Michele A. Davis

Michele A. Davis was nominated July 25, 2005, by President George W. Bush to be Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Global Outreach. Her nomination was sent to the Senate July 25, 2005, and the status of her nomination is pending.

Previously, Davis was Senior Vice President for Regulatory Policy at Fannie Mae and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs as press aide to Secretary Paul O'Neill.

Before commencing government service in the Bush administration, Davis served as Communications Director for House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) (1997-January 2001).

Excerpts from "Price of Loyalty"
The following is excerpted from Paul O'Neill's "Price of Loyalty: George W. Bush, the White House, and the Education of Paul O'Neill," January 2004.


 * "Rules of the Game"
 * "The Bush Files are filled with memos asking the Paul O'Neill and others to put the best possible face on controversial policies, including the administration's conduct in the war on terrorism. For instance, in January, 2002, O'Neill was coached to praise Saudi cooperation on terror financing in a memo from his press aide, Michele Davis. Behind the scenes, in fact, O'Neill and senior officials from the State Department and CIA were profoundly frustrated by the Saudis unwillingness to assist America at its time of crisis."


 * "How to Beat the Press"
 * "Before a January, 2002, appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, Treasury Department public relations chief Michele Davis sent Secretary O'Neill a 3-page memo explaining how he should deal with host Tim Russert. The memo, which coaches O'Neill on how to avoid the substance of Russert's questions, is a classic of political spin. O'Neill was told to answer the first question by praising the President's economic stimulus proposals, 'no matter the question.' 'You need to interject the President's message,' Davis coached O'Neill, 'even if the question has nothing to do with that.'"


 * Page 150 - Trying to Keep O'Neill "On Message" (3 pages)
 * "Michele Davis, an assistant secretary of the Treasury, had the thankless, and futile, chore of trying to keep O'Neill on-message in his public appearances. The Treasury secretary rarely kept to the talking points favored by the White House political operation headed by Karl Rove and Karen Hughes. Before the unveiling of the President's budget, on Feb. 27, Davis pleaded with O'Neill to stick to the script. 'This event, more than anything you've participated in to date, requires that you be monotonously on-message.'"

Profiles
Department of the Treasury "Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill swore Michele Davis in on August 7, 2001 as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The U.S. Senate voted by unanimous consent to confirm Davis on August 3, 2001.


 * "As Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Davis is the lead representative of the Treasury Department for media, business, professional trade organizations, consumer groups, and the public. The Office of Public Affairs develops and implements communications strategy for the Department and advises officials within the Department and its bureaus how best to communicate issues and priorities of public interest. Davis also oversees the Office of Public Liaison and the Office of Public Education.


 * "Ms. Davis was Communications Director to House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) from 1997 until January 2001. Davis served as chief spokesman for the Majority Leader's office and as an advisor to the House Republican leadership. Davis began work in the Majority Leader's Office in 1995.


 * "Before joining the Majority Leader's staff, Davis served as an Economist with the Minority Staff of the Joint Economic Committee in Congress and prior to that Davis worked as an Economist with Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE), a free-market advocacy organization.


 * "Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Davis has a Master's degree in economics from the American University and earned her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1988."


 * Davis was nominated February 8, 2001, by President Bush to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs. She was confirmed by the Senate May 1, 2001, and served in this position 2001-2002.

"Davis, who was graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service with a degree in international economics, says she would have completed her dissertation at the American University in Washington except the Republicans won control of the House in the 1994 elections. Davis says she has been too busy ever since.

"During her first few weeks at the Treasury Department, Davis not only handled all of O'Neill's press but helped him draft his congressional testimony and traveled with him to New York and Palermo, Italy, for a G-7 summit. Because this is a new job, Davis says, she is much busier than she was on the Hill but loves the work. Articulate and comfortable with the media, she speaks persuasively about everything from economic policy and the International Monetary Fund to Treasury bonds." --Insight Magazine, April 30, 2001.

Fannie Mae Michele Davis joined Fannie Mae in 2002. She was "responsible for the company's public policy research activities and policy development on a wide range of issues related to mortgage financing and the capital markets" and managed "key long-term regulatory and public policy projects." 

"Davis also oversaw the Office of Public Liaison and the Office of Public Education." 

SourceWatch Resources

 * Bush administration cronyism and incompetence