How Many White House Staffers Do You Out-Earn? The answer may surprise you!

If you earn more than 30k, for example, you’re doing better than at least 20 of ‘em.

Reading the salary list reprinted by the National Journal, we can’t help but wonder which member of the distinguished $165,200 club will be the next subject of a string of well-researched and subtly terrifying newsweekly profiles. Our money’s on Jack Crouch.

(News you can use: White House Hottie Taylor Hughes makes $56,900. Boyfriend Jeb Mason slightly outearns her, as God intended, netting $62,100)

Who’s Making What in the White House? [National Journal]

As promised, here’s our quick postscript on our White House Hotties contest. We’re going to close the loop on a few items and offer up some amusing addenda about the competition.

First, a special message to the reader who sent us this email, well after the polls closed: “Mi voto es por Paul Skoczylas.” Sorry, but we didn’t count your “voto.” In addition to being three hours late, it was excluded by our “English only” rule.

Second, in response to our question about the hotness of Josh McCoy, Ben Wilmoth’s unofficial campaign manager, we received a photograph of Josh. You can check it out after the jump.

Third, we received several additional pictures of the male hottie winner, David Copley. They also appear after the jump.

Finally, even though their candidate didn’t win, we have to give a Wonkette salute to the supporters of Emily House. “Team Emily” came up with the most innovative and creative campaign by far. Check out their blog here, their new T-shirt design here, and their latest campaign video here:

Additional statements from Team Emily, as well as an earlier campaign video, appear after the jump.

We had fun with the White House Hotties contest — and it seems like the Bushies did too. So check back soon, to learn about our next exciting hotties competition.

Here’s the photo of Josh McCoy; you can judge for yourself whether he was unfairly passed over. We think that he compares favorably to several of the nominees. (But then again, what do we know? Fran Townsend came in dead last among the female hotties.)

And here are the additional photos of Dave Copley, your number one White House hottie.

No, this wasn’t taken at Madame Tussauds.

Everyone loves a man in uniform!

Atop the rubble that was Al-Zarqawi’s not-so-safe-house.

Here’s the first campaign video crafted by Team Emily:

Finally, here’s an official statement from a representative of Team Emily:

Wonkette - First of all, we would like to point out that from the beginning Team Emily has gone on the record saying we are big fans of Mary Anne and know she had nothing to do with the vicious attacks on Emily from her fringe supporters.

Team Emily had a busy weekend campaigning/pursuing cirrhosis in earnest in Georgetown and at the Courage Cup (because if there is anything Team Emily loves more than charity events, it’s charity events that involve socially acceptable day drinking). Regrouping on Sunday, we opened the Texas Team Emily office where our professional media team (seriously) spent the weekend making a new t-shirt design (www.cafepress.com/teamemily) and also our first web ad (attached).

We have also assembled the Team Emily legal team that is ready to deploy and challenge the results if we feel there are irregularities. James A. Baker III is just a phone call away from coming up here to take command of the post election period.

Taylor Hughes won the contest by a sizable margin, so we believe that no legal challenge is warranted. But as for who should be viewed as the runner-up, ready to step in if Taylor is unable to fulfill her duties — or if nude photos of her surface in Penthouse, a la Vanessa Williams — there may be some dispute. After the polls closed, a mysterious extra vote for Mary Anne Calamas materialized. That vote turned a tie between House and Calamas into a one-vote victory for Mary Anne…

(We think it has something to do with the polling feature of Movable Type. This kind of problem has happened to us before.)

Earlier: Prior coverage of the White House Hotties contest (scroll down).

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: announcement of the winners in our White House Hotties contest. We asked for your nominations, selected some worthy contenders — both men and women — and threw open the polls. Thousands of votes later, you have crowned two worthy hotties.

In the women’s race, in which almost 9,000 votes were tabulated, you picked Taylor Hughes as queen of the hotties. Taylor developed an early lead, which she never surrendered — despite aggressive campaigns by her two chief rivals, Mary Anne Calamas and Emily House. Hughes may have benefited from all the exposure she received after she was photographed repeatedly by the news media, strolling alongside her unindicted boss, Karl Rove (who probably taught Taylor a thing or two about running a campaign).

The men’s race was much closer than the women’s. For a while, it was beginning to look like Taylor Hughes’s beau, Jeb Mason, would be elected Prom King to her Queen. But in the final hours, David Copley surged past him, winning the coveted title of male White House Hottie. To those of you who question Copley’s victory, consider this testimonial:

I’ve known Dave Copley for years, and aside from being a total gentleman to every girl I’ve ever seen him deal with, he is ripped and very attractive. He’s a generally great guy and evidently he’s also great in bed if you ask certain Pennsylvania CRs.

Now, a caveat. We don’t mean to turn this contest into Bush v. Gore, with a frustratingly unresolved outcome, but we do have one open issue. In declaring Copley the winner, we’re assuming that he’s still a White House/OMB employee, at least as an official matter.

We hear that Copley may be in Iraq right now. If he’s in Iraq as part of his White House duties, of if he’s on leave from his White House job but still technically employed there, that’s fine. But if not, then we may have to disqualify him — and declare runner-up Jeb Mason to be the winner.

Update: Sorry, Jeb. Multiple sources have informed us that Copley remains on the OMB payroll and is still a White House employee. He’s in Iraq as part of a voluntary detail to the State Department.

The complete contest results appear after the jump. Also, check back later today for our hotties contest postscript, in which we tie up a few loose ends and pass along some funny tidbits (like the Emily House campaign video).

For all of you campaign junkies, here are the complete results — first the women, then the men. We will once again express our disappointment that you didn’t show more love to Fran Townsend.

Update: Here’s the postscript.

Earlier: Prior White House Hotties coverage (scroll down)

The polls in our White House Hotties contest — click here to vote in the women’s race, and here to vote in the men’s — will stay open until Monday at 10 AM. As of Saturday afternoon, Taylor Hughes leads the women, and David Copley leads the men.

But there’s still time for their competition to catch up. And as we enter the home stretch, the hotties and their supporters are pulling out all the stops. Campaign strategies are being crafted; dirty tricks are being played. Accusations of improper conduct — and vigorous responses thereto — are flying.

After the jump — i.e., click on that pointing finger indicating “More” — you can check out the latest claims and defenses.

First, advocates of Mary Anne Calamas want to respond to the charges leveled against them by the partisans of Emily House (a.k.a. “Team Emily”). One of Mary Anne’s supporters, Jeff Segal, writes:

I’d like to stand up for my archaeologist friend and put to rest the speculation that he was behind the nomination — it was I, the Eric Clapton to Ben and Mary Anne’s George & Patty Harrison. Although Team WhoreHouse wants to drag this race into the gutter, I have faith that the Wonkette public will see through their shenanigans and vote for the true Hottie.

Jeff - you can use my name… I’m not afraid of Emily’s goons.

I am surprised that such a fine news source as Wonkette is willing to broadcast such unsubstantiated allegations as have been levelled against me. The truth of the matter is that I do not have the resources as an archaeologist to mount any sort of campaigns aside from the eternal campaign of paying rent.

As I am using a dial-up connection in Gloucester County, VA (I’ll wait while you try to find it on a map), I do not have the patience or time to vote repeatedly, as alleged. Aside from the few emails to friends and families, Ms. Calamas has earned her votes by the sheer radiance of her own beauty.

Respectfully,

Benjamin Bradshaw (aka Hairy Jewish Liberal)

There have also been charges of campaigning on the men’s side — which we don’t have a problem with, but perhaps others might view it as overzealous or embarrassing. Here’s an email from a White House tipster:

Apparently there is a voting campaign on the men’s side. Josh McCoy has sent out no less than three emails encouraging votes for Ben Wilmoth and held a strategy session. What is a guy doing leading a campaign for another guy to be voted hot? Does Ben not have any girl friends?

Ouch! But now we’re curious about this Josh McCoy character. Is he a hottie who was unfortunately passed over during the nominations process? Is he trying to enjoy a vicarious victory through his friend Ben?

If so, Josh has his work cut out for him. As of Saturday at 3:30 PM, Ben Wilmoth has 279 votes. Wilmoth is far behind the first and second place hotties right now, Dave Copley (666 votes — yikes!) and Jeb Mason (573 votes).

But over 36 hours of quality voting time remain — and as everyone in politics knows, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Say what you will about the Bush Administration, but it can’t be denied that they know how to run a smart campaign. This is becoming quite clear as our White House Hotties competition unfolds. (Vote here for hottest female, and here for hottest male.)

Fresh from saving her boss’s ass — she batted her eyes at Pat Fitzgerald, and he melted like Katherine Harris’s concealer in the Florida sun — Taylor Hughes broke away from the pack. The leggy Taylor developed an early lead, and it looked like she’d be impossible to catch. The women’s race was shaping us as boring — in contrast to the men’s, which remains hotly contested.

But the latest tallies show Mary Anne Calamas and Emily House gaining fast. And House may be helped by a brilliant campaign — which you can learn about after the jump.

Here’s a report from a member of “Team Emily,” which is coordinating her campaign:

After a “Team Emily” strategy session this afternoon, we suspect some voting irregularities. While we are fans of Mary Anne Calamas, who sits twenty feet away from Emily, we are highly suspicious of her high vote count. We think her archeologist boyfriend Ben — who most likely nominated her — has voted many times.*

Sure there may be some Hill interns assisting Team Emily, but not to that extent. Hopefully it won’t come to this, but some of the team went to college in SC with Mary Anne and are prepared to go negative if necessary.

They haven’t gone negative — yet. But Team Emily does appear to be the first campaign to develop its own line of campaign sportswear. You can check it out here.

Mary Anne and Taylor, watch out: you’re about to “Get Housed”!

*While we’re on the subject of voting irregularities, a tipster from within the White House writes: “I caught Will Rue voting for himself over and over again.” Busted!

The polls are now open in our White House Hotties contest. They will remain open until 10 a.m. Eastern time, Monday morning. Cast your vote for female hottie here, and your vote for male hottie here.

We’re big believers in an informed electorate. So we’ve collected testimonials, as well as tidbits of gossip, about the contestants.

Testimonials for the female finalists are available after the jump (or just click here). Testimonials for the male finalists will follow later today. Vote early and often, and tell all your friends!

Here are some of the things you had to say about the women of the White House:

1. Mary Anne Calamas. Confidential Assistant to the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget. [Ed. note: Whew that’s a mouthful!]

“Mary Anna Calamas, for two reasons: (1) we all know what a ‘confidential assistant’ really is, and (2) she’s a lifelong Republican with a taste for liberal hairy Jewish boys.”

“Mary Anne Calamas was a great friend to me in college — how funny to be reading your blog and suddenly see her face appear. She’s got the heart and soul that go along with the beauty. My vote’s with her!”

Hmm, we wonder who this is from:

“MaryAnne is by far the hottest and most decent Republican I have ever had the privilege of dating. Politics aside, she is just about the genuinely nicest person I have ever met. She is also sweet enough to not believe that every dirty old man in the White House is drooling all over her. I wish I had a better picture of her, but this one will have to do. It is from the surprise birthday party she threw for me a couple of weeks ago in Georgetown. How cool is that?”

2. Emily House. Special Assistant to the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“This blond bombshell from Houston is somehow able to do it all — working as Special Assistant to OMB Deputy Director Clay Johnson while spending her free time Junior League-ing and aggressive cocktailing it at Cap Grille on weeknights and at Smith Point on Thurs, Fri and Sat nights.”

“Emily is simply gorgeous. The little pic that you guys have of her fails to do her justice.”

3. Taylor Hughes. Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor.

“That chick Taylor Hughes. If she doesn’t qualify just give it to Barney.”

“I hereby nominate/vote for Taylor Hughes as a shoo-in for White House Hottie. Indeed, based on that brilliant photo I would gladly nominate her to Executive Branch, Federal Government, or even World Civil Servant Hottie.”

“Hughes previously worked in Cabinet Liaison. Sadly, the only testimony I am qualified to give is that, based on these photos, she certainly qualifies as a hottie. I am now putting my thumb and pinky in the configuation of a telephone at the side of my face and mouthing, ‘Taylor, call me!’”

Sorry, guys, she’s taken — by one of the male contestants for White House Hottie:

“Jeb Mason and Taylor Hughes are a longtime item. Based on their vote tallies so far in their respective categories they’re a solid bet for hottest White House couple.”

Additional praise for Taylor is available here and here. Additional pics are available here (and elsewhere on the Capital Club website, which also has lots of pics of former club officer Jeb Mason).

4. Meghan O’Sullivan. Deputy National Security Adviser.

“Meghan is a very beautiful woman with striking red hair. She is tall and carries herself with much grace. She would be worthy of having a White House Hottie crown.”

“Meghan, with her red hair and pale complexion, is like a beautiful porcelain doll. I would say Meghan even beats Taylor [Hughes], but that’s just me.”

More praise of Meghan is available here. For more pics of Meghan, click here.

5. Dina Powell. Former Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel (now at the State Department, working for Karen Hughes).

“Dina Powell is HOTT!!!”

“Dina Powell hands down is better than both [Meghan O’Sullivan and Frances Townsend].”

6. Kristen Slaughter. Former Special Assistant to the Staff Secretary.

“Kristen Slaughter is a complete rock star. Nuff said.”

“Kristen can wear a formal gown like no one else I know. She always looks fantastic.”

Here is an article about her dating Richard Howard, the son of Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

7. Heidi Marquez Smith. Assistant to the President for Cabinet Liaison.

“Heidi Marquez-Smith is pretty sharp!”

“Heidi is a luscious Latin beauty. Too bad she’s married! (She is currently on maternity leave.)”

Here is a short bio of her (click here, scroll down).

8. Frances Fragos Townsend. Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

“Fran has a great sense of humor and in person is a very lovely lady.”

“More on Fran Townsend please. She’s hot. Maybe some ice dancing, maybe some sandy beach pics. That would be great. Thanks.”

Okay, please allow us to step out of our shoes as “objective” pseudo-journalists, and engage in some editorial indulgence.

Regular readers of this blog know how we feel about Fran Townsend. For our testimonials to her beauty, click here, here, or here.

At the current time, Fran Townsend is trailing behind all the other female hotties. This is SO WRONG. C’mon, fellow fans of Fran, get out the vote!

We realize our gal Fran can’t overtake the leaders. But can we at least get her out of last place?

Earlier: White House Hotties: The Women

It’s a tough job, but somebody had to do it. We sifted through your many nominations in our White House Hotties contest, winnowing the entries down to eight contenders on the women’s side. (The male hotties will square off in a separate poll.)

The female finalists, with photos, appear below. Additional information about the contestants, including job titles and testimonials, will follow. If you know any of these gorgeous gals and would like to chime in, please feel free to email us (subject line: White House Hotties). We may quote from your testimonial — but we’ll keep you anonymous, unless you state otherwise.

Let the games begin!

Update: Here are the male finalists.

Update: We’re advised that Dina Powell and Kristen Slaughter no longer work in the White House. We regret the error. But we’ll leave them in the competition, ‘coz it’s kinda too late to remove them now…

Further Update: White House Hotties: The Men

2005 White House Office Staff List [FROOMKIN!]
Earlier: White House Hotties: Nominations, Please

Wow, you guys work fast. We show you some photos of Karl Rove and a mysterious hottie, whom the AP refers to as an “unidentified aide.” Within minutes, several of you inform us of her name: Taylor Hughes.

Does anyone know Ms. Hughes’s job title? And would anyone like to submit a brief testimonial on her behalf, so she can compete in our contest?

Update: According to the White House Office Staff List, Taylor A. Hughes is the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor. She earns $47,500 a year.

Earlier: Who’s That Girl?