The candidates being considered by President Barack Obama to succeed Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff are a mix of White House veterans and Capitol Hill alumni, polished bureaucrats and hardened political operatives.
But the final decision could, in part, be up to voters, according to some people close to the administration. If Republicans win enough seats in Congress in November, the administration could consider outsiders not now in the mix who might be better suited for that potentially combustible political environment.
For now, several people with ties to the administration believe Mr. Obama will settle on his longtime close aide, Pete Rouse, to become chief of staff on an interim basis. Mr. Rouse was the president’s Senate chief of staff and now serves as a senior White House adviser. Mr. Rouse went to work for Mr. Obama after his old boss, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, was defeated for re-election in 2004.
Mr. Rouse also could wind up with the permanent job, Democrats say.
Full Story: The Men Who Would Be Rahm – WSJ.com