New White House social secretary is prodigious Obama fund-raiser

Telegraph UK ^ | 28 Feb 2010 | Toby Harnden

[opentalk]

The finance director of President Barack Obama's 2008 election campaign and a long-time Washington rainmaker has been appointed the new White House social secretary.

Julianna Smoot, professional fund-raiser who helped Mr Obama raise more money than any other presidential candidate in history, will take over from Desiree Rogers, who resigned last week because it was "a good time for me to explore opportunities in corporate world".

The White House denied that Ms Rogers was forced out as a result of the debacle in November when gatecrashers managed to get into Mr Obama's first State Dinner.

By naming Ms Smoot as her successor, the president risks accusations of hypocrisy and reneging on his promise to "change Washington". In a statement, Mr Obama said that she "shares our commitment to creating an inclusive, dynamic and culturally vibrant White House".

Ms Rogers, resplendent in a gold and cream strapless Naeem Khan gown, was attending the November dinner at the time of the gatecrashing episode and none of her staff was with the Secret Service at the gate. Her departure is a major blow for Mr Obama.

Ms Smoot is best known in Washington as a prodigious fund-raiser with one of the best contact lists in politics.

She has worked for five senators and is likely to be much more acceptable to the traditional Washington establishment than Ms Rogers, who came to be viewed with disdain by the city's elite.

Among the most prominent figures calling for Ms Rogers's removal was Sally Quinn, Washington's most prominent socialite and wife of Ben Bradlee, the former Washington Post editor. Ironically, Ms Quinn lost her Washington Post column last week after writing about a family row in which a mix-up led to the weddings of her son and step-granddaughter being scheduled for the same day.

[Pit1]

Guilty.

[mojitojoe]