Tomorrow Pres. Barack Obama will sign an executive order to create the White House Council on Women and Girls, according to a report filed today by Chris Cillizza.
The announcement, which was scheduled as a part of national women's history month, will include the names of Valerie Jarrett as chairwoman and Tina Tchen as day-to-day facilitator.
Jarrett, who has been a personal friend of the Obama family for years, has served as a senior advisor to the President. That being said, however, her role with the Obama campaign and administration is merely a drop in the bucket. For more information on her, I suggest reading the October 2008 feature story that was done on her by Vogue. (Yes, I really am sending you to Vogue -- just overlook the portion about "conservative Valentino suits," because there is a lot of good stuff in the story.) There is also a shorter, but still good read, available from Time.
All-in-all, I like seeing Jarrett's name associated with the new Council. Her interests are far-reaching -- she has a daughter, has chaired the board of a Chicago Hospital, and has worked in both politics and with the Chicago Stock Exchange. If this Council is going to meet its mission of keeping federal agencies aware of how their various policies are impacting women, then it will need someone diverse, strong and nearly unchallengable at its helm. Due in large part to Jarrett's personal friendship with Barack and Michelle Obama, I can't think of anyone better prepared to push for and maintain that mission.
I wish I was as enthusiastic about the selection as Tchen for day-to-day operations. And, yes, I know she has ties in the feminist community, but I can't shake the feeling that it was her fundraising, and not her feminist credentials, that won her this gig. Also, unless this was an understood part of her previous accepted appointment as head of the Office of Public Liaison, shouldn't Tchen's plate already runneth over?
Cillizza, as talking heads often do, looked at the announcement as a facet of political strategy. He believes that since Obama carried women voters overwhelmingly in 2008, his administration is developing this new Council as a show of good faith. But as I wrote in January 2008, women have been shortchanged throughout the presidential process and likely went overwhelmingly for Obama because the other option was wholeheartedly unacceptable.
Women were asked our opinions and then, as near as I can tell, those ideas were quickly filed in a trash can. We were marketed to, talk down to and coddled. The thing is -- the thing that the White House needs to understand above all else -- we are on to the tactics.
So, please, set up the Council for Women and Girls and state its mission. It's both needed and wanted. But don't make the mistake of believing that simply setting it up is enough. We're going to be watching -- individually and in groups.
The announcement, which was scheduled as a part of national women's history month, will include the names of Valerie Jarrett as chairwoman and Tina Tchen as day-to-day facilitator.
Jarrett, who has been a personal friend of the Obama family for years, has served as a senior advisor to the President. That being said, however, her role with the Obama campaign and administration is merely a drop in the bucket. For more information on her, I suggest reading the October 2008 feature story that was done on her by Vogue. (Yes, I really am sending you to Vogue -- just overlook the portion about "conservative Valentino suits," because there is a lot of good stuff in the story.) There is also a shorter, but still good read, available from Time.
All-in-all, I like seeing Jarrett's name associated with the new Council. Her interests are far-reaching -- she has a daughter, has chaired the board of a Chicago Hospital, and has worked in both politics and with the Chicago Stock Exchange. If this Council is going to meet its mission of keeping federal agencies aware of how their various policies are impacting women, then it will need someone diverse, strong and nearly unchallengable at its helm. Due in large part to Jarrett's personal friendship with Barack and Michelle Obama, I can't think of anyone better prepared to push for and maintain that mission.
I wish I was as enthusiastic about the selection as Tchen for day-to-day operations. And, yes, I know she has ties in the feminist community, but I can't shake the feeling that it was her fundraising, and not her feminist credentials, that won her this gig. Also, unless this was an understood part of her previous accepted appointment as head of the Office of Public Liaison, shouldn't Tchen's plate already runneth over?
Cillizza, as talking heads often do, looked at the announcement as a facet of political strategy. He believes that since Obama carried women voters overwhelmingly in 2008, his administration is developing this new Council as a show of good faith. But as I wrote in January 2008, women have been shortchanged throughout the presidential process and likely went overwhelmingly for Obama because the other option was wholeheartedly unacceptable.
Women were asked our opinions and then, as near as I can tell, those ideas were quickly filed in a trash can. We were marketed to, talk down to and coddled. The thing is -- the thing that the White House needs to understand above all else -- we are on to the tactics.
So, please, set up the Council for Women and Girls and state its mission. It's both needed and wanted. But don't make the mistake of believing that simply setting it up is enough. We're going to be watching -- individually and in groups.
thanks