Durbin, Kirk Weigh in on Daley as White House Chief of Staff

Meanwhile, Rahm Emanuel mum on who should get his old job

Illinois' two U.S. senators on Tuesday weighed in on talk that Bill Daley, the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, is being considered for a high-level White House post, possibly Chief of Staff.

"I hope the president does choose Bill Daley as his chief of staff.  He has a good working relationship with Democrats and Republicans," said Sen. Mark Kirk.

And while he believes Daley would bring a lot of talent to the office, Sen. Dick Durbin didn't hide his allegiance for Pete Rouse, the president's current chief of staff. 

"Bill Daley is a great fella, and I've worked with him in so many different capacities," Durbin said at press event celebrating the passage of a new food safety law.  "I hope that whatever the president's final decision that Pete Rouse is an important part of his administration."

Rouse became White House Chief of Staff when Rahm Emanuel resigned in October, and served as Durbin's own chief of staff when Durbin was a congressman.

Emanuel on Tuesday was cagey about who should take get his old job.
 
"The chief of staff, I think I can say this, is a key decision and the president will have to make a decision where he feels the person can give him the type of advice that's necessary,"
 
But the choice of Daley could draw fire for being too close to Chicago Machine politics, as it did during the presidential campaign in a television ad for John McCain.

Daley is currently an executive at JPMorgan Chase, and Time magazine’s political blog, Swampland, says he could even be the Obama Administration's ambassador to the corporate world.

The businessman is no stranger to Washington. He was Commerce Secretary under President Bill Clinton and is considered Emanuel's political mentor.  Daley was also part of President Obama’s transition team and one of his closest economic advisors.

So far, there has been no comment from Bill Daley.

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