Obama chooses openly gay head of Import-Export Bank

[democrattotheend]

A source tells me Fred Hochberg, an openly gay former Clinton Administration official, will be named to head the Export-Import Bank.

Hochberg, who was deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration under Bill Clinton, was a prominent Clinton supporter in the primary, and a is a major donor to both Democratic and gay causes.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0109/Hochberg_to_head_ExIm.html?showall

Not quite a cabinet post, but a positive step.

[Captain Hilts]

1. How does the Ex-Im bank fit into the Gay Agenda?

[democrattotheend]

2. Huh?

Is this supposed to be snark?

[bigscott]

4. Us Homos

start with the banks - then the Hair Salons and Interior Design Studios. Before you know it we will be covering the White House in raffia and bows.

:sarcasm:

[Captain Hilts]

6. Sounds like a plan to me. Good luck!

[awoke_in_2003]

10. What about...

the Broadway Musicals?

[Thrill]

3. Some were pushing him for Commerce Secretary

[Jennicut]

5. But he is a former Clintonista! Oh no!

[FrenchieCat]

7. This is a good appointment, isn't it?

I'm not really hearing anything from the Gay Community on this. Is there a place where folks are talking about it at all?

[Thrill]

11. You won't see people praise picks like this

or even the Lesbian Family that is going to be with Obama on his Inaugural trip.

[ruggerson]

19. Sure you will, if the praise is deserved

There were a number of very qualified gay and lesbian officials who he could have tapped as cabinet officials. He went out of his way to tap a number of other constituencies, but out of 15 cabinet positions and six cabinet level positions, not one member of the GLBT community.

[Occam Bandage]

8. So, what's the outrage over this one?

[Maven]

9. No "outrage," however

it does little good as far as GLBT equality goes to appoint GLBT people to back-office positions no one cares about. The fact that Hochberg is gay means nothing as far as his duties at the Export-Import Bank, or any other position. However, it would have made a difference if he were appointed Secretary of Commerce, as a visible gay official and the first openly gay person in a cabinet position.

[Hekate]

12. The head of that bank's a "back office position"? Really?Can you get me one of those? Cause I'd love

... to have me some of that access and prestige and salary.

Hekate

[Grateful for Hope]

14. LOL!

Exactly.

[dsc]

20. Not from his perspective but from the general publics

Yes, he got a great job and I am sure he is thrilled. But no one, outside of the people who deal with the Import-Export bank will know who he is. If he had gotten commerce then way more people would have known him.

[Zynx]

23. Commerce Secretary is not a well known position either.

I know people who are political science majors here in Madison who did not even know there was a Secretary of Commerce, much less that he was Carlos Gutierrez.

[Bluenorthwest]

21. For what it is worth, Hochberg has no need for the salary

He already enjoys great wealth and the open doors that come with being a very sucessful business person who expanded a company he inherited. I'm sure the gig will expand his network and benefit him in that regard, but Hochberg will be taking a large step down in paygrade and in rank to do this service.

[ruggerson]

17. I agree. It's a letdown.

[dcindian]

13. Looks like a good pick.

He seems to have a great resume and a lot of lefty values.

[dsc]

15. I am glad he got the gig

but I will admit to wishing he got Commerce instead. For the reasons summed up, up thread.

[democrattotheend]

16. I agree

But it's a step at least. Maybe he will get to move into the cabinet later on. The more gays who are in even second-tier positions in the Administration the more of a bench there will be for openly gay cabinet secretaries or other government positions later on.

[dsc]

18. true

I will admit to a huge amount of disappointment with the fact that Obama apparently didn't even consider gays for most cabinet positions even though there were qualified gays out there. At best he considered two (Maxwell and this guy) but even then he may well not have since we have no real evidence he did. In Maxwell's case we have one article out of her hometown claiming she was in consideration (no source sited) and in his we don't even have that.

[treestar]

22. Sounds more powerful than merely giving the invocation

At the inauguration.

And just think how upset the freepers will be!