Who Will Be Next White House Press Secretary?

Jan. 27, 2011— -- No sooner did White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announce his upcoming resignation than the favorite Washington, D.C. parlor game started -- guessing who will be his replacement.

And then the Tragedy in Tucson, the visit of the Chinese president to Washington last week and the president's State of the Union address diverted the Press Corps to other matters.

But the search and vetting for a new Press Secretary have been ongoing in the White House despite the busy month. Gibbs told reporters Wednesday that he expects President Obama could announce his replacement any day now, possibly even later this week.

"I anticipate that the president is actually quite close in that," Gibbs said. "And I anticipate that I will, as I've said, probably leave around sometime in mid-February."

The job of press secretary is high-profile. Aside from the president himself there is no more visible public face of the administration. The press secretary is seen at daily on-camera briefings, serves as a liaison between the president and the press, is responsible for pushing the administration's message of the day and for defending not only the president but the administration's policies.

"It is an honor and a privilege to stand here, to work inside this building, to serve your country, to work for a president that I admire as much as President Barack Obama," Gibbs said in announcing his departure, earlier this month. "It's a remarkable privilege. It is in many ways the opportunity of a lifetime, one that I will be forever thankful and grateful for."