West Chester native gets White House promotion

West Chester native Barry Jackson is the new Karl Rove.

Rove left the White House last month. He had been in charge of the White House Political Office where he essentially served as the president's top political strategist. President Bush announced Tuesday that Jackson will take over Rove's duties at the White House.

Jackson had been Rove's longtime top deputy. Before joining the White House in 2002, Jackson had served for 10 years as chief of staff to Minority Leader John Boehner, another West Chester Republican.

HERE'S THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASE:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Sydney, Australia)

________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release September 5, 2007

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

President George W. Bush today announced that he has named Barry Jackson as Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs. Mr. Jackson will be responsible for managing the White House offices of Political Affairs, Public Liaison, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Strategic Initiatives.

Since 2002, Mr. Jackson has served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy to the Senior Advisor. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Initiatives. During his tenure, he has been responsible for facilitating coordination between the White House and external coalitions on major Presidential initiatives.

“Barry is a capable and trusted advisor who is widely respected for his sound judgment and strong ability to build consensus around initiatives that are important to all Americans,” President Bush said. “Throughout my Administration, I have valued his advice and leadership. I appreciate his continued service.”

Prior to joining the Administration, Mr. Jackson served as Chief of Staff to Congressman John Boehner and Executive Director of the House Republican Conference. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa.

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HERE'S BOEHNER'S RELEASE:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement praising President Bush’s decision to name Barry Jackson as Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs:

“Barry has long been a loyal friend and dedicated public servant. Time and time again, I counted on his counsel and judgment during our work together in Congress, and he has proven himself to be one of the most results-oriented professionals I’ve ever had the privilege of working beside. He was one of the architects of the Contract with America, played a key role in the Republican congressional victory in 1994, and was a driving force behind many of our Party’s most prominent successes in the Majority. His success on Capitol Hill earned him new opportunities at the White House since the early days of the Bush Administration, and he has served the President and the American people with honor, skill, and distinction ever since. I know he will continue to serve the White House and our nation with distinction, and I congratulate him and look forward to working with him in his new leadership role.”

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