Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, to quit | World news. Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary and one of President Barack Obama's closest confidantes, is to quit his post but will continue to give advice as an outside consultant. His departure – scheduled for next month, two years after taking the job – has been rumoured for months. Gibbs is liked by many White House press correspondents who fell under the spell of his old-school courtesy, but others found him abrasive. As press secretary he shared responsibility for the Obama administration's failure to sell its political achievements, one of the biggest criticisms made of it.
Gibbs is not seeking to become a lobbyist or take on any similar outside work. He will continue to be part of the inner Obama circle, although he will no longer be in the White House, in a similar way to David Plouffe, who masterminded Obama's campaign strategy but did not take a post after the election. His successor as press secretary has not yet been announced. The British press was a particular target. Politics, Political News.
Mr. Prince Goes to Washington: Blackwater Founder Testifies Before Congress. This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: Mr. Prince goes to Washington. That’s right, Erik Prince, founder and chair of Blackwater USA, testified before Congress Tuesday in his first extended public appearance. Prince was called before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform amidst a public firestorm over the role of private military firms operating in Iraq and a string of probes into Blackwater’s conduct.
Blackwater has come under heavy scrutiny since an attack last month in Baghdad in which between 11 and 28 Iraqis were killed. California Democrat Henry Waxman chaired the committee. REP. We have the best troops in the world. In recent days, military leaders have said that Blackwater’s missteps in Iraq are going to hurt us badly. AMY GOODMAN: Henry Waxman, chair of the House Oversight Committee. REP. ERIK PRINCE: No, sir. You know, since 2005, we’ve conducted in excess of 16,000 missions in Iraq and 195 incidents with weapons discharge. War Made Easy - TRAILER. Hijacking Catastrophe - Intro (1 of 10) Seeing the Forest. Taegan Goddard's Political Wire. Informed Comment: Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion.
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