Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
REFORM AND TRIES TO GET OBAMA
CARE BACK ON TRACK.
FAILED GUN LEGISLATION, STALLED
IMMIGRATION REFORM.
THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND ONE
VERY, VERY BAD HEALTH CARE
REFORM ROLLOUT.
HIS APPROVAL RATING IS AT RECORD
LOWS.
IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR FOR
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HE NEEDS TO
TURN HIS PRESIDENCY AROUND.
>> MY FRIEND JOHN PODESTA --
>> Reporter: OBAMA IS BRINGING
IN TWO MEN WITH EXTENSIVE TIES
TO CONGRESS AS HE LOSES ONE OF
HIS CLOSEST CAPITOL HILL SAVVY
ADVISORS, PETE ROUSE, BY HIS
SIDE SINCE HIS DAYS IN THE
SENATE.
SHILERO WAS THERE DURING THE
PASSAGE OF HEALTH CARE REFORM
AND IS RETURNING TO STEER THE
TROUBLED PROGRAM TO SUCCESS AND
ASSUAGE THE CONCERNS OF
DEMOCRATS.
PODESTA SHEPHERDED
PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA'S
TRANSITION TEAM IN 2008 AND WILL
SERVE AS COUNSELOR TO THE
PRESIDENT, TRADITIONALLY A VERY
INFLUENTIAL ROLE.
HE HAS ADVISED EVEN PUSHED THE
PRESIDENT OVER THE YEARS AS HE
DID ON CNN AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S
RE-ELECTION.
>> YOU REALLY HAVE TO FOCUS ON
WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH,
PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST YEAR.
I THINK THAT FIRST YEAR AFTER
RE-ELECTION IS THE TIME TO GET A
LOT DONE.
>> Reporter: OBAMA WAS UNABLE
TO, AND WITH THE WINDOW CLOSING
ON HIS CHANCE FOR SECOND TERM
ACHIEVEMENTS, DEMOCRATIC SOURCES
TELL CNN PODESTA'S EXPERTISE IS
MUCH NEEDED.
AS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S
DISCIPLINED CHIEF OF STAFF,
PODESTA GUIDED THAT WHITE HOUSE
THROUGH A SEX SCANDAL,
IMPEACHMENT AND A WAR IN KOSOVO.
HE WAS KNOWN FOR CRACKING THE
WHIP.
ONE FORMER CLINTON COLLEAGUE
TELLING CNN HIS CO-WORKERS MADE
HIM A NAME PLATE.
ON ONE SIDE, JOHN D.PODESTA.
WHEN HE WOULD LAY INTO OTHER
AIDES, HE OR THEY WOULD OFTEN
TURN THE NAME PLATE AROUND TO
REVEAL SKIPPY, THE NICKNAME FOR
PODESTA'S HARD AS NAILS ALTER
EGO.
IT'S OPENLY KNOWN, EVEN
DEMOCRATIC SOURCES WILL TELL YOU
THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S RELATIONS
WITH CAPITOL HILL ARE NOT VERY
GOOD, BE IT WITH DEMOCRATS WHOSE
SUPPORT HE NEEDS ON HEALTH CARE
REFORM, OR REPUBLICANS WHOSE
HELP HE WILL NEED IF HE IS TO
TACKLE IMMIGRATION REFORM.
TO THAT END, PODESTA WILL BE
KEY.
HE KNOWS THE SENATE VERY WELL.
HE WAS THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO
PATRICK LEAHY, WHO IS THE
LONGEST SERVING NOT ONLY