obama

The following article written by Puerto Rican reporter, Jesús Dávila addreses some interesting issues concerning the status question in Puerto Rico and Obama. Read and pass on…. [click to continue...]

Obama sets record for top Hispanics

By MIKE ALLEN

The Politico (December 16, 2008)

President-elect Obama has already broken White House records for the number of top Hispanic officials, and is expected to name two more in the next day or two, according to transition officials.

“Based on what I can cull from records, we have more Hispanics in senior positions in this White House than under either President Bush or President Clinton,” incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said in an interview.

“Diversity wasn’t the driving force here,” Emanuel added. “I’m proud of the fact that it is a diverse staff. But most importantly, the quality is of a single standard. We wanted to make sure that we got a great staff of seasoned people — both on the policy front and on the political front — who know their stuff.”

Emanuel said that was achieved partly by drawing from a combination of the campaign, Capitol Hill and policy-development organizations.

According to research by the Obama transition:

•  The maximum number of Latino Assistants to the President at any one time was two: under President Bill Clinton in 1998 and 2000.

•  The maximum number of Latino Assistants and Deputy Assistants to the President combined at any one time was five — in the current Bush White House and in the Clinton White House in 1998.

Obama has already named these well-known Hispanics to his government:

•  New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be secretary of commerce

•  Nancy Sutley to be Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality

•  Moises “Mo” Vela to be Director of Administration, Office of the Vice President

•  Louis Caldera to run the White House Military Office

•  Cecelia Muñoz to be director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

The following announcements are likely in the next day or two:

•  U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), for secretary of the interior

•  Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión is rumored to be the president-elect’s choice to head the new White House Office of Urban Policy.

You might be wondering what is the relationship between sports and Obama? Well the truth is that I just wanted to express my feeling on this historic election and needed a spin to publish it on our sports web site. However, with a little stretch we can make a slight correlation.

For example, yesterday I was in Harlem, at the Harlem State Office Building on 125th St. and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard along with what appeared to be approximately another 50 thousand strong waiting for the election results on a giant TV screen. It was an incredible experience, especially since I have never done this before. Though I have an extensive back round in electoral politics, I have never felt this closely tied to any election. I believe that after having the worst eight years of what could possibly go down in history as the worst two terms of any President in recent memory had a lot to do with it. [click to continue...]