www.thepeninsulaqatar.com FASHION | 09 HEALTH | 10 ENTERTAINMENT | 12 London Fashion Why the A red carpet Week returns with Mediterranean revolt by big names diet works Miley Cyrus SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2016 Email: [email protected] thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar US President Barack Obama carries the twin boys of Katie Beirne Fallon, director of legislative affairs, into the Oval Office just a few months after they were born in 2015; White House aides say a slew of recent changes have improved conditions for working mothers. P | 4-5 WOMEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE Facing the challenge of a male majority in the White House was no easy task. For years, women were overshadowed by men and kept out of key meetings. Things have changed for the better now. SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2016 | 03 CAMPUS BPS ready to reopen with renewed vigour The Peninsula irla Public School reopens with Principal A K Shrivastava urg- ing teachers to renew their Bstrength and vigour towards excellence with which they have built a reputation for the school among the community for academic excellence and discipline vouched for by the par- ents. He also cautioned the teachers not to rest on their laurels which can make them complacent. He advised the teachers to be on guard and re- new their dynamism and strive to- wards perfection. “A child is a trust so every teacher needs to be responsible for every child under their care and be accountable to the parents and the school,” said Shrivas- tava. The whole campus, both the main and the annexes are spruced up to re- ceive students staring from today. In all, 375 teachers of Primary, Middle, Second and Senior Second- ary met section-wise and depart- ment-wise to review the academ- Vice-Principal George Edison addressing teachers to brief them about the forthcoming programmes. ic and the co-curricular activities for the next term in addition to review- ing the revision activities to prepare mative Assessments starting on Oc- Rappai and Vice Principal George Ed- and briefed them about the forth- students for the forthcoming Sum- tober 2. Senior Vice-Principal Shirly ison as well addressed the teachers coming programmes. DPS-Modern Indian School holds teacher training The Peninsula new software MograSIS and Learn- tron, implemented in the school to add value to the teaching — learning PS-Modern Indian School process. organised a five-day inten- A three-day session included sive training session for its meditation, stress management, in- Dteachers to equip them with tuition development, compassion, the latest technological advance- kindness and love etc. ments and improvised teaching tech- The Heartfulness facilitator ed- niques. Yasir Nainar, Vice-President, ucated the teachers to embrace explained the latest developments in a way of living to develop a better education to make learning more ef- understanding of life as it unfolds fective and student-friendly. around us and remain positive and Teachers were introduced to the appreciative. 04 | SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2016 COVER STORY For decades, women have struggled to crack President Obama carries the twin the code of power in boys of Katie Beirne Fallon, director of legislative affairs, into the Oval the White House, where Office just a few months after they gruelling hours, hyper- were born in 2015; White House aggressive colleagues aides say a slew of recent changes have improved conditions for and lack of access to working mothers. the boss have proved challenging to women from both parties. By Juliet Eilperin The Washington Post hen President Barack Obama took office, two- thirds of his top aides Wwere men. Women com- plained of having to elbow their way into important meetings. And when they got in, their voices were some- President Barack Obama holds a meeting about Ebola with, from left, Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for times ignored. Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; National Security Adviser Susan E Rice; Homeland Security Secretary So female staffers adopted a meet- Jeh Johnson; Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Adviser; CDC Director Thomas Frieden; Communications ing strategy they called “amplification”: Director Jennifer Palmieri; and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. When a woman made a key point, oth- er women would repeat it, giving cred- it to its author. This forced the men in the room to recognise the contribution — and denied them the chance to claim the idea as their own. “We just started doing it, and made a purpose of doing it. It was an eve- ryday thing,” said one former Obama White House women aide who requested anonymity to speak frankly. Obama noticed, she and others said, and began calling more of- ten on women and junior aides. For decades, women have strug- make their presence felt gled to crack the code of power in the White House, where gruelling hours, hyper-aggressive colleagues and lack of access to the boss have proved chal- lenging to women from both parties. The West Wing is also home to the ul- timate glass ceiling: Men have had a The White House is unlike any Bush’s first term. Jordan never invited her to a key dai- lock on the Oval Office for more than workplace in America. Power is de- Women often struggle just to get ly meeting where aides offered ideas 200 years. fined by proximity to a single individ- a foot in the door. Presidents typically to the president, even though Jordan That could change if Democrat Hil- ual: the president. Being “in the room” select their most senior advisers from publicly described Wexler as “the most lary Clinton prevails in November. Not — whether it’s the Oval Office or the the male-dominated ranks of their competent woman in Democratic pol- only would she break a gender barri- 7:30am senior staff meeting where the campaigns. As late as the Eisenhower itics.” er by winning the presidency, she also chief of staff hashes out the adminis- administration, the only women work- “Personally, I never spent a great could bring in a female chief of staff — tration’s top priorities — is crucial to ex- ing in the West Wing were secretar- deal of time with the president,” Wex- another first in the White House — like erting influence. ies — and they were barred from din- ler said in a 1980 interview for Carter’s she did as first lady, as a senator and And the job is a constant race ing with men in the White House mess. presidential library. “I think that was a as Obama’s secretary of state. against the clock: Presidents have as “Regardless of the weather, we had mistake on [Carter’s] part.” During Obama’s second term, few as four years to pursue an agen- to slog out to any hole-in-the-wall we Bonnie Newman got a job in the women gained parity with men in the da and cement a legacy. Burnout is en- could find,” recalled Patty Herman, who Reagan administration in 1981 after president’s inner circle; Clinton has ac- demic, and top White House aides typ- worked there until she met and mar- playing squash with Helene von Damm, tually had women outnumber men ically leave after less than three years. ried George Herman, the White House who had acted as Ronald Reagan’s within her senior staff at times during “Given the short period you are in correspondent for CBS. “Now, I under- personal secretary since the 1960s. Al- her government career. GOP nominee the White House, you leverage every stand, that’s changed.” though von Damm had “access and Donald Trump has installed some fe- minute to ensure that you can be there, Once your foot is in the door, you proximity” to the president, Newman male managers while working in the fully committed and totally present,” have to get a seat at the table. Anne recalled, “There weren’t a whole lot of male-dominated construction industry, said Juleanna Glover, who served as Wexler, who served as Jimmy Cart- other women” in the West Wing: “So and has at least three women playing press secretary to Vice-President Rich- er’s assistant for public outreach, com- when you looked around, you looked a senior roles in his campaign. ard Cheney during President George W plained that Chief of Staff Hamilton little out of place.” SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2016 | 05 COVER STORY President Barack Obama meets with top aides including National Economic Council In Bill Clinton’s presidency, of Legislative Affairs — are headed by director of the Office of Management Director Gene Sperling; Chief several women gained greater women. and Budget. Another woman, Maria of Staff Bill Daley; Biden Chief influence, including the first lady, “I think having a critical mass makes Echaveste, got Burwell’s former of Staff Bruce Reed; Legislative who spearheaded Clinton’s signature a difference,” said White House senior position, and a third woman, Minyon Affairs Assistant Rob Nabors; health-care reform initiative. But Hillary adviser Valerie Jarrett, who came in Moore, moved into Echaveste’s spot. OMB Director Jack Lew; Vice- Clinton retreated to a more traditional with the president and remains one In George W Bush’s second term, President Joe Biden; and role after the initiative foundered. of his top aides. “It’s fair to say that Condoleezza Rice and Margaret Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett; And the president’s affair with intern there was a lot of testosterone flowing Spellings were promoted to the “I think having a critical mass Monica Lewinsky served to undermine in those early days. Now we have a Cabinet, becoming secretary of makes a difference,” said his claims of gender progress.