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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/world/americas/06iht-06rouse.17571829.html

Is otherwise known for: His love of cats. In his Senate office, a calendar is among several items featuring felines. ( Daschle once told a reporter that the best way to curry favor with Rouse was to “get him sort of a cat gift of some kind.” Asked about that, Rouse said cats were “a good conversation piece to go to when you don’t want to talk about what other people want to talk about.”)

Biography includes: Born April 15, 1946, in New Haven ... his mother was Japanese, his father was white ... graduated from Colby College in 1968 and received a master’s degree from the London School of Economics in 1970 ... is single and lives in Washington.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2004_12/005275.php

December 7, 2004
By: Amy Sullivan

OFF TO A GOOD START....The future just keeps getting brighter for Barack Obama. Pete Rouse, chief of staff to outgoing Democratic Leader has just agreed to head up Obama’s Senate office, bringing instant credibility and invaluable institutional knowledge to the operation. And he also provides a connection to the new crop of leaders on the Democratic side—Rouse once served as incoming whip Dick Durbin’s CoS in the House.

A Hill veteran who started out answering constituent mail along with fellow legislative assistant Tom Daschle, Rouse is so well-respected for his political skills and knowledge that he’s often referred to as the 101st Senator. Obama will be fortunate to have Pete’s steady hand at the helm, particularly given the enormous expectations that will accompany him into office.

Pete used to hassle me after I left Daschle’s office for divinity school, asking me every time I came back, “So, have you learned to walk on water yet?” I would explain that, no, that came in the second semester; we learned to turn water into wine first. At the risk of ruining the gruff front he puts up, he’s not only one of the sharpest people I’ve ever worked with, but one of the sweetest as well. It’s good to see him land in a position that will make continued good use of his political ability. As for Obama, I think I speak for all Daschle alums when I say: Learn to love cats. Or at least talking about Pete’s cats. We’ve found cat-shaped sugar cookies to be well-received. Just saying...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/07/obamas-team-of-no-sleep-w_n_155860.html

The New Republic:

After 37 years on Capitol Hill, Pete Rouse, Barack Obama’s Senate chief of staff cum White House senior adviser-in-waiting, is known for three things: his mastery of the job (as former Senate minority leader Tom Daschle’s chief of staff, Rouse became known as “the 101st senator”); the loyalty he inspires among those who have worked with him (whose numbers are legion); and the cats. Two big, silky Maine Coons named Moose and Junior, Rouse’s beloved felines are a source of affectionate humor among current and former colleagues. The gruff 62-year-old keeps photos of the kitties scattered around his office. He obsesses about their well-being (when Moose’s predecessor, Earl, passed away in 2003, Rouse was bereft), is a sucker for cat-themed knickknacks, and has guided fellow staffers into adopting their own furry friends (Maine Coons, naturally). Some observers suggest, ever so gently, that Rouse’s cat devotion is related to his lack of a personal life. A legendary workaholic in a town where the competition for that distinction is fierce, the (unmarried, childless) Rouse is said to have little time for outside-the-office distractions. There’s his occasional Friday night out for an Ivy League hockey game and the one week of summer vacation in August. But, beyond that, Rouse is all about the job. “Pete Rouse is always working,” e-mails one fan/colleague. “The first one in the office and the last one to leave.” It is a long-term lifestyle that only a cat could love.