Obama Planning Sweeping Staff Shakeup

White House to look different with Plouffe in, Axelrod and Emanuel out
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 15, 2010 8:17 AM CST
Obama Planning Sweeping Staff Shakeup
Bill Burton, left, and David Plouffe walk toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

President Obama has pushed back his staff shakeup until January, but it may be bigger than expected when it actually comes, Politico reports. The biggest addition will be David Plouffe, who, alongside interim chief of staff Pete Rouse, is expected to tighten up what had been a chaotic organization revolving around Rahm Emanuel. Obama has also told senior aides to look into hiring his favorite members of Congress and governors who were ousted in the midterms.

Robert Gibbs, meanwhile, seems very likely to depart—he’s had conversations about succeeding Tim Kaine as DNC chair. Bill Burton is seen as most likely to replace him, though ex-Time reporter Jay Carney is a possibility as well. But Obama’s in no hurry to make any decisions, to the increasing annoyance of his staff. “It’s harder to get his time on it,” during the lame duck session, says one official. “I think he’ll think about a lot of this on vacation.” (More Obama administration stories.)

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