Back when Gatecrashgate hit in November, Desiree Rogers, the White House Social Secretary, held her ground. She avoided calls from the press, refused an opportunity to testify before Congress, and then appeared smiling and attentive at each of the subsequent White House holiday parties, gleefully greeting journalists, staff and members of Congress, as if there was nothing at all amiss. It sure seemed like that her days in the White House were numbered.

And so they were. The Chicago Sun-Times’s Lynn Sweet breaks the news today about Rogers’ plans for a graceful exit. “As we turn the corner on the first year,” Rogers tells Sweet, “this is a good time for me to explore opportunities in the corporate world.” Rogers leaves declaring victory, noting that she oversaw over 330 events, including many notable departures from the normal White House pomp and populations. But her departure can be read just as easily as another lesson in how much trouble Team Obama is having changing the twisted ways of Washington.