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According to The Washington Times, the shoot took place back in March so it’s a coincidence that Capitol File, a high-end Washington mag would have the White House Social Secy. Desiree Rogers hanging out on the cover with Senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett the same time Rogers is on the cover of Wall Street Journal Magazine.
There was a bit of a discussion in the last thread over whether or not Rogers is getting too much coverage and I’m still sticking with my stance that this is a much ado about nothing. Rogers works for the White House and their press is tightly controlled. She and Jarrett couldn’t even do these interviews and covers without White House approval in the first place. So, these are interviews the Obama Administration wants. I don’t see anything more going on here than the Obama Administration trying to take advantage of what they hope will be some positive press about the White House … glamour shots included. You can debate whether or not these stories open up the administration for pot shots (any glamour shot would), but I don’t think this is the “Michelle versus Desiree, black women can’t get along festival” some folks think this might be. Sometimes your social secretary being a media darling is just that … your social secretary is a media darling.
And sometimes you choose to pimp that for all that you can get out of it.
(More after the jump)
Once again, I still don’t even see her at a spotlight-stealing, attention-grabbing threat level of Malia Obama as most Americans probably can’t even pick her out of a line-up. (No one is trying to make a doll or sell some clothes based off of any women who don’t have Obama as a last name.) If Capitol File had been offered a choice between the tall tween daughter of the president and a nearly 50-year-old woman who Michelle did not give birth to, Capitol File would be dishing on Malia’s crush on whatever Jonas Brother she likes while dressing her up like Dakota Frickin’ Fanning.
Desiree isn’t even at a Bo Obama, the White House dog, threat level of media hubbabaloo. And I like seeing all the women of the Obama Administration on the covers of everything, so I’m also incredibly biased. I want more coverage. I had to endure years of people trying to convince me that women found former Defense Secy. Donald Rumsfled attractive or that Karl Rove was a boy genius or that Condi exercises like the dickens or that Barney the Scottish Terrier was adorable. (Well, Barney was adorable in a spastic way, but I digress …) I watched the press go over the Clinton White House with fervor, tracking every breathless move. The LEAST they can do is cover the other random folks out of the Obama Administration with the same drooling, sycophantic, gaping awe. Yes. Flower me in Desiree puff pieces and glamour shots. Most of the criticism comes from a lot of grumbling about how it looks bad to wear whatever in a recession. Dear Lord! OMG! RICH PEOPLE RUN OUR GOVERNMENT! Who knew? And how dare they be wealthy, good looking black people! Ever the more horrifying! What will this do to little black children to see more and more images of good looking, functional black people on the covers of things? Sacre bleu!
Long story short: I’m pretty much never going to have a complaint about this. Never. But if you can convince me why this is a disaster, I encourage you to give it a go. Otherwise, I’m sticking with “The Obama Administration WANTS to cram Zulu Queen Desiree Rogers down your throat, so just open up and swallow her, please!” version of these events.
That out of the way … they both look awesome. Desiree’s pink heels (and legs!!!) on the cover and Valerie’s white suit on the inside story are killing me.
Live Your Best Life. 
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