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America's first black president criticized for white male cabinet
(Reuters) - The first black U.S. president is coming under fire from some of his own Democratic Party for naming a stream of white men to key cabinet and leadership posts in his second administration.
President Barack Obama on Thursday named Jack Lew as his Treasury secretary, the fourth white male he has named to the most prized cabinet posts in recent weeks.
Lew's nomination follows Obama's pick of Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. He has also named former Senator Chuck Hagel to be defense Secretary and John Brennan to head the Central Intelligence Agency.
Against this, he lost the first Hispanic woman in the cabinet when Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced her resignation on Wednesday. And last month Lisa Jackson, who is black, announced she was stepping down as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"It's embarrassing as hell," New York Democrat Charles Rangel, one of the most senior black members of Congress, said of the Obama appointments.
New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, whose state has the only all-female delegation in Congress, described the appointments as "disappointing."
"We need a government that looks like America so we can address the concerns that we hear from across the spectrum," she said.
Republicans joined in the criticism with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accusing Obama of waging a "war on women," using the same words Democrats coined to criticize Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the election campaign last year.
"Now a lot of those females who supported Barack Obama are scratching their heads, and they're saying, ‘Whoa! How come there is so much testosterone in the Obama Cabinet and so little estrogen?'" the former Arkansas governor said on his radio show.
Obama beat Romney 55 percent to 43 percent among women, according to Reuters/Ipsos exit polling on Election Day. He also won large majorities of the African-American and Hispanic vote.
DIVERSITY AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Diversity in the United States is usually defined as including women and racial minorities, especially Hispanics and African-Americans. U.S. political pundits parse polling data of women, Hispanics, African Americans and other groups for signs of voting patterns.
They track the "gender gap," which is the percentage difference between Democratic and Republican support among women. Since Obama's re-election in November, many analysts have noted the rising percentage of U.S. ethnic minorities and described his victory as a reflection of changing demography.
The criticism of Obama is surprising because Republicans usually are the party accused of insensitivity to diversity.
Former President George W. Bush deflected this by pointing to the two secretaries of state during his eight years in office -- African-Americans Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. They were followed by Hillary Clinton.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kerry will be the first white male to hold the top U.S. diplomatic post in more than a decade.
Almost overlooked in the criticism is that the White House announced this week that Attorney General Eric Holder, who is black, will stay on as the nation's senior legal officer.
Obama also was widely reported to be considering an African-American woman, United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice as Secretary of State. She pulled her name from consideration because of Republican objections to her statements about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
White House spokesman Jay Carney urged critics on Wednesday to make their judgments only after Obama had completed his team.
"Women are well represented in the president's senior staff," he told reporters, noting that his team included Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Debbie Walsh, director of Rutgers University's Center for American Women in Politics, which tracks women in elective office, said Obama's choices were a missed opportunity to put women into powerful jobs such as heading the Pentagon.
"A case could be made that Barack Obama won on the strength of the support that he had with women, given the gender gap," she told Reuters.
With women filling 36 percent of Cabinet posts in his first term, Obama had the highest percentage of women in top jobs of any president other than fellow Democrat Bill Clinton, she said.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-obama-diversity-idUSBRE90A01T20130111
President Barack Obama on Thursday named Jack Lew as his Treasury secretary, the fourth white male he has named to the most prized cabinet posts in recent weeks.
Lew's nomination follows Obama's pick of Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. He has also named former Senator Chuck Hagel to be defense Secretary and John Brennan to head the Central Intelligence Agency.
Against this, he lost the first Hispanic woman in the cabinet when Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced her resignation on Wednesday. And last month Lisa Jackson, who is black, announced she was stepping down as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"It's embarrassing as hell," New York Democrat Charles Rangel, one of the most senior black members of Congress, said of the Obama appointments.
New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, whose state has the only all-female delegation in Congress, described the appointments as "disappointing."
"We need a government that looks like America so we can address the concerns that we hear from across the spectrum," she said.
Republicans joined in the criticism with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accusing Obama of waging a "war on women," using the same words Democrats coined to criticize Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the election campaign last year.
"Now a lot of those females who supported Barack Obama are scratching their heads, and they're saying, ‘Whoa! How come there is so much testosterone in the Obama Cabinet and so little estrogen?'" the former Arkansas governor said on his radio show.
Obama beat Romney 55 percent to 43 percent among women, according to Reuters/Ipsos exit polling on Election Day. He also won large majorities of the African-American and Hispanic vote.
DIVERSITY AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Diversity in the United States is usually defined as including women and racial minorities, especially Hispanics and African-Americans. U.S. political pundits parse polling data of women, Hispanics, African Americans and other groups for signs of voting patterns.
They track the "gender gap," which is the percentage difference between Democratic and Republican support among women. Since Obama's re-election in November, many analysts have noted the rising percentage of U.S. ethnic minorities and described his victory as a reflection of changing demography.
The criticism of Obama is surprising because Republicans usually are the party accused of insensitivity to diversity.
Former President George W. Bush deflected this by pointing to the two secretaries of state during his eight years in office -- African-Americans Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. They were followed by Hillary Clinton.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kerry will be the first white male to hold the top U.S. diplomatic post in more than a decade.
Almost overlooked in the criticism is that the White House announced this week that Attorney General Eric Holder, who is black, will stay on as the nation's senior legal officer.
Obama also was widely reported to be considering an African-American woman, United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice as Secretary of State. She pulled her name from consideration because of Republican objections to her statements about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
White House spokesman Jay Carney urged critics on Wednesday to make their judgments only after Obama had completed his team.
"Women are well represented in the president's senior staff," he told reporters, noting that his team included Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Debbie Walsh, director of Rutgers University's Center for American Women in Politics, which tracks women in elective office, said Obama's choices were a missed opportunity to put women into powerful jobs such as heading the Pentagon.
"A case could be made that Barack Obama won on the strength of the support that he had with women, given the gender gap," she told Reuters.
With women filling 36 percent of Cabinet posts in his first term, Obama had the highest percentage of women in top jobs of any president other than fellow Democrat Bill Clinton, she said.
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/us-obama-diversity-idUSBRE90A01T20130111
No... YOU for sure DO NOT boggle my mind, Amanda!!!
That comment was directed at the "sheep" Democrats out there. You are by NO means included in that blanket statement!!!
From this point forward, whenever I make a "blanket statement" about Democrats, YOU ARE NOT INCLUDED!!!
Fair enough?
That comment was directed at the "sheep" Democrats out there. You are by NO means included in that blanket statement!!!
From this point forward, whenever I make a "blanket statement" about Democrats, YOU ARE NOT INCLUDED!!!
Fair enough?
The beauty of this is that some of the die hard liberals are questioning the Presidents decisions so far. If the guy has been a genius all along, why question anything he does, ever, liberals?
RGlass... It would be impressive and classy even if he said "I don't appoint people by gender or race" but I am with you. I doubt that would happen.
RGlass... It would be impressive and classy even if he said "I don't appoint people by gender or race" but I am with you. I doubt that would happen.
“Here's a thought... appoint the best person for the job, regardless of skin color.”
If I was a Betting Man, my money would go on Obama caving in (Like the Republicans did) and appoint a Token or 2.
It would be impressive if he said, “I don’t appoint People by Gender or Race but by their Qualifications. If it happens to be all White Men, so be it.” I seriously doubt that would happen but it would be impressive.
If I was a Betting Man, my money would go on Obama caving in (Like the Republicans did) and appoint a Token or 2.
It would be impressive if he said, “I don’t appoint People by Gender or Race but by their Qualifications. If it happens to be all White Men, so be it.” I seriously doubt that would happen but it would be impressive.
How I wish the world would get past this stuff. I also believe the best person for the job is the best person for the job, and skin color and race just are not relevant factors. It's so ridiculous to even think about.
You know, we need to keep in mind that just like all Republicans aren't the same, neither are all Dems. I still consider myself a liberal, but we don't all think the same...or do I just boggle your mind too El? lol. Now there is a question for you...hahahaha. Almost scared of the answer.....hehe.
You know, we need to keep in mind that just like all Republicans aren't the same, neither are all Dems. I still consider myself a liberal, but we don't all think the same...or do I just boggle your mind too El? lol. Now there is a question for you...hahahaha. Almost scared of the answer.....hehe.
The Obama administration is now saying, "We weren't finished yet! We were JUST ABOUT TO APPOINT some more people!!!"
How'd you like to be those "people of other skin color" appointed to the positions that they "hadn't finished" with yet.
Knowing FULL WELL that you're a "token".
Boggles the mind. Ahhhhh... the mind of a Democrat. I don't think it'll ever be fully understood.
How'd you like to be those "people of other skin color" appointed to the positions that they "hadn't finished" with yet.
Knowing FULL WELL that you're a "token".
Boggles the mind. Ahhhhh... the mind of a Democrat. I don't think it'll ever be fully understood.
Filling all the positions with "old white men" isn't very DIVERSE of you, NG.
How dare you!
We need more Mexicans, people-of-color, women, Asians, etc in cabinet & committee positions, regardless of whether they're qualified or not.
And if there aren't any qualified for said positions, it's the party's fault for not promoting said people into positions, to MAKE them qualified!!!
It's a circular argument... so to speak.
How dare you!
We need more Mexicans, people-of-color, women, Asians, etc in cabinet & committee positions, regardless of whether they're qualified or not.
And if there aren't any qualified for said positions, it's the party's fault for not promoting said people into positions, to MAKE them qualified!!!
It's a circular argument... so to speak.
As soon as they appointed the women (and caved), they came under fire from Liberals/Democrats saying, "You appointed women that weren't even qualified, simply to appease and fill the 'diversity quota'. How dare you appoint "token" women to positions
Yes, I remember. Hypocritical to say the least. The same people (and media outlets) who were screaming about the lack of a woman appointment, were yelling that the woman wasn't qualified. UGH! Makes you want to pull your hair out.
I wish they wouldn't have caved, and Obama shouldn't either. Pick the "right" person for the job, even if it means having all "old white men".
Yes, I remember. Hypocritical to say the least. The same people (and media outlets) who were screaming about the lack of a woman appointment, were yelling that the woman wasn't qualified. UGH! Makes you want to pull your hair out.
I wish they wouldn't have caved, and Obama shouldn't either. Pick the "right" person for the job, even if it means having all "old white men".
You can't win with the weak minded. If Bush did this then he is racist, Obama does it and for the most part it's ok.
And I'll add to what you said, about the Republicans coming under fire for not appointing women to cabinet/committee positions, and then caving in...
As soon as they appointed the women (and caved), they came under fire from Liberals/Democrats saying, "You appointed women that weren't even qualified, simply to appease and fill the 'diversity quota'. How dare you appoint "token" women to positions."
Remember that?
As I said over on CE, Republicans are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.
No matter WHAT they do, it'll be wrong in the eyes of the idiot-portion of the Democrat-sheep-Party masses.
Not ALL Democrats, mind you, but a portion of them.
As soon as they appointed the women (and caved), they came under fire from Liberals/Democrats saying, "You appointed women that weren't even qualified, simply to appease and fill the 'diversity quota'. How dare you appoint "token" women to positions."
Remember that?
As I said over on CE, Republicans are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.
No matter WHAT they do, it'll be wrong in the eyes of the idiot-portion of the Democrat-sheep-Party masses.
Not ALL Democrats, mind you, but a portion of them.
Here's a thought... appoint the best person for the job, regardless of skin color.
Amen.
You see how that worked for the repubs...they were under all that scrutiny for not appointing a woman to a leadership position, and they eventually caved, hiring a woman who was less qualified for the job than some of the med. That makes NO sense and is basically reverse discrimination.
I was watching CBS this morning and their coverage on this. I guess those close to Obama are saying, "Wait! We're not done yet, we haven't appointed all of the positions" (which is true, love how everyone jumps the gun ALL the time)...but one of the anchor people made a good point...Obama is getting a little back in terms of what he gave..during the campaign. There was SO much criticism thrown the repubs way about women and minorities, hell, look at the "women in binders" debacle. LOL
I honestly think Obama has always had a very diverse staff, and I'm sure that won't change a whole lot, but I'm with you completely...I would rather have him make sure he's choosing the BEST person for the job, rather than trying to appease the "yellers" by just appointing a woman or minority because of who they are. That's NOT right. The people who are responsible for tipping the scales in terms of the election were minorities and womoen...but I think it goes against the fundamental fight for the rights of those people just to choose them to make a group look more diverse. Can't they see that? As a woman, I am thrilled to see a gal climb to the top, but I want her to get their on her own merit, because she's qualified for the job, not because she's a woman and meets some kind of "quota".
Minorities become very offended by the term "token", yet that's excatly what's wer'e talking about. The same thing that happened (caving) with the repubs is going to happen again if people keep putting that kind of pressure on him...and overanalyzing every damn thing. We're going to have "token" people of color and women, to satisfy a need for people to think he's being diverse. How foolish.
Amen.
You see how that worked for the repubs...they were under all that scrutiny for not appointing a woman to a leadership position, and they eventually caved, hiring a woman who was less qualified for the job than some of the med. That makes NO sense and is basically reverse discrimination.
I was watching CBS this morning and their coverage on this. I guess those close to Obama are saying, "Wait! We're not done yet, we haven't appointed all of the positions" (which is true, love how everyone jumps the gun ALL the time)...but one of the anchor people made a good point...Obama is getting a little back in terms of what he gave..during the campaign. There was SO much criticism thrown the repubs way about women and minorities, hell, look at the "women in binders" debacle. LOL
I honestly think Obama has always had a very diverse staff, and I'm sure that won't change a whole lot, but I'm with you completely...I would rather have him make sure he's choosing the BEST person for the job, rather than trying to appease the "yellers" by just appointing a woman or minority because of who they are. That's NOT right. The people who are responsible for tipping the scales in terms of the election were minorities and womoen...but I think it goes against the fundamental fight for the rights of those people just to choose them to make a group look more diverse. Can't they see that? As a woman, I am thrilled to see a gal climb to the top, but I want her to get their on her own merit, because she's qualified for the job, not because she's a woman and meets some kind of "quota".
Minorities become very offended by the term "token", yet that's excatly what's wer'e talking about. The same thing that happened (caving) with the repubs is going to happen again if people keep putting that kind of pressure on him...and overanalyzing every damn thing. We're going to have "token" people of color and women, to satisfy a need for people to think he's being diverse. How foolish.
Maybe there are just no people, of other races and skin color's, that are currently qualified to fill the positions?
Here's a thought... appoint the best person for the job, regardless of skin color.
Is it a shame that there are currently no "other skin color" people that are qualified? Yes.
Should Obama appoint a person of "other skin color" to a position, just to fill a diversity quota? No.
What a bunch of morons.
This country has become too "PC", for the sake of being "PC".
Here's a thought... appoint the best person for the job, regardless of skin color.
Is it a shame that there are currently no "other skin color" people that are qualified? Yes.
Should Obama appoint a person of "other skin color" to a position, just to fill a diversity quota? No.
What a bunch of morons.
This country has become too "PC", for the sake of being "PC".
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