You know you've arrived not only when you get invited to the State of the Union address, but when you're asked to sit next to the first lady herself. That's where General Motors' new CEO, Mary Barra, will be sitting tonight.
Barra, the first woman to lead a major auto manufacturer, was one of the guests singled out to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama for "represent(ing) the stories of millions of Americans across the country, who are working hard to better their communities, improve their own economic outcomes and help restore opportunity for all" according to the White House.
Since every decision a president makes is politicized in some way, I'm sure this will be fodder for critics of Obama, his role in GM's bailout and what is perceived as a buddy-buddy relationship between the company and his administration. To be fair, the government has sold all its shares in GM, although it came at a loss of about $10 billion to taxpayers, and people are still rightfully feeling stung about that.
Barra, according to the Wall Street Journal, will be seated next to the first lady with several other distinguished guests, including 23-year-old student Cristian Avila, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when he was nine years old, and Antoinette Tuff, a bookkeeper credited with preventing a school shooting in Atlanta last year. Two survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing will also be seated with the first lady.
Photo credit AP
GM CEO Mary Barra To Sit With Michelle Obama At The State Of The Union