MICHELE NORRIS, host:
This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Michele Norris.
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
And I'm Melissa Block.
Today, President Obama chose a member of Chicago's political dynasty to be the next White House chief of staff: William Daley.
President BARACK OBAMA: He possesses a deep understanding of how jobs are created and how to grow our economy. And needless to say, Bill also has a smidgen of awareness of how our system of government and politics works. You might say it is a genetic trait.
BLOCK: In a moment, we'll hear about the political implications of the president's new choice for chief of staff. First, NPR's Ari Shapiro has this profile.
ARI SHAPIRO: The buzz over William Daley has been all about his connection to business. But long before he worked for JPMorgan Chase or the Chamber of Commerce, Daley was part of the Democratic political machine.
Political scientist Dick Simpson of the University of Illinois describes Daley as a force behind the throne.
Mr. DICK SIMPSON (Political Scientist, University of Illinois): Bill Daley is the youngest of the Daley children after Richard J. Daley, the first mayor, and he is usually considered to be sort of the brains of the family. He's very capable. Often, he has been campaign manager but not candidate.
SHAPIRO: Daley's father and brother each occupied the mayor's office for about a quarter century, but Bill, the youngest Daley, stepped onto the national political scene in the 1990s as commerce secretary to President Bill Clinton. He worked with a Republican-controlled Congress on ratifying the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
Here, he spoke to the National Press Club about a trade deal with China.
(Soundbite of archived audio)
Secretary WILLIAM DALEY (Commerce Department): I would hope we make this more than the usual sort of inside-the-Beltway trade fight. Let's take it to a higher level.
SHAPIRO: That experience negotiating with Republicans may be helpful as he returns to a Washington where Republicans have gained power.
Even in his speeches as commerce secretary more than a decade ago, you can hear themes that remain true all these years later. Daley is connected to business, and he's unafraid to speak his mind.
Mr. DALEY: When I meet the nation's top business people as I've had the honor over the last year, the bottom line and the truth is, I don't see much diversity. The fact of the matter is I see nine out of 10 or beyond that are white males.
SHAPIRO: When Al Gore ran for president in 2000, Daley left his Cabinet post to chair the campaign. On a rainy November night in Tennessee, it was Daley who made the dramatic announcement that Gore was withdrawing his concession.
(Soundbite of archived audio)
Mr. DALEY: But this race is simply too close to call. And until the results - the recount is concluded and the results in Florida become official, our campaign continues.
(Soundbite of cheering)
SHAPIRO: Gore ultimately conceded, and Daley went to the private sector. For the last several years, he has worked at the financial giant JPMorgan and Chase.
Douglas Elliott of the Brookings Institution was at JPMorgan for many years, and he says Daley was known for his ability to bridge opposing views and negotiate a solution. It's a skill that will be vital in this new job.
Mr. DOUGLAS ELLIOTT (Fellow, Brookings Institution): In the chief of staff's position, you're constantly trying to bring people together who have different viewpoints and perhaps different interests. Ideally, you are able to reach conclusions in that group without having to bring the president into it.
SHAPIRO: At the same time, some of the same attributes that centrists view as strength, raise warning flags for activists on the left. Liberals have been afraid that President Obama bows too quickly to Republicans and to Wall Street. Daley will need to deal with their feeling that his appointment confirms their fears.
Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.