It’s already clear that the Obama administration will be doing things very differently, and this is reflected in the men and women the president has chosen to serve on his team. So far, they comprise one of the most diverse and talented groups to take the reins of government since Franklin D. Roosevelt assembled his “Brain Trust,” and those who have been appointed know they have an enormous task ahead as they deal with the economy, foreign policy, defense, and the terrorist threat.
Certain offices confer A-List status as a matter of course, whether their occupants are colorful – or duds. That’s why you’ll see the new vice president, attorney general and secretaries of state, defense treasury, and homeland security automatically replacing their Bush Administration counterparts. (We’ll miss the brainy and gracious Condoleezza Rice, but Hillary Rodham Clinton will also be “going places” – in both sense of the term.) Note also the addition of Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a Nobel-Prize-winning physicist, and such key White House personnel as Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, and Peter Orszag, whose crucial roles as presidential advisors prompted us to eliminate our usual “wait-and-see” period. Even more groundbreaking is the début of the list’s first presidential mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, and first White House social secretary, Desirée Rogers. (A stylish New Orleans native, former TV host, and business executive, Mrs. Rogers would be a likely candidate for a Washington “Fashion A-List” as well.)
Congressional leadership is always well represented, and this year we note the inclusion of Rep. Barney Frank, who has played a formidable role legislating bailouts and stimuli to fix our foundering economy, and Rep. Eric Cantor, the Richmond-based House Republican whip who’s been making quite a name for himself in the loyal opposition. On Embassy Row, we said farewell to Britain’s Sir David and Lady Manning and France’s Jean-David and Marie-Cecile Levitte and now welcome their respective successors, Sir Nigel and Lady Manning and Pierre Vimont, to our diplomatic pantheon. Media stars on the rise include NBC’s newly-dubbed Meet the Press host, David Gregory, and New York Timesman David Brooks, also a major television presence.
Business and philanthropic clans bearing the names Cafritz, Graham, Marriott, Mars, and Rockefeller add an element of élan as they rub elbows, so to speak, with more recent powerhouses named Lerner, Leonsis, Snyder, and Sant. There’s a world-famous tenor (Plácido Domingo), a certified movie star (Robert Duvall) and even a queen: Jordan’s Noor Al-Hussein.
While our A-Listers don’t need to be rich, royal, or have a TV show, we count on their magnetism to ratchet up the “buzz factor” whenever they enter a room. All named here have what it takes to be a center of gravity (even many of the “husbands- and wives-of”) and we salute their distinctive presence on the Washington scene.
President Barack H. Obama and First Lady Michelle ObamaVice President and Mrs. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (Jill)His Excellency the Ambassador of Kuwait, Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Sheikha Rima Al-Sabah
Mr. and Mrs. David Axelrod (Susan)
The Honorable Ben S. Bernanke, The Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, and Mrs. Bernanke (Anna)
The Honorable and Mrs. James H. Billington (Marjorie)
Representative and Mrs. John A. Boehner (Debbie)
Mr. Benjamin C. Bradlee and Ms. Sally Quinn
Mr. and Mrs. David G. Bradley (Katherine)
Justice and Mrs. Stephen G. Breyer (Joanna)
Mr. and Mrs. David Brooks (Sarah)
Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Cafritz (Jane)
Mr. and Mrs. William N. Cafritz (Buffy)
Representative and Mrs. Eric I. Cantor (Diana)
Mr. and Mrs. Steven B. Case (Jean)
His Excellency the Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. Giovanni Castellaneta (Leila)
The Honorable and Mrs. Richard B. Cheney (Lynne)
The Honorable Steven Chu, The Secretary of Energy, and Mrs. Chu (Jean)
Mr. Greg Craig and Ms. Derry Noyes
Representative and Mrs. John D. Dingell (Deborah)
Mr. and Mrs. Plácido Domingo (Marta)
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Duvall (Luciana)
The Honorable and Mrs. Rahm Emanuel (Amy)
The Honorable Adrian M. Fenty, The Mayor of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Fenty (Michelle)
The Honorable Robert M. Gates, The Secretary of Defense, and Mrs. Gates (Becky)
The Honorable Timothy H. Geithner, The Secretary of the Treasury, and Mrs. Geithner (Carole)
The Honorable and Mrs. Daniel R. Glickman (Rhoda)
Mr. David Gregory and Ms. Beth Wilkinson
Mr. Christopher E. Hitchens and Ms. Carol Blue
Mr. Jim Hoagland and Ms. Jane Stanton Hitchcock
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr., The Attorney General, and Dr. Sharon Malone
General and Mrs. James L. Jones (Diane)
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. (Ann)
Justice and Mrs. Anthony Kennedy (Mary)
Senator and Mrs. Edward M. Kennedy (Vicki)
Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy (Ethel)
Senator John F. Kerry and Ms. Teresa Heinz
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Lehrer (Kate)
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore J. Leonsis (Lynn)
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore N. Lerner (Annette)
Mr. and Mrs. J. Willard Marriott, Jr. (Donna)
Mr. and Mrs. Forrest E. Mars, Jr. (Deborah)
Senator and Mrs. John S. McCain, III (Cindy)
Senator A. Mitchell McConnell and the Honorable Elaine Lan Chao
Gen. Mike Mullen, The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Mrs. Mullen (Deborah)
The Honorable Janet Napolitano, The Secretary of Homeland Security
The Honorable and Mrs. William T. Newman, Jr. (Sheila Johnson)
Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr. Paul Pelosi
The Honorable and Mrs. Colin L. Powell (Alma)
Mr. and Mrs. Earl A. Powell, III (Nancy)
Senator and Mrs. Harry M. Reid (Landra)
The Chief Justice and Mrs. John G. Roberts, Jr. (Jane)
Senator and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, IV (Sharon Percy)
Mr. and Mrs. David Rubenstein (Alice)
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Sant (Victoria)
Justice and Mrs. Antonin Scalia (Maureen)
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel M. Snyder (Tanya)
Mr. George R. Stephanopoulos and Ms. Alexandra Wentworth
Mr. and Mrs. George C. Stevens, Jr. (Liz)
The Honorable and Mrs. Lawrence H. (“Larry”) Summers (Elisa)
His Excellency the Ambassador of France, Pierre Vimont
Senator Mark R. Warner and Ms. Lisa Collis
Mr. and Mrs. George F. Will (Mari)
Mr. Robert Woodward and Ms. Elsa Walsh
The Honorable Robert B. Zoellnick, President of the World Bank