Obama Campaign Picks up Patti Solis Doyle

On June 16, Patti Solis Doyle was reported to have been appointed to Senator Barack Obama's campaign as the chief of staff to whomever he chooses to be the vice presidential nominee. Previously, Solis was the campaign manager for Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid for the White House as well as the First Lady's personal assistant throughout President Bill Clinton's term from 1992-2000.

Solis, the first Hispanic ever to manage a presidential campaign, was thought to be synonymous with the large popularity that Clinton enjoyed amongst Hispanic populations during the primaries. Although Solis maintained a long working relationship with Clinton, controversy arose when she was removed from her position as campaign manager towards the end of Clinton's primary bid.

Solis stands to contribute a great deal to Senator Obama's Presidential bid. Her presence could very well sway many of the hesitant Clinton supporters who maybe found themselves jaded after their candidate's defeat in the primaries. Clinton's lead in the early stages of the primary seemed at one point insurmountable, yet Senator Obama's campaign staff managed to support him into a crushing lead. What is left is a group of generally well educated women voters or "middle-American" whites who may not have felt comfortable voting outside of their race during the primaries. Neither demographic will likely find much solace in John McCain who has hardened his stance on virtually everything that made him a likeable moderate just a year ago.

Solis offers several characteristics to Obama's campaign that he could have used very handily in the primaries:

Fundraising has been a strong point of Obama's. But, many of the $25 donations received from his website will not accumulate to enough to overcome McCain's massive effort to amass funds for his campaign. Unlike Obama, McCain is taking money from anyone who will offer, leaving him with more skeletons in his closet after the race is over, but ultimately a larger bank account at the present moment.