General Wesley Clark on MSNBC. He gets it.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

45. Also post Master's Degree from Oxford, he was selected as a prestigious White House Fellow

White House Fellows spend one year as paid staff assistants in the White House. The selection process is extremely exclusive:

"...
A record of remarkable professional achievement early in one's career.
Evidence of leadership skills and the potential for further growth.
A demonstrated commitment to public service.
The skills to succeed at the highest levels of the Federal government, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

All these qualities combined with the strength of one's character, a positive attitude, and the ability to work well with others are taken into consideration when selecting a class of White House Fellows.

The selection process is very competitive. There can be as many as 1,000 applicants for the eleven to nineteen fellowships. The White House Fellows Program office processes the applications and former Fellows screen the applications to identify the most promising candidates. Approximately 100 of the most qualified applicants are selected to be interviewed by eight to ten regional panels, which are composed of prominent local citizens. Based on the results of their interviews, the regional panels select approximately thirty candidates to proceed as national finalists. ..."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/fellows/process