Desirée Rogers Plays Powerful Role In 'Brand Obama' (SLIDESHOW)

In a lengthy feature article on Desirée Rogers, the Wall Street Journal Magazine writes that the White House Social Secretary has played a powerful role in creating "Brand Obama," thanks, in large part, to the conga line-generating parties she throws and her fabulous sense of style.

In March, Huffington Post readers voted Rogers "Washington's Best-Dressed Woman." See the slideshow below.

WSJ's Amy Chozick writes about the Rogers' fashion fascination, and how what Rogers wears even stirs some debate in the White House press office:

Right before the Governors' Ball, the first black-tie official dinner of the Obama administration, Rogers floated hurriedly through the Bookseller's Room wearing a black floor-length ball gown by Sari Gueron that hugged her waist. She whispered in a tuxedoed usher's ear and made sure everything was in place for the 130 guests who would be arriving soon. "Desirée, what dress is that? Come back!" a reporter yelled when she saw Rogers rush through the bare marble reception room. Her new public role means she has to be more careful of her image. During a photo shoot for this magazine, Rogers seems of two minds about whether to wear an Oscar de la Renta ball gown provided by WSJ. for a shot in the First Lady's Garden. With a negative from the deputy press secretary, Rogers demurs.

• • • • • • • • • • • She's only been in Washington for a little over two months, but Chicago transplant Desiree Rogers has already been crowned the District's best-dressed woman by Huffington Post readers. Here she stands with Michelle Obama as she welcomes guests for a celebration of Women's History Month on March 19th.

Comments

[flossophy]

07:06 PM on 05/04/2009

"Desirée Rogers Plays Powerful Role In 'Brand Obama'..."

Is this troubling to anyone? Why does our President need a brand or a slick logo?

[ElsaIndy]

07:44 PM on 05/04/2009

This marketing did not start with the Obamas but they are certainly using marketing to sell themselves. I think MO will pay a price for having her image designed for her by Mrs.Rogers. We really do not know who the real MO is although I am not sure it really matters anyway but it is a diversion from the bad economic news that will plague the Obama term in office. The marketing of the presidents goes way back to the Kennedys and certainly Reagan brought the whole thing to a new level with his flags and so on. It is disconcerting that the Obamas use marketing as they do because most who voted for them wanted a change to a new level of honesty.

[ChiEg]

04:01 AM on 05/05/2009

You've got to be kidding right...?!

The fact that Ms Rogers flippantly takes credit for "branding" the Obama's does not necessarily mean it's true...

Feel free to search through old youtube videos of the Obama's and you'll be struck by how very consistent they've stayed...

And it's no thanks to Desiree Rogers, "branding" or any other remote or random person or thing...

[ndnndpendent]

01:11 PM on 05/04/2009

This is a nice fluff piece, however, there are a good many of us Americans that are still hurting and we have not seen any benefit of the stimulus package. All of the Obama branding will not do any good if he follow through on his message of change. We are still as ignored by Washington as before?

[HateHater123]

04:26 PM on 05/04/2009

Absolutely agree. All the Hollywood-style PR in the world can't rekindle this dwindling romance. We aren't quite THAT stupid yet. It hasn't escaped notice that hearing what we want to hear, and seeing results, are two different things. Personally, I am deeply offended by the full-tilt "marketing" of our President. It rubs our faces in the fact that VALUES have been replaced by COMMERCIALISM, which increasingly resembles PROPAGANDA. The President is obviously on-board for having his face plastered on everything, everywhere. Very discouraging.

[David Bledsoe]

12:58 PM on 05/04/2009

Having lived in Chiacgo my whole life, I have followed her career and have been amazed at her ability to brand herself despite not having really done anything. She ran the Illinios lottery (yawn) took that to Commonwelth Edison and ended up as their President. Leaves to go to Allstate to be the head of their Social Networking (for 2-months) before leaving to join the White House. She is completely useless, and got the job because she is friends with the Obamas.

[MariaHopeful]

04:51 PM on 05/03/2009

Is someone trying to CREATE a problem for the WH? Deliberately promote a rivalry between these two ladies?

That being said, I really think that Ms. Rogers is far too visible. She needs to step back and do in her work in the background. She is NOT the FLOTUS. Nobody voted for her. On another matter, people need to stop saying that Michelle is more popular than the President. She is not. To ask about her job performance and to use that figure to support her being more popular is very misleading. Michelle will not get 100,000 people to come see her. Her husband can - easily.

[sbrown80]

11:46 PM on 05/03/2009

Your'e so dramatic. It's normal for a first lady to be popular than the president. Previous first ladies were more popular (except HRC) than their husbands. Reason: They are not tackling controversial policy issues.

[KillBillV2]

10:51 PM on 05/04/2009

Sorry to burst your bubble, but just because MO has a little higher approval rating than President Obama it doesn't make her more popular by any means it just means that she doesn't have a real job that would cause anyone to disapprove of.

She could never get 200,000 people to come out and hear her speak, sorry.

[DCDemInsider]

12:00 PM on 05/03/2009

Our previous Dem First Lady was never into status symbols.

But acquiring them seems to be MOs hobby.

She seems very, very desirous to be seen as classy. Which to MO means expensive.

See the Rezko house, $600 sneakers, mink coats, champagne (her confessed fave drink), a designer "Kennedy" dog and her now hidden mink coat.

(Though she now hides her mink coat, they bought it at the time they now say they couldnt afford to give any money in charitable contributions because they were overburdened by those pesky student loans)

[Indie2008]

12:55 PM on 05/03/2009

All that negative energy is a drag and can cause unnecessary stress. .and for what?

[DCDemInsider]

12:55 PM on 05/04/2009

truth is truth.

[loveobamas]

04:39 PM on 05/03/2009

Oh please,you're just mad because you can't afford her sneaker.

[DCDemInsider]

01:01 PM on 05/04/2009

LOL!

yeah thats it!

brilliant!

maybe you wanna be stupid, selfish and rich, not me, I despise money...

Im a labor union socialist you see, I think $600 are sinful, not chic.

[DCDemInsider]

11:29 AM on 05/03/2009

"Desirée "

ooh... what a "classy" name.

yet so "real"

so like the Obamas..

[mlr710]

07:06 AM on 05/04/2009

Wow......you're sad.

[globalcitizenlinda]

12:33 AM on 05/03/2009

Some of the snocky comments here indicate that a number of people do not know that Desiree is one of Michelle's closest friend and that they go way back so MO would not have hired her if she was not comfortable with their relationship

[Sarah2000]

10:53 PM on 05/02/2009

I have to be honest I prefer Rogers sense of style and dress to the First Lady's but that's just my personal preference, I love and wear a lot of black.They both look great. I do wonder though why Rogers seems to be placing herself always just inside the frame of the camera with FLOTUS. She is turning out to be one of the most photographed white house social secretaries ever. Shouldn't she be way way way over to side somewhere...out of the glare of the camera? Is it a good idea for her be granting interviews about herself and posing for fancy photospreads? What happened to behind the scenes meaning just that...behind the scenes..unseen.

[sbrown80]

12:37 AM on 05/03/2009

I'm sure you and Rogers can get together and spend Saturday night blogging about how great she looks. But FLOTUS has a date w/ POTUS tonight.

[DCDemInsider]

11:29 AM on 05/03/2009

gag

[Sarah2000]

10:40 AM on 05/04/2009

Please don't be an Obama Stan...plus if you had read my entire comment you would see that even though I may like Roger's taste in fashion, I am very critical of the amount of press that she seems to generating for herself and submitting too. I can not recall a time when the white house social secretary was on the cover of WSJ. And don't think for one minute that a woman as intelligent and experienced as Rogers doesn't know what she is doing.

She's talking about branding the Obamas...when really she's just out the brand herself and I hope that it doesn't end up bringing negative attention to the administration in some way in the long run...people love scandel...Rogers seems capable of brining it.

[Dr Manhattan]

09:29 PM on 05/02/2009

M. Obama had better keep D. Rogers behind the curtains in wings cause it obvious who has style and who needs help.

[loveobamas]

09:33 PM on 05/02/2009

But who's the First Lady Of The United States,Not Desirre.Michelle have no need to worry about anything.

[ladylove114]

11:00 PM on 05/02/2009

Ms. Rogers is very pretty and stylish. But for everyone bashing Michelle here, I think it takes a confident and secure woman to have someone like Ms. Rogers around. Michelle is not intimidated or she would not have her working there. I think that speaks well of Michelle.

[mollie100]

11:29 AM on 05/03/2009

Well stated!

[loveobamas]

09:02 PM on 05/02/2009

Sometimes our eyes see the side of a person that we want to see. Sometimes our hearts just don’t chase after the good in what we see.
Sometimes we just don’t want to see at all.

Mrs Obama, First Lady, THE Lady! Your presence does not mean the same to everyone. I am greatful for your beginning. I have confidence for the end results. That’s enough for me to think of life more positively, and that is what my future encouragement to others will be.I Love Our First Lady and PoliticalAmazon kick rocks sumwhere.

[luvangelHussein330]

03:45 AM on 05/03/2009

Amen!!
Thanks for those words...I could not have said it better myself

[Deparis]

07:55 PM on 05/02/2009

Somebody please tell me she's single!

[yasmeen]

08:46 PM on 05/02/2009

divorced with a teen daughter. her husband is still friends with her and a best friend of the obamas.

[moonchild71]

05:19 PM on 05/02/2009

It's wonderful to see smart, intelligent, savvy, beautiful women, who also happen to be mothers either working or living in the white house... do your thing Desiree!

[AngieMom57]

03:32 PM on 05/02/2009

Wonderful, two powerful, intelligent women!

It has been my observation that women are a bit, and not always, yet a bit more resistant to the privileged disease of corruption.

I just hope these two are taking their placebos ;-)

Now back to the women who are not privileged and powerful and are at the mercy for the corrupt and dysfunctional injustice...Your opinion matters at www.whitehouse.gov

Off topic yet not by much. Thought you would want to know. People killing people, how antiquated.

"Iranian authorities executed Delara Darabi on Friday morning, Amnesty International has revealed."

http://www.amnesty.org/

[PoliticalAmazon]

02:51 PM on 05/02/2009

So this is the deal. Rogers looks better than MO in every one of those pictures. Rogers looks like the FLOTUS, and MO looks like Rogers' aid.

I'm not saying Rogers is conscious of what she is doing, but clearly she is dressing herself as the FLOTUS and MO as her own aide.

[sbrown80]

03:00 PM on 05/02/2009

MO has the man and Rogers doesn't. Women tend to dress to impress other women or a doggish man. But the woman w/ the good man are the ones who dress 4 themselves. It shows confidence and acknowledgment of your own beauty.

[sbrown80]

03:13 PM on 05/02/2009

I'm sure at night, the president doesn't care what the first lady has on. And u r jealous.

[repugnicansfearme]

08:01 PM on 05/02/2009

Rogers is not the hottie, not by a stretch. The First Lady, on the other hand, is damned pretty. But, don't tell me how hot Rogers is, not buying it.

[generationyes]

03:25 PM on 05/02/2009

Still grinding that ax, huh?

[PoliticalAmazon]

05:49 PM on 05/02/2009

Still using illogical fallacies, huh? Still attack the poster and not the opinion, huh?

[mwoman]

02:42 PM on 05/02/2009

Rogers looks great. She has wonderful fashion sense, and the aplomb to carry it off.