Former Clinton aide Podesta joining White House to advise Obama: source

Reuters
John Podesta, president and chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress, attends the National Italian American Foundation Gala in Washington October 29, 2011. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - John Podesta, a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, is returning to the White House to advise President Barack Obama as he struggles to regain his footing after the flawed healthcare law rollout, according to a source familiar with the issue. Podesta steered Obama's transition team in 2008 after he won the presidency. His arrival is a signal that the president, famous for taking advice primarily from a tight-knit group of advisers, is looking for some outside help as he seeks to regain momentum in his second term. Confirming a report that first appeared in the New York Times, the source said Podesta had agreed to take on the role for a year. He is the chair of the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning policy group that has close ties to the Obama administration. He is also a former adviser to Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader from whom Obama has inherited other trusted staffers. Podesta will help Obama's chief of staff, Denis McDonough, on issues related to the healthcare law, executive orders and climate change. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)