And perhaps it's time we let politicians off the hook fromhandshaking free-for-alls. The final White House briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was just like his first one over two years ago: it began late. Over the coming months, he'll continue to offer private advice to Pres. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs provides another update on the response to the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Gibbs assumed responsibility for "shaping the campaign message, responding to the 24/7 news cycle, schmoozing with the press and fighting back when he disagree[d] with its reporting. I thanked him and said no. Read "Inside Obama's Idea Factory in Washington. ThoughtCo. "Robert has not only been an extraordinary press secretary, but he has been a great friend," said Pres. The four of us with Maya, still a toddler, smiling in front of a Christmas tree. It was as good a closing argument for the campaign as I felt that I could give. There are no more rallies or town halls. Its just $1 per month , They're more hip and less germy than a handshake, By Check out the latest pictures, photos and images of Ethan Gibbs. His mother Nancy Gibbs. Who will be eaten first? After Browder's unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1996, Gibbs worked for several Southern Democrats and for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Studied political science at North Carolina State University where he was a short-lived goalie for the soccer team. He's not intimidated by me. "This was the longest primary campaign in the history of the Democratic party," Moran told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in August. This was per Craigs orders, I learned later, since he knew his sister would hold him accountable if I came home with a black eye. Still, handwashing in general wasn't widely practiced until the 1980s. Pete Richards. Its only relatively recently that women have started shaking hands, meaning theres the awkward decision of whether to go for a shake or a kiss on the cheek when men and women meet for the first time. Boing Boing uses cookies and analytics trackers, and is supported by advertising, merchandise Soon Plouffe, Axe and Gibbs walked in, and I indulged them for several minutes as they rattled off state-by-state results before telling them what I knew to be true that as much as anything Id done, it was their skill, hard work, insight, tenacity, loyalty and heart, along with the commitment of the entire team, that had made this moment possible. What dreams might she be having? Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States, The Most Important Inventions of the Industrial Revolution. Read more about Robert Gibbs. The rest of the night is mostly a blur to me now. Gibbs served as the communications director for Obama's successful U.S. Senate campaign in April 2004. But despite the growing popularity of the fistbump, the handshake remains firmly ingrained in our culture and is unlikely to be replaced any time soon. He is married toNatalie Pyle Wyeth, a former official in the U.S. Treasury Department. I gave the press a quick wave and turned around to go back to the garage. [5] He worked in the campaigns of two other senators, and served as communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, before taking the position of press secretary of John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. "I didn't have a lot of money, so all I could afford was Gibbs," kidded the president. I passed the rear of a small Shinto temple and community center, then rows of wooden homes broken up by the occasional three-story concrete apartment building. Our family and closest friends were already in the suite, everyone smiling, kids racing around the room, and yet the atmosphere was still strangely muted, as if the reality of what was about to happen hadnt yet settled in their minds. Baseball players have been forearm smashing and fist-bumping for years. When Are Presidential Running Mates Chosen? Gibbs accompanied the Obama family on their summer vacation to Hawaii, where the couple volunteered to babysit the Gibbs' son so that Robert and his wife could have a night out. Tom Murse has been writing about politics and government for over two decades, and has been recognized by the Nieman Foundation for fairness in investigative reporting. I heard a stampede of feet behind me; the press pool had somehow gotten wind of my unscheduled excursion and were gathering on the sidewalk across the street, cameramen jostling to set up their shots, reporters with microphones looking at me awkwardly, clearly conflicted about shouting a question. All you need to know about Ethan Gibbs, complete with news, pictures, articles, and videos. Me at the age of four or five, riding on Grampss shoulders as waves splashed around us. Obama had borrowed the tie from Gibbs to wear for his . 2022 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. and affiliate links. Robert Gibbs Bids the White House Farewell - CBS News TIME takes a look at the associates Obama has chosen to join his cabinet and his roster of senior advisors, President-elect Barack Obama's press secretary Robert Gibbs, In choosing former campaign communications director Robert Gibbs as his new White House Press Secretary, Barack Obama tapped an ultra-loyalist who has spent the past few years wedded to the candidate's side. Abba Eban | Biography, Israel, & Diplomacy | Britannica He later served as a senior campaign adviser for Obama's campaign during the 2012 presidential election. Campaign offices empty as staff and volunteers hit the streets to help turn out voters. I took a seat next to her on the couch. Ethan Gibbs - Zimbio She was one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America, I said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Carney was also accused of becoming combative with the White House press corps toward the end of his tenure, mocking some and belittling others. They arent seeking the limelight all they try to do is just do the right thing. Ethan Gibbs Profiles | Facebook Critics accused the administration of not paying close enough attention to terrorist activity in the country before the attack, and then not being quick enough to describe the event afterward as terrorism. "It seems that the handshake is worse than the fist bump for transferring bacteria because the surface area of contact is much larger, handshakes last longer and the firmer the handshake, the greater the transfer," said Dr. Dave Whitworth, a microbiologist at Aberystwyth University and one of the researchers behind the study. Link to original photo series, a collection of portraits of our president-elect (who, as the shot demonstrates, sometimes reads the Wall Street Journal). Boing Boing is published under a Creative Commons Their names arent in the newspapers. "McDonald's hires former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs", "N.C. State grad tapped as Obama's press secretary", "Carolinas ties key in national campaigns", "White House Communications and Press Secretary positions announced", "Obama names longtime spokesman Gibbs press chief", "Obama spokesman, likely press secretary from Ala", "Auburn High School Band Members 198687", "NC's Robert Gibbs may be Obama press secretary", "New Democratic Group Finances a Republican-like Attack on Dean", "Liberals still steamed at Robert Gibbs Kendra Marr and Abby Phillip", "Teen Killed In U.S. Drone Strike Should Have 'More Responsible Father,' Obama Campaign Official Says", "How Team Obama Justifies the Killing of a 16-Year-Old American", "Yelp Appoints Robert Gibbs to Board of Directors", "Ex-Obama spokesmen Gibbs, LaBolt launch new practice", "Second executive exits McDonald's after its CEO is fired following a relationship with an employee", "House bill would ban companies that get coronavirus aid from lobbying", "Bully Pulpit Interactive acquires The Incite Agency", Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Gibbs&oldid=1152192175, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Dep. Interview: Obama talks Trump, Biden, golf and conspiracy theories. The thing about getting old, Bar, Toot had told me, is that youre the same person inside. I remember her eyes studying me through her thick bifocals, as if to make sure I was paying attention. TL;DR:When keeping up with posting content READ THE REST, We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. This is an extract from A Promised Land by Barack Obama, published by Penguin Random House on 17 November at 35. I remember meeting Joe Bidens 91-year-old mother, who took pleasure in telling me how shed scolded Joe for even considering not being on the ticket. A survivor - at age 9: Ethan Gibbs of Statesville beats back brain cancer He was the youngest representative there. On vacation, playing basketball with White House staffers, August 2009. His mother, Nancy Gibbs, was active in the League of Women Voters and would take her son with her to polling places and the local courthouse. Robert Lane Gibbs (born March 29, 1971) is an American communication professional who served as executive vice president and global chief communications officer of McDonald's from 2015 to 2019 and as the 27th White House Press Secretary from 2009 to 2011. "Saffas who know each other well tend to kiss each other on the lips, which everyone else thinks is super weird," said Alex Westcott Campbell, using the colloquial term for South Africans like herself. We were scheduled to be in North Carolina that evening, before flying to Virginia for our final event. Josh Earnest was named Obama's third press secretary after Carney announced his resignation in May 2014. Later, when I was 15, Id walk this same street home from a shift at my first job, scooping ice-cream at the Baskin-Robbins around the corner, Toot laughing heartily when I grumbled to her about my paltry paycheck. If we are going to drop the disease-ridden medieval handshake, it has to be replaced with something. Standing on the outdoor stage, after the music and cheers and chants had died down, I spent a few minutes telling the crowd about Toot how shed grown up during the Depression and worked on an assembly line while Gramps was away in the war, what she had meant to our family, what she might mean to them. The Triumph and Tragedy of Abba Eban Mosaic The switch will allow Mr Gibbs, 39, to spend more time with his wife, Mary, and their seven-year-old son, Ethan. A crowd at the Lincoln Memorial Obamas favourite image of the night. 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. He fiercely guarded Obama's image. Declaraciones del Presidente sobre el terremoto en Chile. "[20], He was widely blamed by news media executives for "holding hostage" reporters, while Obama and Hillary Clinton met for the first time after a heavily contested Democratic primary season. [25] In June 2013, it was announced that Gibbs and Ben LaBolt co-founded a strategic communications practice called The Incite Agency, where he was a partner until 2015. They sacrifice for their children and their grandchildren. [4] A member of the Bene Israeli community, Eban is Jewish and holds Israeli citizenship. Murse, Tom. In fact, Obama wore one of Gibbs' ties during his blockbuster 2004 Democratic convention speech when the one he was sporting was deemed unsuitable for TV. license. Alone in my study, I made a point of editing the drafts of both my victory and concession speeches. Presents From The President: What Obama Gives His Friends Read the rules you agree to by using this website in our Terms Obama. I remember John McCains phone call, which was as gracious as his concession speech. During the presidential campaign, Gibbs, 37, served as communications director and was among the few who could frankly tell Obama what needed to improve. "[17] As the chief intermediary between the Obama campaign and the press, Gibbs sought to counter the Republican National Committee's opposition research tactics against Obama in early 2007. Some people aren't these days," the chiro said, extending his hand before awkwardly retracting it. Presidential Retirement Benefits and Pension, Biography of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, The Biggest Donald Trump Scandals (So Far), Bills Vetoed Under the Obama Administration, Biography of Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, Biography of Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States, Biography of John G. Roberts, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. [7] His parents, Nancy Jean (ne Lane) and Robert Coleman Gibbs, worked in the Auburn University library system and involved their son in politics at an early age. ", "I don't want to dip my toe into the pool of generalizationand that I am not going to do.". Gibbs isn't looking to be Mr. Earnest was39 at the time of his appointment. I did start the morning by calling into a round of drive-time radio shows, mostly at Black stations, reminding people to get out and vote. She worked on the national campaign staff of Tom Harkin's 1992 presidential campaign. [27][28] In March 2020, he became senior counsel at Bully Pulpit Interactive, which had acquired The Incite Agency in 2016. Cruisers on small vessels have adopted a version of the bump, known as the "cruise tap" that uses just two knuckles. Moran's deputy in the White House will be Dan Pfeiffer, currently the communications director for Obama's presidential transition team. Hyams was born in Pune, India, to Jewish Indian parents. From the Boston Globe. I had bounced my first basketball a gift from my father when I was 10 years old down this street, dribbling the length of the uneven sidewalk on my way to and from the courts at the nearby elementary school. [15], Gibbs joined Barack Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign as communications director in mid-April 2004[16] and remained with the senator through the first two years of Obama's term. But its still you. Gibbs is a native of Auburn, Alabama, and a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he majored in political science. There were science experiments in the sink. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Especially if you're someone who travels frequently, meeting new people from new places, it feels important to offer some sort of physical gesture. Every so often, shed be shaken by a violent, metallic cough that sounded like a grinding of gears. Around 7.30, Michelle and I cast our votes at the Beulah Shoesmith elementary school, a few blocks from our home in Hyde Park, bringing Malia and Sasha with us and sending them on to school after that. " Barack Obama, on Gibbs' "tell it like it is" relationship with the president-elect (Wall Street Journal, Aug. 28, 2008), "I've always wanted to be in a position where as a staffer I could always speak freely and in an unvarnished way with whoever I was working for. One of the most notable moments in Gibbs' tenure as Obama's press secretary came before the 2010 midterm elections when he lashed out at liberals who were dissatisfied with Obama's first year and a half as president. in Political Science in 1993. Five reasons why fistbumps beat handshakes - The Telegraph White House reporters are a demanding lot. The latest Tweets from Ethan Gibbs (@Ethan_Gibbs). His No. I spent the rest of the afternoon at home, puttering around uselessly while Michelle and the girls got their hair done. View 1 Ethan Gibbs Picture . Then suddenly a shot of my face flashed up on the TV screen and ABC News announced that I would be the 44th president of the United States. I find squeezing someones shoulder a nicer interaction.. [3] Read about Obama's cabinet. "Soon somebody's going to pay me a lot of money to give that assessment and I look forward to sharing that with them," said Gibbs, as if saying no one will buy the cow if he gives away milk. He has also worked for the Democratic Governors Association and the Gore-Lieberman campaign. My grandparents and my eight-year-old mother, laughing in a grassy field at Yosemite. / CBS News. Please enter valid email address to continue. Ethan Gibbs - Livingly Search According to an official White House bio, Gibbs first began working with Obama long before he decided to run for president. We can't go to a discussion and be completely the demander, with them not feeling that they need anything from us. "Given the closeness of the outcome, the length of the race and the loyalty supporters felt to their candidates _ when you have that level of investment, yes, you're going to have disappointment when you're on the losing side.". He's also looking forward to taking a nap on Monday afternoon "before walking several hundred feet to the bus stop" to greet son Ethan home from school. President Barack Obama does a fist bump with Ethan Gibbs, the son of then Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, outside the White House on April 19, 2009. Trending. The Japanese bow with hands at their sides, while Thais and Cambodians nod with their hands held in a prayer-like pose. Does anyone have photog credit info? TV. [12] Gibbs graduated from North Carolina State cum laude with a B.A. Pfeiffer helped manage the press operation on the Obama campaign. In fact, when a reporter at his final briefing asked him to assess the president's relationship with the press, Gibbs didn't want to give it away for free. Ethan Gibbs, 9, hugs his mom Christi Gibbs during an interview about his journey through cancer on Thursday, March 29 in Statesville. Obama who accompanied Gibbs to the lectern for the last time. For the next hour or so, I sat talking to Maya about her work and her family, all the while stroking Toots dry, bony hand. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ethan Gibbs (1) and Jennifer Gibbs (1) (1) Olentangy High School, Lewis Center, Ohio. But eventually the room felt too crowded with memories colliding, merging, refracting, like images in a kaleidoscope and I told Maya I wanted to take a quick walk outside. Eight days later, on the eve of the election, Maya called to say Toot had died. Obamas high school graduation in Hawaii in 1979, with his grandparents, Madelyn (known as Toot) and Stanley Dunham, who raised him through high school. Robert Gibbs: Press Secretary | HuffPost Latest News Today, the average person shakes hands 15,000 timesin their lifetime. Robert Gibbs - Wikipedia You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. Gibbs, 49, was . It was my last day of campaigning. His mother Nancy Gibbs would take young Robert along with her while she worked with the League of Women Voters. Bonus: Here's a picture of Obama fist bumping with five-year-old Ethan Gibbs, Robert's son. In 2012, Chicago-based physician Alex Lickerman posited the issue in an article published in Psychology Today. 12, 2021, thoughtco.com/obamas-press-secretary-3368129. Related Searches: Barack Obama. Gibbs has been at the side of President-elect Barack Obama since his Senate campaign in 2004. "I didn't have a lot of money, so all I could afford was Gibbs," kidded the president. The READ THE REST, Take a photo of the moon with a Samsung smartphone and it'll be remarkably crisp and detailed. Gibbs attended North Carolina State University, serving as goalkeeper for the North Carolina State Wolfpack soccer team from 1990 to 1992. "On Monday, the former press secretary will travel with Ethan Gibbs to school," said Gibbs, looking forward to driving his 7-year old son to school. "Hacks on Tap by Mike Murphy and David Axelrod on Apple Podcasts". Ethan Gibbs - Application Engineer Intern - Rocket Central - LinkedIn Update 11/22: WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary and reached outside his inner circle for the post of White House communications director. What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? View the profiles of professionals named "Ethan Gibbs" on LinkedIn. Obama, however, referred to Gibbs as his "one-person Southern focus group" and welcomed him as part of his close-knit team that included strategist David Axelrod, campaign director David Plouffe, and research director Devorah Adler. He often laments he hasn't been there for his son Ethan as often as he should have been. Ethan Gibbs Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Tech leaders, scientists, etc., call for pause in AI development, Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 lifetime license for a special price, Create long-form content in seconds with this award-winning content generator, Check out this perfect par bundle featuring a TopGolf gift card, now only $250, Terms Ethan Gibbs Pictures more pics President Obama Departs Washington For Minneapolis; Barack Obama Campaign Weeks Away From Election Day . Published Nov 5, 2014 9:59 PM EST. Obama's First Year: By the Numbers - CBS News A few times, she murmured softly, although the words, if any, escaped me. He formally left the position on February 11, 2011. I can see in my mind even now some of the faces looking up as I walked onstage, men and women and children of every race, some wealthy, some poor, some famous and some not, some smiling ecstatically, others openly weeping. Born in Auburn, Alabama to two university librarians. In June 2012, Gibbs was appointed to the board of directors of Yelp. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images). Recent research suggests that the ingestion of bacteria commonly associated with probiotics negatively correlates . Other arguments in favor of handshakes include custom, global acceptance and the importance of human touch and physical connection. You OK? I asked. Carney covered the White House and Congress for Time magazine before being named Biden's communications director. On November 11, 2003, Gibbs resigned from Kerry's campaign after the candidate abruptly fired his campaign manager, Jim Jordan. History With Obama According to an official White House bio, Gibbs first began working with Obama long before he decided to run for president. According to a BBC profile, Carney began work for Time magazine in 1988 and covered the collapse of the Soviet Union as a correspondent from Russia.