Robert Gibbs life and biography

Robert Gibbs, born March 29, 1971 in Auburn, Alabama, United States is an American government worker, civil servant and now, the White House press Secretary.


Robert Gibbs was named press secretary for U.S. President (then President-elect) Barack Obama in November of 2008. The Alabama native had been on Obama's team since 2004, and had become a member of his trusted inner circle. Assertive in his loyalty to his boss, Gibbs was known for a ready wit and sharp tongue.

White House Press Secretary

He was exposed to politics early, as he and his brother often traveled with their mother in her work for the League of Women Voters. By the time he was in high school, he was also exercising his speaking skills as a member of the debate team. He graduated in 1989 and headed off to North Carolina State University, where he majored in political science and played goalkeeper for the school's soccer team. But it was public service that would be Gibbs's calling.

Gibbs got his political feet wet as an intern for former Representative Glen Browder of Alabama in 1991. He then went on to compile an impressive resume, especially considering his relative youth. Positions included communications director for South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings, press secretary for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and spokesperson for Senator John Kerry at the beginning of his presidential bid. Gibbs left the Kerry effort in 2003, and signed on as communications director with the then-little-known Obama in his 2004 U.S. Senate race. That match proved to be an excellent one, with both men profiting from the relationship. Gibbs became Obama's senate communications director and held the same title at the onset of the 2008 presidential campaign, eventually becoming Obama's senior strategist for communications and message.

Over four years of intense campaigning and close contact (Gibbs gave up initial plans to be based in Chicago in order to travel with Obama), Gibbs became an integral part of Obama's team. Fiercely loyal, clever, and quick-witted, he was regarded as one of the few aides comfortable being completely blunt with the candidate. Clearly, such openness was appreciated and encouraged by his boss. Nor was Gibbs's direct approach limited to Obama--he famously, for example, went verbally toe-to-toe with conservative talk show personality Sean Hannity during the campaign. But ultimately, the candidate and his spokesman helped one another to become big winners. Obama was elected president in 2008 and named Gibbs White House press secretary shortly thereafter. The job would undoubtedly present new challenges, and it was likely to require a modicum of ratcheting down his style, but Gibbs was widely expected to excel in the role.

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