Creating New Traditions: More on the WH Social Office
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 2:58 PM For years, an invitation to a party at Desiree Rogers’s luxurious Chicago home was one of the city’s most sought-after prizes. She knows everyone; she likes to mix up the company—so there was always some new and exciting person to meet; and she has great taste. Her New Orleans-bred charm doesn’t hurt, either. Often, there is little “fun” in fund-raising parties, but the ones Rogers held for Senator Obama during the primary campaign were frolicking festivities, with non-ticket holders scrambling to find a way in.
So it is little wonder that, as previously noted here, she is the perfect White House social secretary for the Obama White House. In a short amount of time, she has already organized more than 60 social events, including the Easter Egg roll last week, the St. Patrick’s Day party for 400, and the two lunches Mrs. O has hosted for congressional spouses.
Coming soon: a third lunch will include spouses from the Cabinet plus what the White House social office is calling “D.C. influentials.” Also under consideration by Rogers: a poetry slam (slams did originate in Chicago); an Earth Day celebration; and a Cinco de Mayo celebration in the Rose Garden.
You can read more about Rogers’s approach to her job, and her meetings with her staff in an article by reporter Lynn Sweet in the Sun-Times. It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the organization behind the creating of some new traditions at the White House.
Outfits
Reader Comments (72)
These attacks are disgusting. Unless some people here know Ms Rogers personally, these hateful critics are baseless...
Here goes another example of women being their own enemies..
By the way, I don't mind this post about Ms Rogers at all, anything that's related to Mrs O and our president I'm interested.....
Christina, hilarious point re TBG. Ha!
Mrs. O will be at an event later today with the president at a park. I can't wait to see a nice springtime outfit.
Layo G, I didn't see the original post, so I don't know who gave what to the dog :-) but people are always giving things to the President and First Family. However, these things become the property of the U.S., if I am not mistaken. So Bo doesn't get to take his gold bowl with him after the White House. It disappears into some storage area.
And yes, whoever gave that to anybody, including to a dog, deserved a values adjustment.
(Bo himself was a gift, technically, from the Kennedys, but I think because he had been returned by his original owners he was declared to have zero value or something, so never fear, Bo himself stays with the Obamas forever.)
The President and Mrs. O will be doing community service today after the President signs the service bill into law. That's just awesome! I'm also glad Senator Kennedy has been honored in this way......
Ha. A while back, when the sleeveless thing was raging, someone here posted a link to a photo of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the gallery of the Congress, watching her husband's State of the Union Address. In a sleeveless gown. Another woman - attractive, young and in a sleeveless gown - sat near her. Several here wondered who she was. As I recall, she was Pamela Turnure, Mrs. Kennedy's press secretary (appointed to that position by the president, who went everywhere with Mrs. K. and was often photographed with her. No one thought that odd or inappropriate.
I absolutely love Desiree. She is gorgeous, poised and accomplished. And I am not from Chicago. I love her style too. I have not seen any evidence that she is stealing the limelight and as others have mentioned, Mrs. O seems way too confident and self-assured to be worried about people stealing her limelight. As if they could. She is the FLOTUS, for goodness sake. Moreover, if I were Mrs. O and DR was my friend, I would love to see her being recognized for her accomplishments. Certainly, that does not take away from Mrs. O's status. In fact, in my opinion it makes Mrs. O appear even more gracious and just the kind of friend many of us would love to have. I enjoy seeing pictures of both women. Mrs. C, thanks for posting this!
Photos of Michelle at the bill signing are up on Getty Images
She has on a purple jacket, blue belt, pin-stripped pants, and the blouse is a bit hard to figure out.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0f8u6hx1q1dIg?q=Michelle+Obama
From today's event. A close up of the top. I am not sure about the top either Leah. The shimmery green in the top is pretty! I cannot see the bottom from this, so I thought it was a dress.
Leah, you can see the sleeveless blouse better in the photos of her planting the tree. Talk about buff arms!
Mrs. O is such a diva. I love her!
Check this out. www(dot)daylife(dot)com/photo/0eh9fLdeds3Ig
IVA,
I was just getting ready to provide the link to that photo. I love it! Fixing the hair, focused expression....getting ready to do work.
Thanks Chicagoan.
I love that shirt... it is so young and fresh.
And the photo where she has on the gloves and is moving the hair out of her face Michelle looks very young and soft. The way the sun is hitting her hair it looks like she has added some brownish-red highlights.
I can't get over how young she looks in that photo!
The jacket that Michelle wore today I've seen twice before. The purple jacket looked like what she wore on the train stops before the inauguration. But what's underneath looked very interesting. The texture and colors were purple and green? with like a chiffon-like fabric. I bet it was pretty against the black pants she was wearing. Since she recycles a lot (which I love), I'm sure we will see a reappearance of what she had under the purple jacket sometime this spring/summer. It's too pretty to keep covered up. That's how you keep things fresh and really stretch your wardrobe.
...On the Desiree topic, I think she looks great, and what I love about Michelle is she is a very confident woman who loves being around other confident women. From what I've read, the Obamas have both known Desiree for almost 20 years. That's a long time. Since FLOTUS has the power with this matter, at any time, if she wishes, Desiree's prominence can be changed if things are done that aren't appropriate. But every interview, photo positioning, is known by Michelle and approved by Michelle. I like the way the President and Michelle operate--you don't feel threatened by others' gifts if you are confident yourself. The Obamas have the power..if things aren't right, they'll fix it. Until then, I believe that Michelle is using a lot of people to instill the Obama image on the White House when she chooses not to be out in front of the cameras everyday. But when our FLOTUS shows up, no one matches up in her totality. No one is as unique, gracious, appoachable, bold, beautiful, and intelligent as Michelle...that's why she is First Lady.
I know that if anything needs to be adjusted regarding staff interactions with the press, it will be changed. Michelle is no shrinking violet. But I think some may project their own insecurities onto Desiree since she is a very beautiful and stylish woman. I think the fact that Michelle has a friend that looks like Desiree, speaks more to our First Lady and the self-assurance that she has over most women. No one can take your power unless you let it. If things change with Desiree that concern Michelle, it will be addressed. Until then, I assume Michelle knows and approves everything and is on top of everything. Michelle is one of those few women that could probably have Halle Berry as a best friend and think nothing about it.
We, as women, should really admire Michelle's strength and self-confidence, as well as the President's self-assurance to have really smart people (e.g., Hillary Clinton, etc.) around him that may know a little more than him on a certain issue and not feel the slightest bit threatened. That's really true inner strength.
I would love to know Michelle and work for her, because she's the type of woman that would encourage, promote, and help you rather than sabotage or stab you in the back like some of my female bosses that I've had in the corporate world.
Gosh guys, I didn't know I wrote so much. I haven't been on the blog in a few days and got carried away! LOL
Yahoo News Photos has a few up of Michelle too.
Also Bill Clinton was there shoveling dirt!
Now how about that.
This pic is awesome too! Shows her whole outfit including great rain boots for tree planting in the mud!
http://www(dot)daylife(dot)com/photo/0fcV1gpg203Zn?q=Michelle+Obama
This pic is awesome too! Shows her whole outfit including great rain boots for tree planting in the mud!
www(dot)daylife(dot)com/photo/0fcV1gpg203Zn?q=Michelle+Obama
MO looks fantastically in shape in these tree-planting photos. She seems to have taken to gardening in a big way! :)
Btw, has Michelle ever been asked what her favorite books are? I can't recall an interview where that subject came up.
Love the pictures!! I cannot believe our FLOTUS was out there planting trees in her "good clothes!" I can just hear the FG (1st granny) yelling about that. LOL I just knew she would change clothes before going out. Well, at least MrsO put on boots. Did you see the pic of the Prez showing his muddy shoes? LOL Looks like they were really working too!
Mrs. T, I'm wondering why there is a delay in posting comments that contain links? Then posters, myself included, parse them out to avoid that, so you can't just click on them. So I skip a bunch of links I would otherwise follow...
Also, it would be great if the site remembered names/email addresses.
thanks!