PRESS
RELEASE from the DNC
For
Immediate Release
January
20,
2011
Contact:
DNC
Press
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Announces Staff
Transitions at the Democratic National Committee
Washington, DC –
Today, in a meeting with staff at DNC headquarters and in an email to
DNC Members, Chairman Tim Kaine announced that Democratic National
Committee Executive Director Jennifer O’Malley Dillon will join
President Obama’s reelection campaign when it opens in the next few
months as a Deputy Campaign Manager and that she will be replaced by
White House Political Director Patrick Gaspard, who currently serves as
an Assistant to the President. In recognition of those changes,
DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:
“The Democratic National
Committee is committed to supporting the President’s agenda and helping
Democratic candidates secure election and reelection. For the
past two years, Jen O’Malley Dillon has done enormous work in helping
lead us in that mission. Jen will be leaving the DNC for a new
job of similar importance. As a Deputy Campaign Manager of the
President’s reelection campaign, she will play a critical role in
ensuring that President Obama has the opportunity to continue to bring
about positive, progressive change during a second term in the White
House. I would like to congratulate Jen on this opportunity,
thank her for her historic contribution to building a great DNC
operation and wish her well in her transition to this new job.
The President could not have done better than to tap Jen to help lead
his reelection effort.
“Although Jen will be sorely
missed at the Democratic National Committee, I was proud to announce
earlier today that an eminently qualified and talented individual will
be taking her place. White House Political Director Patrick
Gaspard will be a welcome addition when he moves over to the DNC
team. He brings to the job an unparalleled passion for the
President, the Democratic Party and the type of civic engagement and
grassroots organizing that fueled President Obama’s victory in 2008 and
that has been so important to the success of our party. I am
certain that with Patrick helping lead our effort, the Democratic
National Committee can continue to offer the President and other
Democratic elected officials the support they need to keep America
moving forward.”
###
EXCERPTS from Jan. 20, 2011 Briefing by Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs
Q On the staff changes related to the
reelection campaign, a couple points on that. Can we say now or
can
you say from the podium that the President is officially running for
reelection?
MR.
GIBBS: I think that would -- I think it is likely that that’s
going to
happen, obviously. I will say this. I think as the article
says, the
President is likely to file papers in the future that would officially
make him a candidate. But I think it’s safe to say, Ben, that the
President -- we’ve started and we’ve made some progress on getting our
economy back in order, and I think the President wants to continue to
do that.
Q Will there be at the time
of filing some sort of event, do you anticipate?
MR. GIBBS: I don’t know that the
campaign is that far down the road in the planning of that.
Q Patrick Gaspard going to
the DNC -- so who will be the main political voice here?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think as the article -- again, as the article
says,
the political office closes here. I think that’s a matter of
duplication and efficiency that makes a lot of sense, to house that
operation over at the Democratic National Committee.
. . . .
Q And on the
political changes and the rearranging and the establishment of the
Chicago headquarters, is this not early? I mean, you speak of the
fact
that the economy is getting back on its feet, there are so many things
in flux, both politically and economically in this country -- is it a
little early to get started on 2012?
MR.
GIBBS: No, look, I think this is very much in line with the
calendar
that you’ve seen align with similar efforts that were made in -- ahead
of the 2004 election and ahead of the 1996 election by Presidents Bush
and Clinton. I think that’s just the way it works.
Q Is this a function of the
need to begin fundraising for a formal declaration?
MR. GIBBS: Well, again, there’s a -- there are a whole series of
things that have to happen in a campaign. And, again, I think
they’re
happening very much in accordance with the type of timelines you’ve
seen in the past.
Q Robert, can I follow on
this?
MR. GIBBS: I’ll come around.
Q Did you say that he is
likely or definitely running?
MR. GIBBS: I think obviously the setting up of a campaign makes
it far
likely. But, again, I think the official rendering of that
decision
would come, as the story notes, in the filing of that paperwork with
the FEC.
See also:
Jeff Zeleny. "Obama to Close Political Office and Start 2012
Campaign" New
York Times, Jan. 20, 2011.
Lynn Sweet. "Obama 2012
campaign headquarters in Chicago; Smoot to step down as social
secretary for large re-elect job." Chicago
Sun-Times, Jan. 20, 2011.