Appointments and Resignations
Ambassador to Japan: Who is John Roos?
Until President Barack Obama announced John V. Roos to be the next ambassador to Japan, the assumption among many in the U.S. and Japan was that this posting would go to Harvard professor Joseph Nye, a specialist in international affairs. Instead,... read more
Chief of the Office of Protocol: Who Is Capricia Marshall?
President Obama nominated a longtime protégée of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Capricia Penavic Marshall, to be Chief of Protocol, a State Department position holding ambassadorial rank. Although the chief of protocol customarily travels wit... read more
Ambassador to France: Who is Charles Rivkin?
Who says President Barack Obama isn’t a traditionalist? The man who promised change in Washington has decided to continue the long-held habit of presidents reserving the post of ambassador to France for, well, anyone but career diplomats. Only one... read more
Ambassador to India: Who is Tim Roemer?
Tim Roemer is an example of ambassadorial appointment grounded not in six- or seven-figure bundles of cash, like some of those chosen by President Barack Obama, but in priceless political support that came at a crucial time. As a former congressma... read more
Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission: Who Is Max Cleland?
President Obama’s choice to be in charge of the American Battle Monuments Commission is a grievously wounded Vietnam veteran, twice decorated for bravery. Former U.S. Senator Max Cleland, who lost his Senate seat in an ugly and controversial re-el... read more
GE Attorney Nominated to Head Justice Division Investigating GE
Attorneys at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been shaking their heads over President Barack Obama’s choice of Ignacia Moreno to lead the Department of Justice’s environment division.
An investigation by ProPublica found six... read more
Ambassador to Denmark: Who is Laurie Fulton?
A major fundraiser for President Barack Obama, Laurie S. Fulton, the new U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, has spent most of her career in Washington, DC, first in the U.S. Senate, where she met her first husband, Tom Daschle, and later as a partner in ... read more
Ambassador to the United Kingdom: Who Is Louis Susman?
Like his recent predecessors, President Barack Obama has turned to a major financial contributor, rather than a career diplomat, to serve as Ambassador to Great Britain. Louis B. Susman is a retired lawyer, business executive and banker. Although ... read more
Ambassador to the Vatican: Who is Miguel Diaz?
In the 25 years since the United States established formal diplomatic ties with the Vatican, Miguel H. Diaz represents the first time a Catholic academic expert (and Hispanic) has been selected to be U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. A theologian a... read more
NASA Administrator: Who Is Charles F. Bolden, Jr.?
President Obama has chosen a former astronaut and Marine Corps aviator with strong ties to the defense industry to lead NASA in its transition from the Space Shuttle era to the next phase of space exploration. Born in the Jim Crow South, retired M... read more
Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Who Is Gregory Jaczko?
On May 13, 2009, President Obama turned to Gregory B. Jaczko, a PhD physicist with critical views of the nuclear power industry to chair the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is the foremost agency overseeing atomic energy. Senate confirm... read more
Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service: Who Is Michael Michener?
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack turned on March 23, 2009, to fellow Iowan Michael Michener to be the next Administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). FAS has primary responsibility for USDA’s international activities, including... read more
National Endowment for the Arts: Who is Rocco Landesman?
Rocco Landesman, the man whom President Barack Obama hopes can revive the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has had an eclectic career. In addition to producing plays and musicals on Broadway, Landesman has owned race horses and several minor... read more
Consumer Product Safety Commission: Who is Inez Moore Tenenbaum?
One of Barack Obama’s most important victories during his run for the Democratic nomination in 2008 came in South Carolina, where he easily defeated rival Hillary Clinton. Of the many local officials who backed Obama over Clinton, Inez Moore Tenen... read more
Obama Health Czar Made Millions from Heavily Investigated Corporations
Nancy-Ann DeParle, President Barack Obama’s health reform czar, knows a thing or two (or four) about the dark underbelly of the medical industry, after serving on the boards of numerous companies accused of illegal activities. Following her resign... read more
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs: Who Is Robert O. Blake, Jr.?
To handle U.S. interests in one of the most volatile and important regions of the world, President Barack Obama has turned to veteran diplomat Robert O. Blake, Jr., who has experience in the region and whose father was a prominent diplomat as well... read more