Robert Gibbs will be White House Press Secretary

Politico’s Mike Allen reports today that Robert Gibbs, communications director in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and a key strategist who “helped plan and package” his “rapid move to the national stage,” will be named as the Obama administration’s White House Press Secretary. Allen adds that the “announcement is likely to be viewed favorably by reporters because Gibbs has unquestioned authority, access and institutional memory.”

'Robert Gibbs, Press Secretary -- Gibbs, a native of Auburn, Alabama and a graduate of North Carolina State University, began working with President-Elect Obama in April 2004 serving as Communications Director for his United States Senate race and later as his Senate Communications Director. Gibbs held the position of Communications Director for Obama's presidential campaign until becoming Senior Strategist for Communications and Message during the general election. Earlier in his career, Gibbs served as Communications Director for Senator Fritz Hollings and worked on Senator Debbie Stabenow's 2000 Senate campaign. He also served as press secretary for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and worked for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign. Gibbs lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife, Mary Catherine, and their five-year-old son, Ethan.

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Pro-life dealt a blow with latest pick

Obama selects more staff
By MIKE ALLEN | 11/22/08 3:33 PM EST Text Size:



Ellen Moran, executive director of EMILY’s List, was named White House communications director by President-elect Obama on Saturday.

Moran, a well-known grassroots organizer, has also managed statewide Democratic campaigns and managed the Wal-Mart corporate accountability campaign for the AFL-CIO.

EMILY's List, one of the most important Democratic constituency groups, says it is "dedicated to building a progressive America by electing Democratic pro-choice women to office."

As expected, the White House press secretary will be Robert Gibbs, a top strategist on Obama's campaign who helped chart his leap from the U.S. Senate to the presidency.

Dan Pfeiffer, the campaign communications director, will be deputy director of communications.

The transition released these biographies:

Ellen Moran, Director of Communications: Moran currently serves as executive director of EMILY’s List, where she oversees the national staff and charts the overall strategic direction of the organization. This was Moran’s second tenure at EMILY’s List, rejoining the organization from the AFL-CIO, where she coordinated Wal-Mart corporate accountability activities and served in the Political Department. In 2004, she took a leave of absence from the AFL-CIO to direct independent expenditures for the Democratic National Committee, managing placement of presidential advertising and directed television, radio, mail, and phoning efforts in 20 states. In 2000, Moran directed the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s $50 million issue advocacy campaign. Moran's political experience includes managing campaigns for governor, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House; working on the national campaign staff of Tom Harkin’s 1992 presidential campaign; helping plan both Clinton inaugurals; and conducting international democracy work in Indonesia for the U.S. Agency for International Development. In 1993, Moran designed EMILY’s List’s campaign staff training program and served as its first director. Moran also oversaw EMILY’s List’s first foray into voter mobilization in 1994. A native of Amherst, Massachusetts, Moran holds a degree in political science and English literature from Wheaton College.

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What Kind of New Broom is This?

Craig's clients at times at odds with U.S.

KENNETH P. VOGEL | 11/22/08 7:05 AM EST

As a top Washington lawyer, newly named White House counsel Greg Craig has represented high-profile clients, from Bill Clinton to John Hinckley to Alexander Solzhenitsyn to Elian Gonzalez’s father.

But less well known is Craig’s work in the 1990s for at least four foreign governments or leaders facing a variety of tricky situations in Washington.

Craig represented Argentina, Bolivia, Panama and the prime minister of Haiti as a “foreign agent,” basically a lobbyist for foreign governments and businesses with issues before the federal government. But those governments, which paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Craig’s power law firm Williams & Connolly, got more than just traditional lobbying from him.

When the U.S. government in 1990 unfroze bank accounts belonging to deposed Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega so he could pay to defend himself against drug charges, Craig went to federal court to try to seize Noriega’s cash for Panama.

Soon after Bolivia elected as its new president in 1989 a former revolutionary leftist who ran as a Social Democrat, Craig oversaw the planning of meetings between him and a cadre of influential members of Congress then, including Sens. George Mitchell (D-Maine); Bob Dole (R-Kan.); Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), a former Craig boss; Joe Biden (D-Del.), whose position as vice president-elect makes him a current Craig boss; and Reps. Porter Goss (R-Fla.) and Peter Kostmayer (D-Pa.).

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15871.html

Now who is he, exactly? According to The Politico, he is a longtime aide to Teddy Kennedy. And here’s some more:

Craig, who had been friends with Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham at Yale Law School, was recruited for the impeachment job by John Podesta, then deputy White House chief of staff and now a leader of Obama’s transition. A Washington Post profile in 1998 by Lloyd Grove and John Harris reported: “Craig brought along his best bedside manner when Clinton summoned him to the White House residence on the night of Sept. 10 — the day after independent counsel Kenneth Starr’s lurid report to Congress was published on the World Wide Web. On a balcony overlooking the South Lawn, Clinton and Craig sat talking for two hours.”

OK, so his biggest claim to fame is that he helped our ethically challenged former president beat the impeachment rap. Is that the hallmark of a new broom in D.C.?

http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/11/17/jpinkerton_1117/comment-page-5/

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Geithner Said to Be Chosen for Treasury Secretary

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, November 21, 2008 -- 4:37 PM ET
-----

Geithner Said to Be Chosen for Treasury Secretary

President-elect Barack Obama will name Timothy F. Geithner to
be his Treasury Secretary, according to a knowledgeable
Democrat, elevating a Treasury veteran who as president of
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has all year been at the
center of the worsening economic crisis.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

Who is Timothy Geithner?

President-elect Barack Obama’s pick for Treasury secretary is relatively young, largely unknown and a proud workaholic. He is known for staying out of the spotlight, preferring to operate quietly behind the scenes to watch over financial markets as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Geithner

Timothy Geithner, 47, has had a seat at the table since the credit crisis erupted in August 2007 and eventually sparked the deep economic downturn the nation is facing now. As a result, at least until his confirmation hearing, he’ll be criticized for having a major role in a government response that hasn’t always instilled confidence in financial markets — even if it prevented a wider financial meltdown.

As the Fed’s man on Wall Street, Mr. Geithner was a key architect of the $30 billion bailout to prevent the bankruptcy of Bear Stearns Cos., leading to charges the government was stoking moral hazard. He shaped the Fed’s lifeline to investment banks that followed, and was among the officials involved in assessing the implications of the troubles around Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers Holdings, American International Group and numerous other firms (from Wachovia to Citigroup) that have come under market pressure.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/11/21/who-is-timothy-geithner/

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Clinton to Accept Secretary of State Nomination, Confidants Say

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, November 21, 2008 -- 2:44 PM ET
-----

Clinton to Accept Secretary of State Nomination, Confidants Say

Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat
and accept the nomination for secretary of state after
additional discussion with President-elect Barack Obama about
the nature of her role, two confidants of Mrs. Clinton said
Friday.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

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Obama: Don't expect much anytime soon....

Nov 21, 2008 5:39 am US/Central

Obama Advisers To Public: Temper Expectations

Reporting
Mike Flannery

CHICAGO (CBS) ― President-elect Barack Obama and his inner circle fear that some voters expect him to turn around the economy, wind down the war in Iraq and, perhaps, cure cancer -- all by the Fourth of July.

They know they must manage and lower those expectations, CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports.

A top economic advisor to Obama had a glum warning for the rest of us Thursday morning: Neither the job market nor the stock market will be turning around any time soon.

"This might be a long haul," said Robert Reich, who was President Bill Clinton's secretary of labor. "2009 is going to be a very hard year. Some economists say we won't be out of this for two years, others are saying it may be three, or four, maybe five years."

Now on Obama's transition team, Reich worries about what happens after the new president is sworn in Jan. 20.

"We all have to be very careful about the expectations that we are putting on this man, our president-elect," Reich said. "If we all assume it's going to be the first 100 days, we're going to be disappointed."

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Obama.advisers.expecations.2.869896.html

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Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapses while giving a speech

WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed while giving a speech on national security to a prominent conservative lawyers' organization.

Associated Press

In this Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, file photo, Attorney General Michael Mukasey addresses the American Bar Association.

Mr. Mukasey, 67 years old, appeared to slur his words about 20 minutes into his speech at the Federalist Society's annual dinner, held in the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington. Mr. Mukasey was defending the Bush administration's anti-terrorism policies in front of an audience of about 400.

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, who provide security for the attorney general, rushed to his aid before he fell to the floor.

Mr. Mukasey appeared to be somewhat alert as he was carried on a stretcher by District of Columbia fire department medics. He was heard to say he thought he had fainted. A medic could be heard to tell the attorney general "just relax."

He was taken to George Washington University Medical Center and appeared to be alert and in good condition, according to the D.C. Fire Department.

Mr. Mukasey became attorney general in 2007. At Justice, he has won plaudits for his no-nonsense style.

Text of his prepared speech here


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On track, but who's driving the train?

by Janet Crain
Personally I believe Obama wants his "team of rivals" near so he can watch them and hopefully control them. By appointing Hillary as Secretary of State, he has effectively eliminated any serious Democratic competition for his 2012 candidacy for re-election.

Obama plans to name Clinton to state

By MIKE ALLEN | 11/20/08 10:48 PM EST

President-elect Barack Obama is "on track" to name Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as his secretary of state shortly after Thanksgiving, two senior Obama aides said.

Financial disclosure issues have been worked out, aides said.

The officials said they expect her to accept. Clinton aides had no comment.

The choice unites the two rivals in the most protracted presidential primary in American history, giving Obama the Team of Rivals Cabinet he had promised.

Former President Bill Clinton authorized unprecedented disclosures about his finances to Obama's vetting team, and transition lawyers are satisfied, officials said.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15843.html

NYT columnist Maureen Dowd: "What worries me, though, is that much of the media attention today is focused on the wrong relationship question. Everyone is asking how she would manage the relationship with former President Bill Clinton and his own global speaking, fund-raising and philanthropic agendas. You have to believe that they’ll do everything they can to try to figure that out — but it’s not a done deal yet. Obviously, Mr. Clinton would have to restrict some of his activities. The important question, the answer of which is not at all clear to me, is about the only relationship that matters for a secretary of state — the kind of relationship he or she would have with the new president. My question: Is Obama considering Mrs. Clinton for this job in order to get her off his back or as a prelude to protecting her back?

NYT's Thomas Friedman: "Bill has the satisfaction of seeing that he has roiled the previously serene and joyous Obamaland. It may be Obama’s very willingness to take the albatross of Bill from around Hillary’s neck and sling it around his own that impresses Bill. Obama is overlooking all his cherished dictums against drama and leaking and his lofty vetting standards to try and create a situation where the country can benefit from the talent of the Clintons while curbing their cheesy excesses, like their endless cash flow from foreigners. And in turn, Bill is doing all he can — he’s disclosing sketchy donors and business interests and figuring out how he could curb his global gallivanting to have fewer conflicts of interest — to help his wife get the job.It says it all that, at the moment Washington became obsessed with news that Hillary was a contender for State, Bill was getting a half-million for an hour’s worth of chat sponsored by the National Bank of Kuwait, delivered from behind a podium with a camel and Arabic lettering on it. Last year, Bill made $10.1 million in speaking fees."

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What if Electoral College Elects Sarah Palin to Presidency?

Satire By John Lillpop

What if Barack Obama is declared a non-citizen and ineligible to serve as U.S. President?

That is most improbable, right? Perhaps, but not impossible.

In fact, a challenge to Obama's citizenship is scheduled to be the subject of a "conference" at the U.S. Supreme Court on December 5, 2008. A conference is a meeting of the Supreme Court Justices where cases are reviewed and the court decides which ones to accept for formal review.

The formal election of Barack Obama by the Electoral College is scheduled for December 15, just ten days following the Supreme Court conference.

What if the U.S. Supreme Court accepts the case of Leo C. Donofrio against Nina Wells, the secretary of state in New Jersey, and rules that Barack Obama is not a natural-born citizen as he must be according to the U.S. Constitution in order to qualify for the presidency?

Would electors at the meeting of the Electoral College simply ignore Barack Obama and choose a president and vice president from among Joe Biden, John McCain, and Sarah Palin on December 15?

A majority of 270 votes would be required for each position.

In the interest of constitutional continuity, perhaps President Bush and Dick Cheney would agree to step aside early to allow Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take over the Oval Office.

Senator Robert Byrd would, by law, become Vice President, until the swearing in of the 111th Congress, when the 90-year old Byrd would yield to youth in the person of Senator Inouye, the 84 year old from Hawaii.

A most delicious irony would occur if the electors installed Governor Palin as President and Joe Biden as her VP, leaving John McCain out in the cold where he belongs!

A Palin administration so conceived would cause moon bats at Daily Kos and elsewhere to go ballistic, providing laughs and hilarity for months, if not years.

Palin-Biden? Has a nice ring to it,right?

* SOURCE

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Change You Can't Believe In

President-elect promised change, picking insiders

Nov 20 05:20 AM US/Eastern By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama promised the voters change but has started his Cabinet selection process by naming several Washington insiders to top posts.

Obama is enlisting former Senate leader Tom Daschle as his health secretary. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a well-known Washington personality, seemed more likely than ever to be his secretary of state. Clinton is deciding whether to take that post as America's top diplomat, her associates said Wednesday

Obama is ready to announce that his attorney general will be Eric Holder, the Justice Department's No. 2 when Clinton's husband was president. Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff, is another veteran of the Clinton White House.

Daschle's selection to head the Health and Human Services Department—confirmed Wednesday but not yet announced—isn't at the same level of Cabinet prestige as the top spots at the State and Justice departments. But the health post could be more important in an Obama administration than in some others, making Daschle a key player in helping steer the president-elect's promised health care reforms.

Daschle could push Obama for quick action on health care reform next year, if he follows his own advice.

Daschle said efforts during the Clinton administration, led by Hillary Clinton, took too long and went into too much detail, giving every interest group an opportunity to find something they didn't like about the plan.

"The next president should act immediately to capitalize on the goodwill that greets any incoming administration. If that means attaching a health-care plan to the federal budget, so be it," Daschle wrote in a book he released this year, "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis." "This issue is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol."

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