Pete Rouse | |
---|---|
Counselor to the President | |
In office January 13, 2011 –January 1, 2014 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Ed Gillespie (2009) |
Succeeded by | John Podesta |
Acting White House Chief of Staff | |
In office October 1,2010 –January 13,2011 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Rahm Emanuel |
Succeeded by | Bill Daley |
Senior Advisor to the President | |
In office January 20,2009 –October 1,2010 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Barry Jackson |
Succeeded by | Brian Deese |
Personal details | |
Born | Peter Mikami Rouse April 15,1946 New Haven,Connecticut,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Colby College (BA) London School of Economics (MA) Harvard University (MPA) |
Peter Mikami Rouse (born April 15,1946) is an American political consultant who served as interim White House Chief of Staff to U.S. President Barack Obama. Rouse previously spent many years on Capitol Hill,becoming known as the "101st senator" [1] during his tenure as Chief of Staff to Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle.
When Daschle lost his seat in 2004,Rouse was persuaded to stay in Congress as Chief of Staff to then-freshman Senator Barack Obama. Rouse followed Obama to the White House as a senior advisor in 2008 and became interim Chief of Staff there for several months following the departure of Rahm Emanuel in October 2010,and subsequent appointment of William M. Daley the following January. Rouse remained with the White House until late 2013 as Counselor to the President.
Rouse was born in New Haven,Connecticut,the son of Mary Uta (née Mikami) and Irving Rouse. His father was of English and some Bohemian (Czech) descent,and his mother was of Japanese ancestry [1] (Rouse is a sansei (third generation)). [2] Rouse's mother grew up as a child only speaking Japanese. [3] Rouse's maternal grandfather emigrated from Tokyo to San Francisco in 1885. He returned to Japan in 1910 to marry his wife,before they then moved back to the U.S.,eventually settling in Alaska in 1915. [4] The Mikamis retired to Los Angeles shortly before World War II began. They were later sent to an internment camp in Arizona during the War. [5]
Rouse received a B.A. from Colby College in 1968,an M.A. from the London School of Economics in 1970,and an M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1977. [6]
Overall,Rouse worked on Capitol Hill for more than 40 years,since 1971. According to Amy Sullivan of Washington Monthly Rouse came to be known as "the 101st Senator" thanks to his knowledge and skills. [7]
Rouse had worked since 1985 for Daschle,whom he met as a fellow legislative assistant for Senator James Abourezk (D-SD). [8]
On October 15,2001,Rouse was the Daschle staff member to call the police about a letter that contained anthrax powder. [9] Twenty of Daschle's staff subsequently tested positive for exposure to anthrax spores;it is not known if Rouse was exposed along with his workmates. [10]
Rouse had been chief of staff to South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle,the former majority leader,and was planning to retire after Daschle lost in 2004. [6] However,in 2004,Rouse was contacted by a law school friend of then-Illinois Senator Obama and chose to work for him as his chief of staff. [11] [12]
Rouse helped prepare a memo,"The Strategic Plan," for Obama's first year in the Senate. [13] Helping Obama navigate Senate politics,Rouse worked with Obama and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) on strengthening ethics reform legislation. [14] Similarly,he suggested that Obama speak with Senators Ted Kennedy and Joe Lieberman in the early stages of exploring his presidential candidacy. Rouse also is credited with persuading Obama to vote against the nomination of John G. Roberts,who was nevertheless confirmed and is now Chief Justice of the United States (Bacon 2007).
As with all congressional staff,Rouse's compensation is public information. He has received salary payments above $140,000 during his years with Senator Obama. [15]
As the Obama Presidential Campaign picked up,Rouse was named Chief of Staff of Obama for America. After Obama's victory,Rouse became Co-Chair of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.
During the first two years of the Obama Presidency,Rouse was one of three White House officials with the title Senior Adviser to the President,along with David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett. In an interview,Rouse said that he "basically does the inside,organizational stuff and strategic stuff internally," adding that he had no desire to be the "outside person" but preferred to leave external relations to Axelrod,Jarrett and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Rouse said the Deputy Chiefs of Staff,Jim Messina and Mona Sutphen,"who run the place from day to day," report to him. Asked about his overall portfolio,he said "I fix things." He described himself as one of several problem fixers in a collaborative environment. [16]
The Rolling Stone described Rouse as a low profile,calm and legislatively connected manager,quoting one "top Democratic strategist" as saying that "Rouse's the one who brought 'no drama' to Obama. His enforcement makes it work." [17]
In September 2009,the Washington Post reported that Rouse was heading the White House's efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. [18]
When Rahm Emanuel left the White House in October 2010 to run for Mayor of Chicago,Rouse became the "interim" Chief of Staff at the White House. [19] Rouse is the first Asian American Chief of Staff in U.S. history.
On January 6,2011,it was announced that William M. Daley would succeed Rouse as permanent Chief of Staff. [20] Rouse was promoted to the role of Counselor to the President and remained with the White House through the end of 2013. [21] [22]
After leaving the White House,Rouse went to work for the law firm Perkins Coie,where he advises clients on navigating the federal government. [23]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2010) |
Rouse was born and raised in Connecticut. [24] He has an interest in Maine Coon cats. [25]
Thomas Andrew Daschle is an American politician and lobbyist who represented South Dakota in the United States Senate from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he led the Senate Democratic Caucus during the final ten years of his tenure, during which time he served as Senate Minority Leader and Majority Leader.
The White House chief of staff is the head of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, a cabinet position in the federal government of the United States.
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and diplomat currently serving as United States ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives for three terms from 2003 to 2009. He was the White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010 under Barack Obama and served as mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019.
William Michael Daley is an American lawyer, politician and former banker who served as the 24th White House Chief of Staff from January 2011 to January 2012, under President Barack Obama. Prior to this, he served as the 32nd U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000, under President Bill Clinton.
Counselor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States and senior members of the White House Office.
Jacob Joseph Lew is an American attorney and diplomat serving as the United States ambassador to Israel. He was the seventy-sixth United States secretary of the treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the twenty-fifth White House chief of staff from 2012 to 2013 and as director of the Office of Management and Budget in both the Clinton administration and Obama administration.
Julianna Smoot is an American political aide and fundraiser for the Democratic Party. She served as a Deputy Manager of Barack Obama's 2012 presidential reelection campaign, having previously served as White House Social Secretary, Deputy Assistant to the President. and Chief of Staff to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk. Smoot previously served as a professional fundraiser for the Democratic Party. She was the national finance director for Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign. Under her direction, the campaign raised $32.5 million during the second quarter of 2007 and by election day, more money than any campaign in American history. She was named Social Secretary after her predecessor, Desirée Rogers resigned on February 26, 2010.
Denis Richard McDonough is an American government official serving under President Joe Biden since 2021 as the eleventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Anita Dunn is an American political strategist serving as a senior advisor to U.S. President Joe Biden, having originally held the post from January 20, 2021, to August 12, 2021, and returning May 5, 2022. Dunn stepped down on July 31, 2024 to serve as a senior adviser to Future Forward and Future Forward USA Action.
The presidential transition of Barack Obama began when he won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the president-elect. Obama was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008. The results were certified by a joint session of Congress on January 8, 2009, and the transition ended when Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009.
Melody C. Barnes is an American lawyer and political advisor. Formerly an aide and chief counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Barnes later worked at the Center for American Progress, a think tank, before joining Senator Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. After Obama took office as president, Barnes was appointed director of the Domestic Policy Council, serving in that post from January 2009 to January 2012. After leaving the White House, Barnes assumed roles at the Aspen Institute and New York University. Since 2016, she has been at the University of Virginia, where she teaches law and is the co-director of the UVA Democracy Initiative.
Philip M. Schiliro is an American political consultant and strategist. He has spent much of his career on the staff of prominent elected officials, including President Barack Obama.
Robert Lee Nabors II was the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2016. He previously served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and several other senior roles in the Obama White House.
Alyssa Mende Mastromonaco is an American author, podcaster, spokeswoman, and former government official. She served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for operations in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014. She was the youngest woman to hold that position. She was later President of Global Communications Strategy & Talent at A&E Networks and the chief operating officer of Vice Media. She has also been a contributing editor at Marie Claire magazine. Since 2017, Mastromonaco has been a podcaster with Crooked Media.
Katherine B. Johnson served as the personal secretary to United States President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2011.
The first 100 days of the Barack Obama presidency began on January 20, 2009, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. The first 100 days of a presidential term took on symbolic significance during Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term in office, and the period is considered a benchmark to measure the early success of a president. The 100th day of his presidency ended on April 30, 2009. Obama stated that he should not be judged just by his first hundred days: "The first hundred days is going to be important, but it’s probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference." Obama began to formally create his presidential footprint during his first 100 days. Obama quickly began attempting to foster support for his economic stimulus package, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The bill passed in the House on January 28, 2009, by a 244–188 vote, and it passed in the Senate on February 10 by a 61–37 margin.
Barack Obama assumed office as President of the United States on January 20, 2009, and his term ended on January 20, 2017. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
Mark A. Patterson is an American lobbyist, former vice president and managing director of Goldman Sachs, and former Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 2018, he was hired as general counsel for Senator Chuck Schumer, overseeing investigations and appropriations and leaving his position at law firm Perkins Coie.
Brian Mosteller is an American diplomat and operations executive, best known for being the Director of Oval Office Operations in the Obama administration, from 2009 to 2017.