As Emanuel Steps Down, 'Fixer' Peter Rouse Steps Into the Spotlight

Now that President Obama has made it official and Rahm Emanuel has left the White House to run for mayor of Chicago, all eyes have turned to interim Chief of Staff Pete Rouse, who is known as "a fixer" for his quiet, get-things-done style.

"There's a saying we have around the White House: 'Let's let Pete fix it,' " the president said Friday in announcing the changes. He called Rouse a "skillful problem solver -- and the good news is that we have plenty of problems to solve."

Rouse, a soft-spoken mediator, will stand in sharp contrast to Emanuel, who was known for his aggressive, hands-on management style. According to the Washington Post, Rouse is a 64-year-old unmarried cat lover who lives in Northwest Washington and is known for being a "fixer" -- a behind-the-scenes manager who prefers mediation over confrontation. President Obama has described Rouse as "ego-free."

A longtime aide to former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (another person mentioned as a possible replacement for Emanuel) Rouse is part of the president's inner sanctum. He has been an Obama hand since the president's tenure as a senator from Illinois. He joined then-Sen. Obama's office in 2004, after Daschle lost his seat to John Thune (R-S.C.).

With a long history in Congress, Rouse brings with him a deep knowledge of the inner workings of both chambers: He served then-Rep. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) for several years in the early 1980s before joining the staff of Daschle, with whom he worked for nearly 20 years. Rouse's connections in the Senate have earned him the moniker of the "101st Senator."

Rouse is a 1968 graduate of Colby College who also holds degrees from the London School of Economic and the Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned a master of public administration.

According to a 2008 interview, Rouse was initially hesitant to sign on with Obama, but eventually took up the invitation because "You could tell that this guy was important to the future of the Democratic Party, in part because he's African American, but the major reason was because he had such intelligence, insights, spark. He had the magic; you can tell he had the magic."

But Rouse had no inkling that the junior senator would so ascend quickly. "My view was, since [Obama was] not running for president in 2008," said Rouse, "[I would] get him started: to set up his operation; get a good team in place; get a good strategic plan in place; get a good structure . . . lay that foundation, and see what happens." Rouse thought, "I'll be in my rocking chair when he runs in 2016 or whatever."

Like Emanuel -- who represented Illinois' 5th Congressional District from 2003 to 2009 -- Rouse's background in Congress is considered an asset to the president, who has faced stiff partisan opposition in passing legislation this year, and is likely to face an even more uphill battle after November, following expected GOP gains in both the House and Senate.

As for Rouse's chances of winning the COS job permanently, other names have popped up, including Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon and Ron Klain, Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff. But Rouse would seem to have the inside track.