Rouse in the house: Filling Rahm's shoes

Washington (CNN) - What is a day at the Obama White House without the larger than life personality of former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel?

"I thought it would feel or look a lot different," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. "I don't know why I thought that. It didn't, honestly," he added.

Emanuel stepped down last week to explore a run for Mayor of Chicago. Monday marked the first time in the Obama administration where someone other than Emanuel guided the senior staff meetings and 'started off' the President's day.

While Gibbs pointed out the obvious stylistic differences between Emanuel and Pete Rouse, the interim Chief of Staff, he said the group of top aides, the meeting room and the issues, remained the same as last Friday. "We continue to be very focused on many of the things that we had in front of us…when Rahm was Chief of Staff, and are continuing to do so with Pete," Gibbs said.

This dramatic personality shift at the second most powerful job at the White House became fodder for the NBC program "Saturday Night Live."

A character portraying Emanuel boasted about his abrasive personality and his lack of social skills, then pumped up "Rouse" for the fights ahead, recommending he keep a razor in his mouth and take no prisoners.

"Everybody in Washington is trying to kill you all the time. And it's kill or be killed." said Andy Samberg, the actor playing Emanuel. "Are you ready to kill a man, Pete? Are you ready to choke a man over a vote?" he joked.

Gibbs said he found the skit "quite entertaining" even though he couldn't "speak to its accuracy."