David Plouffe, Jay Carney: Public Debut For New Obama White House Team

from left, David Plouffe, Dan Pfeiffer, Jay Carney at President Obama’s Feb. 15, 2011 press conference. (photo by Lynn Sweet)

WASHINGTON–The two new members of the White House communications team– White House press secretary Jay Carney and Senior Advisor David Plouffe–made their public debut on Tuesday watching from the sidelines at President Obama’s press conference along with White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer.

Carney just took over from former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs-his last briefing was Friday–but he has yet to brief from the podium. On Monday–when the Obama FY2012 budget was released–White House budget chief Jack Lew and Economics Advisor Austan Goolsbee handled questions and on Tuesday, Obama’s press conference was in lieu of a briefing.

Plouffe, who managed Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, joined the White House staff a few weeks ago, and picks up some of the portfolio handled by the recently departed now former White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod.