Commentary
We now have the first woman of color as our vice president, our first woman as treasury secretary, our first woman as director of national intelligence, the first woman to serve as deputy defense secretary, and now President Biden has nominated a woman to the highest-ranking position in the U.S. Navy.
She’s Adm Lisa Franchetti, who if confirmed, not only becomes the first woman chief of naval operations, but the first woman member of the joint chiefs of staff.
Pardon the pun, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Biden made the decision over that of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who you may recall became the first black secretary of defense in 2021.
Austin had recommended Adm. Samuel Paparo to become the next chief of naval operations. Currently in command of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, where he has focused on confronting China’s growing naval power, a position that has placed him front and center to our most pressing problem.
Some say Paparo, a white guy in his 50s, didn’t fit in Biden’s identity politics mandate. Not a woman, not a minority. Paparo has since been nominated as commander of Indo-Pacific Command
In his statement, Biden noted how Franchetti is “an unprecedented choice for such a high-level military post due to her sex.” Commenting on her “38 years of dedicated service, throughout her career, he said Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive experience in both the operational and policy arenas.”
No doubt, she has established her leadership abilities with a number of command positions on a wide range of ships.
Franchetti became interested in the Navy when she joined the NROTC while attending the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. While she received a bachelor of science degree in journalism, she never became a journalist. “The Medill program,” she said, “gave me a very inquisitive mind.”
With that, I found it interesting that journalist Jacob Knutson, who only cited the “first woman” decision under the heading “Why it Matters,” in his piece for AXIOS on Franchetti’s nomination.
It’s unfortunate that Franchetti’s nomination will face criticism in the confirmation process primarily because Biden insists on his policy of “firsts,” including the naming of Pete Buttigieg as his first out-LGBTQ as transportation secretary and Rachel Levine as his first openly trans person as assistant secretary for health in HHS.
I mentioned earlier that the nomination hasn’t been smooth sailing for Biden, Franchetti and other Pentagon nominations. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville has used his position to block them over the DOD’s abortion policies. In the meantime, Franchetti will serve in the “acting” role.
May God continue to bless the United States of America.
