The grass ceiling: Obama finally golfs with a woman
And on President Obama's 24th golf game as president he finally invited a woman in his foursome, with Melody Barnes, his chief domestic policy adviser, joining him on the links at the U.S. Army's Fort Belvoir course on Sunday. Barnes' invitation to golf with the president came as Obama was catching some flak for playing sports just with men.
After Barnes was spotted at the White House with her golf clubs, joining the presidential motorcade departing for Fort Belvoir, I e-mailed White House Deputy Press Secretary William Burton asking him if Barnes was the first woman to play golf with Obama since taking office. Burton's reply was "not true."
I e-mailed Burton again. "Who were the others," I asked.
"I was wrong about this -- all apologies. He golfed with women on the campaign trail but not until Melody this year," Burton replied.
Obama -- a committed hoopster -- is playing defense after earlier this month hosting a basketball game at the White House with just male players -- from the House of Representatives, his staff and cabinet members. One thing led to another and this Sunday, the front page of the New York Times ran a story with a headline "Man's World at White House? No Harm, No Foul, Aides Say."
There are a few issues here: Is there a frat boy or "boys club" atmosphere in the White House? Yes, there is, I've been told by a few high-level female staffers who are aware that at the highest levels in the White House, Obama huddles most intensely with men. Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett is the exception.
But Jarrett does not play golf -- or basketball; neither does another high ranking female, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius played basketball on her college team.
Obama's golf guests often are the handy or familiar. On Sunday, Obama and Jarrett pal Chicagoan Eric Whitaker, a physician who is an executive vice president at the University of Chicago Medical Center, were part of the foursome, rounded out with White House trip director Marvin Nicholson.
Last week, NBC's Savannah Guthrie asked Obama if his all-male basketball game was "the old boys club again."
Said Obama, "Yeah, I've got to say I think this is bunk."