Obama Transition Team Named

Barack Obama has named his entire transition team -- formally organized as the Obama-Biden Transition Project, a 501(c)(4) organization. The work of this entity will be overseen by three co-chairs: former White House chief of staff John Podesta, Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett, and Obama's current chief of staff Pete Rouse.

The co-chairs will be assisted by an advisory board comprised of Carol Browner, William Daley, Christopher Edley, Michael Froman, Julius Genachowski, Donald Gips, Governor Janet Napolitano, Federico Peña, Susan Rice, Sonal Shah, Mark Gitenstein, and Ted Kaufman. Gitenstein and Kaufman will serve as co-chairs of Vice President-elect Biden's transition team.

Supervising the day-to-day activities of the transition will be the Transition Senior Staff:

Chris Lu - Executive Director

Dan Pfeiffer - Communications Director

Stephanie Cutter - Chief Spokesperson

Cassandra Butts - General Counsel

Jim Messina - Personnel Director

Patrick Gaspard - Associate Personnel Director

Story continues below

advertisement

Christine Varney - Personnel Counsel

Melody Barnes - Co-Director of Agency Review

Lisa Brown - Co-Director of Agency Review

Phil Schiliro - Director of Congressional Relations

Michael Strautmanis - Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs

Katy Kale - Director of Operations

Brad Kiley - Director of Operations

Read about Obama's Cabinet on HuffPost's Big News page.

Comments

[MatthewCain]

Matthew Taylor, former adviser to Tony Blair, has some interesting advice on handling the transition into power: http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/politics/a-new-dawn/

[unbiasedindian]

My advise to mjiju: I have no idea where do you get this information. Sonal Shah is raised in USA, has participated in varieties of social-political activitees. She has formed an organization that helps development of India through training and talent of hundreds of Indian-American youngsters. She has spent her own money to set up the organization. Have you ever looked into the details of sacrifices this person and her siblings have made? Just because her father was member of Vishva Hindu Parishad does not make her disqualified from contributing to her country's developments. Millions of citizens of this country belong to religious groups or thousands of Muslims and Hindus belong to their respective religious groups. Should they be disqualified from serving as leaders? I do not know how many sacrifices you have made for any constuructive causes but I urge you to think hard and check the facts before accusing somebody. Look what you have done before you judge others. know her.

[Inaz]

Take her, take her...she's been useless here in AZ! She has left the borders WIDE OPEN. Her idea of securing them is to send a dozen National Guards down there! We are beseiged by crime, depressed in wages, and her idea of leadership is an unprecidented record of vetos! And take a look at Arizona's education statistics....pathetic! Oops...don't look....just please, take her, take her!!!!

[Lupin77]

Yes Krugman should be part of the team solving immediately the economic mess. It has to be fixed before he gets into the WH.

[bemf]

Sadly, this article--like many in the progressive and left blogosphere--contains next to no information about who these folks are. I did some digging and came up with a bit more about their backgrounds:

http://www.mediamouse.org/features/110608obama.php

It's all well and good to be excited, but we can't let our guard down and not be vigilant about applying pressure from the left to ensure a progressive administration. I think the transition team could be indicative of the picks for the cabinet, and there are a few who just are awful (i.e. Daley and his role in the passage of NAFTA).

[cuchulain]

Krugman for Treasury. Or something big concerning the Economy. I doubt Obama brings him on board, but he should.

[Ocean girl]

I want to see GORE AS SECRETARY OF ENERGY!!!!!

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

I JUST GOT A BATH FROM MY TWO JEWISH WORKMATES WHO ARE FEARFUL OF OBAMA AND THAT HE WOULDN'T PROTECT ISRAEL.. They can keep underestimating him all they want.. They will see that he is tougher and smarter than they think!!

[silentreader]

let them know that 77% of their brethren thought otherwise (including sunny FL) and they helped elect our POTUS #44

[Plowboy]

It would be nice if they were half as concerned for America as they are for their beloved country.

[jollyelle]

What do your co-workers think is going to happen to Israel?? They have a booming economy, thanks to our financial support, they have a booming weapons industry, they have nuclear weapons,
A new Israeli Government should listen to their own citizens and negotiate for peace and mean it. Stop the illegal occupation, stop oppressing the people being collectively punished in Gaza, give them freedom of movement, ease up with the controlled water rights, allow medical access...............The world is watching how they treat others, the USA mainstream media often presents only one POV, much more bias than other world media, including that of Israel.
Time for the Anit-Arab sentiments to break down. Israel is very capable, no country is attacking them.
The support for Pre-emptive War and bullying has been voted away. Was that security??? Now the power lies in truth and diplomacy..

[impik]

He just knows how to manage and run things. Good luck with the transition!

[justobserve]

How candidate Obama ran his campaign is how President Obama will run the country. We have a very efficient leader. it is really a new page for our country and the world.

[Seattlelite]

Not surprised after we saw how he ran his campaign. President Elect Obama is no procrastinator he knows how to get things done! I've always said how these candidates ran their campaigns was the only indication of how they would run their administration. Obama will hit the ground running, unlike Bush who immediately went on VACATION!!

[freedomthrutruth]

Fine observation. I agree wholly.

[barackobama4prez]

i'm sooooo happy! My GOD I'm sooooo happy!

As a Black woman, 33 years of age, I just have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. Only in America could this happen.

[kate eryn]

/pinches you too

you're not dreaming!! :D

signed
32 year old white woman
happier every time she remembers who her leader will be for the next 4 years

[BlueIndependent]

I note the subtle insertion of Janet Napolitano in an effort to kick off her 2010 AZ US Senate run against McCain, in which she's already projected to smoke him off the map.

AZ will go blue yet...

[mfred1]

How about Bill Ayers for Secretary of State? Sorry, I'm allowed to gloat just a bit :)

[HonorJusticeTruth]

Thank you for not suggesting Secretary of Homeland Security. (smile) Can we now just all let Professor Ayers go back to doing what he has been doing for the last couple of decades? But then again, I'd still rather hear about him than JTP.

[gatboy]

Get a grip man.................and stop throwing tantrums: the elections are over and by the way you ain't funny.

[mercuryguy]

Just to be a little cynical, Mr Obama should give Karl Rove a role in his white house and lock him up in a room. What do you think?
Keep your friends close but enemies closer!!

[seachild]

funny...and good suggestion (tee-hee)

[Avembe]

Good, that was good!!!!!!!!!

[Whatashame]

A 6 by 6 (jail) seems more likely to me.

[retspan11]

Do they have dog cages as big as that in the White House?

[Mikeeee]

6 X 6? seems excessively large for such a small man.