Club Meets with Vice President Biden's Staff in the VP's Ceremonial Room

The Club met on October 11, 2016 with four Clevelanders on Vice President Biden's staff: Steve Ricchetti (of Westlake), the Chief of Staff; Meghan Dubyak (of Shaker Heights), the Press Secretary; Don Graves (of Cleveland Heights), the Director of Domestic and Economic Policy to the Vice President; and Greg Schultz (of North Royalton), a Senior Advisor to the Vice President concentrating on political and intergovernmental affairs. All have rank as advisors or assistants to President Obama. The meeting was held in the historic Vice President's Ceremonial Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building overlooking the West Wing of the White House.

Meghan welcomed more than twenty members of the Club and discussed the history and importance of the Ceremonial Room, once the office of Theodore Roosevelt and General John J. Pershing. She was then called away to a meeting with Vice President Biden.

Steve Ricchetti entered and, flanked by Don Graves and Greg Schultz, spoke for about a half hour. First he showed Club members his own office adjacent to the Ceremonial Room, abundantly spiced with Cleveland area and Cleveland sports memorabilia. Seated again in the Ceremonial Room, he noted that the Administration in general and the Vice President's staff in particular is notable for the number of Clevelanders. Asked what the Vice President and staff would be working on up to the point of the swearing of a new administration, he replied "big ticket items" with the hopes that the new administration would continue what the present staff has advanced. He named such efforts as curbing gun violence, mitigating violence against women, and the cancer initiative.

Don Graves, formerly a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Treasury Department, was called away to a meeting with the Vice President at about the time Steve Ricchetti had to leave but gave some of his background working on jobs and community development issues. His attention currently is on the Vice President's cancer initiative.

Greg Schultz helps coordinate the Vice President's office with state and local governments, police and other public servant groups, and advises the Vice President on political matters. He noted that his job entails a good deal of travel and a great deal of hard work.

When Meghan Dubyak returned she had enough time to answer a question about what she liked about her job. "It's really nice to see Vice President Biden meeting with and interacting with ordinary Americans. In this building we work surrounded by security and guards and so when the Vice President and we can listen to and talk with citizens who live far from here, it grounds us all."

Club Cheers on Indians, Meets with Broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus

The Club met Indians' WTAM Radio broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus before the August 9 Indians-Nationals game at Nationals Park. More than 30 Club Indians fans listened as Rosenhaus discussed the team's prospects then answered questions about players and management. Rosenhaus spent about a half hour with the Club then returned to the broadcast booth for his pre-game show. A beautiful evening at the Park unfolded as a pitching battle waged through five innings. Ultimately, the Tribe began to connect and went on to win 3-1.

Club Hears from Sen. Portman's COS Mark Isakowitz accompanied by RNC COO Sean Cairncross

The Club met with Ohio Senator Rob Portman's Chief of Staff Mark Isakowitz on May 25 at the Capitol Hill office of law firm Jones Day. The subject of Beachwood native Isakowitz was the approaching Republican National Convention in Cleveland to be held in July. Accompanying Isakowitz was Sean Cairncross, the Chief Operating Officer of the Republican National Committee.  Both Isakowitz and Cairncross emphasized the care Cleveland had undertaken to make the Convention a satisfactory one for visiting delegates and media. Both were engaging in their answers to numerous questions, including ones regarding safety, proposed demonstrations, and plans for showcasing to visitors the broad scope of cultural amenities in the Cleveland area.

Torry's Report on the Indians

Jack Torry offered his spring assessment of the Indians last Friday and his outlook is pretty favorable. Noting the strength of Kansas City and Detroit, Jack said he thought the Indians’ defense had improved measurably over last year and that this together with the Indians’ bullpen was enough to take them to the division championship – barring injuries.

The Dolans have done a good job running the team, according to Jack, and he said that Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti are as smart as any managers in baseball. “Under the Dolans, the Indians have had a plan and they stick to it,” Jack told Club members at the National Press Club. “If the Indians’ defense had been as good last year as it should be this season, they would have won the division,” he said. He noted that the American Central Division is as tough a division as there is in baseball.

Jack is the author of the 1995 Endless Summers, The Fall and Rise of the Cleveland Indians. In his opinion, the Indians have been good at scouting and developing younger players and have a strong farm organization. He believes that over the long term these qualities will do well for the team, especially against the Tigers, which seem bent on putting so much of their resources into winning a World Series as quickly as possible.

According to Sports Illustrated, however, the Tigers will fall short again this year. For World Series champions in 2015, the magazine chose the Indians – over the Washington Nationals.

Jack Torry Informs the Club about the Indians

Jack Torry, author of Endless Summers: The Fall and Rise of the Cleveland Indians, talked to the Club about The Tribe and the baseball season just underway. Jack is a fountain of fascinating information about the city’s major league baseball team.

Jack believes the present team is a contender, though he sees Detroit as a formidable foe. He likes Terry Francona, who he says is a great strategist and can see a season whole. Jack points to other Tribe strong points as a good farm system, good momentum to building a rotation of outstanding starters, and the ability to pick good young players from other teams.

Jack looks favorably on the Cleveland market, saying it is becoming more dynamic. He also points to signs that Cleveland will continue to grow as a baseball city, two major factors being good baseball weather most of the season and an outstanding stadium.