WASHINGTON–White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel at the Thursday briefing and gave him a big vote of confidence: “The President greatly values the skills that Rahm brings to the job of White House Chief of Staff. I don’t think there’s anybody better suited in this job right now as we’re trying to get health care reform through Congress,” Gibbs said.
Q With all the stories leaking from the White House, is the President or Rahm Emanuel on the skids?
MR. GIBBS: No, the President — (laughter) — the President has —
Q What does the President think about all this?
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, the President has — the President believed this in the campaign, the President believes this in the White House, that we all work together as a team, that we rise and fall together as one team. The President greatly values the skills that Rahm brings to the job of White House Chief of Staff. I don’t think there’s anybody better suited in this job right now as we’re trying to get health care reform through Congress. And I don’t think anybody that works in this building would say that there’s anybody that works harder at getting — at implementing the President’s decisions than does the Chief of Staff.
Q So what’s the problem?
MR. GIBBS: I think the problem is that right now we’re in a very tough environment. Governing is hard because unemployment is way up. We have two wars. We have a lot of big things on our plate that we’re trying to change on behalf of the American people.