Cassandra Butts – The Law School Classmate

Here’s an excerpt from an interview that Cassandra Butts gave to PBS Frontline:

Frontline:  When did you first meet Barack Obama?

Butts:            It was one of the first few days of our law school experience. We met at the financial aid office at Harvard Law School. We were going through the process of filling out a lot of paperwork that would make us significantly in debt to Harvard for years to come. We bonded over that experience.

Imagine that.  The elitist Barack Obama was in line filling out financial aid papers. Who is the last President that could relate to needing financial aid? But this isn’t a post about Barack Obama.

Before joining the Obama campaign in its early stages, Butts served as senior vice president for domestic policy at the Center for American Progress and is known in political circles from a stint as senior adviser to Democratic Congressman Richard Gephardt.

Speaking of early, Butts worked along side John Podesta on the Obama transition team weeks before the election. She oversaw the groups within the team that were dedicated to selecting personnel. She now serves as chief counsel for the transition team.

While many in the Obama camp have risen with him, Butts has made her own way across the political landscape. In 2004 –prior to Obama’s powerful keynote address- Butts was much more of a Washington insider than he.

While Cassandra Butts wealth of skills and experience could fit a number of roles in the Obama administration, she has been mentioned by The Politico as possible White House staff secretary.