Thread: Michigan Latina is Obama Link to States, Communities

Michigan Latina is Obama link to states, communities
Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Michigan native Cecilia Munoz wasn't used to busy senators calling her personally to ask about Latino concerns, so Barack Obama -- then a new senator from Illinois -- quickly stood out.

"It is rare for someone in the U.S. Senate to call you up on the spur of the moment for help in something he was thinking through," recalls Munoz, who was then a top Capitol Hill lobbyist for the National Council of La Raza.

"When (Obama) had questions about policy, he would call. He really developed those kinds of relationships with people. I learned his openness to counsel and advice and guidance."

When Senator Obama became President Obama, he tapped the mother of two teen-aged daughters to become director of White House intergovernmental affairs, the "doorway," as she puts it, between all state and local officials and the president.

"We need a strong partnership with state and local government in order to deliver ... change. My job is to make sure those partnerships are as strong as possible," said Munoz, who grew up in Livonia, the daughter of Bolivian immigrants.

It wasn't something she sought.

"He twisted my arm pretty hard," she said.

"He told me he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. And that he and the First Lady were determined to make this a family-friendly White House."

The role, says presidential scholar Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution, started in the Eisenhower White House.

To do the job well, you need the skills of a hotel concierge, a juggler, and a scout.

"You've got to deal with a lot of people," Hess said. "It's useful to be a good reporter, so you can tell the president what's on people's mind."

Munoz's early weeks have been dominated by answering questions from state and local officials about the $787 billion economic stimulus bill.

She's also helped areas hit by natural disasters. And, she took some heat from watchdog groups as one of the former lobbyists who got exceptions from lobbyist-wary Obama to serve in his administration.

"Every day has surprises and mysteries that have to be solved and every day is really truly an adventure here, but in a wonderful way," says Munoz, who wears her University of Michigan class ring and displays a Wolverine bumper sticker in her West Wing office.

At 46, Munoz brings two decades of experience as an advocate for Latino issues on Capitol Hill. She is credited as being a key player in the Immigration Act of 1990, part of her Latino advocacy that netted her a $500,000 "genius" award from the MacArthur Foundation in 2000.

Before La Raza, Munoz worked at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, helping Latinos become U.S. citizens.

While studying at U-M, she tutored Latino inmates at the state prison in Jackson.

"I always sensed she was bound for greatness," says Jane Gietzen, who was a U-M dorm adviser with Munoz. "Social justice was in her heart and soul. She was a 'wise beyond her years' kind of person."

Munoz traces her interest in fighting for underdogs to her immigrant parents and to watching the civil rights efforts in Detroit. Her father, who also attended U-M, worked 40 years at Ford as an engineer.

She draws praise from Raymond Scheppach, the executive director of the National Governors Association.

"She takes care of things, and has broad policy understanding," said Scheppach, who observed her set up meetings involving governors, the president, and senior administration officials.

"That's a very intense job. You have to be good at keeping a lot of balls in the air," added Scheppach.

As one of the highest-ranking Latinos in the Obama administration, Munoz will also be a sounding board for the president on the growing community's issues, including the hot button issue of overhauling immigration policy.

"She's not daunted by things that other people are," says longtime friend and La Raza colleague Lisa Navarrette. "She definitely is the iron fist in the velvet glove."

You can reach Deb Price at dprice@detnews.com or (202) 662-8736.

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Oh puke. Another from the Janet Murguia mold.

"It is rare for someone in the U.S. Senate to call you up on the spur of the moment for help in something he was thinking through," recalls Munoz, who was then a top Capitol Hill lobbyist for the National Council of La Raza.

Enough to make me vomit! Lobbyist for the racist group la raza should not be allowed anywhere near Capitol Hill! Interesting that Obama would personally reach out to this racist organization!

Lets see...Munoz delivered the Hispanic vote to Obama and he then appoints her director of White House intergovernmental affairs.

BTW, has this woman ever helped anyone other than Latinos? She seems to be a one pony show.

Excuse me? One of the "highest ranking" Latinos in the administration?

Good Christ, talk about your spin

NCLR, blah, blah, blah........were all crying and complaining about how the latino appointments were not good enough, that they were, at best, token appointments. No siree.....they were not pleased. Not at all.

So is this supposed to be some kind of psychological trip intended to make her seem more important than she actually is with the implication that The Race has it all wrapped up, or what?