Obama to appoint McDonough chief of staff

WASHINGTON, USA (UPDATED) – President Barack Obama will name Denis McDonough, his deputy national security advisor, as chief of staff, a White House official said on Friday, January 25.

Obama will announce McDonough’s appointment at 12:10 pm (1:10 am Manila time) along with those of other top White House officials, the official said on condition of anonymity

McDonough, 43, replaces Jack Lew, who has been nominated to be Obama’s new Treasury secretary.

A member of Obama’s inner circle, McDonough was a top national security aide during the president’s first term, ultimately serving as number two to National Security Advisor Tom Donilon.

“In that capacity, Denis has played a key role in all of the major national security decisions — from ending the war in Iraq to winding down the war in Afghanistan; from our response to natural disasters in Haiti and Japan; to the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,'” the official said.

“As a veteran of Capitol Hill, Denis understands the importance of reaching across the aisle to make progress for the American people — whether it’s on jobs and economy, health care or education, reducing the deficit or addressing climate change,” the official said.

McDonough has been with Obama since he was elected to the US Senate in 2004.

The White House chief of staff is traditionally the president’s closest collaborator, running the administration from the West Wing of the White House, the nerve center of the presidency.

Unlike cabinet posts, the chief of staff’s appointment is not subject to confirmation by the US Senate so McDonough, long considered the favorite for the job, can be expected to quickly assume his new responsibilities.

He would be the fourth person to hold the prestigious position during Obama’s presidency, after Rahm Emanuel, William Daley and Lew.

Another close Obama aide, Pete Rouse, filled in as chief of staff on an interim basis between Emanuel and Daley. – Rappler.com