President Obama crashed the White House press briefing Friday to announce that Press Secretary Jay Carney is leaving the White House in mid-June.
Carney replaced Robert Gibbs as the White House’s chief spokesman in early 2011. He says he plans to leave in mid-June and will be replaced by Josh Earnest, a deputy press secretary. ‘Jay has had to wrestle with this decision for quite some time,’ President Obama said, making the announcement himself.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is stepping down, President Obama announced Friday in a surprise statement at the start of Carney’s daily press briefing.
Carney, who said he planned to leave in mid-June, will be replaced by Josh Earnest, a deputy press secretary.
“In April, Jay came to me in the Oval Office and said that he was thinking of moving on, and I was not thrilled, to say the least … but Jay has had to wrestle with this decision for quite some time,” the President told reporters.
Obama praised Carney for his “good heart” and “temperament” as he dealt with the media since he replaced Robert Gibbs as the White House’s chief spokesman in early 2011.
“I’m going to miss him a lot,” Obama added.
Carney, 49, was mum on his future plans, though the President said he hoped the weary official “could spend as much of the summer as he can with his kids.”
“Be nice to him on his farewell tour,” the President jokingly pleaded with the press.
Source: New York Daily News | LESLIE LARSON , DAN FRIEDMAN
BCNN1 WP 