Mary Beth Maxwell, Labor Secretary?

The Wall Street Journal reports on Obama's possible pick for Labor Secretary, Mary Beth Maxwell:

For the rainbow cabinet of the nation's first African American president, Mary Beth Maxwell is the perfect labor secretary you've probably never heard of: a gay woman, community organizer and labor leader with an adopted African American son. And this founding executive director of American Rights at Work is about to get the full-court press.

Maxwell already had the strong backing of former Rep. David Bonior, who despite repeated attempts to get his name removed from consideration continues to be on the short list of potential labor secretaries. Bonior, 63 years old, says it is time for his generation to turn over power to a new generation, and Maxwell, whose labor-backed organization pushes for expanded collective bargaining rights, is his pick.

As Marc Ambinder notes, "Maxwell, who'd be the first openly gay cabinet secretary, is being vetted for the job, along with Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas."

Read Maxwell's blog posts for HuffPost.

Comments

[NoblesseOblige]

Rachel, please comment on this story. We need some sanity from either you or Anderson.

[SeanGardner]

Wow. This woman is tight!!!! This has the qualifications and background. And, because gays and lesbians are not only a key constituent of the Democratic Party (and participants in this thing called Democracy), why can't they be represented by someone who is openly gay?

I know people will say that it doesn't matter, you know, the person's color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, party affiliation, religious preference, or geographical location. But of course it does. Yes, the person should be qualified to do the job. Ok. But tell me that none of the variables I laid about above don't matter. Mountains of data prove otherwise.

Obama has indicated that he wants to run a coalition government. He wants people who are certainly qualified to do the job. But he wants people who are advancing, improving, and transforming the lives of our country, while visually reflecting this country.

From his cabinet, to the foreign service, to the Supreme Court, his 9,000 plus hires will embody the differences that make us unique, and, the commonalities that bring us together.

Maxwell should be selected: http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/42099-mary-beth-maxwell-on-why-can-t-america-have-human-rights.

[happyboston]

WOW! thanks for the video!! judging from that (that's all i have at the moment), she seems awesome. i can't wait to hear more about her.

[Giada]

Interesting ...

I hope this works out .... I'm enjoying the diversity.

[MMSmith]

I don't think it should matter if she is gay! It is important that she has grassroots experience, which is the only way to really know how the Labor factions work. She looks like she means business. Unfortunately, the reason why the Labor Department can never keep up with growing trends in manufacturing, etc. is because they seem to have a 2 year job prospective. I think this time we need to go whole hog and keep our labor secretary for at least 4 years. One thing is for sure, only women can understand FLEX-TIME issues. Kathleen Sebelius is a good Governor, she is a fighter, however, not a Labor Sec. I know everyone is itching to put her somewhere, maybe agriculture Sec. because she knows all about the crops needed for bio fuels. Perhaps she can find her conscience and let small sustainable farms get some subsidies instead of the factory farms. If Obama takes Sebelius, Kansas will have another Republican Governor...KS needs all the help they can get. Missouri might as well be Alaska. There is hope for Nebraska yet!

[creston heltzel]

It would be very cool if Maxwell was the pick. I'm not that familiar with her, or her politics, but assuming they check out it would be nice for a gay American in a cabinet position. I think that a gay cabinet official would be an important step forward in assuring that gay Americans have the same rights as everybody else, especially in the workplace.

[ImWithThatOne]

If he chooses her this would be a bold pick. I can't say I've ever heard of her, but wow, a community organizer to work for the Organizer-in-Chief, I have to say, very compelling. Don't think her sexuality matters here, all O cares about is if the people are qualified. We've seen he doesn't hire people because of favors.

[starboymikey]

This will probably cause more Republican apoplexy than any other nomination. Just watch the religious right go balistic on her.

[Trina44]

Your right I don't think she'll get it. The Republicans would cause way to much drama over this pick.

[heal57]

I say she gets it. It's 2008; almost 2009. Who cares about sexual orientation; the republicans and the religious right will just have to deal with it. O wants qualified people and it would seem she is that so let the neocons have their hissy fit....too bad.

[chuk98death]

Who cares about what the repubs think, if she is the best person for the job Obama will select her. Simple.

[MadJeffersonian]

Yeah...Republicans would rather have ignorant, incompetent heterosexuals.

[propitiousmoment]

...or ignorant, incompetent closet gays.

[happyboston]

it's about time the lunatic fringe stop being so heavily weighted in these decisions

[JohnnyJeter]

I think this would be terrific on any number of levels.

But one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that Obama has gone with all baby boomers to this point. When will he throw a bone to the "youngsters?" I believe Maxwell is in her late 30s/early 40s.

Also, Granholm has already expressed her opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, so her nomination would be a huge slap in the face of the labor movement.

If it matters, Maxwell also has deep ties to the Catholic Church as well as other faith communities.

[happyboston]

i would love to see some young blood!

[iwantpie]

His speechwriter is in his 20's. A youngsters one would say.

[moda31]

he's hired plenty of people in their early 40s, maybe not for the most prominent appointments but certainly for other important roles.

[GAPeach99]

He's got and will have young people all over his staff. You want a 20-yr old cabinet member?

[cdub1991]

http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/42099-mary-beth-maxwell-on-why-can-t-america-have-human-rights

Hey, this woman kinda rocks. If Obama were to choose her, I suspect much could be forgiven by the left wing of the party. She seems to be a truly strong advocate for labor. That far outweighs anything having to do with her sexuality.

[BobSF94117]

outweighs?

[cdub1991]

No negative intent there. Labor's had it's rear kicked for the last quarter century. They need a warrior in Washington and she might well fit that bill. I do think that it would be a shame if everything were to boil down to a conversation about who she sleeps with, which should be irrelevant.

[JohnDewey]

Good catch.

I'm guessing cdub1991didn't even realize the implications of what s/he wrote, but still, words do matter.

On a related note, what is up with the the creepy homophobia from all of these ostensibly left-wing posters?

[cdub1991]

I did respond, but it seems to has been "bagged" by the filter. I didn't intend anything negative by the statement. Labor has had a rough time for the past quarter century and they need a serious champion in Washington. Maxwell seems to fit the bill, so I think it would be a shame if this became a conversation only about who she sleeps with. The conversation should be about the state of American labor. In my opinion--of course.

[MomfromTexas]

Wow! She's fabulous!!! Thanks for the link.

[GuyFawkes]

I meant, commonly known in Arizona, not that she's only gay in Arizona. Butterfingers.

[SPQR1052]

BINGO! But you did not hear it from me. I am not for one spreading rumors. We love Janet in Arizona. She can rope, ride and shot better than any man who has been this states chief executive in my almost 30 years of voting.

[GuyFawkes]

Isn't it a pretty much common knowledge that Janet Napolitano is a lesbian? At least in Arizona?

[JohnDewey]

Napolitano flat-out denied being a lesbian when she ran for Governor the first time. So, whether you take her at her word, or not, she is definitely NOT out of the closet & open about it.

At any rate, it's long past time that the U.S. has an out-of-the-closet member of the LGBT community in the cabinet or at some other comparable level. I think the Democratic Party has a particular responsibility on this since, much like the African-American community, a majority of out LGBT people have overwhelmingly supported the party over the years.

Further, shouldn't Dems be the open, honest and accepting counterweight to the GOP closet of shame & self-hatred? The Republicans were fine with a long list of queers, like J. Edgar Hoover, Roy Cohn, Mark Foley, Larry Craig, Ted Haggard, etcetera, as long as they hid & lied about who they were. Who can Democrats cite as evidence that they aren't as ashamed of us as the Republicans are? Even Barney Frank and Gerry Studds (R.I.P.) were forcibly outed due to scandals.

[cdub1991]

C'mon Barack--you've got to go for it. Things have been way too boring so far. Besides, we need more community organizers in government.

[lizziekw]

Wow. Well I hope Maxwell gets it but if she's up against Granholm and Sebelius her chances aren't good. The President-elect owes both of the other contenders for their help during the election, I don't know that he owes Maxwell anything.

We shall see.....

[theone718]

If Obama appointed by "favors" John Kerry would be our Secretary of State. He only cares about who the best person for the job is. However, Kathleen is both, she is loyal to Obama plus she has a pick at whatever job she wants to have. I think she will take Labor with the President of Penn State getting Education.

[suec03]

John Kerry will be important as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, filling Joe Biden's old job.

[Seven7s]

he owes John kerry also but we see he isnt SoS that belongs to HRC lol

[lizziekw]

True. Without Kerry giving him the keynote at the DNC in 2004, President-elect Obama would still be Senator Obama.

Kerry wanted the Secretary of State position and lobbied hard for it but he will have to wait. I wish they'd put him in charge of Veteran's Affairs but that may not be high profile enough. We'll see how it goes for him as the President-elect continues to roll out his choices.

[theone718]

I have no clue who this woman is. Time for a wikipedia search.

[truegreen]

Lol...you're crazy.