Gibbs stepping down as White House press secretary

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed Wednesday that he is leaving the administration in the coming days, saying he will play an outside advisory role and give speeches before helping President Obama gear up for the 2012 campaign.

Gibbs, addressing reports of his departure at his daily briefing for the first time, said the major staffing changes about to hit the White House will benefit Obama.

"You have to admit there's a bubble in here to some degree," Gibbs said.

The decision to leave the White House for the private sector came as something of a surprise: Gibbs, 39, has worked by Obama's side for nearly seven years, and other advisers had expected him to move into a senior advisory role. One of his colleagues said just a few months ago that Gibbs could be counted on to last all eight years if Obama were reelected - and would be the one to "turn out the lights."

Robert Gibbs leaving the White House

Press secretary Robert Gibbs is stepping down after two years in President Obama's administration.

Gibbs had also been rumored to be a potential chairman of the Democratic National Committee. But the current DNC chairman, Tim Kaine, said he would not leave the post. And amid a broader personnel reshuffling - and with former campaign manager David Plouffe assuming a major job in the West Wing starting Monday - it became difficult to see what portfolio Gibbs would manage if he remained inside the administration as a senior adviser, one official said.

With the the 2012 campaign rapidly approaching, the new arrangement will give Gibbs the flexibility to help the president from the outside. But first, he said, he plans to decompress - and drive his young son to school.

"Obviously, this was not an easy decision," he told reporters who peppered him with questions about how he had decided to leave. "I think this is a very natural time period to make the decision to recharge a little bit."

His last day will be in early February, he said, and he expects his successor to be named before then. A full staff sweep is on the way, with Obama planning to announce his new head of the National Economic Council, replacing outgoing Lawrence Summers, on Friday during a visit to a window manufacturer in the Washington area.

Obama will then name his permanent chief of staff - former commerce secretary William Daley appears to be the front-runner. That announcement could happen Friday or early next week. Continue ►