I can't think of any reason why the Obama campaign would want to hire Patti Solís-Doyle given how grossly she mismanaged the Clinton campaign. Ok, I can understand it : She was after all Ms. Clinton's Chief Of Staff during her 8 years and her connections to the Clintonistas (at least the ones that may still survive) may still be valuable.
Yet I really have a hard time believing that, outside of her street cred as a high ranking Latina in the Democratic Party, she can bring anything new or coherent to the Obama campaign.
Still with her addition to the campaign, not only are they creating buzz, but they're obviously are looking to have more Latino faces in the campaign team. CNN has the latest list of recruits :
Constituency Director: Brian Bond – formerly LGBT Outreach Director at the DNC
National Field Director: Jon Carson – formerly Obama for America Voter Contact Director
Senior Advisor to the Campaign and Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama: Stephanie Cutter
Industrial States Regional Director: Paul Diogardi – formerly Political Director for the Democratic Governor’s Association.
Battleground States Director: Jen O’Malley Dillon – formerly Iowa State Director for John Edwards for President
Chief of Staff to the Vice Presidential Nominee: Patti Solis Doyle
Latino Vote Director: Temo Figueroa – formerly Obama for America National Field Director
First Americans Vote Director: Wizipan Garriott
Northeast Regtional Director: Eureka Gilkey – formerly Obama for America Deputy Political Director
50-State Voter Registration Director: Jason Green – formerly Obama for America political and field staff
Campaign Chief of Staff: Jim Messina – formerly Chief of Staff to Senator Max Baucus
LGBT Vote Director: Dave Noble – formerly of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
West Regional Director: Matt Rodriguez – formerly Obama for America New Hampshire State Director
Senior Advisor: Michael Strautmanis
African American Vote Director: Rick Wade
Here's the reason why I think it's just a cosmetic hire : The real vice-presidential candidate will bring their own chief of staff. I can't believe they'd allow Obama dictate who will work for them. And no, I don't think Hillary will be asked to be VP. That beyond clear at this point. The VP needs to be someone with military and foreign service.
Patti "Queen Bee" Solis Doyle
I don't know if she can deliver anything re: the Latino vote either. Think about it this way... the average Latino voter on the street probably could tell you more about J. Lo and her babies or Oscar de la Hoya and his latest fight than they could about this woman.
I think that Solis Doyle is probably good at day to day scheduling, but she isn't a strategist. And Obama seems to be driving his campaign with his close advisors. The VP, whomever it will be, will be taking orders from the top most likely. Even though I probably would not have selected Solis Doyle, I'm hoping that she won't do much damage in this role, cuts back on her telenovela schedule, and realizes that she's no longer the "queen bee."