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'''Neera Tanden''' (born September 10, 1970) is the President of the [[Center for American Progress]], a liberal [[Think tank|think tank]] in Washington, DC she has helped to build through service in prominent roles there since 2003. Tanden has worked with Bill and Hillary Clinton in various capacities over the years, and is regarded as a Clinton loyalist, close friend, and long-time advisor.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last= Williamson |first= Elizabeth |date= April 15, 2019 |title= The Rematch: Bernie Sanders vs. a Clinton Loyalist|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/us/politics/tanden-sanders-.html|work= The New York Times |access-date= February 23, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/neera-tanden-2016-election-227494|title=Meet Hillary Clinton's anger translator|last=Thrush|first=Glenn|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2020-02-26}}</ref>
'''Neera Tanden''' (born September 10, 1970) is the President of the [[Center for American Progress]], a liberal [[Think tank|think tank]] in Washington, DC she has helped to build through service in prominent roles there since 2003. Tanden has worked with Bill and Hillary Clinton in various capacities over the years, and is regarded as a Clinton loyalist, close friend, and long-time advisor.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last= Williamson |first= Elizabeth |date= April 15, 2019 |title= The Rematch: Bernie Sanders vs. a Clinton Loyalist|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/us/politics/tanden-sanders-.html|work= The New York Times |access-date= February 23, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/neera-tanden-2016-election-227494|title=Meet Hillary Clinton's anger translator|last=Thrush|first=Glenn|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2020-02-26}}</ref>


Tanden has worked on the campaigns of several [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] Presidential candidates, to include those of [[1988 United States presidential election|Michael Dukakis]] in 1988, [[1992 United States presidential election|Bill Clinton]] in 1992, and [[2008 United States presidential election|the general election campaign of Barack Obama in 2008]]. Tanden advised [[Hillary Clinton|Hillary Clinton’s]] unsuccessful campaign [[2016 United States presidential election|for President in 2016]] and was a senior staffer on Clinton's unsuccessful campaign for the [[2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2008 Democratic Party Presidential Nomination]].<ref>[https://newrepublic.com/article/138212/neera-tanden-works How Neera Tanden Works. Emails released by WikiLeaks reveal the maneuverings of a liberal think-tank president and member of Hillary Clinton's inner circle.] By Alex Shephard and Clio Chang. New Republic. October 28, 2016</ref> She helped draft health care legislation for the [[Barack Obama administration]] with work on the [[Affordable Care Act]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bu.edu/sph/news-events/signature-programs/deans-symposia/400-years-of-inequality-breaking-the-cycle-of-systemic-racism/neera-tanden/|title=Neera Tanden {{!}} SPH {{!}} Boston University|website=School of Public Health|language=en|access-date=2020-02-26}}</ref> including but not limited to work specific to a then considered [[public option]].
Tanden has worked on the campaigns of several [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] Presidential candidates, to include those of [[1988 United States presidential election|Michael Dukakis]] in 1988, [[1992 United States presidential election|Bill Clinton]] in 1992, and [[2008 United States presidential election|the general election campaign of Barack Obama in 2008]]. Tanden advised [[Hillary Clinton|Hillary Clinton’s]] successful primary and unsuccessful general election campaign [[2016 United States presidential election|for President in 2016]] and was a senior staffer on Clinton's unsuccessful campaign for the [[2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2008 Democratic Party Presidential Nomination]].<ref>[https://newrepublic.com/article/138212/neera-tanden-works How Neera Tanden Works. Emails released by WikiLeaks reveal the maneuverings of a liberal think-tank president and member of Hillary Clinton's inner circle.] By Alex Shephard and Clio Chang. New Republic. October 28, 2016</ref> She helped draft health care legislation for the [[Barack Obama administration]] with work on the [[Affordable Care Act]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bu.edu/sph/news-events/signature-programs/deans-symposia/400-years-of-inequality-breaking-the-cycle-of-systemic-racism/neera-tanden/|title=Neera Tanden {{!}} SPH {{!}} Boston University|website=School of Public Health|language=en|access-date=2020-02-26}}</ref> including but not limited to work specific to a then considered [[public option]].


== Early life ==
== Early life ==

Revision as of 17:22, 26 February 2020

Neera Tanden
Tanden in April 2019
Born (1970-09-10) September 10, 1970 (age 53)
Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Yale University (JD)
OrganizationCenter for American Progress
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
(m. 1999)​

Neera Tanden (born September 10, 1970) is the President of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, DC she has helped to build through service in prominent roles there since 2003. Tanden has worked with Bill and Hillary Clinton in various capacities over the years, and is regarded as a Clinton loyalist, close friend, and long-time advisor.[1][2]

Tanden has worked on the campaigns of several Democratic Presidential candidates, to include those of Michael Dukakis in 1988, Bill Clinton in 1992, and the general election campaign of Barack Obama in 2008. Tanden advised Hillary Clinton’s successful primary and unsuccessful general election campaign for President in 2016 and was a senior staffer on Clinton's unsuccessful campaign for the 2008 Democratic Party Presidential Nomination.[3] She helped draft health care legislation for the Barack Obama administration with work on the Affordable Care Act,[4] including but not limited to work specific to a then considered public option.

Early life

Neera Tanden was born on September 10, 1970,[5][6] in Bedford, Massachusetts, to immigrant parents from India.[7] She has a brother, Raj. Her parents divorced when she was five, after which Tanden's mother was on welfare for nearly two years before obtaining a job as a travel agent.[8]

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1992. In 1996, she received a Juris Doctor degree from Yale University, where she was Submissions Editor for the Yale Law & Policy Review.[9]

As a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles, Tanden met her future husband Benjamin Edwards[10][7]. Edwards and Tanden both volunteered on Michael Dukakis's unsuccessful run for President in 1988. Tanden worked as a precinct leader in the Bel Air district of West Los Angeles where many households had already contributed to the Dukakis campaign.[11]

Career

After graduating from Yale Law School, Tanden moved to Washington, D.C., where she has worked on domestic policy on Capitol Hill, in think tanks, and for Democratic senatorial and presidential campaigns. She has also written on Indian-American issues.[12]

Work with the Clintons

Tanden has been regarded as a Clinton loyalist [1] and personal friend of Hillary Clinton’s,[13] whose career has largely been defined by her professional ties to the Clintons.[14] She worked with President Bill Clinton's campaign on new energy policies, and health-care reform, as associate director for domestic policy in the Clinton White House,[15] as senior advisor in the First Lady’s Office, and then went on to work for Hillary Clinton on her successful senatorial campaign in New York, as her deputy campaign manager and issues director, where she produced a barrage of policy proposals for the campaign.[16][17][15]

Tanden worked as then Senator Hillary Clinton's Legislative Director from 2003 to 2005.[15]

She served as Hillary Clinton's policy director for her unsuccessful bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, shaping its policy proposals.[8][12] Tanden supervised debate preparation for Senator Clinton's participation in the Democratic presidential nomination debates during 2007 and 2008.[15]

Continuing her association with Hillary Clinton, Tanden was an unpaid adviser to Mrs. Clinton’s successful 2016 primary season nomination campaign and unsuccessful general election campaign in opposition to Republican candidate Donald Trump, while also running the Center for American Progress. Tanden was considered a candidate for a top White House job, had Mrs. Clinton won the presidency.[1] After Clinton secured the Democratic nomination for president in 2016, Tanden was named to her transition team.[18]

2008 Obama general election campaign

After Barack Obama was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, Tanden was one of a few former Clinton campaign staffers to join his team,[19] and she served as Domestic Policy Director for his successful general election campaign, where she managed all domestic policy proposals for the campaign.[12][20]

Obama Administration

Tanden also served in the Obama administration as senior adviser to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the Department of Health and Human Services. She worked on the drafting of the administration's health care legislation, including work specific to its proposed, but later withdrawn public plan option,[21] [17][22][23] before parts of it became public law as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.[10][19]

The Center for American Progress

Tanden with John Podesta (left) and Governor Martin O'Malley (right)

In 2003, Senator Clinton pushed for Tanden's involvement in the founding of the Center for American Progress, or CAP.[16] Tanden worked as Senior Vice President for Domestic Policy, while also serving as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and, starting in 2010, as Chief Operating Officer.[10][15]

In October of 2011, Tanden succeeded John Podesta as CAP's president.[24] At that time, the Washington Post's Jason Horowitz described CAP as "Washington’s leading liberal think tank, which is an incessant advocate for a broad progressive agenda and as such a sharp thorn in President Obama’s left side."[16]

Tanden with Ed Lee, Nancy Pelosi and Thomas Perez, 2014

In 2016, a hacker gained access to John Podesta's private emails (aka the Podesta emails), some which were emails exchanged with Tanden. In one exchange, on August 11, 2015, while discussing news that Harvard University law professor Lawrence Lessig was exploring a bid for the Democratic nomination, Tanden wrote of Lessig, "I fucking hate that guy." Lessig responded to the incident by saying that while he supported whistle blowing and a pardon of Edward Snowden, Tanden should not have to be burdened with having her private emails scrutinized and that it was not in the public interest.[25] Tanden called the release of her personal communications, which often feature her blunt private assessments, a painful experience to endure.[26]

After the 2016 election and Clinton’s loss, Tanden refocused the work of the Center for American Progress, aiming to have the think tank, and especially its advocacy arm (the Center for American Progress Action Fund), serve as a “central hub for Trump resistance”[27] as well as playing a leading role in shaping the healthcare debate within the Democratic Party.[28]

In 2018, reports emerged that Tanden had unintentionally revealed the first name of a CAP employee complaining of sexual harassment. [29]

Media and writing

Tanden has had a regular column for The New Republic online. She has appeared on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Real Time with Bill Maher, MSNBC, CNN, and Fox programs.[10]

Political views

Neera Tanden, who frequently describes herself as a progressive,[19][30] belongs to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.[31][19] She credits her experience as a child relying on welfare programs[32] as well as the formative moment of witnessing Anita Hill's testimony[33][34] against Clarence Thomas in 1991 with setting her on the path of career in public policy.   

Tanden is an advocate for robust social programs. Under her leadership, the Center for American Progress has proposed strengthening the Child Tax Credit (CTC)[35] and joined efforts to push for universal paid leave,[36] and she has argued for expanding TANF to serve more families[37] and has taken a stand against work requirements for welfare recipients as well as against Right to Work laws.[38]

Having worked on passage of the Affordable Care Act during the Obama administration,[16] Tanden has remained a strong proponent of universal healthcare. In 2019 the Center for American Progress proposed Medicare Extra for All,[39] a blueprint for achieving universal healthcare coverage without abolishing the private insurance industry. Tanden has praised the Medicare for America bill introduced in the House of Representatives.[40]

In 2018, Tanden endorsed the idea of a job guarantee to help revitalize economically-stagnant regions in the United States.[41]

Personal

At the University of California, Los Angeles, Tanden met Ben Edwards, an artist, whom she later married.[10] They have two children.

Honors

  • 1992, the Asian Pacific Alumni of UCLA awarded Tanden (then a senior at UCLA) the first Sam Law Leadership Award, based on "her leadership experience, community and university service."[6][42]
  • 2011, Tanden received the India Abroad Publisher's Award for Excellence.[43]
  • 2012, Tanden was named one of the 25 "Most Influential Women in Washington" by National Journal.[44]
  • 2014, Elle magazine honored Tanden during its annual "Women in Washington Power List" as one of the ten most powerful women in Washington, DC.[45][46]

References

  1. ^ a b c Williamson, Elizabeth (April 15, 2019). "The Rematch: Bernie Sanders vs. a Clinton Loyalist". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  2. ^ Thrush, Glenn. "Meet Hillary Clinton's anger translator". POLITICO. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ How Neera Tanden Works. Emails released by WikiLeaks reveal the maneuverings of a liberal think-tank president and member of Hillary Clinton's inner circle. By Alex Shephard and Clio Chang. New Republic. October 28, 2016
  4. ^ "Neera Tanden | SPH | Boston University". School of Public Health. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  5. ^ "Neera Tanden on Twitter". Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Drum, Kevin (May 21, 2016). "The Great Matt Bruenig–Neera Tanden Kerfuffle Sort of Explained". Mother Jones. Retrieved October 14, 2018. CAP is a high-powered progressive think tank that most people think of as either a very influential mainstream liberal think tank or, if you want to be a little more insidery, as the Clinton family's personal think tank.
  7. ^ a b Wadler, Joyce (October 4, 2000). "The Wonk, er, Woman Behind Mrs. Clinton". NYT. Retrieved February 1, 2020. The Democratic Party, the policies that the Clintons and Hillary believe in, I feel like a living example of someone who benefited.
  8. ^ a b Nikhila Panti, "Hillary is a role model & a friend", Times of India, March 11, 2007
  9. ^ [1], YLPR masthead, Issue 13.2
  10. ^ a b c d e Appointments: "Neera Tanden", NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Internet, February 2, 2011; accessed August 1, 2016
  11. ^ "Benjamin Edwards, Neera Tanden's Husband: 5 Fast Facts". Heavy.com. Heavy.com. April 16, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  12. ^ a b c The New Republic: "The GOP's New Diversity", NPR, June 30, 2010
  13. ^ Zengerle, Jason. "Don't Mess With Neera Tanden, Hillary Clinton's Self-Appointed Secretary of Defense, on Twitter". GQ. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  14. ^ Shepard, Alex (October 28, 2016). "How Neera Tanden Works". New Republic. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Biography: Neera Tanden". AmericanProgress.org. The Center for American Progress. February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d Horowitz, Jason (November 3, 2011). "Think-tank post puts spotlight on veteran Democratic operative Neera Tanden". Washington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2020. On Nov. 1, Tanden assumed the presidency of the Center for American Progress, Washington's leading liberal think tank, which is an incessant advocate for a broad progressive agenda and as such a sharp thorn in President Obama's left side.
  17. ^ a b Lamb, Brian (February 1, 2012). "Q&A with Neera Tanden". www.C-Span.org. C-Span. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Flegenheimer, Matt (August 16, 2016). "Hillary Clinton Puts White House Transition Team in Place". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  19. ^ a b c d Horowitz, Jason (May 19, 2013). "Four key Hillary Clinton staffers from 2008 unlikely to sign on for 2016 bid". Washington Post. Retrieved January 21, 2020. Unlike many progressive Clinton alumni who had a hard time moving on after Clinton's defeat and held a grudge against Obama, Tanden joined the Obama team and played a key role in the passage of health-care reform...Since leaving the administration, she has become a consistent thorn in the administration's left side as a leading progressive voice.
  20. ^ "Neera Tanden". IPPR. June 15, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  21. ^ "The 'Public Option': Democrats' Scam Becomes More Transparent". Common Dreams. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  22. ^ Barum, Marcus (September 16, 2009). "White House's Mixed Messages On "Public Option"". Huffington Post. Huffington Post. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  23. ^ Volsky, Igor (October 5, 2010). "Daschle: Public Option 'Taken Off The Table' In July Due To 'Understanding People Had With Hospitals'". ThinkProgress.org. The Center For American Progress. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  24. ^ McDuffee, Allen (October 24, 2011). "John Podesta stepping down from Center for American Progress". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  25. ^ Golshan, Tara. "Lawrence Lessig's classy response to being insulted in John Podesta's leaked emails". Vox. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Neera has only ever served in the public (and public interest) sector. Her work has always and only been devoted to advancing her vision of the public good. It is not right that she should bear the burden of this sort of breach
  26. ^ Eder, Steve; Confessore, Nicholas. "WikiLeaks Lays Bare a Clinton Insider's Emphatic Cheers and Jeers". NYT. Retrieved November 6, 2016. In a sphere encrusted with suck-ups, soothers, and self-puffery, Ms. Tanden has emerged as a loyal but insistent straight-talker and acute assessor of Mrs. Clinton's stubbornness and weaknesses.
  27. ^ Debenedetti, Gabriel. "Center for American Progress focuses on anti-Trump efforts". POLITICO. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  28. ^ "Leading liberal policy group unveils 'coverage for all' plan". AP NEWS. February 22, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  29. ^ https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/sarahmimms/center-for-american-progress-staff-shocked-after-neera
  30. ^ "Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  31. ^ "Neera Tanden: Becoming a Progressive Leader". WGBH. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  32. ^ "Neera Tanden on what it's like to work for Hillary Clinton". www.bullhorn.fm. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  33. ^ Tanden, Neera (October 5, 2018). "I'm going to share my story of how I became active in politics". @neeratanden. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  34. ^ Tanden, Neera. "Outraged by Brett Kavanaugh confirmation? Make 2018 another Year of the Woman". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  35. ^ West, Rachel; Boteach, Melissa; Vallas, Rebecca. "Harnessing the Child Tax Credit as a Tool to Invest in the Next Generation". Center for American Progress. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  36. ^ "Members and Supporters". Paid Leave for All. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  37. ^ Boteach, Melissa; T, Neera; en. "This Father's Day, let's find common ground for strengthening American families". Washington Post. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  38. ^ Tanden, Neera (August 7, 2018). "If "right to work" goes down in Missouri- that is a huge progressive victory!https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1027003667503898624 …". @neeratanden. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  39. ^ Team, the CAP Health Policy. "Medicare Extra for All". Center for American Progress. Retrieved December 6, 2019. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  40. ^ "DeLauro, Schakowsky Reintroduce Medicare for America". Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. May 1, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  41. ^ "RELEASE: CAP Releases Major Plan for Investing in Communities and Establishing a Job Guarantee for Hard-Hit Regions". Center for American Progress. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  42. ^ Godbey, Christina V (January 16, 1992). "She Finds a Reward for Her Fortitude". LA Times. Retrieved January 21, 2020. UCLA student Neera Tanden was awarded the first Sam Law Leadership Award by the Asian Pacific Alumni of UCLA at a Nov. 17 reception held at Royce Hall on the campus. Tanden, a senior planning to attend law school, was selected for her leadership experience, community and university service.
  43. ^ Neera Tanden: Winner The India Abroad Publisher's Award for Excellence, retrieved December 11, 2019
  44. ^ Nhan, Doris (July 13, 2012). "Looking at Washington's Influential Women Through a Lens of Diversity". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 20, 2020. National Journal set out to find Washington's 25 most influential women and to share what makes them tick. From Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Center of American Progress President Neera Tanden to Susan Molinari, Google's director of public policy and government affairs, Washington's women are in every sector.
  45. ^ Kopan, Tal (March 19, 2014). "Elle: D.C.'s 10 most powerful women". Politico. Retrieved January 20, 2020. Fashion magazine ELLE is taking a look at the world inside the Beltway this month, naming the 10 most powerful women in D.C. "We're looking for diversity, and certainly unique and powerful women, but also those women who have something going on right now and that are really sort of very much in the mix of things."
  46. ^ Watters, Susan (March 26, 2014). "Gucci and Elle Honor Women in Washington Power List". WWD. Retrieved March 28, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Neera Tanden.
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by President of the Center for American Progress
2011–present 		Incumbent
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