Report: John Podesta Will Advise Hillary Once He Leaves White House

John Podesta, currently a top adviser to President Barack Obama, will sign on as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton after he leaves the White House next month, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The report, attributed to three people familiar with the move, confirms what has long been suspected: that Podesta, once chief of staff to Bill Clinton, will play a prominent role in the presidential campaign that Hillary is expected to announce in the coming months.

Back in September, Politico reported that Podesta had informally met with those leading the proto-Clinton campaign and was widely expected to be tapped as campaign chairman if Clinton decided to run.

The Journal confirmed Tuesday that Podesta would likely become campaign chairman when and if Clinton announces her bid for the White House. He is expected to leave the Obama administration in early February, after the State of the Union address scheduled for next week.

Politico also reported earlier this month that Robby Mook, expected by most Democratic officials to be named campaign manager, and Joel Benenson, Obama’s former pollster, have been working with Clinton as she finalizes her decision whether to run.