White House Correspondents Weekend Insider

Tina Tchen and Valerie Jarrett

Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the President and  Tina Tchen, FLOTUS Chief of Staff and head of the White House Council on Women and Girls, penned an editorial in the Washington Post promoting the President’s jobs initiative and the importance of his new partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF).  It detailed initiatives that will help bring a work-life balance to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields that often see women drop out due to family responsibilities.  They say, “for many women who dream of becoming scientists and researchers, these kinds of simple, common-sense changes will make a world of difference. And our entire economy can benefit, because if more women have the chance to pursue STEM careers, it will lead to more innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.”

Read their entire editorial here.

Alan Krueger playing at the 2009 WTT Celebrity Tennis Match

President Obama nominated Alan Krueger as the Chair to the Council of Economic Advisers.  In his remarks given in the White House rose garden, Obama said,

“Alan brings a wealth of experience to the job.  He’s one of the nation’s leading economists.  For more than two decades, he’s studied and developed economic policy, both inside and outside of government.”

Krueger served as the chief economist at the Treasury Department until 2010 when he left to go to Princeton as a Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Affairs.  He will be replacing Austan Goolsbee who left the White House to go back to Chicago.

Read the Washington Post story here.

Watch the President’s remarks below:

While President Obama is travelling throughout the Midwest this week checking in on the American people, he’s also checking in via Foursquare, the location-based networking website. According to the official White House Blog the administration is “excited to launch” the president’s latest venture into social media as he kicks off his economic bus tour.

You can follow the President on the road through Cannon Falls, Minnesota; Decorah and Peosta, Iowa; and Atkinson and Alpha, Illinois. Through the new White House page on Foursquare, you can keep up with the President’s tour and check-in to let your friends know you’re there.

The administration already has a Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Flickr account where people can engage with officials.

California’s Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom gathered with friends and supporters after a spectacular day in Washington

The President, in between his Congressional negotiations, met with World Series Champions, San Francisco Giants.  Joining them in the East Room were former San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom, as well as current Mayor Ed Lee, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Baseball legend, Willie Mays, was also in attendance who “was just a 23-year-old out-fielder the last time the Giants won the World Series, back when the team was in New York.”  President Obama said, “even though there have been some great Giant’s teams since them, none of them had brought a championship back to the Bay Area.”  This was a special team indeed, as Obama quoted manager Bruce Bochy, who once called them a bunch of ‘misfits and cast-offs’ and then looks around at the unique team, but then said the “one thing they know, is how to win.”

The President ended his talk with wishing the Giants the best of luck, ”unless the White Sox are in the world series, which right now is not a sure thing” and was then presented with a signed bat, custom glove and jersey #44.

Gavin Newsom, was also in town to discuss his upcoming release of California’s Economic Growth and Competitiveness plan–state’s first plan in a decade–meeting with the Center for American Progress, Brookings Institution, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the State Department, and the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and stopped by 701 Pennsylvania Avenue with friends such as Eve and Peter O’Toole, Marc Adelman, Reta Jo Lewis, Dan Maldonado, Evan Ryan, Francisco Sanchez, Maria Teresa Kumar, Neil Albert, Patricia Daley and Paul Glenchur.

Check out photos below:

“Bob [Bauer] is a good friend and has served as a trusted advisor for many years. Bob was a critical member of the White House team. He has exceptional judgment, wisdom, and intellect, and he will continue to be one of my close advisors,” said President Obama in a statement announcing the change of staff. Bauer will go back to the private sector to resume his position at Perkins Coie and will work on Obama’s reelection campaign. He will officially leave the White House at the end of June.

Kathryn Ruemmler currently serve’s as Bauer’s deputy and has been at the White House since January of 2010. Ruemmler will be the third White House counsel for this administration (after Bauer and Greg Craig). Prior to the White House, she served at the Department of Justice and, at the office of Latham & Watkins, and was a co-lead prosecutor in the Enron investigations.

For the full announcement go here.