[1] Before McDonald's, Gibbs was an American political advisor and commentator, who served as White House Press Secretary during the first term of the Obama administration.

[8] His parents, Nancy Jean (née Lane) and Robert Coleman Gibbs, worked in the Auburn University library system and involved their son in politics at an early age.

Gibbs graduated from Auburn High in 1989,[12] in the same class as novelist Ace Atkins and LEGO artist Eric Harshbarger.

[5] While a student at North Carolina State in 1991, Gibbs became an intern for Alabama's 3rd congressional district Congressman Glen Browder.

[11] In 1997, Gibbs was press secretary for Congressman Bob Etheridge of North Carolina and, in 1998, was spokesman for Senator Fritz Hollings' successful re-election campaign.

Gibbs assumed responsibility for "shaping the campaign message, responding to the 24/7 news cycle, schmoozing with the press and fighting back when he disagree[d] with its reporting.

[19] Gibbs adopted a policy of rapid response to claims by conservative news outlets that questioned Obama's religious upbringing.

At the time, Gibbs said, "These malicious, irresponsible charges are precisely the kind of politics the American people have grown tired of.

"[21] He was widely blamed by news media executives for "holding hostage" reporters, while Obama and Hillary Clinton met for the first time after a heavily contested Democratic primary season.

"[23] Gibbs stirred controversy when he stated that the drone killing of 16-year-old son of Anwar al-Awlaki was justified, and that the boy "should [have] had a more responsible father.

[26] In June 2013, it was announced that Gibbs and Ben LaBolt co-founded a strategic communications practice called The Incite Agency, where he was a partner until 2015.

[30][31] In August 2020, Gibbs became a third co-host of the U.S. political podcast "Hacks On Tap", joining David Axelrod and Mike Murphy.