Beyond her rainbow diversity goodness, she's been lauded by both the left and the right as someone who is committed to making smart modernizations to the U.S. Labor movement. She's especially appealing to progressives who wonder if they'll have a seat in Obama's increasingly centrist Cabinet.Worker's Rights are Human Rights
It's no surprise that she's on everybody's short list for Labor Secretary. Even Rep. David Bonior, whose also been put in the running for the job thinks she should get it. Many AFL-CIO leaders agree.
Even the Wall Street Journal is weighing in with an overall positive take on Maxwell:
Some labor leaders from both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win, a splinter union group led by the Service Employees International Union, back her as a consensus choice, citing her efforts on behalf of legislation to allow unionization at workplaces with the signing of cards, not secret balloting.Surprisingly, the Human Rights Campaign, in what many are calling a misstep, decided to endorse another candidate for the Labor Secretary position initially:
But guess which prominent gay rights group with a history of not supporting openly gay candidates backed somebody else?
Oh, Human Rights Campaign, you never fail to disappoint.
The HRC had endorsed Rep. Linda Sanchez for the post and suddenly realizing that "Hey! Maybe we ought to support this highly qualified Maxwell lady since you know, we've never had an openly gay person serve in a Cabinet-level position and what is it we do exactly again?" they decided to endorse both Sanchez and Maxwell. source
Maxwell is not quite a "done deal" however. Some argue that a more established politico, like a Governor, is what America most needs at the helm right now:
But Maxwell faces one big hurdle: star power. Given the wattage of Hillary Rodham Clinton at State, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano at Homeland Security, New York Fed President Timothy Geithner at Treasury, and Robert Gates continuing on as secretary of defense, many union leaders believe they need someone of more stature, such as a governor, even if that governor doesn't have the liberal and activist credentials of Maxwell. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius are being vetted for the job, along with Maxwell. sourceSo the choice comes down to Obama choosing a relative newcomer, rising star like himself or someone with a more traditional trajectory in politics. I say, go with change.
Comments: (58)
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By: still standing on 12/04/2008 6:43PM
He said he wants a diverse cabinet, so , lock her in.
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By: paulette on 12/04/2008 7:01PM
I WANT TO WISH MS.MAXWELL WELL WISHES ON GETTING THE POSITION.I BELIEVE THE PERSON THAT IS MOST QUALIFIED SHOULD GET THE JOB.I TRUST OBAMA WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND GIVE MS.MAXWELL THE JOB.IT WOULD SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT MR.OBAMA DOES'NT HOLD YOR ORIENTTATION AGAINST ONE.IT WOULD SEND A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE THAT HE WILL DO THE RIGHT THING, REGUARDLESS HAS YO WHO DOES'NT AGREE. AFTER ALL,MANY DID'NT AGREE WITH HIS CHOICE OF HILLARY AS SECT.OF STATE,YET HE MADE THE DECISION ANYWAY.I SAY PRES.ELECT OBAMA GO FOR IT PICK MS.MAXWELL,SHOW THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN MAKE FUNDAMENTAL SOUND DECISIONS NO MATTER WHO DOES'NT LIKE IT.I BELIEVE MR.OBAMA IS WELL QUALIFIED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.I DO HOPE HE CHOOSES MS.MAXWELL,NOT ONLY BECAUSE SHE'S QUALIFIED,BUT BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR THE WORLD TO STOP BEING JUDGEMENTAL AND LOOK AT THE CHARACTER OF A PERSON AND WHETHER THAT PERSON IS QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB.THEIR HAS BEEN TO MUCH UNFAIRNESS IN THE WORLD.REMEMBER IT USE TO BE, NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHO YOU KNOW.NOW THAT WAS'NT RIGHT.WE NEED FAIRNESS, AND WITH MR.OBAMA I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE JUST THAT. YHANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE.PAULETTE
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By: kim d. curtis on 12/04/2008 7:24PM
obama is losing what mind he had for puting h. clinton in his cabinet and now a gay.
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By: Celestine Ahmad on 12/04/2008 7:54PM
I realize you were going to make changes, but to add open gays to your cabinet as the Labor Sec. or anything,else, when we in California are trying to make marriage between a man and women is a slap in the face.
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By: JOHN on 12/04/2008 8:35PM
Barney Frank is not enough? He's campaigning for 2012
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By: Tachea on 12/04/2008 8:39PM
If Mary Beth Maxwell is the best person for the job I say give it to her, who cares if she's gay, she can be an alien for all I care, after all Obama is not asking us to marry her, and at this time we need all the help we can get to get us out of this recession. I totally trust Obama's decisions he can't do any worse than Bush's administration.
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By: Popduke on 12/04/2008 8:46PM
I think it's about time and diversity. Listening to some of the citizens,and news media personalities, President-elect O'Bama, is being blamed for everything that has happened in the last eight years, and he has even taken office. People need to make up their mind, do they want change or not? Keep up the Good work Mr. President-elect.
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By: ann on 12/05/2008 1:08AM
I totally agree with Tachea and Paulette. If Ms Maxwell is the best person I say give it to her and let the bigots know all people should betreated fairly
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By: kentdenero on 12/05/2008 7:21AM
I read a post the other day that said you bring race into the stories for no reason. This is only the 3rd article I read from you and that appears to be true. I don't care if this chick is gay or adopted a black kid. That does not affect my life....IS SHE QUALIFIED? that's all I care about.
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By: Sally G on 12/13/2008 1:55PM
Go, Mary Beth! The speech is great, informative and powerful; I'm sure she can hold her own with the more-recognized Cabinet-members-to-be, and they all need to hear the voice for the average worker through her. Her statistice are sobering, her manner inspiring. Barack would do well to appoint her, and I am going over to www.change.gov to tell him so.
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