Obama's press secretary Jay Carney resigns, deputy promoted

Jay Carney, a former Time's journalist, is stepping down after more than three years in the role.

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Friday his press secretary Jay Carney was stepping down after more than three years as the first line of defense for his administration.

Obama interrupted Carney's daily press briefing to announce that his spokesperson had resigned and would be replaced by his deputy Josh Earnest.

"It's bittersweet," Obama said, referring to Carney, a former Time Magazine journalist, as "one of my closest friends in Washington."

Earnest goes back a long way with Obama, after serving as his communications director in the state that made his national political career, Iowa, during the 2008 presidential campaign.

Carney took over the job as press secretary in January 2011, succeeding the first man to hold that job for Obama, Robert Gibbs.