President Obama made a surprising announcement this afternoon, telling reporters that Chief of Staff Bill Daley has resigned, and will be replaced by Jack Lew, current head of the Office of Management and Budget. While the announcement is a surprise, it’s not much of a shock, since Daley’s role was significantly cut back in November [...]

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?

AP is reporting that President Barack Obama has selected former Commerce Secretary William Daley as his Chief of Staff, replacing Interim Chief of Staff Pete Rouse. The spot had been vacated late last year when former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel left his position to run for Mayor of Chicago. Not only does Mr. Daley have deep roots in Obama’s home city of Chicago, but he’s thought to have a very strong pro-business point of view, evidenced by his previous role as Commerce Secretary under President Clinton.

On the heels of President Obama‘s announcement of Chief of Staff Rahm-placement Pete Rouse, ABC News’ Jake Tapper asked Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about accusations leveled by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The accusations, detailed on Tapper’s Political Punch blog, center around Rouse’s connection to Alaska, and suggest he was involved in pushing an ethics investigations of Palin. Gibbs dismissed the accusations with a chuckle, calling them “silly” and “baseless.”

President Barack Obama formally announced the departure of his chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, in what was presented as the “least suspenseful announcement of all time.” Citing numerous reports of Emanuel’s plans to run for Mayor of Chicago, President Obama gave his friend a strong endorsement, calling him “extraordinarily well-qualified” for his next gig. As Emanuel took the podium, he was remarkably emotional as he thanked the President and cited the influence of his grandfather and parents. Also in attendance was Mr. Emanuel’s successor, Pete Rouse, who was officially introduced as Emanuel’s successor.