Introducing a White House puff piece on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer proclaimed: "Now to a young woman who might just be one of the most impressive figures in Washington. We're talking about the President's newly-appointed receptionist."
National correspondent Peter Alexander declared: "She oversees the front of the West Wing here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, greeting presidents and prime ministers. But her personal story of getting here is just as powerful." As upbeat music played throughout the report, Alexander gushed: "Leah is the new Receptionist of the United States. If he's the POTUS, she's the ROTUS. That's her desk, just steps from the Oval Office. She's 27, a Connecticut native, and she's deaf."
While Today was eager to push the fawning profile of the new White House staffer, the morning show ignored another recent personnel shake-up at the executive mansion. On Monday, The Washington Post reported on the sudden and mysterious exit of the White House florist:
...the recent exit of head florist Laura Dowling, who'd been in the job since 2009, has been a much quieter affair. So hush hush, in fact, that most outside of 1600 Penn knew nothing about it. There's still no official comment on why Dowling is no longer at the White House, but according to a source with close ties to current residence staffers, she was escorted from the building on Friday, Feb. 13....
According to a former residence staffer, Dowling's exit "surprised a lot of people." But the White House's staff, continued this source, was discouraged from "trying to come up with their own conclusions." Rumors, of course, have been flying ever since.
On Tuesday, The Post revealed the reason for the departure: "In this town, matters of taste – much like positions on marriage equality – can "evolve" over time. Just ask Dowling, who left because her 'fussy style' was not in line with the first lady’s emerging modern and clean aesthetics, several sources said."
While NBC was not interested in the unflattering White House intrigue surrounding Dowling apparently being forced out, Friday's Today cheered the President's secretary as "A pioneer at the White House."
In the segment, Alexander teed up Katz Hernandez to praise the Obamas:
ALEXANDER: A former White House intern, Leah worked for President Obama's reelection campaign before being hired on to the First Lady's staff. She still remembers the first time they met.
KATZ HERNANDEZ: And she actually used sign language and she signed to me and she said, "Hi, my name is Michelle," and she spelled out "Michelle Obama." And it was so incredible.
ALEXANDER: Have you taught the President sign yet?
KATZ HERNANDEZ: I saw him in Chicago and he already knew some sign language at that time and he passed by me and I waved at him and he signed immediately "thank you" to me.
The story about Katz Hernandez was initially set to air on Thursday's Today, but was preempted by breaking news regarding the French Alps plane crash. Even the usually frivolous morning show knew how much fluff it was, pushing it to Friday's broadcast.
Here is a full transcript of Alexander's report aired on March 27:
8:17 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Now to a young woman who might just be one of the most impressive figures in Washington. We're talking about the President's newly-appointed receptionist. NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander is at the White House, he has her story. Peter, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Oval Office Original; Meet the Woman Breaking White House Barriers]
PETER ALEXANDER: Matt, good morning to you. Leah Katz Hernandez, that's her name. She oversees the front of the West Wing here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, greeting presidents and prime ministers. But her personal story of getting here is just as powerful.
Every morning in the nation's capital, Leah Katz Hernandez arrives for work at the White House. Her job is one-of-a-kind, kind of like Leah herself. Leah is the new Receptionist of the United States. If he's the POTUS, she's the ROTUS. That's her desk, just steps from the Oval Office. She's 27, a Connecticut native, and she's deaf.
LEAH KATZ HERNANDEZ [VIA INTERPRETER]: It's a fantastic opportunity and also to show that deaf people can do anything.
ALEXANDER: From world leaders to White House staffers...
KATZ HERNANDEZ: You have a meeting this morning?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I do.
ALEXANDER: ...anyone who has an appointment with the President or one of his top advisors comes to Leah's desk first. She's provided an interpreter who alerts her when the phone rings.
INTERPRETER: Good morning, this is the West Wing lobby, how may I help you?
ALEXANDER: Leah was born deaf, part of a deaf family, her mom's Jewish, a social worker, her dad, who's Mexican-American, put himself through college and earned a PhD. A former White House intern, Leah worked for President Obama's reelection campaign before being hired on to the First Lady's staff. She still remembers the first time they met.
KATZ HERNANDEZ: And she actually used sign language and she signed to me and she said, "Hi, my name is Michelle," and she spelled out "Michelle Obama." And it was so incredible.
ALEXANDER: Have you taught the President sign yet?
KATZ HERNANDEZ: I saw him in Chicago and he already knew some sign language at that time and he passed by me and I waved at him and he signed immediately "thank you" to me.
ALEXANDER: Leah also oversees the Roosevelt Room and the White House guest book. She's the one in charge of collecting cell phones before meetings with the President. On this morning, we ran into Press Secretary Josh Earnest.
JOSH EARNEST: She represents us very well, she really does.
ALEXANDER: When you look around here, what do you think?
KATZ HERNANDEZ: It is a great responsibility to be here as a deaf person and I feel very proud of the opportunities that have been given to me.
ALEXANDER: A pioneer at the White House.
[To Hernandez] How do you say "Hello, Mr. President"?
KATZ HERNANDEZ [SIGNING]: Hello, Mr. President.
ALEXANDER: One more time. [Signing] Hello, Mr. President.
Defined by her accomplishments, not her disability.
She's already an inspiring advocate for the deaf and disabled community. And Leah tells me her proudest moment so far, at an event when the first lady invited a group of deaf students here and then brought up on stage a 6-year-old deaf boy to sign her introduction. She's pretty impressive.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Indeed, inspiring a lot of people, too. Peter, thank you for the story.
