The transition: The new team

Posted: Monday, December 01, 2008 9:39 AM by Carrie Dann

Due to the tragic news from the weekend in India, USA Today notes there's no better day than today for Obama to unveil his national security team, which can be best described as foreign policy pragmatists or realists.

More: "The trio that Obama will introduce today represents a centrist team that has already angered some of the president-elect's most ardent liberal supporters, who had expected a foreign policy team with clear, left-leaning credentials."

The Los Angeles Times says that Clinton's nomination as secretary of state is forcing Israelis and Palestinians to recalibrate their expectations. "During the campaign, Obama carried the hopes of many Arabs for a new brand of diplomacy more open to their views… Israelis viewed Obama as a less reliable friend than John McCain, his Republican rival, or Clinton, who touted a deep affinity for the Jewish state in her bid for the Democratic nomination."

"Cautiously, Israelis are now applauding Clinton's all-but-certain nomination as a sign that Obama can be trusted to act firmly against Iran's nuclear ambitions and to refrain from pressing Israel to accept a weak, violence-prone Palestinian state on its borders."

Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Bill Clinton "agreed to disclose publicly the names of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation" as part of the deal that cleared the way for his wife to be nominated as secretary of state." The disclosure of contributors is among nine conditions that Mr. Clinton signed off on during discussions with representatives of Mr. Obama; all go beyond the requirements of law. Among other issues, he agreed to incorporate his Clinton Global Initiative separately from his foundation so that he has less direct involvement… Mr. Clinton also agreed to submit his future personal speeches and business activities for review by State Department ethics officials and, if necessary, by the White House counsel's office."

What Women Want: The Boston Globe's Milligan reports that "Obama's expected nomination today of Hillary Clinton as the next secretary of state has energized human rights and women's rights activists, who expect the former first lady to bring a dramatic new focus to the plight of women around the globe."

The Obama-friendly Dick Lugar is promising to ask Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton some tough questions, probably regarding the role of Bill Clinton. “It’s a big step,” Lugar said of Bill Clinton’s concessions. But he added, “I think the wide-ranging activities of President Clinton are very substantial on this earth, and they will continue to be.” “While saying he believed he would vote to confirm Mrs. Clinton, Senator Lugar said there would likely be continued questions about her husband, because Mr. Clinton’s foreign ties and relationships were so extensive. ‘I don’t know how, given all of our ethics standards now, anyone quite measures up to this who has such cosmic ties,’ Mr. Lugar said. ‘But I think the Obama campaign people have done a good job in trying to pin down the most important elements.’”

Forget Clinton, the most influential foreign policy voice in the Obama admin is going to be National Security Adviser Jim Jones. "Obama doesn't really know Jones,” Time writes. “Back in October, then-candidate Obama said he'd valued Jones advice, but in fact, he'd only spoken with him twice at that point, and Jones was never in his close circle of advisors during the primaries or general election. Jones' political affiliation is not clear, though he has never been called a Democrat, and his lack of public complaint during the planning for the war drew criticism, despite later reports that he had argued with Donald Rumsfeld and then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace. But those who know Jones say his strengths vastly outweigh his perceived weaknesses. In Jones, Obama gets someone with instant and deep understanding of military plans and details. He gets a 6'5" Marine Corps veteran at his side who has firsthand experience of combat theaters from Vietnam to Bosnia and who earned Defense Distinguished Service Medal, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star with ‘V’ for valor. While the uniformed military will follow the orders of the Commander-in-Chief no matter what, the public is more likely to support them when they're being enforced by a decorated veteran with a long career on the battlefield."

Gates will not have to submit to new confirmation hearings.

The Wall Street Journal’s Seib makes the case that by keeping Gates at Defense, Obama is siding with "change" because Gates has been implementing new policies from Rumsfeld. "Meanwhile, Mr. Gates and Adm. Mullen are in sync with the president-elect on other key issues. All three want an orderly drawdown in Iraq to make it easier to add troops in Afghanistan. All three worry about the strain both wars are having on the military, especially the Army. All three favor closing the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay. Mr. Gates and Adm. Mullen aren't always in sync, of course. The defense secretary initially was more skeptical about the need for more troops in Afghanistan, but was swayed by Adm. Mullen, Pentagon officials say. Together, though, they represent something ideologues of left and right can agree they dislike: the rise of pragmatists in the new Obama world."

Napolitano is taking on a mess of an agency, according to the Boston Globe.

The New York Daily News notes that the Senate Dem leadership had put together enough of a package that Clinton could have saved face should something have gone wrong in the Obama talks.

Here's a fun fact from USA Today's Susan Page: "Obama's pick is non-traditional on several fronts. Not since James Garfield appointed James Blaine to head the State Department in 1881 has a president chosen a major political rival for the job. What's more, Clinton's grounding in women's rights contrasts with her predecessors, most of whom had pursued careers in academia, the military or law steeped in U.S. relations with major world powers."

A familiar face to cable viewers, Susan Rice, will be the Ambassador to the UN. A mild surprise to some as Rice is known to be, for instance, as blunt in her assessments of certain situations as one of her predecessors, John Bolton. Also, Obama will raise the UN ambassador post to a Cabinet position in his administration.

The Washington Post's Kamen put together the list of folks who have said no to Obama on specific jobs.

Latinos are not thrilled with the Obama cabinet so far. They’re not just unhappy about Bill Richardson being passed over for State, but Napolitano at Homeland Secretary is not seen as a particularly friendly immigration face.

The Left continues to stay muted on Obama's very centrist appointments. Could it be the Left fears the wrath of Obama-nation, who is giving more benefit of the doubt to Obama than liberals? After all, who will fund these liberal groups: Obama donors, right?

Biden is surrounding himself with his loyalists.

OUR OBAMA CABINET SPECULATION LIST:

President’s office/staff:

-- Chief of Staff: Rahm Emanuel NAMED (Deputies: Jim Messina NAMED, Mona Sutphen NAMED)

-- Senior Advisers: Valerie Jarrett NAMED, Peter Rouse NAMED, David Axelrod NAMED

-- Political Director: Patrick Gaspard NAMED

-- Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs: Phil Schiliro NAMED

-- White House Counsel: Greg Craig NAMED

-- Press Secretary: Robert Gibbs NAMED

-- Communications Director: Ellen Moran NAMED (Deputy: Dan Pfeiffer NAMED)

-- Director of Scheduling and Advance: Alyssa Mastromonaco NAMED

-- Staff Secretary: Lisa Brown NAMED

-- Cabinet Secretary: Chris Lu NAMED

-- Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary: Desirée Rogers NAMED

Vice President’s office:

-- Biden’s Chief of staff: Ron Klain NAMED

-- Counselor to the Vice President: Mike Donilon NAMED

-- Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President: Terrell McSweeny NAMED

-- Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison: Evan Ryan NAMED

First Lady’s office:

-- Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff: Jackie Norris NAMED (Deputy: Melissa Winter NAMED)

POTENTIAL CABINET MEMBERS:

-- Agriculture: Tom Vilsack, Tom Buis (Natl Farmers Union), Charlie Stenholm, Jim Leach, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Marshall Matz, John Boyd Jr. (pres, Natl Black Farmers Assn)

-- Commerce: Bill Richardson CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Penny Pritzker (reportedly turned down the position), Kathleen Sebelius, John Thompson (Symantec), Ron Kirk (former Dallas mayor), Scott Harris (Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis fndr)

-- Defense: Robert Gates LIKELY, PER NBC NEWS, (Deputy: Richard Danzig / Michelle Flournoy No. 3), Chuck Hagel, Sam Nunn, Jack Reed, Colin Powell, John Hamre, Tim Roemer, Thomas Pickering, Anthony Zinni, Max Cleland, Michele Flounoy, Gen. James Jones

-- Education: Joel Klein (NYC), Linda Darling-Hammond, Kathleen Sebelius, Colin Powell, Jim Hunt, Arne Duncan, Inez Tenenbaum, Michael Bennett, George Miller, Gaston Caperton (fmr WV gov), Bambi Cardenas (pres, U TX-Pan Am, Susan Castillo (OR supt), Michael Cohen (pres, Achieve), Christopher Edley (dean, UC-Berkeley), Michael Johnston (dir, Mapleton Expeditionary Schl of the Arts), VA Gov. Tim Kaine, Michelle Rhee (DC), Sharon Robinson (pres, Assn of Colls for Tchr Ed), Andrew Rotherman/Jonahtan Schnur (fmr Clinton advisers), Diane Shust (dir, NEA govt rels), Paul Vallas (supt, New Orleans Recovery Schl Dist), Bob Wise (fmr WV gov), Ray Mabus (fmr MS gov)

-- Energy: Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris, Kathleen Sebelius, Philip Sharp, Ed Rendell, Arnold Schwarzenegger (has said no), Al Gore, Jeff Bingaman, Jennifer Granholm, Steve Westly, Frederico Pena, Dan Reicher, Jason Grumet, Ray Mabus (fmr MS gov)

-- HHS: Tom Daschle CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Howard Dean (reportedly ruled out), Eric Whitaker, John Kitzhaber, Kathleen Sebelius

-- Homeland Security: Janet Napolitano LIKELY, PER NBC NEWS, Ray Kelly (NY), William Bratton (L.A.), Tim Roemer, James Lee Witt, Tom Kean Sr, Jane Harman, Artur Davis, Richard Clarke, Manny Diaz, Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Lee Hamilton (though he said he’s too old), Jamie Gorelick

-- HUD: Manny Diaz (Miami mayor), Shirley Franklin (Atlanta mayor), Saul Ramirez, Jim Clyburn (reportedly not interested)

-- Interior: Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ), , Jay Inslee, John Kitzhaber, Tony Knowles, Ken Salazar, Jamie Rappoport Clark, Brian Schweitzer, Bill Richardson

-- Justice (AG): Eric Holder CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Janet Napolitano, Charles Ogletree, Deval Patrick, James Comey, Patrick Fitzgerald, Artur Davis, Tim Kaine, Jamie Gorelick (but was vice chair of Fannie), Ken Feinberg, Cass Sunstein, Kathleen Sullivan (Stanford Law prof, possible Solicitor General. Also possible SGs: Beth Brinkmann-DC Atty; Preeta Bansal-Skadden, Arps; Elena Kagan-Harvard law dean; Pamela Karlan-Stanford; Teresa Wynn Roseborough-MetLife litigation counsel)

-- Labor: Kathleen Sebelius, Andy Stern (SEIU) (said not interested), Richard Gephardt, George Miller, David Bonior (said he’s not interested, suggested: American Rights at Work Executive Director Mary Beth Maxwell), Xavier Becerra, Linda Chavez-Thompson, Antonio Villaraigosa

-- State: Hillary Clinton CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Jim Steinberg (deputy) CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, John Kerry, Bill Richardson, Richard Lugar, Chuck Hagel, Richard Holbrooke, Chris Dodd, Thomas Pickering, Al Gore, Colin Kahl (CNAS fellow), Tom Daschle

-- Transportation: Ed Rendell, Jane Garvey, Mortimer Downey, Earl Blumenauer, Steve Heminger, James Oberstar, Peter DeFazio, Federico Pena, Jeanette Sadik-Khan, Tim Kaine, John Hickenlooper (Denver mayor), Ron Sims (King County (WA) Executive), Doug Foy (Fmr pres, Convservation Law Fndtn), Parris Glendening (Fmr Gov MD)

-- Treasury: Tim Geithner CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Paul Volcker, Robert Rubin, Jon Corzine, Warren Buffett, Michael Bloomberg, Laura Tyson, Jamie Dimon (JP MorganChase), Jacob "Jack" Lew, Sheila Bair, Indira Nooyi, John Thain (Merrill Lynch)

-- Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland, Tammy Duckworth, Chet Edwards, Arnold Fisher (fmr Fisher House Fndtn chair), James Peake, William Bratton, Anthony G. Brown (MD Lt Gov)

OTHER POSITIONS:

-- National Economic Council Director: Larry Summers NAMED

-- Council of Economic Advisers: Christina Romer (chair), NAMED, Dan Tarullo, Jacob "Jack" Lew, Jason Furman, Austan Goolsbee, Laura Tyson

-- Economic Recovery Advisory Board: Paul Volcker NAMED, Austan Goolsbee (staff director, chief economist) NAMED, Eric E. Schmidt (Google chairman, CEO)

-- Natl Sec Adviser: Gen. James L. Jones (Deputy: Tom Donilon) CONFIRMED BY NBC NEWS, Jim Steinberg, Rand Beers, Susan Rice, Greg Craig

-- NSC: Dennis Ross, Greg Craig, Susan Rice, Tony Lake

-- OMB: Peter Orszag NAMED (Deputy: Rob Nabors NAMED), John Spratt Jr, Gene Sperling, Jason Furman

-- White House Domestic Policy Council Director: Melody Barnes NAMED (Domestic Policy Council Deputy Director: Heather A. Higginbottom NAMED)

-- CIA: Tony Lake, John Brennan (wrote a letter to Obama asking that his name be withdrawn), Chuck Hagel, Michael Hayden, Jami Miscik (fmr CIA dep dir for Intel)

-- DNI: Ret. Adm. Dennis Blair, Tony Lake, John Brennan, Tim Roemer, Rand Beers, Jane Harman, John Abizaid, Evan Bayh

-- FEMA: James Lee Witt

-- EPA: Howard Learner (Pres, Exec. Dir, Environmental Law and Policy Center), Ian Bowles (MA), RFK Jr, Kathleen Sebelius, Kathleen McGinty (former secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Env Protection), Mary Nichols (chair of California's Air Resources Board), Robert Sussman, Dan Esty, Lisa Jackson (NJ environ commission)

-- FBI: Robert Mueller (term expires 2011)

-- Fed Chair: Ben Bernanke (at least for first year)

-- FDA: Steven Nissen (Cleveland Clinic), Joshua Sharfstein (Baltimore health commissioner), Janet Woodcock (Big Pharma's choice), Susan Wood (GWU occupational and environmental health professor), Diana Zuckerman (president, National Research Center for Women & Families) Joint Chiefs: Michael Mullen (term ends in late 2009, can expect to be appointed for second term, per tradition)

-- Peace Corps: Chris Shays

-- UN Ambassador: Caroline Kennedy, Susan Rice, Ray Mabus (fmr MS gov)

-- USTR: Cal Dooley (American Chemistry Council president), Daniel K. Tarullo (Georgetown University law professor), Lael Brainard (Brookings Institution vice president), Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty (fmr Clinton White House chief of staff)

-- Climate: Terry Tamminen (climate change, adviser to Schwarzenegger), Al Gore, Carol Browner (Audobon Society), Jonathan Lash (World Resources Inst), Kathleen McGinty, Janet Napolitano, Mary Nichols, Kathleen Sebelius

-- Auto Czar: Jennifer Granholm

-- Secretary of the Army: Mortimer Downey

-- Chief Technology Officer: Julius Genachowski, Shane Robison (HP), Edward Felten (Princeton)

-- FCC: Jonathan Adelstein (FCC commissioner), Antoinette Bush (Skadden), Karen Kornbluh (Obama’s former Senate policy director), Blair Levin (fmr chief of staff to then-FCC Commissioner Reid Hunt)

Other mentions for various White House staff posts: Patti Solis Doyle, David Wilhelm, John Rogers, Bill Daley, Cass Sunstein, Bob Bauer, Michael Froman, Federico Pena, Lawrence J. Korb, Carol Browner (Clinton's EPA head), Thomas Perrelli, David Ogden, Cassandra Butts, Denis McDonough (foreign policy, formerly Daschle’s foreign policy adviser), Stephanie Cutter

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