Michelle's White House Staff Numbers, Sheesh!!!

[SEABREEZE 1957]

I read this yesterday & was appalled at the excessive number of staff that Michelle Obama has.

To be fair - I cannot find credible staff numbers for previous administrations, but 22 staffers for the first lady seems like overkill. Our taxpayer dollars hard at work.......

No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn’t perform any official duties. But this hasn’t deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession. Just think Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary.

How things have changed! If you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Miz Michele are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by John Q. Public:

1. $172,2000—Sher, Susan (Chief of Staff)
2. $140,000—Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
3. $113,000—Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000—Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000—Medina, David S. (Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000—Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000—Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000—Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000—Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
12. $62,000—Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator for the First Lady)
13. $60,000—Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500—Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary to the First Lady)
16. $50,000—Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide to the First Lady)
17. $45,000—Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)
18. Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director,Social office)
19. $40,000—Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000—Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)
21. Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

First Lady requires more than twenty attendants

Here's a link to the White House website with a list of all of the WH staff.

The White House - Blog Post - Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff

 

[G1G4]

1. $172,2000—Sher, Susan (Chief of Staff)
2. $140,000—Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
3. $113,000—Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000—Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000—Medina, David S. (Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000—Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000—Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000—Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000—Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
12. $62,000—Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator for the First Lady)
13. $60,000—Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500—Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary to the First Lady)
16. $50,000—Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide to the First Lady)
17. $45,000—Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)
18. Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director,Social office)
19. $40,000—Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000—Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)
21. Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

Everything in bold is useless.

 

[SEABREEZE 1957]

Everything in bold is useless.

1. $172,2000—Sher, Susan (Chief of Staff)
2. $140,000—Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
3. $113,000—Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000—Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000—Medina, David S. (Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000—Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000—Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000—Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000—Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)
12. $62,000—Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator for the First Lady)
13. $60,000—Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500—Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary to the First Lady)
16. $50,000—Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide to the First Lady)
17. $45,000—Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)
18. Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director,Social office)
19. $40,000—Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000—Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)
21. Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

The one's in blue are redundant......why do you need two people to do one job?

 

[Lenny]

Dude! Owning the White House is the largest minority jobs program the ONE could ever have hoped for.

 

[Alexa]

Everything in bold is useless.

Hmmm....Sheesh......they seem similar to the expenses Ms. Laura Bush had:


NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2007 White House Salary List

2007 Salaries
McBride, Anita B. Assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady $168,000.00

Harder, Cherie S. Special asistant to the president for domestic policy and director of project of the first lady $108,000.00

Niemiec, Sally M. Press secretary to the First Lady $90,000.00

Miller, Sonja M. Deputy chief of staff to the first lady $84,700.00

Ballard, Deanna M. Director of scheduling for the First Lady $75,000.00

Underwood, Carrie P. Deputy director of policy and projects for the First Lady $65,000.00

Wallace, Charity N. Director of advance for the First Lady $65,000.00

Marshall, Misty C. Director of correspondence for the first lady $59,700.00

Etter, Marisa L. Deputy director of scheduling for the First Lady $50,000.00

King, Kristin N. Deputy director of advance for the first lady $50,000.00

Lineweaver, Lindsey M. Special assistant and personal aide to the first lady $47,500.00

Rawson, Kimberly D. Executive assistant to the chief of staff to the First Lady $46,200.00

Donoghue , Tarah C. Deputy press secretary to the First Lady $43,000.00

Vogel, Campbell B. Deputy director of correspondence for the First Lady $42,500.00

Block, Jonathan F. Assistant press secretary to the First Lady $39,000.00
________________________________________________________

This list was comprised by the blues so they could complain in much the same fashion the reds are complaining now. Boy the teams just keep pullin it out of their........

 

[eddy1]

I read this yesterday & was appalled at the excessive number of staff that Michelle Obama has.

To be fair - I cannot find credible staff numbers for previous administrations, but 22 staffers for the first lady seems like overkill. Our taxpayer dollars hard at work.......

1. McBride, Anita B. Assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady $168,000.00
2. Harder, Cherie S. Special asistant to the president for domestic policy and director of project of the first lady $108,000.00
3. Niemiec, Sally M. Press secretary to the First Lady $90,000.00
4. Miller, Sonja M. Deputy chief of staff to the first lady $84,700.00
5. Ballard, Deanna M. Director of scheduling for the First Lady $75,000.00
6. Whitson, Susan Press Secretary to the first lady $72,400.00
7. Underwood, Carrie P. Deputy director of policy and projects for the First Lady $65,000.00
8. Wallace, Charity N. Director of advance for the First Lady $65,000.00
9. Miller, Sonja Marie Deputy Director of projects for the First lady $62,000.00
10. Marshall, Misty C. Director of correspondence for the first lady $59,700.00
11. Etter, Marisa L. Deputy director of scheduling for the First Lady $50,000.00
12. King, Kristin N. Deputy director of advance for the first lady $50,000.00
13. Lineweaver, Lindsey M. Special assistant and personal aide to the first lady $47,500.00
14. Rawson, Kimberly D. Executive assistant to the chief of staff to the First Lady $46,200.00
15. Donoghue , Tarah C. Deputy press secretary to the First Lady $43,000.00
16. Vogel, Campbell B. Deputy director of correspondence for the First Lady $42,500.00
17. Brakebbill Elizabeth Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff First lady $41,400.00.
18. Block, Jonathan F. Assistant press secretary to the First Lady $39,000.00

I found some other people with similar titles to Obama, but I figured I would just put down the ones we know are associated with First Lady Laura Bush. I don't like the current president, but I think we should be fair.

 

[eddy1]

Hmmm....Sheesh......they seem similar to the expenses Ms. Laura Bush had:

this list was comprised by the blues so they could complain in much the same fashion the reds are complaining now. Boy the teams just keep pullin it out of their........

I don't know what your politics are..I'm an independant. I believe we should be fair to both sides. Report the good with the bad. My list was from 2006.

 

[MMDad]

Wirelessly posted (Change we can believe in!: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.7) 320x240; VZW; Motorola-Q9c; Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard)

The thing I find funny is how liberals point to the Bush administration to justify everything "The Won" does.

Is that "change?" Wasn't his big slam on McCain that he would just repeat Bush's "failed policies?"

Copying something that is wrong doesn't make it right.

 

[G1G4]

Hmmm....Sheesh......they seem similar to the expenses Ms. Laura Bush had:


NATIONAL JOURNAL: 2007 White House Salary List

2007 Salaries
McBride, Anita B. Assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady $168,000.00

Harder, Cherie S. Special asistant to the president for domestic policy and director of project of the first lady $108,000.00

Niemiec, Sally M. Press secretary to the First Lady $90,000.00

Miller, Sonja M. Deputy chief of staff to the first lady $84,700.00

Ballard, Deanna M. Director of scheduling for the First Lady $75,000.00

Underwood, Carrie P. Deputy director of policy and projects for the First Lady $65,000.00

Wallace, Charity N. Director of advance for the First Lady $65,000.00

Marshall, Misty C. Director of correspondence for the first lady $59,700.00

Etter, Marisa L. Deputy director of scheduling for the First Lady $50,000.00

King, Kristin N. Deputy director of advance for the first lady $50,000.00

Lineweaver, Lindsey M. Special assistant and personal aide to the first lady $47,500.00

Rawson, Kimberly D. Executive assistant to the chief of staff to the First Lady $46,200.00

Donoghue , Tarah C. Deputy press secretary to the First Lady $43,000.00

Vogel, Campbell B. Deputy director of correspondence for the First Lady $42,500.00

Block, Jonathan F. Assistant press secretary to the First Lady $39,000.00
________________________________________________________

This list was comprised by the blues so they could complain in much the same fashion the reds are complaining now. Boy the teams just keep pullin it out of their........

Yeah, I guess I forgot that what the Bush's did outweigh whatever the Obamas will do. Forgive me for offending the chosen one.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

The numbers would appear to be similar but MO's list has five staffers with no listed salary.

































Perhaps the Czar for Transparency in Government forgot to list that information.

 

[eddy1]

The numbers would appear to be similar but MO's list has five staffers with no listed salary.

Perhaps the Czar for Transparency in Government forgot to list that information.

I found the same thing with Bush, I didn't write them down because people would say I was hiding something. I supported president Bush, voted for him twice. I don't like President Obama.

I just think if we are going to critisize, go after the correct thing like his now and soon to be failed policies where he is trying to socialize this country.

Otherwise, people sound just like those petty idiots that would go after Bush for the same nonsense.

 

[Nonno]

Dude! Owning the White House is the largest minority jobs program the ONE could ever have hoped for.

So very true!

 

[hvp05]

Otherwise, people sound just like those petty idiots...

It's not petty if it's true, which much of the complaints about Bush were not. When this man promised to promote transparency, and when he claims to be 'an average guy' and then turns and does something elitist that signifies either deceit or ignorance. That was the issue with them renting that $50K/week house in Cape Cod.

Michelle seems to be getting less for more money, too. She has more handlers than Laura did yet still does dumb stuff like going to a homeless shelter in fancy clothing and taking whirlwind shopping trips.

They are sitting high on piles of our money... being concerned about that is decidedly not petty.

 

[eddy1]

It's not petty if it's true, which much of the complaints about Bush were not. When this man promised to promote transparency, and when he claims to be 'an average guy' and then turns and does something elitist that signifies either deceit or ignorance. That was the issue with them renting that $50K/week house in Cape Cod.

Michelle seems to be getting less for more money, too. She has more handlers than Laura did yet still does dumb stuff like going to a homeless shelter in fancy clothing and taking whirlwind shopping trips.

They are sitting high on piles of our money... being concerned about that is decidedly not petty.

But they are doing nothing more than what the Bush's did. Again, I don't like the guy, but you lend credibility to those who would say that people are only critisizing him because of politics.

She doesn't have any more handlers than Laura did, and I'm sure if these idiots wanted to they could find gaffs that Larua made. After all, she's human.

Keep to the message that the guy is ruining the country and you will have more credibility than trying to find petty issues to complain about.

So what the guy pays 50K rent. He's a multimillionaire, it's his money.

 

[poster]

1. $172,2000—Sher, Susan (ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE FIRST LADY)
2. $140,000—Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
3. $113,000—Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary)
4. $102,000—Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the First Lady)
5. Winter, Melissa E. (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
6. $90,000—Medina, David S. (Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
7. $84,000—Lelyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)
8. $75,000—Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)
9. $70,000—Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady)
10. $65,000—Burnough, Erinn J. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) for the family?
11. Reinstein, Joseph B. (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary) for the family?12. $62,000—Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator for the First Lady)
13. $60,000—Fitts, Alan O. (Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)
14. Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)
15. $52,500—Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary to the First Lady)
16. $50,000—Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide to the First Lady)
17. $45,000—Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)
18. Tubman, Samantha (Deputy Associate Director,Social office) for the family?
19. $40,000—Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
20. $36,000—Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary) for the family?
21. Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)for the family?
22. Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

To me it looks like 11 of the 22 listed are ONLY working for the first lady, the rest are either for the presidency as a whole or have multiple job titles.

That doesn't seem excessive to me.

 

[czygvtwkr]

Why does a first lady (any first lady) need that much of a staff? It wouldn't surprise me if they had an official butt wiper and assistant to the official butt wiper.

 

[eddy1]

Why does a first lady (any first lady) need that much of a staff? It wouldn't surprise me if they had an official butt wiper and assistant to the official butt wiper.

Well you are a crazy government worker...is this amongst your responsibilities? lol

 

[czygvtwkr]

Well you are a crazy government worker...is this amongst your responsibilities? lol

I haven't made it up that far yet.

 

[Alexa]

I don't know what your politics are..I'm an independant. I believe we should be fair to both sides. Report the good with the bad. My list was from 2006.

So do I, So do I........but if your truly independent that you can't help but notice that the more things change the more they stay the same. This crap was pulled against Laura Bush too. What does that tell you.

 

[Alexa]

Wirelessly posted (Change we can believe in!: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.7) 320x240; VZW; Motorola-Q9c; Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard)

The thing I find funny is how liberals point to the Bush administration to justify everything "The Won" does.

Is that "change?" Wasn't his big slam on McCain that he would just repeat Bush's "failed policies?"

Copying something that is wrong doesn't make it right.

The point being made is that the current first lady isn't doing anything that the prior first ladies did when they held the role. Yes, people tend to point the previous administration for comparisons, but at least in this case, it has nothing to do with Bush bashing. If anyone had cited Hillary Clinton as an example, well the obvious response would have been to malign her on Party lines. Before that Barbara Bush....Can't help but hit a Bush....Reagan......that was quite some time ago, but Nancy Reagan was no less staffed.

Sometimes, it is just a natural progression to refer to the last Republican in office for comparison. It happens to be Bush and would be Bush again if we were to follow the trail. There isn't always an ulterior motive in the lines.