Robert L. Gibbs

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Robert L. Gibbs (born March 29, 1971 in Auburn, Alabama) is the current White House Press Secretary, serving President Obama and David Axelrod, Obama's chief political strategist.

A native of Alabama and graduate of North Carolina State University, Gibbs worked in numerous senatorial campaigns for Democrats, including Obama's 2004 Senate campaign. He was the communications manager of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Gibbs, who is known for his political acumen and sharp tongue, says he's focused and will try to be an "honest broker" between the media and Obama.

Respect and temperament issues

He has been known to have temperament issues, not always staying calm under pressure. Since the fall of 2008 concern has existed that a future role as White House press secretary would challenge this aspect of his personality.

After Rick Santelli criticized the administration's mortgage bailout on February 19, 2009, Gibbs "struck back with a level of poorly concealed fury and contempt." Gibbs told Santelli during a White House press briefing to, "download it, hit print and begin to read it." According to Kudlow, Gibbs's remarks in this situation were an "unprecedented Whitehouse assault on a member of the media in good standing." Kudlow went on to say that there is a "freedom issue", "a respect issue", "a bullying issue", "Does this mean that is how this Whitehouse in an Obama administration is going to react to criticism from the media?", and "This is the worst Whitehouse press relations I've seen in my lifetime."

Gibbs has also criticized CNBC reporter Jim Cramer after Cramer stated in regards to Obama's policies, "This is the greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a President."

Trying to be funny and mock an upcoming conservative star, Gibbs writes on is hand as Sarah Palin did. To Gibbs it's ok to put-down conservatives but he would never take a jab at the extensive use of teleprompters by Barack Oabama.

Prepackaged questions and a controlled media

Healthcare reform

Main article: Obamacare

Jobsgate scandal

Main article: Jobsgate

Joe Sestak alleges the Obama administration offered the second-term congressman a "high-ranking" job if he would abandon his primary challenge against Senator Arlen Specter, which is against the law. Gibbs had been asked on five different occasions regarding the matter but has misled or stonewalled the issue. Anybody else on the Obama White House staff, including Robert Gibbs, who currently knows what has happened and has not reported it to the proper authorities may find themselves guilty of misprision of a felony.

In May 2010 when asked about the questionable activity, Gibbs responded, "I don't have anything to add to what I said in March." When a reporter pointed out that Gibbs did not provide any substantive information in March - other than to say the issue was "not problematic" - Gibbs again said he didn't "have anything to add" and repeated that line five times before cutting off further questions.

Slow response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster

Main article: Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster

After a 21 May 2010 White House Press Conference in which Gibbs faced a barrage of questions about why the Obama administration wasn't doing more to ensure the the Gulf of Mexico oil leak is plugged and mitigate the environmental damage to the coastline, Chip Reid of CBS reported that White House officials called reporters into the West Wing to scold them for asking too many questions. Gibbs was reported to be the one doing the scolding. The White House Press Office battled for weeks the common perception that the government did not responded forcefully enough to the disaster, relied too much on BP, and was playing the role of spectator.

Further reading

• Mark Leibovich, "Between Obama and the Press," The New York Times Magazine Dec. 17, 2008

Also See

• Jobsgate

External Links

• Gibbs Twitter account @PressSec (All messages archived by govt)