Obama meets with Pakistani presidentWASHINGTON (CNN) –President Obama met with President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan on Friday and stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries. In a late morning meeting in the Oval Office, their discussion focused on both countries efforts to fight terrorism and promote regional stability, which included the work to promote a peaceful and stable outcome in Afghanistan the White House said in a written statement. Obama also told Zardari he is looking forward to visiting Paksitan later this year. Zardari, who is also in Washington to attend a memorial service for Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, met with Vice President Biden earlier this week when Biden made a visit to Pakistan. White House shuffles press staffWASHINGTON (CNN) –White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced a shuffling of the press staff on Friday, with Mike Hammer moving over to the State Department and Tommy Vietor getting a promotion. Gibbs revealed that Hammer, spokesman for the National Security Council, is moving over to the State Department to be principal deputy assistant secretary for public affairs. Vietor, who has been an assistant press secretary handling various issues including national security matters for Gibbs, will replace Hammer at the National Security Council. Vietor is a young aide who has spent almost his entire career with President Obama, dating back to Obama's time in the Senate. Hammer is well-known and well-respected in foreign policy circles, having served in the Clinton administration as well. Biden picks centrist as new top aideWASHINGTON (CNN) – In the latest sign that President Obama's administration is taking on a more centrist and Clintonian bent, Vice President Biden announced Friday that Bruce Reed will be his new chief of staff. Reed will succeed Ron Klain as the Vice President’s chief of staff, a move that will instantly give liberals more heartburn that the White House is moving sharply to the middle to deal with the new closely-divided Congress, especially in the wake of other top Clinton officials being tapped for key posts, including Bill Daley as White House Chief of Staff and Gene Sperling as chair of the National Economic Council. Reed served as the chief domestic policy adviser in the Clinton White House and most recently as CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council, the national organization that launched the New Democratic movement that fueled Bill Clinton's rise to power in the 1990's. POTUS Schedule for January 14, 2010![]() From the White House: In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and will then meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press. Later in the morning, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan in the Oval Office. The meeting is closed press. There will be a still pool spray at the top of the meeting.
In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will attend Ambassador Holbrooke’s funeral service. The President will deliver remarks. The service will be covered by the pool.
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