▁as ▁Ob ama ' s ▁Iowa ▁communic ations ▁director . ▁After ▁Ob ama ' s ▁Iowa ▁c au cus ▁victory , ▁E arn est ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁top ▁communic ations ▁a ide ▁in ▁several ▁primary ▁cont ests ▁including ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁Texas ▁and ▁Pennsylvania . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁general ▁election , ▁E arn est ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁campaign ' s ▁deput y ▁communication ▁director . ▁After ▁Ob ama ▁was ▁elected ▁president , ▁E arn est ▁moved ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁communic ations ▁director ▁for ▁the ▁president ial ▁inaug ural ▁committee . ▁ ▁E arn est ▁started ▁at ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁on ▁Ob ama ' s ▁first ▁full ▁day ▁in ▁office , ▁January ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁as ▁deput y ▁press ▁secretary ▁under ▁Robert ▁Gib bs . ▁Later , ▁E arn est ▁was ▁promoted ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁principal ▁deput y ▁White ▁House ▁press ▁secretary ▁and ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁to ▁Jay ▁Car ney , ▁occasionally ▁filling ▁in ▁during ▁press ▁brief ings . ▁E arn est ▁was ▁the ▁voice ▁of ▁West ▁Wing ▁Week , ▁an ▁online ▁video ▁series ▁produced ▁by ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁that ▁chron ic led ▁President ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ' s ▁activities ▁each ▁week . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Ob ama ▁announced ▁that ▁Josh ▁E arn est ▁would ▁succeed ▁Car ney ▁as ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁press ▁secretary . ▁In ▁an ▁annual ▁survey ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁Polit ico