Full Forecaste

Story Photos

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. greet supporters at the end of a rally in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 20. John Raoux / AP

Past Month's Most Commented Stories

Home > Election

Obama weighs picking own 'team of rivals'

Monday, November 17, 2008 3:38 PM PST

By The Associated Press

Font Size:
 
 

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama is interviewing some of his one-time political opponents as he ponders building his own "team of rivals" to help him run the country.

Primary election foes Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson both have been interviewed for secretary of state, according to several Democratic officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the secret meetings.

Obama met with Richardson late Friday afternoon, a day after conferring one-on-one with Clinton at his Chicago office, the officials said. He plans to meet there Monday with his Republican opponent, John McCain, but advisers to both of the general election candidates say they do not expect Obama to consider McCain for an administration job.

On Saturday, Obama urged Congress to get moving next week on an economic rescue plan that would extend jobless benefits among other actions.

"If Congress does not pass an immediate plan that gives the economy the boost it needs, I will make it my first order of business as president," Obama said in his Democratic Party's weekly radio address.

The radio address was also videotaped and being posted online through a YouTube link to Obama's transition Web site, www.change.gov. The president-elect plans to continue to record online videos of the addresses after he takes the oath of office Jan. 20.

Obama said he was pleased President George W. Bush brought world leaders to Washington to discuss turmoil in the financial markets, "because our global economic crisis requires a coordinated global response."

Obama stressed the importance of creating jobs in the United States and for Americans to pull together to deal with "the greatest economic challenge of our times."

Obama's meeting with Clinton excited a burst of speculation that Obama would transform the former first lady and fierce primary campaign foe into one of his top Cabinet officials and the nation's chief diplomatic voice. But where the New York senator stands in contention for the post came into question as other Democrats, also speaking on condition of anonymity about the private discussions, said Richardson was brought in as well.

It's far from clear how interested Clinton would be in the secretary of state job. She would face a Senate confirmation hearing that would certainly probe her husband's financial dealings — something the Clintons refused to disclose in the presidential campaign.

But remaining in the Senate may not be Clinton's first choice, either, since she is a junior senator without prospects for a leadership position or committee chairmanship anytime soon.

Being secretary of state could give Clinton a platform for another run at the presidency in eight years. Obama could also get assurances from her that she would not challenge him in four years.

Richardson, who is Hispanic, is the governor of New Mexico and has an extensive foreign policy resume. He was President Bill Clinton's ambassador to the United Nations and has conducted freelance diplomacy for the U.S. in such hot spots as Sudan and North Korea.

The two are not the only candidates Obama has talked to about the job, Democrats said. One senior Obama adviser said the president-elect has given no evidence whom he is favoring for the post. Obama asked Clinton directly whether she would be interested in the job, said one Democrat, who cautioned that it was no indication that he was leaning toward her.

Obama was deciding on his presidential staff as well, naming longtime friend Valerie Jarrett as a White House senior adviser and assistant on intergovernmental relations. Jarrett met Obama when she hired his wife for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago and has been close to the couple since.

He also chose Philip Schiliro, a veteran Capitol Hill aide, as his top White House representative to Congress, Obama's transition team announced Saturday.

Schiliro has worked in Congress for more than 25 years, many of which were spent as a top aide to longtime Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, and the House Oversight Committee. His official title will be assistant to the president for legislative affairs when the new administration takes over Jan. 20.

The move signals a continuing effort by Obama to ensure he has a smooth relationship with the Democratic-controlled House and Senate. Others on his team also have long ties to Capitol Hill, including Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the next White House chief of staff.

In the coming days, Obama's transition team plans to announce more senior staff positions, including the likely appointments of campaign senior adviser Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary and chief strategist David Axelrod as a top White House adviser.

Obama was silent and out of sight in Chicago. Clinton addressed a transit conference in her home state and said emphatically, "I'm not going to speculate or address anything about the president-elect's incoming administration, and I'm going to respect his process."

Obama's aides say he would like to have McCain as a partner with him on legislation they both have advocated, such as climate change, government reform, immigration and a ban on torture.

All this fits with an idea that Obama often talked about on the campaign trail, as he praised the presidency of Abraham Lincoln as described by presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in her book "Team of Rivals."

Lincoln appointed three of his rivals for the Republican nomination to his Cabinet. Obama turned to one rival for vice president, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

Obama said at one point: "Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his Cabinet because whatever personal feelings there were, the issue was: How can we get this country through this time of crisis?"

Next

Cheney119 wrote on Nov 15, 2008 4:56 PM:

" Here's an idea, appoint McCain as secretary of defense and then appoint a democrat to his senate seat in Arizona. Even in a runoff election the democrat would win in Arizona now. McCain would have to do everything Obama said anyway, what a laugh. Then McCain could be the one that orders the troop reductions in Iraq and loose his senate seat in the process. He'd probably think it was a promotion. "

abokaa wrote on Nov 15, 2008 5:57 PM:

" Cheney119, typically I agree with your posts, but I sense cynicism in this one. I actually think John McCain would be an excellent choice for Secretary of Defense. I'm a liberal democrat, but the man has military experience that goes back to the day he was born. His first role models were officers and career military men. I think he would be an excellent choice. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 15, 2008 6:03 PM:

" Yeah Cheney boy I'm sure you Liberals could pull one over a great American. McCain will never, and let me say that again, NEVER, work in Liberal administration. Boy you Liberals sure are smart. You are so smart in fact that when the balance of the 60-seat filibuster proof senate hangs in the balance they are going to oust Joe Lieberman. Very smart move by those Liberals. The mistakes are going to come so fast and furious it will be difficult to count. And oh sure Cheney, the new guy will get credit for the troop reductions that are already planned. The surge has worked. U.S. troops have done their job. We've been inside Syria and the message has been sent. Your guy said the war would be over Jan. 22. I expect nothing less. What a joke. "

Nom D'Plume wrote on Nov 16, 2008 7:06 AM:

" Cheney- Are feeling alright? Normally you say some intelligent things, but this one is a bit brash. First of all, the worst thing for our divided nation right now would be a 60 seat majority and the the white house under democratic control. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This was NOT a landslide election for Obama. He does not have a "mandate for change". He only received a little more than 50 percent of the vote. Democrats need to tread lightly here, as GOPers are ready to sweep back in in 2010. As for McCain, he is a good man who has earned respect. He has more honor in his little finger than Barak Obama can comprehend. Obama lied, cheated, and wormed his way into a job he is not qualified for. For the sake of the nation, I only hope he can find some advisers to pull his fat out of the fire. And I'm not even a GW Bush fan! "

Mr. Bastinado wrote on Nov 16, 2008 9:55 AM:

" Hey Cheney, I say its time to start threatening the Repulsicans in the senate with the "nuclear option" and forget about the supermajority like they did to the Dems from 2000-2004. Let's see how 'ol Bad Boy whines when they have bills crammed down their throats. Turnabout is fair play. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 16, 2008 10:29 AM:

" Go ahead and forget the rules. I fully expect the Liberals to play that way. So do most of America. Just remember the Republicans paid for thier mistakes. The Liberals will too, eventually. As soon as America gets tired of that Liberal Stench -- and there are many, many ways that will hapen -- you can bet that that the political tide will swing back. All we have to do is concentrate on the mistakes. Watch us. "

Cheney119 wrote on Nov 16, 2008 1:22 PM:

" I'm shocked there's gambling in Casablanca, you'll forgive me after Karl Rove, Lee Atwater and their republican ilk that I'm a tad bit cynical, I ment it as a joke, not a strategy. TDN Bad Boy McCain has a great biography, but if he were a great American he'd have run a campaign that all of Americans could be proud of. His campaign was disgraceful, torched earth policy, no wonder he lost, what was he for?. Weak candidate and weaker campaign. The only stench around here is from your posts, TDN Bad Boy as usual your posts induce vomiting, maybe you could notify the poison control center. "

Cheney119 wrote on Nov 16, 2008 1:42 PM:

" You know TDN Bad Boy speaking as a liberal democrat that thought this war in Iraq was almost as stupid as President Bush is. Who the hell cares who gets the credit for pulling out troops that should never gone to Iraq in the first place. You speak exactly like someone who has never seen the inside of a uniform, or be gone for a year on deployment. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 16, 2008 4:55 PM:

" Cheney you only have about 8 more weeks to hide behind your criticism of Pres. Bush. This article was not about Sen. McCain or Pres. Bush but you immediately turned it there. Why? Because you know your racist party is going to have great difficulty living up to anything it has promised. And Cheney you are the one who is extremely critical of our military. In one post, you even called our troops "immoral." The stench of Liberal politics is already being seen. From the gays protesting the vote by the blacks that passed the gay marriage ban in California to your lies about your racist candidate's intention toward the Second Amendment. And I hope you guys keep on the course you're on, America won't put up with your stench for long. Taking on the Second Amendment will be a big problem. Overthrowing the marriage law, will be another piece of the crumbling foundation. The two puppet masters are extremely anti-military, anti-defense. Americans won't stand for that long. Was Irag popular or smart? No it wasn't. It still shows that America believes in democracy and I'm proud of that even if you are not. By the way, what are you going to say when the first American troops going under U.N. command to Africa? We saw what that failed idea brought in Somalia and Bosnia. Watch it fail again. So Cheney you keep looking at the past 8 years. My focus is on the next four and your mistakes. "

cheney119 wrote on Nov 16, 2008 6:23 PM:

" It still shows that America believes in democracy and I'm proud of that. What a bunch of garbage you republicans spit on democracy every chance you get. I have never critized the men in uniform, I at least wore a uniform and you have never served this country. You didn't give a damn about democracy in Iraq anyway, only their oil. The government of Iraq is just as big a Shiia farse now as the Sunni farse was under Saddam. The day we leave is the day their final civil war starts, and who cares who wins. But you don't understand the first thing about Iraq, that's why you neocons thought you could go run into a situation you didn't understand the first thing about. You walk all over the constitution, even the parts your simple minds can comprehend. You make me sick TDN Bad Boy, you are what's wrong with this country and what's great is the rest of the country agrees with me. The republican party is dieing and it's because of people like you are the voice of republicans. Just keep talking TDN Bad Boy, you are your own worst enemy. "

biasmedia wrote on Nov 16, 2008 7:35 PM:

" lol wow cheney119 what you going to do in 8 weeks and you good old boy messes everything up and congress still does nothen you will have to blame your self not even air America will be able o spin the truth i fell sorry for you "

stink wrote on Nov 17, 2008 7:18 AM:

" This is gonna be good.

I will be blaming all our problems on your boy come January 20th. All of them! It will all be the Demos fault then! "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 17, 2008 8:23 AM:

" Yes Cheney, we all know that by your standards the Republican Party is dying. Of course your incoming puppet candidate couldn't even win in a landslide despite all the mistakes you Liberals claim Pres. Bush made. And you even ran a racist candidate who motivated the blacks to come out in record numbers to support their black racist candidate in a record way. So you Liberals are the party of racism. I would rather lose every election than to run a candidate who can win solely because he can motivate racist votes. As for the near future, let's hope that the incomng puppet president picks Hillary for Sec. of State. That will take her out of the Senate and definitely weaken the Liberals there. And it will definitely make the new administration the most liberal in the history of U.S. government. Get ready to hold your nose America, the stench coming out of DC is really going to be strong. "

Kalama rose wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:43 AM:

" Both sides would be better served if the finger pointing would stop. Why not have a positive impact and write your local law makers or come up with constructive suggestions. It's much easier to sit flacidly behind a keyboard spewing party rhetoric. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 17, 2008 10:47 AM:

" Write my local lawmakers? And you expect that to have an impact? Liberals know who their supporters are and they do not listen to the other side. All my lawmakers are liberals intent on social engineering this country. If the recently elected Liberals believed for a minute what JFK said about not what your country could do for you but what you can do for your country I would join in. But today's Liberals are so far away from the truth in Kennedy's words, it is unbelievable that they come from the same party. The Liberals believe in one thing -- what the government will do for them. Not in building this country up. They believe in socialism as in Social Security, social healthcare, welfare, socialist unionism. The Liberals of today are basically the me generation. All they think about is me. So Kalama Rose you write your lawmakers and get the liberal governor of this state to solve the budget deficit she built by not adding onto taxes or getting the state initiative requiring a 60-vote majority in the Legislature to approve new taxes. You write the puppet masters in the Senate and Congress and tell them not to fool with the Second Amendment and to delivery the middle class tax cut their puppet promised during the election. I will believe it when I see it. "

klb65 wrote on Nov 17, 2008 3:12 PM:

" TDN Bad Boy, et al..Why is failure the only option for President-elect Obama? You all sound as though you are wishing and hoping for more bad news from the administration. Keep having closed minds and you may get what you wish for! We are in a world of hurt economically and if McCain had been elected, what would he have done differently than the current administration to make things better? Nothing has really worked so far. Stop wishing for the worst and start working towards making good things happen. Your negativity is only outweighed by your rhetoric...please give it a rest! "

UW Squirrels wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:46 PM:

" The Democrats aren't what is wrong with America, and neither are the Republicans. What is wrong with America is everybody pointing their fingers and bashing the other party. All of the Repubs want to see Obama fail as President. Why? Why would you want to mess up our country even more just so you can say I told you so? I have yet to hear someone say that they don't like Obama, but they hope he turns out to be a good leader afterall. All the whining and crying isn't going to change who lives in the White House for the next four years. So why can't you just cut it out with the negativity and put your country ahead of your stupid little arguments? "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:06 AM:

" I find it very funny that Liberals like UW Squirrels talks about putting the country first. What he really means is putting me first because the Liberals are all about getting everything they can from our country. Government this, government that. Seems that JFK had a different version of Liberalism. Whatever happened to the JFK Democrats? Not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. I don't see any of that in today's Liberals. "

RealityCheck wrote on Nov 18, 2008 12:00 PM:

" cheney119 - I have one question - WHERE IS THE @%*$) OIL? "

Kalama rose wrote on Nov 18, 2008 12:27 PM:

" Tim Eyman doesn't sit flacidy behind his keyboard. "

stink wrote on Nov 18, 2008 1:45 PM:

" yes.. those liberal "me" generation types. Boy, I tell you...
I just want their to be smaller government so I can keep more of my money. I want to poor to stay poor so they can do the dirty work. I want someone to give me frys with my burger. I need someone to dig the ditches. Get up off your butts liberals and get a job doing this for me. So I can keep my money. I earned my money! I should get to keep it.
In conclusion, smaller government, more money for me.. and stop being so "me" first you Liberals. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 18, 2008 3:51 PM:

" Hey Stink, ever heard of a Liberal president named JFK? He wasn't about asking the government to do everything, provide everything. That's the Liberal mantra today. I won't do it, so the government MUST. Instead of working your way up, you ask for it to be government handed. JFK must be turning over in his grave. "

golfer wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:41 PM:

" tdnbb. How soon you forget. When the democrats were voted out the last time it was because or corruption. Now the Republicon's were voted out for the same reason. It's a vicious circle & your prediction holds no water.

As I have said on other forums about the surge, all it would accomplish is pushing the insurgents into Afghanistan & the fighting would escalate there. Now we have more troops there than ever. And wasn't it you Republicons who agreed with the Bushwacker that no time line should be discussed? It was a democrat idea for just that, & now the con's have jumped on the band wagon. Patiently waiting for excuses to follow. "

Top Jobs
More Top Jobs
Top Garage Sales
More Top Garage Sales
Top Rentals
More Top Rentals