Patrick Gaspard, Haitian-American, White House Political Director
Patrick Gaspard, a longtime labor operative, will be the White House political director for President-elect Barack Obama. Gaspard served as national political director for much of Obama's general election campaign and was named deputy director of personnel for the transition effort. Prior to his work with Obama, Gaspard was the lead political operative for the 1199 branch of the Service Employees International Union, a huge and hugely influential union representing health care workers in New York. He spent the 2004 general election as the national field director for America Coming Together.
Gaspard was featured prominently in Ryan Lizza's recent New Yorker piece detailing how Obama won. Of his job interview with the Illinois Senator, Gaspard recalled Obama saying: "I think that I'm a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I'll tell you right now that I'm gonna think I'm a better political director than my political director."
Known for organizing successful ground operations for state and local races, including SEIU primary support for Obama in states like Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Gaspard is Haitian-American; he is considered one of the few outsiders with no strong Clinton ties thus far on Obama's staff; he told Obama after the first presidential debate, "[You're] more clutch than Michael Jordan."
In 2006, Gaspard served as the acting political director for SEIU International during the national union’s successful effort to help Democrats capture majorities in the House and Senate. In 2004, Gaspard was the National Field Director for America Coming Together. Gaspard worked for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign, the 1988 Jesse Jackson presidential bid and numerous congressional candidates and campaigns. In 1989, he worked on the successful and historic David Dinkins mayoral campaign. Gaspard is a former community organizer around school reform issues.
