Obama’s Chief of Staff William M. Daley steps down (VIDEO)
US President Barack Obama listens after announcing William Daley as his new chief of staff in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2011.
President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff, William M. Daley, has announced he is resigning, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Daley will be replaced by Jack Lew, the current budget director. Both men served in the Clinton administration.
The Tribune reported:
Obama plans to announce the change in leadership in a public event Monday afternoon. The official shift will take place at the end of the month, giving Lew time to complete the administration’s budget proposal while Daley leads the team through the crafting of the State of the Union address due in two weeks.
According to Politico, Daley's time in the White House was not without controversy. "Daley’s tenure has been plagued by complaints about his management style and his rocky relations with Congress," it reported. Daley had been expected to stay through the 2012 election. "Obama asked Daley to think it over for 24 hours, but Daley returned the next day to say that he did indeed want to leave."
President Obama spoke at 3 p.m. and said:
"Bill has been an outstanding chief of staff during one of the busiest and most consequential years of my administration," according to CBS.
He went on to say of Jack Lew, who will replace Daley: "Here in Washington I have every confidence that Jack won't miss a beat," according to USA Today.
Here's a video of Daley's announcement:
