The Senate on Tuesday confirmed former Washington Gov. Gary Locke as Commerce secretary. The voice vote makes Locke, 59, the 15th member of President Obama's Cabinet and leaves only HHS Secretary-designate Kathleen Sebelius remaining to be confirmed.
Locke, a Democrat, was the nation's first Chinese-American governor. He was Obama's third pick to run the Commerce Department, after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., withdrew from consideration.
For his third nominee to lead the Commerce Department, President Obama has turned to Gary Locke, who combines the gubernatorial experience and Democratic pedigree of first pick Bill Richardson with a fiscal conservative streak more reminiscent of second pick Judd Gregg.
Locke built a decidedly pro-trade record during his eight years as the nation's first Chinese-American governor in Washington state and then as a China trade specialist with an international law firm. Locke helped arrange deals in China for Microsoft, Boeing and Weyerhaeuser. He guided Washington through a serious budget shortfall, but he took some criticism for doing it in part by cutting services. He also helped push a successful ballot initiative that linked Washington's minimum wage to inflation.
A comparison of Locke's positions to those of his two predecessors for the Commerce job follows after the jump.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
Updated at 1:30 p.m.
Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke was introduced this morning as President Obama's nominee to head the Commerce Department. Obama has to be hoping the third time's the charm. His two earlier choices for the post, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., both withdrew.
"I'm sure it's not lost on anyone that we've tried this a couple of times, but I'm a big believer in keeping at something until you get it right," Obama joked at the press conference announcing Locke's nomination. "And Gary is the right man for this job." Obama went on to praise the country's first Chinese-American governor for his work wooing business to Washington state and for growing the state's high-tech economy. With this pick, the only Cabinet seat without even a nominee is back down to one: Health and Human Services was originally intended for former Sen. Tom Daschle, who withdrew his nomination after it emerged he had failed to pay all his income taxes.
Subscribers can view Locke's Almanac of American Politics profile here.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
Former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a Democrat, is expected to be named soon as President Obama's third choice for Commerce secretary.
Locke, 59, was the nation's first Chinese-American governor when he served two terms in the Washington statehouse from 1997 to 2005. He now works in the Seattle-based law firm Davis Wright Tremaine.
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson backed away from the post after initially accepting offers from Obama.
By ALINA SELYUKH
Just as the dust was settling last week from the exits of Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., whipped up the tumult again. By pulling out of consideration for Commerce secretary, a post previously abandoned by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), Gregg became the Obama administration's fourth high-level dropout so far.
But while this administration has set a turnover record for an incoming Cabinet, it's hardly the first to run into problems with its nominees. Bill Clinton leads among recent presidents with a total of six major nominee dropouts over the course of his presidency, followed by George W. Bush and his Cabinet's two withdrawals. Three previous presidents -- George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter -- each slipped once. All but Reagan had at least one kink in their first-term Cabinet selection process, with Clinton accepting three withdrawals.
Details about each of those instances follow after the jump.
Continue reading Obama Challenges Clinton For Most Nominee Dropouts.
Updated at 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 12
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., this afternoon became President Obama's second Commerce secretary nominee to withdraw his name from consideration, citing differences over the stimulus package and the administration of the census. Gregg had been Obama's third Republican Cabinet nominee.
In a statement, Gregg thanked Obama and praised his leadership. "I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle," Gregg said.
"However," the statement continued, "it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy."
The administration has drawn fire from Republicans over its decision to move the Census Bureau, traditionally part of the Commerce Department, under White House control. The move was reportedly (subscription) a response to criticism from black and Latino advocacy groups over the nomination of Gregg, who they believe obstructed efforts to fully count minorities in the previous census. House Republicans today threatened legal action (subscription) over the administration's move.
Of course, some differences between Obama and Gregg were apparent from the beginning. "Clearly, Judd and I don't agree on every issue," Obama said when the nomination was announced on Feb. 3, "most notably who should have won the election."
Obama's original choice for the job, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, withdrew in January over pay-to-play allegations.
Read Gregg's full statement after the jump.
By ALINA SELYUKH
(Credit: Getty Images)
Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., and Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., weren't frequently mentioned in the same breath until President Obama nominated first one and then the other to head the Department of Commerce. Both have served stints as governors, and they shared six years on the House floor in the '80s -- that about covers the similarities. So it raised some eyebrows that, after nearly a month with no Commerce nominee, Obama would choose Gregg for a position he'd previously envisioned Richardson filling.
During the announcement of Gregg's nomination, Obama acknowledged the seeming incongruity of his pick. "Clearly, Judd and I don't agree on every issue," he said, "most notably who should have won the election." In fact, Gregg's opinion of the very department he is now set to lead has differed sharply from his Democratic colleagues: He voted in 1995 for a budget resolution that would have eliminated the agency outright. Possibly the closest Gregg has come to sounding like a Democrat was when he helped George W. Bush prepare for the 2000 and 2004 presidential debates by playing Al Gore and John Kerry during Bush's pre-debate prep.
But even if Gregg tempers his conservatism to better fit the White House's policy agenda, how different an influence will he be at Obama's conference table than Richardson? The examination, based on the two nominees' previous statements and actions, is after the jump.
By ALINA SELYUKH
In a move Sen. Judd Gregg described as "extraordinary," President Obama named the New Hampshire Republican as his nominee for secretary of Commerce, rounding out his economic team and filling one of the last two vacancies in the Cabinet.
"He's seen from all angles what makes our economy work for communities, businesses and families -- and what keeps it from working better," Obama said in his remarks this morning. Obama went on to praise his nominee for his fiscal conservatism and for "reaching across the aisle to get things done." Gregg will be the third Republican addition to the Cabinet, following Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Gregg served four terms in the House and two as New Hampshire's governor before running for Senate in 1992. He currently sits on the Commerce Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, a point Obama made during his introductory remarks.
Gregg spoke sharply about Obama during the campaign but today called the president's economic plan "bold and aggressive, comprehensive and effective." As the Commerce Department's "steward," Obama said, Gregg will "defy the winds of this crisis" by guiding his team to rebuild infrastructure, create jobs, promote industry and retain U.S. leadership in science and technology developments.
The nomination of the 61-year-old senior senator comes almost a month after the original nominee, Gov. Bill Richardson (D) of New Mexico, bowed out, citing a pending investigation into his administration's possible involvement with lucrative contracts to a political donor.
The news of Gregg's potential nomination had Democrats exulting over a chance to add another Senate seat to their caucus, giving them a supermajority there if they are officially awarded the disputed Minnesota contest. But Gregg proved unwilling to give up the seat if it would tip the Senate's balance further in the Democrats' favor. "I have made it clear to the Senate leadership on both sides of the aisle and to the governor that I would not leave the Senate if I felt my departure would cause a change in the makeup of the Senate," he said earlier this week. In his acceptance comments today, Gregg thanked New Hampshire's Gov. John Lynch (D) for "courtesy and courage in being willing to make this possible" by agreeing to appoint a Republican as Gregg's Senate successor.
Sure of the senate balance remaining stable, Gregg turned to bipartisanship appeals in his final remarks. "This is not a time when we should stand in our ideological corners and shout at each other. This is a time to govern and govern well," he said, accepting the nomination. "It was my obligation to say yes."
The president and his new Cabinet pick took no questions from the assembled press.
UPDATED at 12:55 p.m. to reflect Tom Daschle's announcement that he would withdraw his nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services.
By DAVID HERBERT
Nancy Killefer has ended her candidacy to be the nation's first chief performance officer, a nomination President Obama once touted as "among the most important" he would make.
In a letter to Obama dated today, Killefer cited tax problems with the District of Columbia. The Associated Press revealed shortly after her nomination that the District hit Killefer with a $946 tax lien on her home in 2005 after she failed to pay unemployment compensation for household help.
Killefer, an executive with consulting titan McKinsey & Co., is expected to give a news conference this afternoon. In addition to the newly created CPO position, she would have been deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget.
Killefer is Obama's second high-profile nominee to withdraw (along with would-be Commerce Secretary Bill Richardson) and the third nominee to have received scrutiny over unpaid taxes, after Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle.
Read text of Killefer's letter to Obama after the jump.
Continue reading Killefer Cites Tax Problems In Ending CPO Bid.
President Obama is settling his family into the White House, issuing executive orders left and right, and ensuring his Cabinet nominees are confirmed smoothly by the Senate. On the face of it, that's how Obama is spending his first few days as commander in chief. What else should the freshly sworn-in president be doing this week and next? Jeremy Mayer, director of the George Mason University public policy master's program, spoke with NationalJournal.com's Amy Harder and offered some speculation. Mayer is an expert in media politics, foreign policy and other presidential topics. Edited excerpts follow.
Q. What is unique about how the Obama administration has handled these past few days compared to past presidents?
Mayer: As far as the first two days of this administration, they have had triumph of image, which is important. One of the other tasks of the first week of an administration is to start the honeymoon well. If you want to carry a metaphor way beyond where it should go, if this is the honeymoon period and America is the bride and Obama the husband, we're checking into the honeymoon hotel this first week, and you don't want logistical problems.... The image that has been conveyed is crucial. He has done a very good job of making sure that the pictures that go across and the message that comes out are very positive and uplifting and patriotic. I think you have to go back to [Ronald] Reagan's inaugural to find one that has been this successful. That has really attracted the attention of the nation.
Q. What's the most important aspect of a president's few days on the job?
Mayer: The most important thing you can do is avoid mistakes. Do nothing that gets you off message. The classic early-days mistake is [Bill] Clinton and his statements about gays in the military, which was not in his top three priorities. The preparation for that issue had not been done with the military leadership. And so, even in the late transition and early days, it just created such a distraction.
You also are still working in these days to get your nominees through the Senate. And, the work that you did on vetting in the last two months is now shown to be good or bad. So, you've seen presidencies like George Bush the elder's torn up by things like the [John] Tower nomination [as Defense secretary], where you expend a lot of political capital whether you win or lose. So, a tough Senate vote in these first few days is a bad sign, or nominees going down in flames like Zoe Baird [Clinton's first choice for attorney general].
Q. How are the confirmation hearings of Obama's Cabinet choices going?
Mayer: You could say that the best decision Obama has made so far is pulling the plug on [Commerce nominee Bill] Richardson. As bad as [Timothy] Geithner and [Eric] Holder and [Hillary Rodham] Clinton are getting it -- and they're not getting it very bad -- Richardson would have been a bloodbath. And I don't know if it was Richardson's side or the Obama side that recognized this, but they pulled the plug. Right away. They made a mistake in not realizing how serious the investigation was, but they made a good decision to stop the bleeding right away.
Tech Daily Dose reports on two names already circulating as possible replacement picks to head the Commerce Department now that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name from consideration. The post is Barack Obama's last remaining Cabinet position.
Two prominent business executives' names are being circulated among Washington insiders as potential nominees for Commerce secretary just a week after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson -- President-elect Barack Obama's first choice -- withdrew his name, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state government. Several high-tech industry officials and congressional aides say John Thompson, chairman and CEO of computer security and systems management firm Symantec, and former Time Warner chairman Richard Parsons, are two of the top contenders for the job. A spokesman for Obama's transition team declined to comment.
Complete story can be read here.
After a flawless start, Bill Richardson's Commerce withdrawal, flip-flopping on Illinois Senate appointee Roland Burris and miscommunication with Senate Democrats over incoming CIA chief Leon Panetta are bringing President-elect Barack Obama back down to Earth. (Washington Times)
Obama is concentrating power in a circle of White House advisers, potentially bypassing his Cabinet to a degree unseen since Richard Nixon tried to eliminate the majority of his Cabinet. (Washington Post)
When he arrives on the Hill today for confirmation hearings, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Tom Daschle is expected to be grilled on Obama's proposal to allow a publicly-run heath insurance plan modeled on Medicare to compete with private insurance companies. (New York Times)
However, unlike previous administrations, most of Obama's appointments are looking forward to swift confirmation hearings, with the possible exception of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder. (Roll Call -- subscription)
Though she has not yet been confirmed, Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton is already filling out her top tier of advisers in Foggy Bottom. (New York Times)
Obama promised Wednesday to rein in Social Security and Medicare spending to help close a projected $1.2 trillion budget deficit, though he did not offer any specifics about how he would trim those entitlement programs. (Washington Times)
Obama may spend up to $1 billion on biometric applications, mostly for defense and intelligence, a new report says. (Federal Computer Weekly)
After spending $85 million to help get Obama elected, the Service Employees International Union may spend up to $50 million pushing card-check legislation and health care reform. (Wall Street Journal)
Despite their usual aversion to government spending, moderate "Blue Dog" Democrats are signing onto Obama's stimulus plan. (The Hill)
President Bush hosted Obama and the three living former presidents at a White House lunch Wednesday, saying, "one message that I have and I think we all share is that we want you to succeed." (Washington Post)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., reintroduced legislation Tuesday that would criminalize the scalping of inauguration tickets. (NationalJournal.com)
Congress meets today to count the electoral votes and officially name Obama president. (AP)
The already-considerable influence of Michelle Obama's wardrobe choices may amount to a "one-woman bailout" for the American fashion industry. (New York Times)
Name Game
Obama will likely tap CIA veteran John Brennan, an early contender for the top job at that agency, to oversee domestic counterterrorism programs as part of a major intelligence overhaul. (New York Times)
Nancy Killefer will serve both as deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget and the nation's first-ever "performance czar." (NationalJournal.com)
Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate intelligence committee, smoothed any ruffled feathers over Panetta's nomination for the top job at the CIA, saying she now supports his candidacy. (Wall Street Journal)
President Bush is hosting every living former president -- plus President-elect Barack Obama -- at the White House today for lunch, the first such gathering since 1981. (AP)
Obama's "one president at a time" tack on the Israeli invasion of Gaza is frustrating some Middle East players and threatening to spoil his "honeymoon" in the region. (Los Angeles Times)
Vice President-elect Joe Biden has organized a trip with four other senators to southwest Asia this week, "despite a rule that prohibits lame-duck Senators from traveling on taxpayer-funded trips." (Roll Call -- subscription)
Now that the future first family is checked into its suite at the Hay-Adams Hotel, the identity of the guest occupying the Blair House has emerged: former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. (New York Times)
CDR Financial Products, the California-based firm at the center of the federal investigation into New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, also donated $28,500 to Obama and the Democratic Party in September. (Washington Times)
After being the "center of black political power in Washington" for 40 years, the Congressional Black Caucus is trying to figure out its place under an African-American president. (New York Times)
Obama's Change.gov transition site has a new rival -- Change.org -- which lets users submit and vote on progressive policy ideas for the new administration. (NationalJournal.com)
An 18-year-old hacker has admitted to breaking into Obama's Twitter accounts (and those of other celebrities as well). (Wired)
Inauguration Conflagration
The Presidential Inaugural Committee is giving the Smithsonian Institute $700,000, allowing two museums to open two hours early on Jan. 20 while also helping the institute fund special events. (Washington Post)
The DC Metro has opened nearly 60,000 parking spots up at various metro stations for Inauguration Day. (Washington Post)
Major bridges into the city, however, will be closed and transit officials are warning of traffic nightmares. (AP)
Meanwhile, many local residents intend to flee the city on the days surrounding the Inauguration. (Washington Post)
Stimulus Wars
Obama promised to ban pork-barrel projects in his forthcoming economic stimulus package, but warned of trillion-dollar budget deficits "for years to come." (Washington Times)
Obama is preparing to name a new "efficiency officer" to trim waste from government agencies. (Government Executive)
California has $44 billion worth of infrastructure and green projects ready to go pending a federal stimulus package, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) told Obama Tuesday. (Reuters)
Name Game
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN, has reportedly accepted the post of Surgeon General. (Time)
Obama is defending his choice of Leon Panetta for CIA chief, which one critic called a "Hail Mary pass" (Los Angeles Times). Still, Panetta's former White House colleagues said he's the right man for the job. (Washington Post)
Mary Schapiro, Obama's choice for the top job at the Securities and Exchange Commission, is expected to face tough questioning over the Bernie Madoff scandal at her Senate confirmation hearing next week. (Wall Street Journal)
Big Business is looking for "common ground" with President-elect Barack Obama and the Democratically controlled Congress, but business interests are not always aligned and the party does not always speak with one voice. (Wall Street Journal)
Obama's Twitter feeds were hacked Monday, with a message sent to followers asking them to take a survey about Obama for the chance to win $500 in gasoline. (Wired)
The number of donors giving the $5,000 maximum to Obama's transition efforts has dropped off in recent weeks, but those heavy-hitters have been replaced by tens of thousands of small-time donors. (NationalJournal.com)
In releasing his donor list Monday, Obama took another step towards a transparent e-government by using a new Web application Blist, while also giving the Seattle-based start-up a belated Christmas present by bestowing its product with the Obama seal of approval. (Tech Daily Dose)
The spotlight was on Malia and Sasha Obama as they began classes at Sidwell Friends Monday. (Washington Post)
Despite talk of record crowds, the Capitol Police are less worried about Jan. 20 than they were about President Bush's second inauguration four years ago -- the first after Sept. 11. (Roll Call -- subscription)
Inauguration Day will be a paid holiday for federal employees in the D.C. area, including teleworkers, while outgoing political appointees will receive half a day's pay on Jan. 20. (Government Executive)
Stimulus Wars
Obama visited Capitol Hill Monday to drum up support for his stimulus plan and woo skeptical Republicans, telling them that "the monopoly on good ideas does not belong to a single party." (Washington Post)
Economists are split on whether Obama's plan to slash taxes will boost the economy any more than similar cuts made by Bush. (Boston Globe)
Democrats would like to begin passing aggressive energy, global warming and health care legislation, but there are threats to that agenda from within the party. (Wall Street Journal)
Name Game
Obama has tapped Leon Panetta, a former congressman and White House chief of staff, but a Langley outsider, to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. (New York Times)
Elena Kagan, dean of Harvard Law School, is Obama's choice for solicitor general. (AP)
Social conservative activists are mobilizing against Thomas J. Perrelli, Obama's pick for the number three job at the Justice Department, because of his involvement in the Terry Shiavo case four years ago. (Washington Times)
Richardson Saga
On Monday, in Bill Richardson's first public comments since he withdrew his name as Commerce secretary nominee, the New Mexico governor said doing so was his idea and hinted that he'd like to serve in the Obama administration in the future. (NationalJournal.com)
But the spectacle may tarnish Richardson's standing as a Latino leader and could hamstring any possible future involvement in the administration. (Los Angeles Times)
Richardson's withdrawal means he will return to New Mexico, where the unexpected resumption of his governorship is being met with mixed feelings. (New York Times)
By DAVID HERBERT
In his first public appearance since announcing Sunday that he was withdrawing his nomination to become Commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson insisted that the decision to step aside was his alone and hinted that he'd like to serve in the Obama administration down the line.
"Sometimes your own dreams and plans must take a back seat to what is best for the nation," Richardson said at the mid-day press conference in Santa Fe. "The president-elect said in his statement yesterday that he looks forward to my future service in his administration. I still believe I have a lot to give in public service."
A federal grand jury is investigating whether the New Mexico Finance Authority awarded $1.5 million of work to California-based CDR Financial Products in 2004 as a result of pay-to-play politics. CDR donated more than $100,000 to two of Richardson's political committees, in addition to other contributions.
Richardson maintained that he and his administration acted properly and said he had "underestimated" how long the investigation would take. Richardson declined to answer when a reporter asked the final question of the press conference: "Governor, do you have a lawyer?"
Given Richardson's stated reason for withdrawing was that he did not want to slow the nomination process, President-elect Barack Obama will likely move quickly to fill the post.
But with the sudden Cabinet vacancy, "every special interest group that feels under-represented will see this as an opportunity to redress that wrong," said David Rothkopf, a former deputy undersecretary of Commerce for international trade under President Clinton. Latino leaders are already calling on Obama to nominate another Hispanic.
All things being equal, Rothkopf argued that Obama would be wise to tap a governor with experience growing a large economy. Considering the dire need to reboot the Midwest's economy, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) might not be a bad pick.
"Probably the best choice would be [New York City Mayor] Mike Bloomberg," Rothkopf said, "but I think he's got other plans."
President-elect Obama crossed all the major jobs off his to-do list and went on vacation last month, only to see his nominee for Commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, withdraw this weekend. Obama had been among the earliest presidents to name a Commerce pick, making the selection in Week 5 of the transition, the same week as Bush 41. Reagan and Clinton followed in Week 6, Bush 43 in Week 7.
President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus package will include $300 billion in tax cuts, designed in part to win over congressional skeptics worried that his plan is too focused on government spending. (New York Times)
One of the biggest challenges facing the federal government won't be just passing an economic stimulus package, but spending the money fast enough. (AP)
Obama and congressional Democrats will move quickly to overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision that made it harder for workers to challenge employers, schools and landlords who discriminate against them. (New York Times)
Alternative energy advocates question the premise of a new Energy Department book heralding its national laboratories as "the single greatest scientific enterprise in the world." (Bloomberg News)
Obama has promised to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, but the majority of active service members oppose changing the policy. (Newsweek)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., hasn't ruled out seating former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to fill Obama's Senate seat, and will meet with him Wednesday. (Washington Times)
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a top Obama ally and once a short-list candidate for the vice presidential slot, is poised to replace Howard Dean as the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee. (AP)
Obama's robust workout regimen won't spare him the accelerated aging that afflicts occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue during their stay, doctors say. (Boston Globe)
Commerce Drama
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name from consideration for the top job at the Commerce Department, citing an investigation into allegations that he engaged in "pay-to play" politics in the Land of Enchantment. (Washington Post)
The Obama transition team pressed Richardson on the federal investigation, but the governor revealed little, showing the limits of the team's aggressive vetting process. (Politico)
After Richardson's withdrawal, Hispanic leaders are eager for Obama to tap another Hispanic for the top job at Commerce. (Politico)
Inauguration Conflagration
Obama arrived at his temporary D.C. home, the Hay-Adams Hotel, Sunday, closing roads and luring well-wishers and protesters. (Washington Post)
Obama's inaugural committee has reportedly begun extending invitations to musical acts, such as Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers, to perform on Jan. 20. (FOX News)
Wireless carriers are gearing up for an explosion of traffic on Jan. 20, erecting new cell phone towers in D.C. and urging users to send text messages instead of calling to lighten the burden on the system. (Washington Post)
The University of California, Berkeley will host its first-ever inauguration celebration, a sign that knee-jerk opposition to the government may relax at that bastion of liberalism. (Boston Globe)
Just weeks after being tapped by President-elect Barack Obama to be Commerce Secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending probe into a company that has done business with his state government. Richardson issued a statement saying the federal grand jury investigation into a firm, which contributed to his political career and won a sizable state contract, "promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months."
Richardson, who would have led an agency that oversees the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Patent and Trademark Office, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, said he and his administration have "acted properly in all matters" and the investigation will bear out that fact. However, he concluded the probe would have forced "an untenable delay in the confirmation process." Obama issued a statement calling Richardson "an outstanding public servant" and said it is was a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he removed himself from the running. Read more in CongressDaily (subscription required).
Lost In Transition's running timeline of the Obama administration's staff announcements.
Asterisks mark Cabinet-level positions.
Last updated: Feb. 26, 2009
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Continue reading The In Crowd: Obama's Appointments And Nominations.
By DAVID HERBERT
President-elect Obama announced the selection of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) to lead the Agriculture Department and Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., to head up the Interior Department at a press conference this morning.
Obama stressed that in addition to safeguarding the environment, both departments will play a central role in domestic energy production.
"Our wide open spaces are not only a blessing to be enjoyed, they are the foundation of a brighter future," he said. "How we harness our natural resources -- from the farmlands of Iowa to the springs of Colorado -- will speak not only to our quality of life, but to our economic growth and our energy future."
Salazar and Vilsack aren't quite a slam dunk for the green wing of the party. Salazar has been a fierce opponent of oil-shale exploration, but he was also part of a bipartisan coalition of senators who signed onto a plan that would have expanded offshore drilling opportunities. Vilsack has been a staunch supporter of biofuels, which have serious skeptics in the environmental community, and has been a close friend of the agribusiness community as well.
Still, Obama said business interests will be one of the stakeholders -- not the stakeholder -- in decisions about conservation and agriculture.
"It's time for a new kind of leadership in Washington that's committed to using our lands in a responsible way to benefit all our families," he said. "It means ensuring that the policies being shaped at the Departments of Agriculture and Interior are designed to serve not big agribusiness or Washington influence-peddlers, but family farmers and the American people."
Salazar, who arrived at the press conference in his trademark cowboy hat and bolo tie, will take over an Interior Department that was rocked by charges of sexual misconduct, drug use and graft earlier this year. Salazar is the former attorney general of Colorado.
Vilsack also adds a new wrinkle to Obama's "team of rivals." As a short-lived candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination, the former governor becomes Obama's fourth primary opponent in the administration, joining Vice President-elect Joe Biden, Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton and Commerce Secretary-designate Bill Richardson. After dropping out of the race in February 2007, Vilsack endorsed Clinton in the primaries.
For Agriculture secretary, President-elect Obama will tap former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who briefly ran for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination and vigorously supported Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy. (Des Moines Register)
The Bush administration is preparing "more than a dozen contingency plans" that could help guide Obama through disastrous scenarios soon after taking office. (New York Times)
Obama's "charm offensive" against Republican congressmen seems to be working. (The Hill)
Betty Currie, the personal secretary who went to bat for former President Bill Clinton in five grand jury hearings related to the Monica Lewinsky investigation, is now working for the Obama transition team. (New York Times)
Obama is likely to undo a range of abortion and reproductive-health measures. (Wall Street Journal)
The e-government agenda Obama touts is already on the march at the Commerce Department. (NationalJournal.com)
Obama has been using his e-mail list to tap supporters for more cash, leading to early signs of donor fatigue. (Politico)
Despite early complaints from the Latino community that it was not properly represented in Obama's Cabinet, the transition team argues that Obama's senior leadership actually has the largest number of Hispanics in history. (Politico)
Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., has removed his name from contention for the U.S. trade representative post, complaining to the Spanish-language press that trade didn't seem like it would be "priority number one, and it might not be number two or three." (Politico)
Assessing The Nominees
Commerce Secretary-designate Bill Richardson's nomination may be headed for trouble after a federal grand jury began investigating allegations of pay-to-play politics in New Mexico. (AP)
Plenty of drilling issues face Interior Secretary-designate Ken Salazar, who, as a Colorado senator, opposed oil-shale exploration but supported offshore drilling. (Wall Street Journal)
Special Interests Strike Back
A green activist group is blasting Obama's infrastructure plans, which are designed to jump-start the economy by building more roads, as likely to result in "more pollution and more dependence on oil." (Washington Times)
Obama is being bombarded by special interest group demands, from card-check legislation to health care to making federal workplaces smoke-free. (USA Today)
Early childhood education advocates are "atremble" with anticipation over Obama's interest in funding childcare and preschool. (New York Times)
Inauguration Conflagration
Worried that it might be too heavy a strain on the city's budget, Los Angeles County will send 112 sheriff's deputies to the inauguration, fewer than the 500 the county sheriff originally requested. (Los Angeles Times)
The D.C. City Council voted to shave an hour off inauguration nightlife laws, making last-call in the city 4 a.m. from Jan. 17 to Jan. 21. (New York Times)
By DAVID HERBERT
If Barack Obama wants to prioritize e-government, he might look to the Commerce Department, which has quietly gained a reputation for being one of the most Web-savvy departments in the federal government.
Commerce has long been viewed as a sprawling, almost ungovernable bureaucracy, but over the last few years it has seen significant advances in areas both small (online video) and large (the 2010 census).
"I think the Commerce Department has been aggressive and progressive," said Arnold Jackson, associate director for the 2010 census.
Recently, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez pushed the Census Bureau to overcome technological barriers and offer an online form for the 2010 census, Jackson said. While the security software wasn't quite there to make the jump online in time for 2010, offering an Internet-based questionnaire is at "the very top of our agenda" for 2020, he added.
Commerce Secretary-designate Bill Richardson will oversee the 2010 census, and, depending on how long he serves, could be around when planning begins for the 2020 survey.
The bureau is also rolling out American FactFinder, an online database geared towards letting users dive into census numbers for themselves.
"I really think we're heading towards a Google-like approach to information search and dissemination," Jackson said.
Another Commerce agency, the Patent and Trademark Office, has turned to the Web in recent years to help alleviate its chronic backlog of applications, and Richardson could push for further movement online. The agency has an online wiki where the public can examine scores of software and business applications and point out existing inventions that might disqualify a submission.
Continue reading E-Government Ball Already Rolling At Commerce.
President-elect Barack Obama said Monday that an internal review found no inappropriate contacts between his transition team and embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but added that the report would not be released at least until Dec. 22. (NationalJournal.com)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has told incoming Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel that she wants to know when and why the administration contacts "her rank-and-file Democrats." (Politico)
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, will fast-track retired Gen. Eric Shinseki's confirmation hearings for Veterans Affairs secretary, making him the latest nominee to learn that his Senate hearings will be expedited. (Government Executive)
The Electoral College voted to make Obama's win official on Monday, the president-elect's last ceremonial hurdle now being the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress where the House and Senate will tally Monday's votes. (AP)
Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that closing Guantanamo Bay prison before the war on terror ends -- a top Obama priority -- would be a bad idea. (Reuters)
The Supreme Court has rejected yet another challenge to Obama's citizenship, this lawsuit arguing that the president-elect is a British citizen through his Kenyan father. (AP)
Caroline Kennedy is lobbying to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as New York's junior senator, reaching out to New York lawmakers even as some Democrats question her credentials. (New York Times)
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) may face tough questions at his confirmation hearing after a federal grand jury began investigating whether the Commerce secretary-designate engaged in "pay-to-play" politics. (Washington Post)
Name Game
Shaun Donovan, Obama's choice for Housing and Urban Development secretary, is winning plaudits from groups ranging "from those serving the homeless to Realtors and bankers." (CongressDaily)
Time's Washington bureau chief Jay Carney will become Vice President-elect Joe Biden's communications director, serving a candidate he once criticized for being gaffe-prone. (Washington Post)
Arne Duncan, Obama's expected choice for Education secretary, is something of a compromise pick, straddling an ideological divide among educators about how to fix the school system. (Wall Street Journal)
Green Team
Obama will tap Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., to be his Interior secretary, adding another Hispanic and another Westerner to his Cabinet. (Denver Post)
Scientists and environmentalists are celebrating Obama's green appointments, calling the contrast between Bush's team and this one like "night and day." (Los Angeles Times).
Obama said he is not pleased that Congress let the offshore drilling ban lapse without drafting a national energy policy. (Reuters)
Inauguration Conflagration
The Presidential Inaugural Committee defended its practice of rewarding donors who give $50,000 with inauguration tickets, saying that these people are "paying for the Jumbotrons and the Porta-Potties." (Washington Post)
Obama's inaugural train will begin in Philadelphia before moving to Wilmington, Del., Baltimore and finally Washington, D.C. (USA Today)
President-elect Obama and former Vice President Al Gore will meet today in Chicago to discuss climate -- and not job possibilities, sources insist. (AP)
The Senate on Monday confirmed Neil Barofsky as chief watchdog of the $700 billion financial bailout. Nearly half the program's funds have been disbursed already. (Washington Post)
"Big business is lining up to support" Obama's economic proposals, particularly his emphasis on infrastructure funding. (The Hill)
Security experts are urging the incoming administration to create a "National Office for Cyberspace" in the White House. (Federal Computer Week)
The vetting of Obama's pick for attorney general, Eric Holder, "is veering into TMI-land," but Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy "expressed hope" on Monday that Holder could be confirmed shortly after Inauguration Day. (Roll Call 1, 2)
Gov. Bill Richardson's reputation for "doing whatever it takes to cajole" investment in New Mexico will be put to the test on a nationwide level if he is confirmed as Commerce secretary. (New York Times)
Obama is expected to appoint Princeton professor Cecilia Rouse to round out his Council of Economic Advisers. (NationalJournal.com)
There's another name in the mix for Interior secretary: "Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian." (Politico)
Still 'No Drama' For Obama?
Obama's pick for United Nations ambassador, Susan Rice, is already signaling that she wants to expand the power of that office, beginning with installing her own transition team at State. (AP)
The Center for American Progress, which is "uniquely integrated with the transition," keeps most of its donor rolls secret. (Politico)
Bill Clinton has pledged to curtail his international charity work to avoid conflicts of interest with Hillary Rodham Clinton's role at State. But the restrictions leave "a lot more that the ex-president can do than cannot." (Politico)
A "three-year federal corruption investigation" of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has expanded to include his selection of a replacement for Obama. (Chicago Tribune)
Gun groups remain "ready to fight" Obama on their favorite issue -- despite his having promised again on Sunday that they have nothing to fear from him. (The Hill)
SCOTUS on Monday declined "an emergency appeal" from a man challenging Obama's status as a natural born citizen. (Chicago Tribune)
Obama's weekly YouTube addresses are rapidly losing their audience. (Washington Times)
Changing Of The Guard
Obama and VP-elect Joe Biden are considering doing community service in Washington on Inauguration Day and asking others to do the same in their hometowns. (New York Times)
Ten thousand buses are expected to converge on Washington for the inauguration, creating "an unprecedented logistical nightmare." (Washington Post)
Nearly eight in 10 Americans "are giving the president-elect the thumbs up" on his transition so far. (CNN)
Outgoing administration officials have received a talking points memo on what to say on their way out the door, including that President Bush "kept the American people safe" and maintained "the honor and the dignity of his office." (Los Angeles Times)
By DARREN GOODE, CongressDaily
President-elect Obama's choice for Interior secretary might come down to two Western House Democrats: a three-term Hispanic lawmaker and a five-term Blue Dog backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva appears to be the leading contender, but California Rep. Mike Thompson has Pelosi in his corner.
While Pelosi might have pushed for her fellow Californian before speculation accelerated about Grijalva, Thompson has also been endorsed by two of Pelosi's closest allies -- Reps. Anna Eshoo and George Miller, both of California. Thompson has the backing of hunting and fishing groups, while Grijalva is favored by environmental groups. Former two-term Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber -- another finalist to head Interior -- told the Associated Press this week he would bet on Grijalva.
Several other sources following the Obama transition team's deliberations also cite Grijalva -- who chairs the House Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee -- as the likely favorite. But the importance that the Interior Department holds for Western governors, as well as his executive experience, makes Kitzhaber a sleeper pick.
Pundits debate whether New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's announced nomination for Commerce secretary was a slight to the Latino community. Plus: Members of the media and Obama agree that he should bring back the beard.
A bipartisan panel of foreign policy experts is encouraging President-elect Barack Obama to merge the National Security and Homeland Security councils to ensure interagency cooperation (Washington Post).
"Instead of being able to call in their chits for having helped elect Obama, union leaders are facing an array of crises" as the economic situation grows worse (Boston Globe).
Obama has begun to tap his network of online supporters in his drive to reform health care (Washington Post).
Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke Wednesday at George Washington University, where he called upon Obama to ramp up government spending to stimulate the economy (Washington Post).
A dozen retired generals met with Eric Holder, Obama's choice for attorney general, on Wednesday, to argue for closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, among other recommendations (Army Times).
Obama's campaign was boosted by his pledge to withdraw all combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of his inauguration, but that promise is now being tempered by reality (New York Times).
The North American Free Trade Agreement, which Obama "frequently derided as a candidate," has not come up in any of his post-election remarks (Washington Times).
When Obama called Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to congratulate her on her re-election, the Florida Republican hung up on the president-elect, thinking the call was a prank (AP).
As Obama's mother-in-law considers taking up residence in the White House, there's plenty of precedent of extended first families setting up shop on Pennsylvania Ave. (USA Today).
Stocking The Cabinet
Obama tapped New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be his secretary of Commerce, making him the first Latino picked for the Cabinet thus far (USA Today).
The two-and-a-half years Rahm Emanuel, Obama's soon-to-be chief of staff, spent cashing in on his political connections as an investment banker are a little-known part of his life (New York Times).
Lawrence Summers, Obama's choice to lead the National Economic Council, has made something of a comeback just two years after he left Harvard with a cloud over his head (Boston Globe).
Holder's role in the controversial Marc Rich pardon likely won't be enough to derail his confirmation, but it's still making Senate Democrats uneasy (Politico).
Congressional Democrats are putting the finishing touches on legislation that would clear the way for Hillary Rodham Clinton to become secretary of State, which an obscure constitutional footnote currently prevents (Politico).
After including plenty of bona fide moderates in his Cabinet, Obama is looking to fill out his team with more liberal picks (Wall Street Journal).
Inauguration Conflagration
Oprah Winfrey will host her show from the Kennedy Center during inauguration week (Access Hollywood).
By banning strollers and backpacks and not providing childcare facilities, the message from inauguration organizers is clear: Leave the kids at home (Washington Post).
By HUMBERTO SANCHEZ, CongressDaily
Aid to the Big Three automakers should come from an existing $25 billion industry loan program, the White House said today, but officials declined to comment on the long-term viability plans the manufacturers unveiled Tuesday, which seek up to $34 billion in loans and credit.
Noting that administration officials were reviewing the proposals, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said it is too early to assess the submissions. Officials at the Treasury and Commerce departments are evaluating the proposals. "Let us have a chance to look at their plans... and let's see what support it can get on Capitol Hill," she said.
Perino's comments came ahead of hearings scheduled for Thursday and Friday, when executives of Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC will make their case for the aid. The CEOs' meeting with lawmakers will be their second attempt at getting federal aid. After hearings two weeks ago, when the executives were taken to task for bad business decisions, lawmakers told the CEOs to develop viability plans by Tuesday.
President-elect Obama took a wait-and-see approach to the automakers' plans. "There will be hearings over the next two days, and I want to wait and see specifically what is said during those hearings," Obama said in Chicago after announcing that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was his choice for Commerce secretary. "It appears... this time out the executives from these automakers are putting forward a more serious set of plans."
Obama added that it's important for any government aid to be "based on realistic assessments of what the auto market is going to be and a realistic plan for how we are going to make these companies viable over the long term." Obama said it was premature to discuss where the funding should come from.
By MARY GILBERT
Naming Bill Richardson as his pick for Commerce secretary today, President-elect Barack Obama emphasized the New Mexico governor's "breadth and depth of experience," particularly on the international front, and labeled him America's new "economic diplomat."
Richardson, who previously served in Congress, as well as state government, would be serving in his third Cabinet-level position. He was appointed ambassador to the United Nations by President Clinton in 1997 and a year later became secretary of Energy. With such varied responsibilities, "Bill has seen from just about every angle what makes our economy work and what keeps it from working better," Obama said of his nominee at a press conference in Chicago.
Obama highlighted Richardson's accomplishments in New Mexico, where under his supervision the state created 80,000 new jobs and kept unemployment to its lowest level in decades. But Obama particularly stressed Richardson's international perspective and "stature." He possesses a "deep understanding of today's global economy," Obama asserted, and understands that economic prosperity at home requires that "citizens of the world respect America's leadership" in the global economy.
Obama spoke of his former presidential rival's unique political style, joking that "during his 2002 campaign for governor, he actually broke a world record by shaking nearly 14,000 hands in just eight hours." But ultimately, Richardson is someone "who shares my values," the president-elect said, and will measure progress "the same way I do."
A newly beardless Richardson took the podium to thank his constituents and family, in both English and Spanish, and to express his appreciation of having the "great honor to serve once again a president who recognizes that America's diverse heritage is its greatest strength." He explained that the Commerce Department's mission exactly mirrors Obama's goals for his economic recovery plan -- job creation, particularly green jobs, sustainable economic growth and investment in new technologies -- and both he and Obama insisted that Commerce will play a vital role in getting the economy going again.
Diversity has been a hot topic surrounding Obama's Cabinet appointments. Asked by a reporter whether Hispanics like Richardson will play enough of a role in his Cabinet, Obama responded that when he is finished selecting both his Cabinet and his White House staff, he is confident that Americans will see "one of the most diverse administrations" in history. But he maintained that he will make individual picks based on who is most qualified for the post, noting that he sees no contradiction between diversity and excellence.
On the topics of the Troubled Assets Relief Program and auto industry bailout, Obama was non-committal, saying that his economic team is staying on top of everything that is being done by the current administration and on Capitol Hill, but that he is waiting to see more from both auto executives and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson before he makes any further decisions.
Hotline's latest list of those rumored to be in contention for positions in the next administration -- culled, as always, from sources of varying reliability -- has shortened up a bit with the unveiling of Barack Obama's national security team this week. But there remains plenty of speculation about the still-unfilled posts.
See below for the complete list, organized by department. An asterisk denotes that the individual has said publicly he or she does not wish to be considered; underlining, that the nominee has been officially announced by the transition team.
Interior
Defenders of Wildlife exec. VP Jaime Rappoport Clark
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Ex-OR Gov. John Kitzhaber (D)
Ex-AK Gov./'04 SEN nominee Tony Knowles (D)
National Trust for Historic Preservation Pres. Richard Moe
CO Gov. Bill Ritter (D)
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO)
MT Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D)
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)
Agriculture
Nat'l Black Farmers Pres. John Boyd Jr.
Ex-Daschle aide/ Nat'l Farmers Union pres. Tom Buis
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD)
Ex-Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA)
Atty Marshall Matz
Ex-Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-TX)
Ex-IA Gov. Tom Vilsack (D)*
Commerce
NM Gov./ex-UN Amb./ex-Energy Sec. Bill Richardson (D)
Labor
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Prof./ex-Rep./ex-John Edwards mgr. David Bonior (D-MI)*
DNC vice chair/ex-AFL-CIO exec. VP Linda Chavez-Thompson
Ex-Clinton adviser Maria Echaveste
Ex-Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO)
MI Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D)
American Rights at Work Exec. Dir. Mary Beth Maxwell
Ex-AFT Pres. Ed McElroy
Rep. George Miller (D-CA)*
KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D)
SEIU Pres. Andy Stern*
LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D)*
Complete list after the jump.
By PETER COHN, CongressDaily
(Credit: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., is in discussions with President-elect Obama's transition team about taking the job of United States trade representative in the new administration, sources said Tuesday.
Becerra, who won election as House Democratic Caucus vice chairman just last month, has not accepted the offer to head the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and is still considering it, sources said. A Becerra spokeswoman would not comment on a possible offer from Obama, saying only that Becerra is looking forward to his duties as vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus in the 111th Congress.
Becerra is seen as a middle-of-the-road pick on trade policy, someone who could appeal to both business and labor groups, sources said. He voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement in 2005 -- but helped lead the effort on behalf of Democratic leadership in support of the Peru Free Trade Agreement last year.
"It's a sign that adults are back in charge," said one labor source.
Becerra -- who was given the title of "assistant to the speaker" when the Democrats took control of the House two years ago and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California assumed the speakership -- has been a member of the House since 1992, representing a district on the south side of Los Angeles. He ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001, finishing a distant fifth.
If he joins the Obama administration, he would become one of its most high-profile Hispanic members -- joining New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is poised to be named Commerce secretary.
Additional reporting by Christian Bourge.
Becerra's profile in the Almanac of American Politics is available to subscribers here.
With state budget deficits looming, President-elect Barack Obama promised the nation's governors on Tuesday federal aid for state public works projects like repairing roads and schools (New York Times).
With Obama already signaling a commitment to shepherding the federal government into the Internet age, a coalition of groups ranging from Google to the New America Foundation is calling on the president-elect to adopt a national broadband strategy (CongressDaily).
Agency review teams for Obama have poured into dozens of government offices, from the Pentagon to the National Council on Disability, examinging budgets and investigating what works and what doesn't -- and creating plenty of anxiety among some President Bush appointees in the process (Washington Post).
More than three in four Americans -- including a majority of Republicans -- approve of Obama's transition efforts and Cabinet picks, according to a new poll released Tuesday (USA Today).
The D.C. City Council approved legislation Tuesday that will let bars to stay open until 5 a.m. for the four days surrounding the Jan. 20 inauguration (Washington Post).
Nomination Speculation
Obama will tap New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, for secretary of Commerce today, making him the first Latino in his Cabinet (Wall Street Journal).
Richardson may have some problematic business ties from his brief foray into the corporate world in between the Clinton administration and his election as New Mexico governor (Politico).
Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., who has said he regrets voting for NAFTA, has been offered the top trade position in the new administration, sources say (Bloomberg News).
Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says it's "extremely doubtful" Obama will tap him to be Interior secretary (AP).
Maneuvering Defense Disputes
After Obama blasted controversial C.I.A. counter-terrorism programs during the election, overhauling the agency could prove to be "one of the more treacherous patches of his transition" (New York Times).
The president-elect must tap old hands to guide the spy agencies, intelligence community sources say, but finding veterans "untainted" by the controversial counterterrorism tactics of the Bush years might be challenging (Washington Post).
Obama plans to appoint a new White House official to coordinate efforts to prevent nuclear or biological weapons from falling into the wrong hands (Boston Globe).
Obama's centrist national security picks have won effusive praise from Republican lawmakers, who have sometimes offered more plaudits than even their Democratic colleagues (Politico).
In his first press conference since Obama announced that he would remain at his post, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said closing Guantanamo Bay prison remains a "high priority" and assured reporters that he has "no intention of being a caretaker secretary" (Wall Street Journal).
Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England announced Tuesday that he will step down in January, saying: "It is time for me to leave" (Army Times).
Hillary Watch
Hillary Rodham Clinton may be constitutionally ineligible to move from the Senate to the State Department, it was revealed Tuesday, but Senate Democrats are working on legislation that would let the former first lady bypass the rules (New York Times).
Fresh off the news of her promotion, Clinton e-mailed supporters asking them to help her retire nearly $7.5 million in campaign debt from her failed bid for the White House (USA Today).
Former President Bill Clinton said he is open to a job with the Obama administration, but will otherwise "just try to be a helpful sounding board" for his wife as she begins her new role in the Cabinet (Politico).
(Credit: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)
The wires are reporting this afternoon that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) will join the incoming administration in the role of Commerce secretary, and that Barack Obama will make the announcement official at a press conference tomorrow morning. (Check back then for coverage of the presser.)
If true, this would make Richardson the third of Obama's primary opponents to find roles in the administration, continuing the trend toward a "team of rivals." It would also mark a return to the Cabinet for Richardson, who served as President Clinton's Energy secretary after a year as ambassador to the United Nations.
As detailed in the Almanac of American Politics, Richardson's tenure in the Clinton White House was not without its rough patches:
In January 1997 Richardson was nominated as ambassador to the United Nations. Here was an opportunity to be a major player in foreign policy, although Richardson was cabined in by the close supervision of his predecessor, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. But he did negotiate agreements between the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and opposition forces and secured the release of Red Cross workers held hostage in Sudan, and the foreign policy experience he was gaining seemed likely to make him a plausible vice presidential candidate in 2000 or later. The only embarrassing thing about his service was the fact, later disclosed, that at the request of a White House staffer and without asking why, he offered a job to Monica Lewinsky; she rejected it as insufficiently grand.Then in June 1998 Energy Secretary Federico Pena resigned and Bill Clinton, eager to have at least one Hispanic in an official cabinet position, shifted Richardson to the post. This was not really a promotion: Energy is a department that is made up of several unrelated agencies, some of them with deep troubles at the time. One of those was the Los Alamos National Laboratory, from which, it seemed, secret documents about the assembly of nuclear weapons made their way to China.
Richardson was much criticized in Congress for his work on improving security in the national laboratories, and his connection to the Wen Ho Lee security case was a political liability. Later, in May 1999, two hard drives with designs of the nation's nuclear labs were found to be missing after a fire; in June 1999 he decided not to appear at a Senate committee hearing on the issue, on the grounds he had no answers; at a later Armed Services Committee hearing he was lambasted by Robert Byrd, who said he would never be confirmed for another job (the hard drives were later found behind a copying machine). He was mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate in 2000 -- the Democrats would have loved to run a Hispanic -- but his name soon fell off the list.
See Richardson's full Almanac profile here.
By DAVID HERBERT
News organizations across the country are privy to the minutia of President-elect Barack Obama's daily life thanks to the protective pool, a rotating patchwork of reporters that follows the 44th president as he goes to the gym and the barber.
But more than just cataloging the movements of the president-elect, these dispatches often go above and beyond the call of duty with notes about the weather, Obama's clothing, snippets of conversation among bystanders and reflections on journalism, all of which can, on the best days, raise the pool report to an art form.
As such, NationalJournal.com is proud to announce the creation of the Poolitzer Prize, to be awarded semi-regularly to pool reports that achieve an extraordinarily high level of detail, prose, humor, drama and any combination thereof.
Today's winner comes from Christina Bellantoni, the White House correspondent for the Washington Times, who had the good fortune to be covering the president-elect on the day he met with the National Governors Association.
The winner of the inaugural Poolitzer, after the jump.
Bill Clinton's eleventh-hour pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich may come back to haunt Eric Holder, President-elect Barack Obama's likely choice for attorney general and the man who signed off on the pardon recommendation (Wall Street Journal).
Obama has yet to attend church since Election Day, opting to hit the gym on Sundays instead (Politico).
Many of the Republicans being mentioned as possible members of the Obama administration have ties to Brent Scowcroft, a former Bush adviser who has stressed the importance of an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord (Wall Street Journal).
Even if Obama closes Guantanamo Bay prison, there are 20 to 30 prisoners "that present serious, serious problems" that may end up being detained indefinitely anyway (Los Angeles Times).
Franklin D. Roosevelt's secretary of State Cordell Hull offers some parallels -- both good and bad -- for Hillary Clinton and her possible new post (Los Angeles Times).
Obama has struck a bipartisan tone so far, which is winning plaudits from Republicans but rankling some on the left (New York Times).
First Family Adjusts
Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, advised Michelle Obama to "learn to like the back seat" in a Times of London column this month, one of the many pieces of advice being thrown at the incoming First Lady (New York Times).
Obama has "lamented the way his public rise has infringed upon his personal space" during the last five years, and moving to the White House will upset his routines even more (Washington Post).
Economy In Transition
Obama will likely delay his controversial tax increase for the wealthiest Americans until after 2010 (New York Times).
Obama will tap Christina Romer, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley, to head the Council of Economic Advisers (New York Times).
The economic stimulus package will need to be bigger than originally thought, a top Obama adviser said today (Reuters).
Obama will formally name Timothy Geithner his Treasury Secretary today, a top adviser said (Washington Times).
Obama will name New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, his one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination and a former Energy Secretary, his Commerce Secretary (AP).
Inauguration Conflagration
African Americans comprise a large chunk of the millions expected to descend upon Washington for the inauguration (AP).
Young military officers are vying for the coveted spots escorting VIPs around town during inauguration festivities (Washington Post).
Demand for inauguration tickets is outstripping supply across the country -- even in heavily Republican congressional districts (Politico).
By BRITTANY R. BALLENSTEDT, Government Executive
Backers of a public service academy are optimistic that their proposal will gather momentum under President-elect Barack Obama, and possibly even gain approval during the new administration's first year.
Chris Myers Asch, one of the architects of the proposal, said the creation of the academy could be a hallmark of Obama's first term in office, much like the introduction of the Peace Corps was for John F. Kennedy in 1961, and the AmeriCorps program was for former President Clinton in 1993.
"The Peace Corps is the best historical precedent," Asch said. "An incoming president has this idea that he wants to create a legacy in public service, and he often does that in the beginning of the first year. We see the academy as being that institution, that legacy of service for this president."
Legislation introduced during the 110th Congress by Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Reps. Jim Moran, D-Va., and Chris Shays, R-Conn., would have established a 5,000-person undergraduate public service academy, on par with the nation's military academies, to restore prestige to public institutions and to attract young people to government jobs.
The academy would be free to students, at an annual cost of $205 million to taxpayers. After graduation, students would repay the country by spending at least five years working for the government at the local, state or federal level. Supporters say the academy would help the nation combat potential acts of terrorism and natural disasters and offset an anticipated wave of retirements.
Continue reading Outlook For Public Service Academy Brightens.
By KEVIN FRIEDL
Given the ability of the Obama transition team so far to control the flow of information from its office to reporters, this afternoon's relative deluge of appointment news represents either an unprecedented breakdown of message control or a concerted effort to let names slip out the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Just in the past several hours, the New York Times reported that Hillary Rodham Clinton had accepted Barack Obama's offer to be secretary of State; New York Federal Reserve President Tim Geithner was widely said to have been tapped as Treasury secretary; GovExec's Tom Shoop broke the news that Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown was being vetted for Veterans Affairs chief; and the Washington Post mentioned Bill Richardson for Commerce secretary.
The Obama team did something similar last week, dumping more than 100 names of its agency review teams after 3 p.m. on Friday. Why wait until the end of the weekly news cycle -- and the traditional graveyard of bad news -- to release the names of their best and brightest? The transition team may be trying to send up as many trial balloons as possible before the Thanksgiving tune-out. Or, as the Post reported this morning, they may simply have realized that Washington is a hard town to keep a secret in for long, and it's better to leak themselves than to lose control of announcements altogether.
UPDATED Nov. 21 at 5:12 p.m: The Obama-Biden transition team added to its Friday afternoon name drop with five new White House staffers, mostly notably Patrick Gaspard as director of the Office of Political Affairs.
Complete release, with biographies, is after the jump.
Continue reading Trickle Turns To Flood On Friday Afternoon.
After running an airtight campaign, President-elect Barack Obama's camp is springing leaks during the transition (Washington Post).
The National Rifle Association slammed Obama Thursday for asking potential appointees about their gun ownership (Politico).
Among the items on their wish list, civil liberties groups want Obama
to close Guantanamo Bay prison, end extraordinary rendition and
investigate President Bush's anti-terrorism programs (Los Angeles Times).
Obama will likely wait until at least 2010 before following through on a controversial campaign pledge to end the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy (Washington Times).
Twenty percent of the government's senior executives don't know their agencies' presidential transition plans, according to a new survey (Federal Times).
Obama's campaign message of "change" has resonated with Iranians, who hope Obama's election marks the beginning of thawed relations between Iran and the U.S. (Boston Globe).
State Drama
Obama plans to offer Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., the job of secretary of State after Thanksgiving (Wall Street Journal).
Clinton, meanwhile, is still wavering on the post because of her disenchantment with the Senate, but Democrats leaders are prepared to offer her a "still-undefined leadership role" if she stays (New York Times).
Latino politicians are pushing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for secretary of State and are worried overall about the lack of a Latino pick for the new Cabinet (Washington Post).
Inauguration Conflagration
In the mad dash to secure venues for inauguration balls and parties, "speed is the key now, as is a check in hand. Wire transfer is even better" (Washington Post).
The House ethics committee warned members not to let lobbyists or anyone else bankroll
their inauguration parties (The Hill).
In response to the 4 million revelers expected to descend upon Washington, Mayor Adrian Fenty signed an executive order allowing residents to rent their property without a business license (Washington Post).
The DC Metro is girding itself for record-breaking ridership on and around Jan. 20 (Washington Post).
Through The Grapevine
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is a front-runner for secretary of Homeland Security (New York Times) and the potential nomination is already winning praise across the political spectrum (Washington Post).
Penny S. Pritzker, a major Obama fundraiser whose business ties have been scrutinized in recent weeks, announced she will not be a candidate for secretary of Commerce (New York Times).
Eric Holder Jr., Obama's likely choice for attorney general, has extensive experience combating corporate crime (Wall Street Journal).
Duane Woerth, the president of the Air Line Pilots Association from 1999 to 2006, is a favorite for the top job at the Federal Aviation Administration (Wall Street Journal).
Hotline's list of rumored appointees to the incoming administration -- culled from sources of varying reliability -- has already reached an impressive length just two weeks after Barack Obama won the presidency.
See below for the complete list, organized by department, of the players in D.C.'s favorite event, the name game (asterisk denotes that the individual has said publicly he or she does not wish to be considered):
State
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
Ex-Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Ex-VP/ex-Sen. Al Gore (D-TN)*
Ex-UN Amb./ex-Asst. Sec/State Richard Holbrooke
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN)*
Ex-Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA)
NM Gov./ex-UN Amb./ex-Energy Sec. Bill Richardson (D)
Treasury
FDIC Chair/ex-Asst. Treas. Sec. Sheila Bair
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett
NJ Gov./ex-Sen./ex-Goldman Sachs Chair Jon Corzine (D)
JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon
NY FED Bank Pres. Timothy Geithner
Ex-Treas. Sec. Robert Rubin
Ex-Treas. Sec./ex-Harvard Pres. Larry Summers
Ex-Council of Econ Advisers chair Laura D'Andrea Tyson
Ex-FED chair Paul Volcker
Defense
Ex-Sen./ex-VA Sec. Max Cleland (D-GA)
Ex-Navy Sec. Richard Danzig
Ex-Dep. Asst. Defense Sec. Michèle Flournoy
Defense Sec. Robert Gates
Ex-Dep. Defense Sec. John Hamre
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)*
Complete list after the jump.
After the weekend buzz over the possibility of Barack Obama's tapping Hillary Rodham Clinton for secretary of State, Newsweek's "Transition Toteboard" has moved the New York senator up to a 2-1 favorite for the position. Before Monday, Clinton was not even on the short list; the previous front-runners were Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., along with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) and former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
Other 2-1 favorites in Newsweek's admittedly "unscientific" calculations: former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers to regain his old job; Defense Secretary Robert Gates to remain at his current post; and former Deputy AG Eric Holder to become the nation's first black attorney general. Additional possibilities being floated by the magazine's staff include Colin Powell for secretary of Education, Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris for secretary of Energy, and New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly or Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton for Homeland Security secretary.
UPDATE: Newsweek's Michael Isikoff is now reporting that Eric Holder will be Obama's choice for attorney general, citing "two legal sources close to the presidential transition."
President-elect Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., met in Chicago Monday and pledged to work together to find common ground after a "productive conversation" (Politico).
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill., a top contender for Obama's Senate seat, said he doesn't think "it's that important at all" that the vacancy be filled by an African-American (Roll Call -- subscription).
Foreign Affairs
President-elect Obama must prepare the military for three big challenges -- Islamic extremism, the rise of China and more nuclear-armed powers -- the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments reports (GovExec).
Obama has called Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to assure the tiny nation, an object of Moscow's ire, that it has Washington's continued support (Reuters).
Making His Mark
Obama will get the chance early on in his presidency to weigh in on issues surrounding presidential power and civil liberties (New York Times).
Obama is hoping to fill more than 300 technology positions that are presidentially appointed (NextGov).
The president-elect and congressional Democrats will likely get to decide how to divvy up the second half of the $700 billion federal bailout package (The Hill).
As Obama prepares to take office, the stars may be aligning for universal health care (Los Angeles Times).
Secretary of State Sweepstakes
If Obama taps Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., for secretary of State, he risks alienating Democrats like Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (Washington Times).
The possibility of Secretary of State Clinton is all the more interesting because foreign policy is the area she and Obama clashed the most over during the primaries (Boston Globe).
Former UN Ambassador Richard Holbrooke is pushing his own candidacy for secretary of State (Los Angeles Times).
The Inner Circle
Obama's White House team is being filled with pugnacious characters, despite the president-elect's own distaste for drama (New York Times).
An unpaid Obama transition adviser, Thomas E. Donilon, earned millions lobbying against increased oversight of troubled mortgage giant Fannie Mae (Washington Times).
Obama talked of bringing a fresh perspective to Washington, but the president-elect is surrounding himself with plenty of Hill insiders, such as Rahm Emanuel and Pete Rouse (Washington Post).
The vetting process has become so intense that some potential Obama appointees hired lawyers in the spring and summer to "pre-vet" them and dig up any old skeletons (Washington Post).
Inauguration Fever
The congressional committee overseeing the inauguration is exploring options to expand the number of people who will be able to attend the Jan. 20 swearing-in (New York Times).
The estimated number of attendees for January's inauguration is now pushing 4 million (Washington Post).
Mr. Obama Goes To Washington
After Rev. Jeremiah Wright put a dent in Obama's candidacy during the primaries, the president-elect's church choice is "likely to be scrutinized" (AP).
The Clintons cut Chelsea off from media access, President Kennedy welcomed it for his two children, and the Obamas will likely fall somewhere in between for Malia and Sasha (Los Angeles Times).
The much-hyped G-20 summit accomplished little this weekend, as foreign leaders seemed content to defer action until a new administration is up and running (Politico).
President-elect Barack Obama may have resigned his Senate seat, but he's bringing a number of key aides from his Capitol Hill days to the White House (AP).
John Podesta, a leader of Obama's transition team, has experience fighting scandals and managing competing agendas, thanks to his time in Bill Clinton's White House (AP).
Team of Rivals
Emulating Abraham Lincoln's "team of rivals" approach, Obama is reaching out to primary opponents Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) about possibly playing a role in his administration (USA Today).
As Obama vets Clinton for the secretary of State position, the transition team is also looking into former President Clinton's business dealings to see what conflicts of interest they might pose (New York Times).
The odds of Defense Secretary Robert Gates staying on the job are higher if Hillary Clinton is tapped to be secretary of State, Democratic and Republican observers say (Bloomberg News).
Obama and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., meet in Chicago today to discuss how they can collaborate going forward (AP).
Tending the Base
Eager to influence Obama's first 100 days, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a "motley crew of corporations and environmental campaigners," is pushing for more legislation to curb global warming (Wall Street Journal).
Obama has a lot of work to do boosting the morale of nearly 2 million federal employees who say they feel lost after eight years under President Bush (Washington Post).
The president-elect started a charm offensive with federal employees in October when he was still searching for votes (Washington Post).
California lawmakers are already forwarding the president-elect their wish lists for his presidency, ranging from universal health care down to new storm drains for Long Beach (Los Angeles Times).
Stressing National Security, Defense
One of Obama's first priorities during the transition period is selecting a national security team, he said in an interview with 60 Minutes Sunday (AP).
Obama has already said that he needs to earn the military's respect, starting with following through on his promise to raise salaries and end the war in Iraq (Army Times).
The new administration is treading carefully vis a vis the Department of Homeland Security, a $40 billion, 200,000-worker bureaucracy that is in many ways still being shaped (Washington Post).
The Center for New American Security is developing into a favorite well of talent for the Obama administration (Wall Street Journal).
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that, despite differences over a proposed missile shield, he expects relations between the two powers to thaw under a President Obama (Wall Street Journal).
Inauguration Scramble
The demand for inauguration tickets has been so great that many lawmakers are no longer accepting constituent requests (AP).
While congressmen are allotted a few hundred tickets for their constituents, there are few rules instructing lawmakers on how they must distribute those passes (AP).
Lighter Side
Michelle Obama hopes the White House will be "full of life and energy" with two young children -- and a puppy -- running around, she said in a 60 Minutes interview that aired Sunday night (The Hill).
Obama will surrender his beloved BlackBerry in January because of the Presidential Records Act and security concerns (New York Times).
Obama is enjoying his last few weeks of "normalcy," hitting the gym, spending time with his daughters and planning the family's annual Christmas-time trip to Hawaii (AP).
By MARY GILBERT
This week has seen an explosion of wish lists and online forums dedicated to telling President-elect Barack Obama's transition team what the new administration's No. 1 priority should be.
Policyarchive.org recently launched Presidential Advisory '08, a broad repository of policy recommendations from think tanks of all political stripes that the group plans to update throughout the transition period. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is soliciting recommendations for a presidential "honey do" list from viewers. And even the Obama team itself is providing regular Americans with a chance to express their "vision" for the country at its new Web site, change.gov.
But perhaps the constituency with the most to say is progressive think tanks. Having waited eight years to get a Democrat back in the White House, these groups are clamoring to gain influence with the new administration on what they consider the most urgent needs of the country.
One of them was founded by John Podesta, co-chair of Obama's transition team and former Clinton White House chief of staff. The Center for American Progress -- along with the New Democracy Project -- just released Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President, a 50-chapter book on how to "bring real change to America" that 67 scholars spent a year putting together. CAP, created in 2003 to offset the rise of conservative think tanks, is not hiding its aspirations of becoming "Washington's most influential think tank," as AP recently reported, and with one of its founders heading up the Obama transition team, it may be poised to do just that.
Other organizations are taking a less comprehensive approach, offering proposals one issue at a time. For example, the New America Foundation published an education wish list on its Higher Ed Watch blog last week. And the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group in the country, is pushing for minority appointments to Obama's Cabinet, specifically backing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for secretary of state.
The Obama camp announced new lobbying guidelines for the transition period Tuesday, which, while harsh, fall short of the draconian measures he promised to implement during the campaign (Boston Globe).
President-elect Barack Obama will favor less government contracting and more transparency and oversight (Federal Times).
Obama is hoping to "green" the federal government, including replacing the White House fleet with plug-in vehicles within one year (Federal Times).
Obama's transition director, John Podesta, called White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten to defuse tensions after the Democrat's camp apparently leaked the details of a private meeting between 43 and 44 (Roll Call -- subscription).
Obama's transition efforts will cost $12 million and consume the efforts of 450 staffers (Wall Street Journal).
"The issues pages of the official Obama-Biden transition Web site, change.gov, recently went missing and were replaced by a general statement of priorities" (New York Times).
The Short List
Minority groups are calling for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) to be made secretary of state and an African-American to take over Obama's Senate seat (The Hill).
However, now that "we have a black Branch Rickey" in Obama, there may be less pressure to assemble a minority-laden Cabinet (Politico).
Obama wants the Senate to confirm his appointees quicker than usual so that they can address the economy and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (Reuters).
Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean has been coy about murmurs that he could be the next secretary of health and human services (Politico).
Obama is looking for a "high-profile point person to oversee reforms in the ailing auto industry," according to aides (Politico).
With President-elect Obama waiting in the wings, leaders at the G-20 summit are not likely to commit to much (Wall Street Journal).
Foreign leaders in town for the G-20 summit this week are clamoring to meet with Obama, and the president-elect's refusal to do so has been at times an awkward dance (New York Times).
Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael V. Hayden both expect to lose their jobs under Obama (Washington Post).
Former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, widely viewed as one of the front-runners to replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates if he does not stay on, is a "long-time student of government management" (NextGov.com).
Obama has tapped former Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sam Nunn [D-Ga.] to lead the Pentagon transition (AP).
Change Is Coming
Capitol hotel rooms are nearly all booked for Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration (AP).
Lawmakers are scrambling for coveted office space lost by outgoing congressional Republicans (Politico).
