Bill Daley to Step Down as WH Chief of Staff After Election

White House Chief of Staff William Daley will reportedly step down from his position after the 2012 election. Daley confirmed his decision on Monday to NBC News affiliate WMAQ in Chicago:

“I made a commitment with the president through his re-election, which I am confident he will do, and then my wife and I will be back in Chicago.”

Bill Daley is of course the brother of Chicago's  former, long-time mayor Richard Daley.

Roll Call adds:

The former JPMorgan Chase executive arrived in Washington at the beginning of this year, filling the large shoes of Rahm Emanuel, who left the White House to launch a successful bid to succeed Daley’s brother as mayor of the Windy City.

Daley’s tenure in Washington has been a difficult one, with multiple government shutdown threats and a Congressional battle over raising the nation’s debt ceiling this summer. And it has not been without criticism. Whereas Emanuel was hands-on in his dealings with Hill leaders — as a former Representative, he was unabashed about leaning on existing Congressional contacts — Daley would often send his top lieutenants to deal with Democrats down Pennsylvania Avenue.

During the debt ceiling debate, Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew and top presidential economic adviser Gene Sperling made regular visits to the Capitol in Daley’s place. Emanuel had been a constant presence during his major legislative battles, regularly attending closed-door meetings on health care reform and frequently working out in the House’s Members-only gym.

The report does not reveal Daley's plan after 2012 other than that he will return to Chicago.

“The beauty of this job, to be very frank with you, is that it’s probably the only job I’ve ever had where I have not thought about what’s next,” Daley said. “It may be because it’s so consuming. ... It’s like light-years away, but it’s not something I give any thought to, what’s next after this.”

Watch Daley's interview below: