Most Americans are aware that Barack Obama’s election uniquely mobilized a new generation of Americans to turn out to vote. But the President’s courtship of young Americans also reaches into the heart of his administration’s communications arm.

Two of the youngest, Ben Finkenbinder and Katie Hogan, work as press assistants in the White House Press Office.

“They’re not just managing White House logistics, setting up pool coverage, and the middle-men (or women) in those reports. Ben and Katie arguably have the most direct consistent interaction with daily reporters,” one member of the White House press corps said privately.

He added, “They are the unsung heroes of the Obama administration. Despite their age, they play a critical role: to calm a herd of often bellicose reporters. They are in effect the first level of the cat and mouse game between reporters and the government.”

Their other colleagues agree that these young professionals are well-suited to their demanding jobs.

“Ben and Katie are a pleasure to work with. They are wise and poised beyond their years,” said Lynn Sweet, from the Chicago Sun Times.

Finkenbinder graduated from Macalester College in just 2007 with a Political Science major. During his tenure, he was an avid golfer and basketball player.

“When we were in the golf van driving to the golf course, he and another guy on the team would put on the song ‘Every Time We Touch’ by Cascada and lean out of the windows of the van, all the way to their waists, and beat their fists to the music,” said teammate Daniel Kerwin, who was a freshman on the Macalester golf team during Ben’s senior year.

But Finkenbinder’s peers also spoke to his hard-working nature and passion for politics.

“I can remember sitting in Dubuque, Iowa, of all places, and we were at a golf tournament in April of 2007, and there was terrible weather,” recalled golf teammate Eric Kelsey. “ It was maybe 30 degrees and we’d come off the course and we were sitting in our hotel room. I was trying to write resumes, and Ben was reading an interview with David Axelrod. And he was always interrupting me, telling me things about this interview with David Axelrod. He was always engaged in what was going on in the Democratic Party.”

In the spring of 2006, Finkenbinder served as an intern for the DCCC in Washington, where he worked retrieving press clippings and closely following candidate-related new stories.

Immediately following his graduation in June, Finkenbinder started work as a media monitor in Chicago for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. For more than a year, he awoke as early as 3 a.m. to follow media outlets and their coverage of Obama.

After Obama won the primary contest, Finkenbinder was promoted to the position of traveling assistant press secretary. He also worked closely with Joe Biden once he was announced as the vice presidential candidate.

He joined the administration when President Obama took office this January.

“Ben seems really bright and most importantly for the job he has, he keeps cool and doesn’t get ruffled. White House reporters can be awful, especially on the road – obnoxious, exhausted, demanding. Ben doesn’t seem to take things personally or get upset, and in this regard seems quite mature,” said Julie Mason of the DC Examiner.

Alongside Finkenbinder in the White House Press Office, Katie Hogan graduated from George Washington University in 2006.

“Katie is a true professional who is always friendly even when she’s juggling a million and one balls in the air and operating on minutes of sleep,” said Julianna Goldman from Bloomberg News.

“Katie looks young but she doesn’t seem young,” added Mason. “I think for all of the younger Obama staffers, the campaign was a real hazing for the rigors of the White House. Although it’s a completely different job, there are still the hours, the pressure, and the huge responsibilities.”

“I’ve never even thought about how old Katie and Ben are. How old are they?! When you’re working with staffers who are dealing with Secret Service, you don’t think about their ages – you just know they’re in charge.” said Goldman.

She added, “I’d say everything about their job is difficult, but they never let it show.”

But Margaret Talev of McClatchy said Ben and Katie may be afforded some advantages due to their age, citing stamina and not having family lives to manage.

Even so, Talev added, “I think it is sort of a physically grueling job if you are on a foreign trip or even on a very long trip. Your morning might start very early, or your day might end after midnight. I would imagine that you take that job saying ‘I’m completely willing to sacrifice my personal life.’”

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