Jim Messina

Jim Messina was chief of staff for President Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and the head of the Obama's transition team. He is currently Deputy Chief of Staff in the Obama Administration. Messina shares the duties with Mona Sutphen and both work under Rahm Emanuel.Washington Post: Obama adds staff to growing White House team

Messina has been chief of staff for several Congressmen, including Senators Max Baucus of Montana and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Representative Carolyn McCarthy of New York.Missoulian: Jim Messina tapped as Barack Obama's national chief of staff (June 17, 2008)

Messina started in politics as a staffer for the 1991 House of Representatives and has worked on campaigns in Idaho, Colorado, Montana, Alaska and North Dakota.Missoulian: Jim Messina tapped as Barack Obama's national chief of staff (June 17, 2008)

"It’s going to be the biggest challenge of my life, but it’s also going to be something I deeply believe in...With the bitter partisan divide we have in Washington, we need a president who will go past all that, and that’s why I’m going to Obama." -- Jim Messina, on accepting Obama staff position, June, 2008Missoulian: Jim Messina tapped as Barack Obama's national chief of staff (June 17, 2008)