Politics
Obama appoints Jack Lew Chief of Staff
U.S. President Barack Obama flanked by William Daley (l) and Jack Lew. PHOTO/Getty Images
Jacob (Jack) Lew was named on Monday as President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, one of the most pivotal jobs in U.S. politics.
Lew, who last served as the White House budget director, will be replacing William Daley, who resigned just one year into the job. The change will take effect at the end of the month.
Lew, who served as budget director under President Bill Clinton and was a deputy to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before going back to the budget job under Obama, has strong relationships with lawmakers. He was instrumental in negotiating the debt ceiling talks with Republicans last summer.
In November Daley handed over day-to-day White House management duties to another Obama aide, Pete Rouse, setting the stage for his resignation two months later.
