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Michelle Obama Taps Tina Tchen as New Chief of Staff
Mrs. Obama said in a statement provided to Politics Daily, "I am thrilled to welcome Tina to my team."
Tchen and Sher will work together this month during a transition that will include a state dinner on Jan. 19 for Chinese President Hu Jintao. Sher, whose departure was announced last year, had long planned to move back to Chicago, where her husband, a Cook County Circuit Court judge, had remained.
Tchen will oversee Mrs. Obama's main agenda items, including marking the completion next month of the first year of her "Let's Move!" anti-childhood-obesity drive.
"What the East Wing does is very much shaped by her interests and passions as have been seen for the last two years, so I see most of myself as continuing to serve her and the administration and carrying that vision out," Tchen said in an interview Wednesday morning.In appointing Tchen, Mrs. Obama did not stray far from a familiar circle. Tchen works for White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett as the director of the Office of Public Engagement and as executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. Tchen will continue to run the council.
Tchen, Sher, Jarrett and Mrs. Obama all come out of an interlocking Chicago circle whose relationships go back years. Tchen said, "When you do Democratic politics, progressive politics in Chicago, it is not that big a community and you all get to know each other." She met Mrs. Obama sometime "in the early '80s, as we were doing that kind of work, political progressive grassroots work." Tchen was also a major fund-raiser for the 2008 Obama presidential campaign, ranked as a "superbundler" who raised more than $200,000.
Jarrett said in an interview on Wednesday Tchen brings more than a comfort factor to the post. She comes with "trust, confidence, knowing that Tina shares our philosophy about public service and why we are here and her enthusiasm and passion for the issues which Mrs. Obama cares deeply about and she will be a terrific bridge between the East and the West Wing."
In her statement about Tchen, Mrs. Obama further said, "I have admired her work with the White House Council on Women and Girls and her leadership with the Office of Public Engagement. Tina's tenure at the White House has focused on ensuring that communities across the country have a voice and a presence at the White House, and her office has worked closely with mine to develop many of our outreach efforts, so she was the natural choice for this role. We particularly share a commitment to nurturing young women and utilizing the White House as a platform for education and inclusion, and I look forward to continuing that work together.
"As sad as I am to see Susan go, I always knew she would return to her family and her community in Chicago. She arrived here in January of 2009 intending only to stay for a year and her extended tenure as my Chief of Staff has been a gift. She has led my team with an even hand and a clear vision and I am so grateful to her and her family for her time here in Washington.
"When selecting a replacement, I looked for someone who had the right experience to lead my team and am grateful to bring on Tina, whom I've known and respected for 20 years. Tina's success leading the Office of Public Engagement, reaching out to people across the country and encouraging Americans from all walks of life to feel connected to this White House, makes her uniquely qualified to step up to this position. I look forward to working with her in the years ahead to develop effective strategies for the Let's Move! campaign, to broaden our work on behalf of military families, to continue the arts and cultural events in the White House, and to advance our international agenda."
Tchen, 54, is a Chinese-American and mother of two children: Emma, 14, a student at a private school in Washington and Patrick, a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her undergraduate degree at Radcliffe/Harvard and her law degree from Northwestern University. Before moving to Washington, Tchen was a partner at the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom for 23 years.
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I have known Tina Tchen since the late 1970's. She has an amazing backstory and has come far from modest beginnings. She's been an advocate for women and for justice the whole time I've known her, and I am *thrilled* she is now the First Lady's Chief of Staff.
January 10 2011 at 11:02 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplyNo doubt Michelle will be very proud of her husband expanding the rich, elitists getting the best health care while middle class america is stuck with obamacare. Obama has already given over 200 corporations/unions an exemption from obamacare. Face it guys, only the middle class will be rationed and burdened long wait and less care. Congress and those exempted will continue on happily with their private insurance. As for us, american citizens, we lose big time. Because we don't get to keep our current plans, even Obama admits that now. GOP should go for complete repeal, and start over.
January 06 2011 at 2:29 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyThis family should be hiring an attorney to represent them in thier robbery of the American people not another ridiculous staff member for a First Lady who does less than any other.
January 06 2011 at 1:48 AM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down ReplyBut Jackie Kennedy was a chain smoker and medicated heavily. That's why they basically propped her up and did the Incredible Ms. Ed. Also, I hear she was dating some of the Secret Service, a secret.
January 06 2011 at 1:28 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyI guess she didn't get the memo. The American people rejected your progressive political agenda!
January 05 2011 at 11:22 PM Report abuse Permalink +24 rate up rate down ReplyFrom Snopes: Jackie Kennedy, staff of 40; Lady Bird Johnson staff of 30; Betty Ford, staff of 28 to 30, Laura Bush, staff of 24 to 26. Why not check facts before always trying to make Michelle Obama out to be the bad one ?
January 05 2011 at 9:08 PM Report abuse Permalink -19 rate up rate down ReplyThe most beautiful and classy First Lady since Jackie Kennedy!
January 05 2011 at 7:02 PM Report abuse Permalink -43 rate up rate down ReplyAre you joking? Go back and take a look at what Michelle wears as she exits the presidential jet and presents herself either to the American people or other nations! Compare THAT to Jackie Kennedy! OMG.
January 06 2011 at 4:43 AM Report abuse Permalink +6 rate up rate down Replysince when does the Presidents family get paid staff to push private agenda?
January 05 2011 at 6:25 PM Report abuse Permalink +45 rate up rate down ReplyWHY does M.O. need so many staff? Maybe if she had to pay for them herself, instead of we taxpayers footing the bill, she'd have alot less.
January 05 2011 at 6:19 PM Report abuse Permalink +49 rate up rate down ReplyThe first lady needs to cut her staff by at least half ! ! !
January 05 2011 at 3:34 PM Report abuse Permalink +167 rate up rate down ReplyI'm with you on this one! All the other first ladies had 2 or 3 staff NOT 14!
January 05 2011 at 6:06 PM Report abuse Permalink +40 rate up rate down Reply
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