(a little OT but Zichal was JK's environmental advisor in 2004 campaign and later. .)

[MBS]

as if there's not enough already to be nervous about, here's news alert from Politico.com:

The White House confirms that Heather Zichal plans to step down as President Barack Obama's chief energy and climate adviser.

Zichal took over the job in 2011 following the departure of former climate adviser Carol Browner and has overseen initiatives such as the climate action plan that Obama unveiled this summer. The White House did not name a replacement for Zichal or announce where she's going.

"The president values her expertise and counsel and is grateful for her service," White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said in a statement. "She has advised President Obama for the past five years, most recently developing our bold climate action plan. Heather will be missed here at the White House, but our work on this important issue will go on."

UGH. Heather's presence in the White House was a reassurance to me that the Administration would stay strong on environmental issues. . .

[wisteria]

1. I will wait and see who is picked as her replacement.

Maybe she had asked to go.

[karynnj]

2. This doesn't sound good

The statement is kind of odd because it does not speak of what she will be doing - yet it praises her recent work and emphasizes that she has been advising Obama for 5 years.

Here is the WP's most recent article - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/07/obamas-top-climate-and-energy-adviser-to-leave-white-house/

It sounds like it was a personnel issue - hard to read behind the lines with whom.

[MBS]

3. yeah, I agree, something weird happened

I also agree with this : "sounds like it was a personnel --did you really mean "personal"? if so, that too! - issue - hard to read behind the lines with whom"

(I'd be happy if she could go on over to State and help Sec. Kerry on environment issues there. . )

[karynnj]

4. I did mean personnel - but personal actually may make more sense

One possibility is that the new person added to mix was McDonough - and he has a background on the issue. It could just be him claiming that area as his turf and she resenting having a middleman rather than speaking directly to Obama.

It would be good for her to join Kerry - though after advising the President directly that might be seen as not as likely to impact anything. However, Kerry should play a key role on the issue and it could be win/win for her and Kerry as Obama seems to have respected her.