White House Defends Female Staff After 'Lack of Diversity' Claims

Boasts record of women in leadership positions

The White House is defending President Obama's nearly all-male staff after a photo surfaced of him meeting with them to discuss fiscal cliff negotiations. The news comes after it was announced that he would also be nominating men to all of the highest-profile cabinet positions (State, Defense and Treasury), making it a "less diverse cabinet than President Bush's." Responding to a question about whether the picture “embarrassed” President Obama, press secretary Jay Carney said, “Two of the three deputy chiefs of staff are women. The White House counsel is a woman. A woman runs homeland security for this country, Secretary Napolitano. Including Valerie Jarrett, women serve in key policy roles here within the White House, as they do throughout the administration. This president is committed to diversity. Look at the record." He also named Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services; Cecilia Munoz , Director of Domestic Policy; Tina Tchen, chief of staff to Michelle Obama; and White House personnel director Nancy Hogan. (In the picture, Jarrett, senior advisor, is present but only her leg in a black pantsuit can be seen.) (NBC)

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