The nomination, however, does hold significance for the Obama Administration as the first of his cabinet members to largely avoid scandal on his way to confirmation. Holder now stands seventh in the line of Presidential Succession.

White House Photo: Joyce N. Boghosian

This week, for the first time since taking office, Barack Obama began regular reuse of ties that he had already worn this term, a move which is at once being hailed as a signal that the time for negligent waste is past, and dismissed as a partisan fashion faux pas to be expected of someone who lacks real Washington leadership experience.  Some commanders-in-chief may have worn upwards of thirty ties after being in office for eighteen days, but Obama’s total stands at an environmentally aware thirteen ties. The President’s recent tie wearing schedule broke down as:

• Monday, President Obama brought “Big Blue” back to the Oval Office for the first time since his repeat Inaugural Oath with John Roberts.
• Tuesday, the President wore a previously unseen tie featuring dark blue dots on a light blue background light/dark blue stripes.
• On Wednesday, President and Mrs. Obama made their first public appearance since the Inauguration, visiting a second grade classroom in Washington, D.C. (pictured above).  In order to instill the value of reducing, reusing, and recycling in the future voters, Obama chose to re-wear the tie that he wore in his first weekly address.
• Thursday the President broke out a new necktie while appearing with Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.
• Finally, today (Friday) the President reused the tie that he wore when he first started pushing his economic stimulus plan on Congress.

Some presidential neck wear analysts have speculated that this pattern could foreshadow a push for legislation governing responsible neck wear reuse.

To browse photos of all thirteen ties that the President has worn since taking office, visit the Tie Gallery.