The Washington Post reported earlier today that President Obama has chosen William Daley to replace interim Chief of Staff Pete Rouse who stepped in after Rahm Emanuel resigned in October. The official announcement is to be made by the president at 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
A Chicago insider, Daley is the brother of outgoing Chicago mayor Richard Daley. His career in Washington includes a stint as special counselor to President Clinton and later Secretary of Commerce under Clinton. Daley also served as campaign chairman for Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000.
His most recent position has been as Midwest Chairman of JP Morgan – a source of contention for some who think Daley is too cozy with Wall Street. His appointment is viewed by many as an attempt by the White House to cultivate better relations with the business community.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue issued the following statement on the appointment:
“This is a strong appointment. Bill Daley is a man of stature and extraordinary experience in government, business, trade negotiations, and global affairs. He’s an accomplished manager and strong leader. We look forward to working with him to accelerate our recovery, grow the economy, create jobs, and tackle America’s global challenges.”
And as The Daily Caller previously reported, Daley was also an outspoken critic of the health reform bill.