Peter Baker has written a revealing article today about the dismissive way the Obama White House treated a long-time friend, Desirée Rogers. Now, I’m not interested in Ms. Rogers staying or leaving, with the Salahi incident a monumental disaster (especially for the Secret Service), but there’s a way to do things and a way not to. Baker’s article gives you insight into the character of the White House and how they treat even long-time friends.
For Ms. Rogers, associates said the episode proved a searing experience that has soured her on Washington. She believes she was left largely undefended by the White House, by her colleagues, including Mr. Axelrod, Robert Gibbs and even her close friend, Valerie Jarrett. And while she is unwilling to discuss her story publicly, several associates shared her account in the belief that her side has been lost in the swirl of hearings, backbiting and paparazzilike coverage. “As she put it, ‘They never lifted a finger to help me set the record straight,’ ” said one of the associates, who insisted on not being identified to avoid alienating the White House. “She didn’t get any help from Gibbs, no help from Axelrod, no help from Valerie Jarrett. Nobody came to her defense.”
Ms. Rogers is the stunningly beautiful former social secretary who ran into trouble when her own image became more prominent than her position could sustain. Taking “social” to a new level publicly, Ms. Rogers ran afoul of David Axelrod, the man who delighted in vilifying Hillary Rodham Clinton whenever he got the chance during the 2008 primaries. Now, I’m not saying Mr. Axelrod has a problem with strong women, but…
Needless to say, the Salahi party crashing incident was a White House embarrassment, creating an opening for Ms. Rogers to be served up as scapegoat, even if there was a larger problem that what just Ms. Rogers controlled. From Mr. Baker:
After the Salahi incident, these associates said Ms. Rogers was barred by the White House from testifying before Congress or giving interviews or even answering written questions. She was told she could not attend the Kennedy Center Honors, a major annual Washington event. And even her decision to finally resign leaked before she could secure a new job.
So Ms. Rogers is leaving the White House and Washington never having been allowed to describe publicly what happened that night four months ago. But in conversations with associates, she has defended herself by noting that she had positioned a staff member to greet guests at the East Portico landing just as the Social Office had sometimes done in the past. And she has expressed disappointment that her work at creating a “people’s house” for the first couple has been overshadowed by one lapse.
“It’s been very difficult for her,” said Amy Zantzinger, who was President George W. Bush’s last social secretary and has become a friend of Ms. Rogers’s. “And I think what can’t be lost is there are all these unbelievable events they did at the White House when she was there, particularly bringing in all the artists and musicians. I don’t think that’s ever been done before to this magnitude.”
Lisa Caputo also weighed in:
Lisa Caputo, who worked in the East Wing under Mrs. Clinton when she was first lady, said Ms. Rogers had weathered the hothouse glare of Washington with grace. “She’s done a fantastic job of opening the White House,” Ms. Caputo said.
“She was put in a position where the spotlight was put on her in a different way,” Ms. Caputo added, “coming in as someone who was not a Washingtonian, coming into a high-profile senior role and being the first African-American in that role. The combination of all three makes it not easy. I would venture to say she’s had a larger mountain to climb.”
The way Pres. Obama and his White House team handled the departure of Ms. Rogers is wrong, regardless of whether she should have been fired or not.
In the worst of situations, a person who has served faithfully and with distinction doesn’t deserve to be thrown out disrespectfully, which includes not having the opportunity to even procure another position for herself. Just because she appears to be a woman of means is no reason to summarily humiliate her and put her financial security or the future of her career in jeopardy.
I’ve said for a very long time that Obama is as cold as they come. (Being willing to sell women out in health care legislation is an example.) The disrespect with which he treated Ms. Rogers’ departure is more proof. That not even her long time friend Valerie Jarrett intervened to allow Ms. Rogers a graceful exit is illustrative of the brutally short memory and What Have You Done For Me Lately political creed.
Rogers deserved better. Mr. Axelrod is classless.
That “one lapse” could have gotten somebody killed. And it was actually two lapses. On the same night. Sour grapes on the part of Ms. Rogers. Peace
The security was the province of the Secret Service, who put people on leave after it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/07/politics/washingtonpost/main5923661.shtml
Lets point the finger at where it belongs. Not where it’s most convenient.
This, also from the Baker piece, struck a chord:
Ms. Rogers’s hip style, expensive clothing and presence at fashion shows at first were seen as symbolizing a new Camelot but ultimately struck many as tone deaf in a time of economic hardship and 10 percent unemployment.
The White House eventually clamped down on her public profile. She was ordered to stop attending splashy events and showing up in fancy clothes on magazine covers. When Michelle Obama learned one day that Ms. Rogers was on a train heading to New York to attend an MTV dinner, the first lady told her longtime friend to cancel, associates said.
That’s rich, especially given Mrs. Obama’s own appetite for $500 gym shoes and other luxuries picked by Oprah’s stylists, and paid for by Oprah.
Don’t get me wrong I believe that she was a sacrificial lamb. But I also believe that she didn’t help herself much with her antics. I would love to see the ‘nuclear’ twins, Emanuel and Axlerod, get tossed out on their asses, like yesterday. Peace
I’ve never understood Sally Quinn’s enmity toward Rogers, either. But then again, Quinn has always been one sick b*tch.
I’ve always said, only in DC can a known adulteress like Quinn be given a WaPo column entitled “On Faith”.
Reciprocal loyalty was never a quality I attributed to either Obama, look at what they did to poor Alice Palmer.
My sympathies are with Ms Rogers, who must be cut to the quick by the fact that her “friends” didn’t lift a finger to help her or defend her. Wow. That is SO cold. But, that’s Obama: Toss ‘em under the bus in a heartbeat if they aren’t of use to him.
USERS. I hate those kind of people.
“as cold as they come” Right
Ah yes, Alice Palmer.
I’ll chime in here…
JoeCHI says:
12 March 2010 at 1:29 pm
This, also from the Baker piece, struck a chord:
…..
That’s rich, especially given Mrs. Obama’s own appetite for $500 gym shoes and other luxuries picked by Oprah’s stylists, and paid for by Oprah.
——
I agree with JoeCHI. The Obamas seem to be living a VERY extravagant lifestyle. Although they can afford it… Considering what many are facing in this country… it wreaks of poor taste. “Let them eat cake”…. I just think they should tone it down…
Makes Obama’s waggling over the Clinton’s tax returns back in 2008 seem petty and elitist. I don’t ever recall the Clinton’s showing off in the same way…
I think it is also sad that Desiree Rogers was treated like that. I can understand she messed up but so did many others that was involved with the situation. I would not have friends like David Axelrod, Valarie Jarrett, or Robert Gibbs. David Axelrod always had something bad to sat about Hillary Rodham Clinton during the primary. Everytime I seen him mock Hillary with that smug look on his face I changed the channel. Robert Gibbs is another smug guy,the way he mocked Sarah Palin in front of the white house press, ticked me off and it backfired on him big time. Valarie Jarrett is the presidents best friend I am sure she will sail others down the river before she would ever take the blame for anything.Emanuel is the worst of the worst. The white house as well as the democratic party are sailing women down the river. Its so sad.
Did anyone see Jon Stewart’s take on Obama at a recent healthcare rally where Obama takes off his coat and says.. “It’s hot up here?”… and all his fans swoon?? Hilarious — Don’t have time to look for the link but if anyone finds it, please post…
I disagree. The WH Social Secretary should not be a common name – the job is a behind the scene job. And while no one begrudges the WH entertaining, it does seem a bit tacky that they have had more parties than any WH in history, and the social secretary is bouncing around fashion shows, at a time when a record number of people are out of work and wondering how they are going to pay their mortgages / rent.
And whether you like to believe or not, the Salahi incident was the responsibility of the Social Secretary’s office, as someone from the office was supposed to be at the guest entrance with the Secret Service to verify everyone who came in.
Scapegoat or not, too many things didn’t look right and she had to go.
I did, whitepaw!
…and I’ve got to see I find Pres. Obama’s old man undershirts creepy. You can see them through his shirt.
cmugirl says:
12 March 2010 at 4:23 pm
Thanks for chiming in on this. A couple of things.
Even if you are correct about “she had to do,” they could have done it with class. It’s the White House and they’ve known her for years, with her service being impressive by standards of people who have held the job.
You are mistaken that it’s Ms. Rogers’ job to direct the Secret Service. They screwed up on this, which has happened before, as the link I provided proves.
“old man undershirts” Heh.
I hope Rogers will heal and recover from this fall under the bus. It must feel like a bitter blow.
Axelrod’s “problem” with strong women was evident all the way back in the early 1980s. Axelrod was then a reporter for The Chicago Tribune and his treatment of Chicago’s first (and only) female mayor, Jane Byrne, was reprehensible.
Byrne was a strong woman battling the male dominated Chicago political world and the treatment she got was just about as bad as what Hillary got in the primaries of 2008.
And Axelrod was a leader in both of these efforts.
Can’t wait until the bitch known as karma catches up with Axe.
Me too Taylor on the undershirts!!Ick!
Yeah the Obama’s have a long history as we all know of pitching people who are no longer useful over the side. IMHO there was no one more used than Rev. Wright. At some point Obama allowed him to feel that he was a mentor and an important influence. He used the Church to get in with the AA community in Chicago. I understand that the old Rev had a healthy ego of his own but looking back you have to kind of admire the fact that he did not just lay down for the great one.
It seems like I read that Rogers was another key person to gain entree into the movers and shakers in Chicago.I think I have also read somewhere that Valerie Jarrett and she were not on speaking terms before this all went down.
Hillary lost the race for the presidency, get over it ladies. Croaking like PUMA crows about what awful people the Obamas are accomplishes nothing, and makes you sound like the folks that were such Clinton haters during the W. Clinton administration. Any minute now, you’ll start blaming the Obamas for Vince Foster’s death.
I will say that Hillary Clinton is an absolute kick-ass Secretary of State and I believe she is the best choice Obama could have made.