Peter Mikami Rouse (Japanese surname:三上,[1] born April 15, 1946) is an American political consultant who served as interimWhite House Chief of Staff to U.S. PresidentBarack Obama. Rouse previously spent many years onCapitol Hill, becoming known as the "101st senator"[2] during his tenure as Chief of Staff to Senate Democratic leaderTom Daschle.
When Daschle lost his seat in 2004, Rouse was persuaded to stay in Congress as Chief of Staff to then-freshman SenatorBarack Obama. Rouse followed Obama to the White House as a senior advisor in 2008 and became interim Chief of Staff there for several months following the departure ofRahm Emanuel in October 2010, and subsequent appointment ofWilliam M. Daley the following January. Rouse remained with the White House until late 2013 asCounselor to the President.
Rouse was born inNew Haven, Connecticut, the son of Mary Uta (née Mikami) andIrving Rouse. His father was of English and some Bohemian (Czech) descent, and his mother was ofJapanese ancestry[2] (Rouse is asansei (third generation)).[3] Rouse's mother grew up as a child only speakingJapanese.[4] Rouse's maternal grandfather emigrated from Tokyo to San Francisco in 1885. He returned to Japan in 1910 to marry his wife, before they then moved back to the U.S., eventually settling in Alaska in 1915.[5] The Mikamis retired to Los Angeles shortly beforeWorld War II began. They were later sent to aninternment camp in Arizona during the War.[6]
Overall, Rouse worked onCapitol Hill for more than 40 years, since 1971. According to Amy Sullivan ofWashington Monthly Rouse came to be known as "the 101st Senator" thanks to his knowledge and skills.[8]
On October 15, 2001, Rouse was the Daschle staff member to call the police about aletter that containedanthrax powder.[10] Twenty of Daschle's staff subsequently tested positive for exposure toanthrax spores; it is not known if Rouse was exposed along with his workmates.[11]
Rouse had been chief of staff to South Dakota SenatorTom Daschle, the former majority leader, and was planning to retire after Daschle lost in 2004.[7] However, in 2004, Rouse was contacted by a law school friend of then-Illinois Senator Obama and chose to work for him as his chief of staff.[12][13]
Rouse helped prepare a memo, "The Strategic Plan," for Obama's first year in the Senate.[14] Helping Obama navigate Senate politics, Rouse worked with Obama and SenatorRuss Feingold (D-WI) on strengtheningethics reform legislation.[15] Similarly, he suggested that Obama speak with SenatorsTed Kennedy andJoe Lieberman in the early stages of exploring his presidential candidacy. Rouse also is credited with persuading Obama to vote against the nomination ofJohn G. Roberts, who was nevertheless confirmed and is nowChief Justice of the United States (Bacon 2007).
As with all congressional staff, Rouse's compensation is public information. He has received salary payments above $140,000 during his years with Senator Obama.[16]
During the first two years of theObama Presidency, Rouse was one of three White House officials with the title Senior Adviser to the President, along withDavid Axelrod andValerie Jarrett. In an interview, Rouse said that he "basically does the inside, organizational stuff and strategic stuff internally," adding that he had no desire to be the "outside person" but preferred to leave external relations to Axelrod, Jarrett and Chief of StaffRahm Emanuel. Rouse said the Deputy Chiefs of Staff,Jim Messina andMona Sutphen, "who run the place from day to day," report to him. Asked about his overall portfolio, he said "I fix things." He described himself as one of several problem fixers in a collaborative environment.[17]
TheRolling Stone described Rouse as a low profile, calm and legislatively connected manager, quoting one "top Democratic strategist" as saying that "Rouse's the one who brought 'no drama' to Obama. His enforcement makes it work."[18]
Rouse speaking with President Obama in theOval Office in October 2010, shortly after becoming Chief of Staff.
WhenRahm Emanuel left the White House in October 2010 to run forMayor of Chicago, Rouse became the "interim" Chief of Staff at the White House.[20] Rouse is the firstAsian American Chief of Staff in U.S. history.
On January 6, 2011, it was announced thatWilliam M. Daley would succeed Rouse as permanent Chief of Staff.[21] Rouse was promoted to the role ofCounselor to the President and remained with the White House through the end of 2013.[22][23]
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