumental job ahead of them.I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.
Anonymous

Are you accusing all of the sources in this article as questionable or is this just more tired Fox News bashing even when they agree with other news outlets?
hatessnark

unfortunately it’s not LOL, a lame comment and not the least bit funny
Anonymous

This is amateurish, Norbie!

We expect MORE CAPITAL LETTERS. More buzzwords. More exclamation marks!!! More OUTRAGEOUS and UNHINGED CLAIMS. There’s not even a reference to the KENYAN MARXIST SOCIALIST TERRORIST in the White House. ACORN is soooo 2008.

How do you expect us to get our BEST LAUGHS OF THE DAY if you’re not willing to be a PERFECT PARODY of a TIN FOIL HATTER?????

You’re losing your edge if you want to win the CRAZIEST COMMENTER AWARD. Dude, you’ve gotta bring your A game to this thing. Even Tina from Tampa is starting to pass you by!!!

You’ve gotta RAMP UP THE HYSTERIA!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous

He’s the new Czar of the fucked-up OBAMO regime.
Anonymous

I guess that Bill needs to “spend some time with his family”.

Ha Ha!!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Fox so-called News has proven many times in the past that they just like to make stuff up!!
Anonymous

Fact: The House, The House, The House is on Fire!!!!!! Libs always state where there is smoke there must be fire!!!!
Anonymous

Fact: Obama went for his genitals!!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Anything out of Fox so-called News’ Ed Henry’s mouth has more spin than the rinse cycle of a washing machine!!
Anonymous

Fact: Oh-tay Buckwheat!!! Fox did it!!!! WhooHooo!!!!! Wacko… Wacko… Wacko…!!!!!
Anonymous

Fact: Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk…. Woo Woo Woo….. Scertanly… Nyuk… Nyuk..Nyuk… Fox did it!!!!!
Texan

Say, you happen to have the names of Cains accusers? All of them? Thanks in advance.
Anonymous

Fact: AArrrrrrrHHH AArrrrrrHHHH Fox did it!!!!! AArrrrHHH AArrrrrrHHHH ….
Anonymous

Fact: Goo Goo Gah Gah… Widdle waddle so stupid he just wants to play all day with Bill Daley now!!!!
Anonymous

MSNBC so-called News has proven many times in the past that they just like to make stuff up!!
Anonymous

between the lines … Valerie Jarrett hated the power struggle of dealing with Daley.
Anonymous

You’re comparing apples and oranges.
Anonymous

SHow us something “made up” from Fox. Just one.
Anonymous

A conservative-leaning panel of federal appellate judges is upholding
President Barack Obama’s health care law as constitutional,
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a split opinion Tuesday upholding the law.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Appeals Court Upholds Obama Health Care Law

Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama’s Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

“Huckabee made the claim to Fox News on Tuesday night (citing “reports”) and in the social media sphere. “Reports say that Obama’s trip to Mumbai, India tomorrow will cost taxpayers $200 million dollars a day – come to think of it, that’s much less than Obama’s been spending here,” Huckabee wrote in a Facebook message Tuesday night (misstating the day of Obama’s departure). “So maybe it’s not a bad thing he’s leaving.”

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/republicans-aim-cost-obama-trip-india.html
Anonymous

Liberals eating their own.
Holistic

Daley, seeing that things at the WH are screwed up, wants no part of it. “Blame Bush” he yells as he leave the back door.
Adcbeast

Demotion ? Daley was hired to come in and talk sense to congressional republicans because he is a Reagan republican.

Little did Obama know that real Reagan republicans are left of him.