The Chamber of Commerce declined to comment on William Daley when I wrote Tuesday about his possible appointment as White House chief of staff. But now that Daley is a done deal, a spokesman for the business group that has been an Obama White House nemesis sends over this upbeat statement from Chamber president and CEO Tom Donohue:
“This is a strong appointment. Bill Daley is a man of stature and extraordinary experience in government, business, trade negotiations, and global affairs. He’s an accomplished manager and strong leader. We look forward to working with him to accelerate our recovery, grow the economy, create jobs, and tackle America’s global challenges.”
It’s a futher thawing of the ice between Obama and the Chamber, coming just after word of Obama’s planned address to the group on February 7. But let’s see how long this moment of collegiality can last between two actors whose key priorities–beyond the fundamental goal of economic growth–remain in substantial conflict.