Desiree Rogers On Managing the Highest-Profile Social Scene

Washington Post:

She ran a billion-dollar utility company in Chicago and now is the most influential event planner on the planet, a woman empowered to use 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to set the cultural tone for the Obama era.

Desiree Rogers, 49, is the White House's glamorous new social secretary, a title that belies the magnitude of the job. She is responsible for arranging all the high-profile ceremonies and dinners for the first couple, and she has the power to summon the world's top cultural icons on short notice.

No detail escapes her eye. She says she is planning for the first time to ask the public to sign up on the Internet for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll instead of forcing 36,000 people to wait in line and she wants to have a regular online lottery to get ordinary Americans to state dinners. While her responsibilities are different from those she

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[indiematrix]

She's hawwwwwwwwwt!

[rf dude]

Winning such a lottery might spoil

my chances of winning the

$TATE lottery - the one

I need to to win to

pay my bills...
--

[MariaHopeful]

Nobody voted for you, Desiree! Stay in the background. Please!

[moda31]

her job is essentially a PR job, staying in the background is not part of her job description.

[ChiEg]

I don't remember white house social secretaries being this visible...

I always assumed the role of social secretary to be a rather discreet, behind the scenes, uber sophisticated production for and of whitehouse events mostly at the directive of the first lady...no?

The social secretary is usually a member of the first ladies team which includes a spokesperson and chief of staff. The spokesperson typically does the releases & communications on behalf of the first lady-

The proper protocol requires of this role the utmost discretion which she must abide to avoid what is begining to look a bit pedestrian with tacky undertones emanating from what should be an integral but invisible member of the whitehouse/first lady's senior team.

{A tad less of the self promotion too...its rather unbecoming!}

[Gogetter]

"I always assumed the role of social secretary to be a rather discreet, behind the scenes, uber sophisticated production for and of whitehouse events mostly at the directive of the first lady...no?"

Is that how you spend your time, making assumptions about the role of social secretary?

[ChiEg]

Not any more than you do responding to personal thoughts shared by others...

[duze]

Personally, I think Desiree Rogers is highly overrated. The plans she made for the inagural extertainment as well as the ball, were tepid at best. The entertainment was lacking and displayed the typicality that was almost expected. This was no place for rap, or hip hop. The entertainment after the swearing should have not been held outdoors. It was too cold especially for the children. The
neighborhood ball was ill lit, the music was bad and the song Beyonce sang was inapropriate. It did not fit the occassion. This was not the first time they met. The song only served to advertise Beyonce's upcoming film. She used the inagural ball as media hype. They danced the same song all night. Surely, Desiree could have planned for them to dance to other artists songs. I'm sure their were many artists that would have been overwhelmed to sing for the first couple. As far as Ms. Rogers looks, their average. There are many older women who don't look their age. Her style of wardrobe leaves something to be desired. Why would she attend fashion week in NY without stockings? Why would she only interchange one outfit. To me her taste and personal style leave much to be desired. I don't think she even hit her mark on either level.

[carnelld]

I agree with most of your observations. Especially regarding Beyonce. I was trying to understand
but Beyonce is a "booty shaker". That's her claim to fame.

The song "At Last" is a love song and I tried to understand its presence by stretching it to fit Obama's election. It was close but when song by Beyonce, it lost a lot.

I understand Obama is young.

The whole thing was surreal.

[moda31]

i'm pretty sure she didn't do the bulk of the inaugural planning, there was a separate committee organized to do that. entertainment after the swearing in shouldn't have been outdoors? um where exactly is the parade supposed to take place? how else were they to include the millions of people who wanted to be there and participate in the events? as for the children being cold, i'm assuming you're talking about the first kids since nobody can reasonably be expected to control the weather; the first family was in a perfectly warm viewing stand like they always are.
she was at fashion week for one day, how many outfits should she have worn exactly? she's not some celebutant that changes constantly in order to give the paparazzi a variety of shots to sell to the tabloids; and just maybe she didn't wear stockings because she simply didn't want to, her wardrobe choices belong to her alone. perhaps you should let the white house know that you'd do a better job as social secretary.

[dancerrrrr93]

She's 49??? Wow, when I saw the picture I thought she was 40, tops.

[hardlyhikin]

The thought of a lottery putting a Joe the Plumber type (left or right) at a state dinner is not very appealing Desiree; but maybe there could be an invitation by lottery dinner at the White House once or twice a year just for pr & good will. I'm thinking of an affair where a house painter would have an equal opportunity with a corporate CEO to have two minutes of Access to the President.

[duze]

Not very appealing at all. She should invite specific dignitaries, so that they have a better insight int the POTUS lifestyle. She may have very well bittenoff more than she can chew. I could have
thought of a lottery. Again, she's done nothing special. Overrated.

[Swatantra]

Desiree has beautiful arms too.
I'm loving the era of Beautiful Black Women as icons of fashion and physique.
Yup, love it what it is alright.

[Natalie4Obama]

Nice idea but it will attract many who want to go give Obama a hard time

[thelipstickfemme]

I like her thinking. I viewed one of her interviews and she really has an inclusive point of view. I like the internet lotto idea. Making people wait needlessly is so 70s.

[NeoLiberal]

Excellent idea.

Another example of a President of, by and for the people.

[Yovovi]

Sounds like she's got some great ideas. I hoep she doesn't overshadow her boss, Barack, or his boss, Michelle.

[ily2009]

aww....
i got that LOL!

[MJJM]

Oh Yeah! With her and Mrs. Obama, the white house is the place to be!!

[KatDawgATL]

This woman is tasty like "home-cooked food".

Sometimes I try to imagine what women like her and Michelle smell like up close.

-It's probably cause for salivating.

[Yovovi]

Stalker alert! Very creepy.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

What!!! Can we say, someone needs a social life! nasty

[Americanium]

Just another Republican influencing the Democratic Administration of President Obama

[KatDawgATL]

Que?

[JDJase]

ok...

[305Rider]

what?

[Americanium]

She is a card carrying Republican... Even a delegate the RNC.