For much of her career, Feinberg moved from job to job, once telling Politico that her resume was “a bit schizophrenic.”Andrews, Helena, “Rahm’s talking point woman,”Politico.com But she seems to have settled into a comfortable role with current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Feinberg, who ran Emanuel’s press shop when he was chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and later chair of the House Democratic Caucus, followed the former congressman into the White House. Colleagues say she is one of the few who can match Emanuel’s intensity and aggressiveness.Bourge, Christian, “The Hill People 2007: Sarah Feinberg,”National Journal, June 25, 2007
Feinberg’s official White House title is senior adviser to the chief of staff. She handles all of Emanuel’s press and works closely with the White House press office.
At a Glance
Current Position: Senior adviser to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (since January 2009)
Career History: Communications director for the House Democratic Caucus (2007 to 2008); Press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (2005 to 2006); National press secretary for Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (2003 to 2004)
Birthday: October 3, 1977
Hometown: Charleston, W.Va.
Alma Mater: Washington and Lee University, B.A. (politics), 1999; National Defense University, attended
When she was just a kid, Feinberg would drive around West Virginia with her father while he campaigned for a seat in the state legislature. She also remembers sitting on his lap in the legislature during votes. (Her mother is a judge on the federal district court in Charleston). “I don’t know if [going into politics] was a plan the whole time,” Feinberg told Politico. “But [it’s been] part of my life from very early on.”Andrews, Helena, “Rahm’s talking point woman,”Politico.com
Feinberg graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1999 with a degree in politics and worked on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee after graduation. In 2000, she became press secretary for Vice President Al Gore’s West Virginia campaign office.“Sarah Feinberg, Daniel Pfieffer,”The New York Times, Weddings, July 16, 2006 After the election, she jumped around to a variety of positions, working for the Environmental Working Group, the South Dakota Democratic Party and Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), before joining Emanuel in 2005 at the DCCC.Almanac of the Unelected, 2008 edition
While on the Hill, Feinberg was attending school at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C ., working toward a master’s degree in Middle Eastern foreign policy.Andrews, Helena, “Rahm’s talking point woman,” Politico.com After Democrats reclaimed the House majority in 2007 (the cycle Emanuel helmed the DCCC), Feinberg moved with Emanuel to the House Democratic Caucus to run its press shop. Just days after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, the new president chose Emanuel as his chief of staff. When Emanuel moved into the White House in January 2009, Feinberg came with him, carrying the title of senior adviser.Leiby, Richar, “Doubling down,”The Washington Post, March 10, 2009
The Issues
Feinberg was invaluable to dozens of young Democrats while working for the DCCC and the House Democratic Caucus. In the White House, her work has been more behind the scenes. She works with fellow Emanuel aide Sean Sweeney, who used to be staff director for the Democratic caucus under Emanuel, helping with the day-to-day issues faced by a White House chief of staff.
Feinberg does all the communications work for Emanuel, while Sweeney is the bridge between Congress and Emanuel’s office. In the first few months on the job, she spent a lot of time working with the Treasury. She also had to deal with the press surrounding indicted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) and a story that earmarks in a 2009 spending bill were still attached to Emanuel’s name. She worked with the press to explain that the bill was written in 2008 and stated that the earmarks benefitted the district regardless of who represented it.Lightman, David, “Emanuel tied to $8.5 million in earmarks,”Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2009 Feinberg also handles most of the foreign policy matters that cross Emanuel’s desk.
House Democratic Caucus Press Shop
In the House, Feinberg ran the press shop for the DCCC and the Democratic caucus, which meant that she often spoke for the entire Democratic Party. When a member, especially a new congressman or staffer, had to prepare for a difficult interview or needed a crash course on the party’s talking points, they went to Feinberg. “I went in and pretended I knew what I was talking about, when it was Sarah who knew what she was talking about,” freshman Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) told Politico after using Feinberg’s information to quickly prepare for a meeting about energy.Andrews, Helena, “Rahm’s talking point woman,”Politico.com
Feinberg provided press releases, talking points and coaching to members.Almanac of the Unelected, 2008 edition She consulted with press offices to develop talking points and offered prep sessions for members going on Sunday talk shows.Bourge, Christian, “The Hill People 2007: Sarah Feinberg,”National Journal, June 25, 2007 “We make sure they can take a lead role in legislation and help them get a lot of credit at home,” she was quoted as saying in the Almanac of the Unelected. “This office has sort of become a catch-all for them.”Almanac of the Unelected, 2008 edition
The Network
Feinberg has worked for Rahm Emanuel since 2005, first at the DCCC and later at the House Democratic Caucus. She and Sean Sweeney, formerly the caucus staff director, work together in the White House.
Feinberg’s husband, Dan Pfeiffer, is Barack Obama’s communications director, and the couple has been dubbed a Washington power couple in the press. They met while working for Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000, and they now collaborate on White House communications issues.
Feinberg also worked with Obama’s deputy press secretary, Bill Burton, at the DCCC in the 2005-2006 cycle, and she is part of the large group of White House staffers who teamed up to rescue Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) during his failed re-election campaign in 2004. Much of that group, including Pfeiffer, Pete Rouse, Chris Lu and Phil Schiliro, have significant roles in the Obama White House.
