Openly Gay Labor Activist Mary Beth Maxwell Shortlisted as Labor Secy
When President-Elect Barack Obama said he would "change" Washington, he wasn't joking. Via Gay Politics and the Victory Fund is news that Mary Beth Maxwell, the founding executive director of American Rights at Work, is a top choice as Obama’s choice as
Secretary of Labor. Maxwell would be the nation's first openly gay cabinet secretary.
The Wall Street Journal broke the news last night:
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.
Marc Ambinder reports Maxwell is being veted along with Govs. Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. Sebelius was an early and prominent Obama supporter and obviously has the inside track.
Aside from the obvious symbolism of having an openly gay cabinet secretary, Maxwell is supremely qualified and is a true progressive. (Read her posts at The Huffington Post.) After the decimation of OSHA, overtime mandates and collective bargaining by "Labor" Secretary Elaine Chao and the Bush Administration, it's about time a union or labor activist was running Labor.
Union Activist Maxwell on Short List [WSJ]
Maxwell on Short List for Obama’s Labor Secretary [GP]
THis is something I was hoping for: a OPENLY gay cabinet member in President Obama's Administration.
Sometimes the chief executive of the country can force a change of mind on the rest of the country (LBJ appointing Thurgood Marshall).
It would send a powerful message about Obama's (and the Democratic Party's) promise of inclusion; and more importantly, that Gay Americans are a fact of life--and some are even respected enough to be appointed as decision makers in the highest offices of the land. (well, we've actually already had some powerful homos, but they weren't out of the closet).
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | 03 December 2008 at 13:23
Names Derrick names! lol
Are we talking about ambiguous folks like Ms. Condi?
Posted by: Otis | 03 December 2008 at 16:26
always trying to drag someone out of the closet...
you dont know what is going on in Dr. Rice's personal life.
Posted by: GnPG | 03 December 2008 at 16:37
G I totally agree about the Dr. Rice comment... speculation without evidence is sad and dangerous.
With that said... it is good to see how inclusive Obama's Cabinet is becoming. it is definitely a good time to be in DC.
Posted by: C. Baptiste-Williams | 03 December 2008 at 16:45
No I don't know her personal life 'G' which is why I referred to her jokingly as 'ambiguous'.
C Baptiste if you took the time to google Condi + lesbian, there has been speculation for years going back to the late 90s when she was Provost at Stanford University and living with and sharing a line of credit with a female documentary filmmaker. Maybe they were just good girlfriends, but it’s enough to make you go hmmmmm.
Posted by: Otis | 03 December 2008 at 19:06
like you said Otis... speculation. try spending more time worried about your own personal life than trying to 'out' someone who may not be gay.
and life isnt black and white just because you think something may be 'ambiguous' there could be several reasons to why it is what it is.
Posted by: GnPG | 04 December 2008 at 07:37
lol @ took the time to google...
i dont have time to research speculation and gossip and if i did i would research Barack and his birth certificate from "kenya" or another ludicris story
Posted by: C. Baptiste Williams | 04 December 2008 at 12:18
Reading Is Fundamental G. Speculation is just that, speculation. I asked a question…didn’t make a STATEMENT about her orientation. You may be new here so some homework might be necessary. There’s a lot of good natured speculation on this blog. Just check out past postings of Bow Wow and Omarion. Its all in fun so lighten up.
Posted by: Otis | 04 December 2008 at 13:14
funny...people routinely assume that people are straight from mere appearances...and yet...that never seems to ruffle any feathers...
gay is not the new black...just the same ole...taboo...
Posted by: aaronthemoor | 04 December 2008 at 17:14
Just to set a record straight: Condi Rice and Randy Bean are very good friends. Rice and Bean own title to Bean's home because Bean had very severe cash flow problems several years ago and Condi cosigned a mortgage to Bean's home to help get Bean's home refinanced. Condi does not live with Bean.
Bean has, at least once, "come out" as a straight woman, denying any romantic relationship with Rice and saying that they have been friends for 20 years.
This does not mean that Condi is not gay. It simply means that Condi and Randy Bean are not in a relationship.
Posted by: section9 | 14 December 2008 at 23:05