by Frank James
The White House earlier today released the names of those who will be in the First Lady's Box during President Barack Obama's speech tonight before a joint session of Congress, his first.
Among the guests: a banker, public-school students, police officer, small-town Kansas mayor and a soldier who will serve as human illustrations to underscore various points in the president's speech.
Here's the list:
Guest List for the First Lady's Box
2009 Joint Session of Congress
Mrs. Michelle Obama
Dr. Jill Biden
Leonard Abess Jr., CEO, City National Bank of Florida (Miami, FL)
Abess Jr. is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of City National Bank of Florida, now a subsidiary of Caja Madrid. Abess Jr. started his career in the bank's print shop, which made forms and documents. Working his way up the ladder gave him an appreciation for the role that employees play in the success of an enterprise. He is currently serving a three-year term as Miami Branch Director of the Federal Reserve. On February 4, 2009 the President announced new restrictions on executive compensation. In the midst of our current financial crisis, limitations on executive pay are designed to ensure fiscal responsibility as we work to strengthen our economy by stabilizing our financial system. Abess Jr. demonstrated this sort of responsibility last November when he decided to quietly share some $60 million of the proceeds he received from the sale of City National shares to Caja Madrid with current and former front-line bank employees.
Ty'Sheoma Bethea, Student (Dillon, SC)
Bethea is an eighth grader at JV Martin Junior High School in Dillon, SC. Upon hearing the President mention her school's crumbling facility built in the 1800's during the first presidential news conference on February 9, 2009, she wanted to do something to help her school. After school hours, she walked to the public library to gain access to a computer and composed a poignant letter to Congress...
