PINK SLIPS

White House's First Firing?

Obama's top legal counsel may be getting the boot.

Layoffs may soon be coming to the White House: Obama's close aide and top legal counsel, Gregory Craig, may be losing his job, sources tell The Wall Street Journal. Craig has tailored the administration's stance on several controversial national-security issues like closing Guantánamo Bay, the release of the Bush-era torture memos, and the trial of detainees. Craig, who led President Clinton's defense during his impeachment proceedings, has been criticized for failing to gauge the political implications of closing Guantánamo. But White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina defused all rumors that Craig might be getting the boot. "We've addressed these rumors before," he said. "They are nothing more than typical Washington parlor games. It's disappointing that while we are focused on reviving the economy and fighting two wars, others spend their time pointing fingers in an attempt to promote their own status."