Fred Hochberg to be Named Chair of Export-Import Bank
Groups have been pushing for Fred Hochberg to be named Secretary of Commerce, but the Victory Fund has learned that Obama will name Hochberg Chair of the U.S. Export-Import Bank:
"[The bank] serves as the country’s official export credit agency, helping to finance the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets. Hochberg will be the bank’s first-ever openly gay chair. The LGBT community’s Presidential Appointments Project has been working with the Obama-Biden Transition Team to identify qualified openly LGBT Americans who are willing to serve their country as presidential appointees. Hochberg, who was appointed to head the Small Business Administration by President Bill Clinton, has been mentioned for several high-level positions in the Obama administration."
Said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund: "This is very good news. Fred Hochberg’s talent and business acumen will serve U.S. companies well. But he will also set an important example as an openly gay person in a top leadership position in the business community."
Obama to name Hochberg chair of Export-Import Bank [gay politics]
I think this is great news, perhaps he can show the business community how to operate in an upright, decent way and, show them that they can give the glbt communuty the same benefits as the rest of thier employees. Good luck to him!
Posted by: Luke | Jan 9, 2009 10:54:03 AM
Hochberg's a great guy. Too bad, like all other gays qualified for higher position, he's apparently not great enough for Obama....or do we have a new "Lavender Ceiling"—and The Messiah doesn't want any gays photographed sitting near him at Cabinet meetings. What's certain is that Obama just succeeded in muzzling from criticism of him one of the few gays in the DNC influential enough to hold his feet to the fire.
For those interested, you might want to print this for future reference, filed under "Cabinet/Cabinet Level Positions Gays Never Got" or "Under the Obama Bus/Back of the Obama Bus/Under the bus...."
PRESIDENT’S CABINET:
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security
CABINET-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION OFFICES:
Vice President of the United States
White House Chief of Staff
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Director of the National Drug Control Policy
United States Trade Representative
United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Posted by: Leland Frances | Jan 9, 2009 12:57:17 PM
Oh, please Leland Frances. This is a good thing and all you can do, as usual, is bitch and whine with your anger. Sure, it isn't the top post but it is a very good post and a chance for things to happen positively for gays. Obama has given appointments to gays in this administration and that is a step in the right direction.
Posted by: sam | Jan 9, 2009 1:37:47 PM
This is great news and a nice step in the right direction.
I've learned to ignore bitter old gays like Frances. They complain no matter what happens.
Posted by: Marty | Jan 9, 2009 5:41:52 PM
Yeah, shame on you Leland Frances. Why can't you be satisfied that we have just taken a step in the right direction that has resulted in us being exactly where we were in 1992 with President Clinton?
Anyone who isn't satisfied with "progressing" toward the early nineties is clearly a bitter, hateful, never satisfied bitch.
Of course these are the same people who are just tickled pick with Obama's choice of Warren and his appointment of Kaine to be DNC chair.
As my momma used to say, "if you set your goals and standards low enough you'll never be unsatisfied".
Posted by: Joe | Jan 10, 2009 6:50:08 PM
Joe, give me a break. Considering that we took a million steps back in the past eight years of Bush, yes it is a step in the right direction. Of course we need a lot more action, but for you to dismiss this short sighted. What are or Leland Frances doing to make sure we do have changes for the gay community? All I hear is a lot of bitching and whining here with no real solutions.
Posted by: sam | Jan 12, 2009 8:56:15 AM