A White House Nod To John Boehner

In a slight tip of the cap to the Republican House leader, President Bush tapped a former top aide to Ohio Rep. John A. Boehner to perform many of the legislative duties that once fell under Karl Rove’s expansive umbrella.

The White House announced former Boehner aide and top Rove deputy Barry Jackson as the president’s new assistant for strategic initiatives and external affairs on Tuesday night.

Jackson served as Boehner’s chief of staff for 10 years after running his first campaign for the House. He left the Ohio Republican in 2001 to join the White House after serving a prominent role in Bush’s first election campaign.

Jackson also helped the Republican leader chart his political comeback after losing his seat at the leadership table in 1998, when former Oklahoma Rep. J.C. Watts bounced him from the conference chairmanship.