Two People Discarded by Obama Administration Talk About How They Feel

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Exit Interview

The party is over for former White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers.

The New York Times reports Rogers' confidants say she feels the administration abandoned her after the state dinner party-crasher incident: "As she put it, 'They never lifted a finger to help me set the record straight,'" said one associate. "She didn't get any help from [Robert] Gibbs, no help from [David] Axelrod, no help from Valerie Jarrett. Nobody came to her defense."

The Times reports tension was building even before the incident. Rogers' glossy magazine photo shoots wearing expensive clothes and jewelry didn't sit well with President Obama's inner circle, dealing with an economy in crisis.

Also, Axelrod chided Rogers for her discussion of the "Obama brand," telling her the president is a person not a product.

It's All Relative

Candidate Obama once referred to his pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright as, "an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with."

While President Obama hasn't talked about Wright publically since taking office, his former pastor is speaking out again, telling the Washington Post today that he views President Obama as a son who is being treated unfairly in the media: "It is unrealistic to think that one person can change the mess that this country has gotten into — but to pick on him is like picking on one of my kids."

Wright says he has not stopped loving the president, but acknowledged that he does not expect to speak again with President Obama until he is out of the White House.

Taking the Flak

Former Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has a new and very different gig from his White House days.

Fleischer is reportedly helping Tiger Woods plot strategy for his return to golf. Multiple reports today cited sources saying that Woods will be back to play in coming weeks, including in the next major — the Masters in April.

Fleischer is already advising another sports figure with a tarnished reputation: former baseball star Mark McGwire. Fleisher runs a sports media company that works with major talent agency IMG.

You Get What You Pay For

And finally, a third-party U.S. Senate candidate in Oregon was burned by a campaign logo designed by a volunteer. Yahoo Sports reports Libertarian Marc Delphine says he did not realize the logo he started using for his campaign was a mirror image of one used by the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, until after it was up on his Web site, Facebook, and twitter pages. The logo has since been removed.

— Fox News Channel's Lanna Britt contributed to this report.