Obama's White House Brain Trust Starts To Form

Barack Obama has started to assemble his brain trust, the inner circle of advisers who will guide him as he leads the country and navigates the shoals of Congress.

In addition to chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who accepted the post today, Obama has reportedly selected his campaign's chief strategist, David Axelrod, to be his senior adviser in the White House, according to ABC News.

Axelrod and Emanuel would make a formidable duo, both known for their expertise in brass-knuckle politics and experienced at tough Chicago-style politicking.

In addition, Robert Gibbs, a campaign spokesman known for his steady presence on Air Obama, the campaign plane, will be named the White House press secretary, Democratic officials told Politico.

Gibbs is a more genial presence, although he made headlines at the tail end of the campaign by aggressively confronting Fox News host Sean Hannity over the host's inclusion of an anti-Semite in his documentary on Obama.

The next step for President-elect Obama will be his Cabinet picks, especially the crucial post of Secretary of the Treasury.

Read more about Obama's potential Cabinet picks here.

And check out HuffPost's BigNews Page on Obama's potential Cabinet.

Comments

[TLV]

I was already impressed. This really makes me understand they are serious. This is the application form to apply to work for the kind of positive change this nation must have :

http://www.change.gov/page/s/application

[aliceinthewater]

The more the right complains about Rahm Emanuel the more I like him.

[DFL]

THE NEO CONS DONT LIKE RAHM BECAUSE HE HELPED THE DEMS TAKE BACK CONGRESS IN 06.

[gladys46]

Exactly !!!

[abby4ever]

Why does anyone even care? It is our time now. If they would be agreeable and give him a chance, we could reach out to them, but since they are being unfriendly and trying to stir things up even before he takes the oath, they can jump in the lake for all I care.

[RomeoinFl]

I know. I am all for bi-partisanship but when Repubs get nervous, I get more comfortable. I like Dems with strong backbones. That has been lacking and Repubs just want pansy Dems so they can run right over them.

[aliceinthewater]

I wonder if they realize that Emanuel isn't there to work with Republicans? He's there to make sure that the Dems stay on track and are all on the same page.

[gladys46]

Uh huh ... be suspect if they don't complain ! P.E. Obama is the essence of Change .... don't they recognize that yet !!?? His first selections are people with like mindsets as his own ... and, that's just fine ! I wait to see what position Dr. Susan Rice will accept ... she's awesome!

[Babzter]

I hope we see some women appointed. We are, after all, more than 51% of the population.

[gladys46]

Yes. That's almost inevitable !

[blastocyst]

And Women are the Nurturers too.

[izmeister]

Is Sarah Palin an example of that?

It's time for that self-serving old-wives tale to go away, too.

[Robocalledbynitwits]

Oxymoron: Obama's Brain Trust

[nomoreofthesame]

Nit wit, you are irrelevant now. See you in 8 years.

[electionisover]

Did that make you irrelevant the last 8 years?

[MCMetalReturns]

Sadly , you have no "o x y" to hide behind ..........­....

[breakingnews]

I hear the polls are tightening. McCain is ahead by two points. The Mac is Back, LOL!

[blastocyst]

zing!

[aliceinthewater]

You may want to go do some canvasing in PA.

I hear they really need you there.

[TLV]

What is unrecognizable to you is easily explained. You have never seen this kind of intellectual and inclusive force in your party. Watch and learn, Grasshopper.

[gladys46]

Brzezinski allows Hoe to be what he is .... ign orant ! While Hoe seeks to bring Brzenzinski a "wisdom" platform as if P.E.Obama is in dire need ... instead, Brzenzinski corrects Hoe ! Hahaha !

[ResistanceisFutile]

What?

[gladys46]

Sorry ... didn't mean to hurt your head so early !

[abby4ever]

President-elect Barack Hussein Obama.

My president. And yours. And the Repubs' too!

[RomeoinFl]

I cannot wait for Inauguration Day. I am so damn excited

[DFL]

I SUPPORT MY NEW PRESIDENT!

[abby4ever]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY !!!

:]

[Gotcha54]

Any other guest Joe would have already cut off and made fun of him "spinning" for Obama!

[nomoreofthesame]

The right wing still thinks they are in charge and get to dictate the terms. Eight years of Democracy should help them with their reality issues, or not.

[gladys46]

Clearly !

[rollingdivision]

Obama realizes the enormity of the his goals and is moving ahead diligently.

[scandals&skeletons]

The question is........­...

Who is more in smitten with Sarah Palin, Joe or MIka

[Babzter]

Joe is definitely warm for her form.

[MCMetalReturns]

Pat Buchanan

[gladys46]

Where is Pat !??

[PAposter]

I don't know, but all three of them are as dumb as a brick. I keep thinking that one day, Mika will have the confidence to show she really is an intelligent woman, but I've been watching for a long time, and don't think it's going to happen, or maybe it's not possible.

[scandals&skeletons]

It is humorous to watch McCain's staff and other republicans blaming Palin for their loss.
It reminds me of my divorce attorney..­....when I would whine to her about my soon to be ex-wife
she would look me squarley in the eyes and say "you married her".

John McCain, you picked her.

[abby4ever]

...picked her in an hour long interview, or so a piece here at Huffington said. It's all his fault and it always will be all his fault.

[ResistanceisFutile]

The Palin debacle is just typical of how McCain views and has used women. He used her up and discarded her. She on the other hand is the same "stab anyone in the back to get ahead" person she has been her whole life.

What a pair!

Just imagine how lucky we were to avoid that eight year soap opera.

Let's never send government hating republicans to Washington to run our government.

[gladys46]

Hoe's just realizing that Georgia was the aggressors in that conflict with Russia ! Hoe is usually smacked face down in his sandbox at the end of his own show !

[Gotcha54]

I'm sure over the next year or so we'll see a whole lot of what Alaska politics is all about. They'll probably wish they were just left alone like before.

[gladys46]

I think votes were stolen and/or suppressed in Alaska !

[breakingnews]

Nate Silver was saying yestarday there is something really fishy about there being 100,000 fewer votes cast in Alaska in 2008 then in 2004.

[abby4ever]

Why?

[Gotcha54]

Oh no the MJ seal of approval! I don't know of anyone who'd want that!

[dmspeech]

My God the Republican cheerleading on Morning Shmoe is disgusting. Obama's first personnel selection? Horrible, according to Joe. Palin's treatmen? Unfair and unbelievable. What's really horrible, unfair and unbelievable is the fact that MSNBC continues to broadcast this excuse for a show. Since he was so successful as a Republican, he should go back to it. Can't though. There was a really career ending scandal for him several years ago and he is still bitter and clinging to his guns and religion.

[RomeoinFl]

He was really trying, (albeit horribly), to be noderate before the election but now the horns are out. He cannot contain himself, even Chris had to talk him down yesterday. Too bad everyone on the show is scared of him.. Goes to show you thay are not the smartest people because Rachel would have devoured him.