Sen. Barack Obama named Patti Solis Doyle , one of the top Hispanic political figures in the nation, as the chief of staff for his vice-presidential nominee, the Obama campaign announced yesterday.
The choice of Ms. Solis Doyle intrigued political insiders because, until stepping down amid controversy on Feb. 12, 2008, she was campaign manager for Sen. Hillary Clinton. She was dismissed from her post after Sen. Clinton suffered a series of primary losses to Sen. Obama.
While her selection may irritate Clinton supporters, it will likely strengthen Sen. Obama's standing among Hispanic political leaders. Her ouster by Sen. Clinton set off an angry outcry among a variety of Hispanic leaders including New York State Senator Ruben Diaz, and Queens Assemblyman Joseph Peralta.
While her current relations with the Clintons are reportedly frosty, Ms. Solis Doyle had a long history of working for Sen. Clinton, dating back 16 years to the Clintons' days in Arkansas. She served as Sen. Clinton's chief of staff during Bill Clinton's presidency.
The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Ms. Solis Doyle grew up in Chicago, earned a degree in communications at Northwestern University. She worked for the City of Chicago for a short time before joining the campaign of Chicago City Treasurer, Miriam Santos. In 1992, she was recruited to the Clinton Administration in Arkansas.
Ms. Solis Doyle is one of the most influential Hispanic figures in American politics and has a reputation as an efficient, behind-the-scenes manager who shuns the media spotlight and insists on loyalty and discipline.
