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President Barack Obama’s administration features a number of Italian Americans, particularly in the area of homeland security and national intelligence.
 An early nominee, quickly approved by the Senate, is Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, the new Secretary of the Department Homeland Security. Napolitano laid out her goals at her nomination hearing: “To secure the homeland means to protect our nation’s borders by finding and killing the roots of terrorism and to stop those who intend to hurt us; to wisely enforce the rule of law at our borders, to protect our national cyber infrastructure, and to prepare for and respond to natural and man-caused disasters with speed, skill, compassion and effectiveness,” she said.
Napolitano inherits a sprawling 200,000-employee agency that has been characterized by critics as one of the most troubled bureaucracies in the capital. One of the principal issues she will need to address is the fate of the estimated 8 million or so immigrants who are in the United States illegally, and who most likely have been hit the hardest during the current economic downturn.
Our nation’s security is also entrusted to the Central Intelligence Agency and President Obama turned to Leon Panetta, a Washington insider and chief confidant to former Pres. Clinton. Panetta, a Californian who traces his roots to Calabria, is a long-time friend of the Italian American community. His nomination initially raised some criticism. Opponents cited his lack of experience in the intelligence community, but few believed that he would not be confirmed by the Senate.
Obama has nominated Thomas Perrelli as Associate Attorney General, the third-highest-ranking official in the Department of Justice. In that role, Perrelli, too, will deal with matters involving the country’s security. He will also advise and assist the Attorney General in policies relating to civil justice, federal and local law enforcement, and public safety. His nomination generated some controversy among social conservatives since he had represented Terry Schiavo’s husband Michael Schiavo, in the 2005 landmark right-to-die case.
In addition to these three officials, who will be at the forefront of dealing with national security issues, several other Italian Americans will have the President’s ear. John Podesta, who co-managed the Obama transition team, may get a trusted position in this administration. Podesta, who followed Panetta as White House Chief of Staff to former Pres. Clinton, is head of the Center for American Progress, a think-thank that has been supplying a number of officials to this Administration. Podesta is also a long-time friend of the Italian Community and has been involved in events sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation.
Apparently following in the footsteps of Panetta and Podesta, is James Messina, who has been appointed as Obama’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Messina was the national chief of staff for the “Obama for America,” campaign. Prior to joining the Obama campaign, he was the chief of staff to Sen. Max Baucus. Messina held the same position for Sen. Byron Dorgan and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. Messina is a graduate of the University of Montana.
Another White House office will be occupied by Alyssa Mastromonaco, who is Obama’s official gatekeeper, also known as the President’s Director of Scheduling and Advance. She also served that role during Obama’s presidential campaign. Mastromonaco has been in Obama’s inner circle since Feb. 2005, when she first joined Obama’s Senate office as scheduling director.
Mastromonaco previously worked as scheduling director for Sen. John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004, and before that was press secretary for Virginia Rep. Rick Boucher. A native of Rhinebeck, N.Y., she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When her White House job became official last month, Obama issued an unusually effusive personal statement, describing Mastromonaco as a “talented and dynamic individual” with “diverse skills” who is “ready to work hard in service to the American people.”
In the economic arena, Daniel Tarullo was appointed by Obama to fill a term as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve system. Before joining the Fed Board, he was a law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, a visiting professor at Princeton University and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
In addition, Tarullo was a high-ranking adviser on economic policy during the Clinton administration. Also on the Clinton economic team was Laura D’Andrea Tyson, who will now serve on Obama’s White House Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Tyson is a professor at the University of California at Berkeley’s business school.
Other appointments are sure to be forthcoming; most eagerly expected is the appointment of the U.S. Ambassador to Rome, a highly coveted position. •
(Published in Voce Italiana, February 2009)
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