Mr Gibbs (left) went to work for Mr Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Mr Obama was in the Senate. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama on Saturday named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary, putting in place a communications team as he works quickly to fill his incoming administration.
Obama taps passionate defender for press secretary
WASHINGTON - TWO of the top qualities Robert Gibbs brings to the job of White House press secretary aren't found on his resume: He won't flinch at telling it like it is to the next president or telling it like he thinks it ought to be to the media.
Mr Gibbs has been at the side of President-elect Barack Obama since his Senate campaign in 2004. A tough fighter, Mr Gibbs has been a passionate defender of Mr Obama who can virtually channel the Illinois senator's thoughts.
Mr Gibbs went to work for Mr Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Mr Obama was in the Senate.
Mr Obama rounded out his White House communications team on Saturday with one outsider and one insider.
The outsider is Ms Ellen Moran, who will be director of communications at the White House - in charge of getting Mr Obama's message out.
She is executive director of the Washington group EMILY's List - a group that backs female candidates who support abortion rights. She also has worked for the AFL-CIO, which is a federation of labour organisations.
Her deputy in the White House will be Mr Dan Pfeiffer, who is communications director for Mr Obama's presidential transition team. He helped managed the press operation on the Obama campaign.
'These individuals will fill essential roles, and bring a breadth and depth of experience that can help our administration advance prosperity and security for the American people,' Mr Obama said in a statement.
'This dedicated and impressive group of public servants includes longtime advisers and a talented new addition to our team, and together we will work to serve our country and meet the challenges of this defining moment in history.' -- AP
