Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Exodus of Top White House Aids and The Obama administration


Significant exodus of top aids is no doubt affecting the young Obama presidency. Top on the list to pull the plug in the two year Obama administration is Rham Emmanuel who resigned his post as chief of staff on the eve of his long awaited announcement to run for mayor of his native Chicago. But for the rest, political analyst attest Emanuel’s exit was widely anticipated after serving two years - a typical term for White House chief of staff - a job that brings arduous hours and unforgiving demands.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

Rahm Emanuel, now joined a handful of top White House aides who have headed for the door, less than two years into President Barack Obama's term. Mr Emanuel's departure activated a profound shake-up for a White House built around strong personalities. Though critics of the ‘Yes We Can’ administration might be excited in seeing this as a failure or a means to an end in the administration loaded with copious promises to the people of America, at a time when its leader (Obama) is going through a single digit approval ratings, others hold firm that it is not unusual for White House staff to turn over at this point in an administration.

The man fondly called “Rambo” left the White House on the hills of last November mid-term elections, which saw the president’s Democratic Party losing the house and almost the senate to opposition – The Republican Party. Today, Emanuel, is faulted by some members of his Democratic party for leaving ahead of time and paying less interest in some of the president’s tough policies (while they were being crushed by the Republicans) However, Emanuel, can add some of the president’s accomplishments (the healthcare overhaul and financial regulatory reform) to his resume after leaving the White House.

For sure Emanuel, is not the only top aid to have left the young White House administration. One of only few women in senior positions in her time, Communications Director, Ms Moran who lasted less than three months in the administration, announced her sudden departure in April 2009 to become chief of staff to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. Prior to her departure, Ms Moran, was speculated to be having difficult time breaking into Mr Obama's tight-knit circle of close advisers - most of whom had worked with the president for many years - making it hard for her to carry out her role. Disturbingly, she was one of just a handful of senior staff who had not worked on the Obama campaign. Before joining the White House, she was director of Emily's List, an organisation dedicated to supporting liberal women in politics.

A long time environmental activist, Mr Van Jones, who became special adviser for Green Jobs, resigned amid controversy in September 2009, after he became the target of conservative outrage over his previous political activities. Enraged conservatives, led by Fox News host Glenn Beck, charged that Van Jone’s former involvement with a San Francisco area radical group and his signing of a petition asking whether Bush administration officials "may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war" made him an unsuitable public official. As the campaign to oust him gathered steam, Mr Jones resigned, saying that he had been the victim of a "vicious smear campaign", but he could not "in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past". He was accused of being a Marxist, and was caught on videotape using a swearword to describe conservatives.

Mark Lippert Deputy National Security Adviser had worked for Mr Obama since 2005, when he was appointed then – senator’s foreign policy adviser. The two men were both colleagues and friends - they used to play basketball together - and Mr Lippert was considered part of Mr Obama's "inner circle" of advisers during his presidential campaign. But his resignation in October 2009 (to rejoin the US Navy, after being a reservist for several years) came as a surprise at a time many thought he was being groomed for an even more senior role.

White House Counsel, Greg Craig, announced his decision to resign in November 2009, while President Obama was travelling in Asia. The man who had worked for President Bill Clinton, Senator Ted Kennedy and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, was both a friend and adviser to Mr Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. Critics however believe Mr Craig’s role in overseeing the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay was a poisoned chalice. Consequently significant political pressure rendered him unable to deliver on the promise, and he was blamed for the Obama administration's perceived missteps in handling the matter. Some reports indicated Mr Craig was forced out of the administration by disgruntled advisers who believed both Craig and the Guantanamo issue had become serious liabilities. Others portrayed him as the fall guy for the failed policy as well as controversies over torture.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) manages the federal budget - overseeing spending, analyzing the effectiveness of federal agencies and advising the president on budgetary decisions. Its director, Mr Peter Orszag held this critical post during the worst of the economic crisis, but decided to call it quits in June 2010. Orszag was a prominent public figure. His position made him a key advocate for the economic stimulus. But he also generated headlines of his own - fathering a child with his ex-girlfriend just weeks before becoming engaged to an ABC News correspondent who he had dated for seven months. Since leaving the White House he has become a contributing columnist for the New York Times. His first piece reportedly raised the hackles of some of his former colleagues, who viewed it as critical of President Obama.

Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Ms Christina Romer played a pivotal role in crafting and overseeing the stimulus package. Cheerful and articulate, Ms Romer became one of the administration's most useful economic advocates on television news programs. For some reason, she had signaled early in her tenure that her work in DC would be temporary and is now back to her previous post as an economics professor at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, since September. The White House cited family commitments as the reason for her departure.

Director of National Economic Council, Larry Summers, an acclaimed economist and experienced presidential adviser, has attracted controversy throughout his career. He had announced he would resign his post and return to his previous job as a professor at Harvard following November's midterm elections. He was ousted as president of Harvard by his academic peers after he commented that the dearth of women working in science may be the result of a biological gender disparity.

In the White House, he quickly gained a reputation from some for brusqueness and arrogance. He reportedly had tense relationships with other members of Mr Obama's economic team, and his ties to Wall Street aggravated some in the Democratic left. He’s expected to leave at the end of December. Obama, is expected to announce Summer's replacement after his (Obama) vacation in Hawaii.

Sphere: Related Content

No comments: