How political nominees can win over a Senate committee
One political nominee learned two key items that are essential to a successful confirmation hearing.
Joe Jordan may have found the secret to winning over a Senate committee at a confirmation hearing.
A 10-month-old son and a snack pack of Cheerios suitable for feeding to the boy.
Jordan, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, sat down May 9 in front of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee at his confirmation hearing to answer questions about acquisition and his views of how the government should proceed with contracting policies.
Turns out though, his son Carter was the star of the show, Jordan said in an interview June 5 with Federal Computer Week.
“While it was probably my 11th or 12th congressional testimony, I will say that, other than the great questions the senators asked, the one thing I would take out of it is that I should definitely invite my son to any future hearings,” he said.
Carter warmed the hearts of a number of committee members. And in an unexpectedly quick turn of events, the Senate confirmed him May 24, barely more than two weeks after the hearing. Their hearts may still have been warm.
From that hearing though, Jordan learned that he needs two key items in every future hearing:
“My briefing binder and a little thing of Cheerios,” he said.