I Like Bill Daley, You Will Too

Thursday’s announcement that William Daley will be the new Chief of Staff was hardly unexpected. But, surprise or not, it's a superb choice.

Thursday’s announcement that President Obama has picked longtime business executive and Democratic leader William Daley as his new White House Chief of Staff was, after days of “informed” speculation, hardly unexpected. But, surprise or not, it is a welcome and superb choice.

By no means a political intimate or close associate of his, I have known Bill Daley for thirty years or so. We were teammates in the Presidential campaigns of 1980, 1984 and 1988. And while none of those efforts were victorious, it wasn’t because Bill Daley didn’t put every ounce of strategic ability and physical energy at his command into the tasks at hand. Bill is smart, tough, and blunt---just the qualities needed in any White House Chief of Staff; plus, he’s a genuinely pleasant and friendly fellow. That combination of attributes will serve President Obama well, of that there is no doubt.

Bill Daley is also a crafty, agile and determined political strategist. I saw those qualities in the aforementioned campaigns, but also in the drive to secure passage of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during the early years of the Clinton administration. Bill was the hands-on quarterback of the drive to gain Congressional approval of the pact, and I was merely one of many “volunteer” lobbyists who helped out along the way. But his mastery of the process, and of all its moving parts, was truly impressive. It will be fun to watch him deal with a sharply divided Congress and its more partisan and ideologically-inclined members.

We can assume two things about Bill Daley as White House Chief of Staff: First, he is sure to have total and unfettered access to the President, otherwise he wouldn’t have accepted the job. And, second, the staff will do as directed, or they will soon find themselves former members of the White House staff. The only important questions that remain unanswered in my mind are: Will the President really listen to the new guy’s counsel? And will the White House be more open to the thoughts and suggestions from outside what has been, up to now, a pretty tight inner circle?

One final point----not about Bill Daley, but rather about Pete Rouse, who has served as the interim Chief of Staff since Rahm Emanuel stepped down last fall. Pete apparently didn’t want to be in the Chief’s position long term and said so. In a town and in a business that doesn’t routinely witness such self-awareness and fundamental unselfishness, we should take a moment to reflect upon and applaud the Pete Rouse example. He is an authentic public servant. Job well done, Mr. Rouse.