The Washington Post reports today that “White House communications director Anita Dunn will step down from her post at the end of the month and Dan Pfeiffer, her deputy, will take over, according to sources familiar with the move.” Dunn, as you may recall, found herself to be the subject of Glenn Beck's considerable ire, following her apt description of Fox News as an “opinion journalism masquerading as news.” Beck repeatedly smeared Dunn and grossly distorted her words to claim, among other things, that she “worships” and “idolizes” “her hero” Mao Zedong. In smearing Dunn, Beck overlooked that numerous conservatives -- including Barry Goldwater's “alter ego” Stephen C. Shadegg, Newt Gingrich, and GOP strategist Ralph Reed -- have approvingly cited the tactics of Mao, Vladimir Lenin, and the Viet Cong, stated that they had used those tactics in their political work or have otherwise highlighted their philosophies.

But before Beck declares victory in purging the White House of a “radical” “revolutionary,” he should probably be aware that Dunn's position as the White House communications director was always meant to be temporary. As the Politico reported on April 30, after Ellen Moran stepped down as White House Communications Director, Dunn agreed to take over on an interim basis. Politico reported: “Dunn will start working next week in an interim capacity until the president settles on a permanent replacement for Moran. Dunn had initially avoided entering the administration with her fellow campaign veterans. But she has continued to serve as a key outside adviser, regularly joining strategy sessions with other members of Obama's inner circle, and was an obvious choice for members of the close-knit West Wing.” Also, I hate to break it to Beck, but Dunn's not going to be going far. According to the Washington Post, Dunn “will return to Squier Knapp Dunn, the consulting firm where she is a partner, but will remain as a consultant to the White House on the communications and strategic matters.”