WASHINGTON (AP) – John Podesta built his reputation as a Democratic Party strategist by trying to salvage the second terms of two presidents. He’s about to duck out of the White House to try to engineer the election of a third.
Podesta served as Bill Clinton’s final White House chief of staff in the 1990s and is closing out a stint as counselor to President Barack Obama. After leaving the White House this week, his next act will be steering Hillary Rodham Clinton’s expected 2016 campaign.
For months, Podesta has balanced his allegiance to both Obama and Clinton.
He has shepherded the president’s climate change agenda and shaped his strategy for dealing with congressional Republicans. At the same time, Podesta has been involved in nearly every key campaign conversation with Hillary Clinton.