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

[RomeoinFl]

I have to admit that I couldn't watch Mourning Joe prior to the election becaus he did make me upset. But all this week it is like a comedy show. Watching Jow mourn McCain loss and swinging wildly trying to hit Obama before he is even in office shows that even more than Hannity, he is hurting more.

Because I know this, I can LMAO while I get ready for work.

[Gotcha54]

It is a much better show this week for sure! Watching Joe spewing the empty words is humorous. It's really showing how out of touch the guy is and I'm loving it!

[clsmithj]

Joe is refusing to eat his crow sandwhich in front him.
The Fox & Friends cast have ate theirs.
American Morning laughs as they never took sides.

[Bluebayou101]

So far, the only potential pick I'm concerned about is Larry Summers as Treasury Secretary. The stupid remarks he made about women as President of Harvard are only the tip of the iceberg. His temperament is similar to that of John Bolton (whom I despise) and I do not believe he would be suitable for the position as it has become much more important than when Summers previously held the job.

And he also once opined that it was a good idea to dump the US toxic waste in Africa: http://www.whirledbank.org/ourwords/summers.html

I hope that President-Elect Obama makes a better choice than this person.

[Flick08]

I was concerned about that one too but one of the pundits made a strong point that though Larry got in trouble at Harvard he's always been a steady ace in his strictly economic positions. There won't be as many cultural minefields if he's confined to numerical data. Not a great person perhaps but a solid performer when it comes to finance/econ.

[Bluebayou101]

I don't mind Summers being one of Obama's advisers and an adviser to the Treasury but I don't think that this person should be making decisions on how to allocate the huge amount of tax payer money authorized to the Treasury. His thinking process is illustrated in his memo about putting US toxic waste in Africa and I am not comfortable with the conclusions drawn from that thinking process. I suspect that lot of people will agree with me once his record is spelled out more clearly in the media.

[rockne]

It is starting already. Yesterday, a colleague in our law firm and a huge Obama supporter said several of his contractor clients are absolutely worried about the passage of the union card check legislation and fear it will force them out of business. Obama took $56 million in contributions from organized labor but said ew must stop being influenced by the special interests. Yea, right!!

[MNmommy]

boofuckinghoo

[abby4ever]

"It is starting already."

Yes, it is, and you are the one starting it.

[armadillious2002]

If a business is labor intensive and can't afford to pay a decent wage and benefits - they probably should close down anyway.

[Pronto]

Businesses are under no obligation to offer benefits to workers nor should they be. Companies typically offer benefits as part of a compensation package to attract and retain good employees. It's the company's choice. It should not be a government edict.

[mjrovito]

I know there are some Democrats/liberals who have some beef with Rahm for his stance on immigration reform back in 2006. Some claim that his views on Dem support for reform would have repercussions in the Congressional races (again, 2006), and for individuals to steer clear on commenting on their stance.

However, I don't think it is that divisive of a choice. Rahm is a very intelligent individual who can offer much to Obama's administration.

http://rovitoreview.blogspot.com

[gladys46]

President Elect Obama is so because he is prepared and he outsmarted them all !! Where were these speculators when he selected his campaign staff !?

Rahm is one voice ... P.E. Obama listens and we all know ... after that he makes his own wise decisions which have thus far been spot on ! He has said many time that he is not perfect ! So far he is more perfect than most !!!

[Gotcha54]

Is Joe married? Does he have any children? I never hear him talking about them.

Another thing about Joe dissing Krugman - this is from a man that brags about he is just now contributing into a 401K. He has a lot of nerve to criticize anyone proficient in economics!

[scandals&skeletons]

Turn Joe off. You will feel much better, I promise.

[MNmommy]

He's on his second marriage, just had an extremely premature baby boy this summer (born in late May I believe, due in August) - he was missing a lot from the time the primaries ended and the conventions started. Also, he has an older son with Asperger Syndrome.

[gladys46]

Yes he's married, yes he has children .... imagine that ! Poor woman and something please bless the children !

[Gotcha54]

Exactly my line of thinking when I posed the question! She's probably glad he's only home on the weekends!

[clsmithj]

Ok, I take that back don't watch F&F as an alternative to Morning Bloe, watch American Morning (CNN).

[scandals&skeletons]

I listen to local sports radio on the am in the am

[blastocyst]

How would/could Paul Krugman fit in an Obama Administration?
Think he'd come on board if asked?

If only to make Scarborough apoplectic.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

Rev. Wright made a statement.

Did anyone else hear about that?

[clsmithj]

Didn't hear about, what did the genius of the pulpit have to say? :D

[MNmommy]

Seriously? No I haven't - do you have a link? I actually admire him greatly.

[scandals&skeletons]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqSFBLeLULLJ_P7I8toJtE8uBWtQD949VP780

[scandals&skeletons]

Saw it on google news. Didn't read more than the headline.
I find Wright irrelevant.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

So do the media, but he wasn't during the election cycle. During the election cycle, he was Obama's most senior, trusted aide.

That's sad that suddenly he is irrelevant.

[LeSamourai]

I just read it. He's right.

"The world doesn't know about my 41 years of ministry, or my writing of books, because it was all taken down to a 10-second sound bite that the media chose to show about a sermon that was delivered seven years ago," Wright said. "The media didn't care about the whole sermon and what it was about. They just used those 10 seconds and used it as a weapon of mass destruction against [Obama's] campaign."

"How a country sees God determines how they see humans," Wright said.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

He is correct.

I bet no one cares about him now.

That's sad.

[abby4ever]

David Gergen on Obama making Rham Emanuel his Chief of Staff:

"I had the experience of working with Rahm for about a year-and-a-half. And I think Paul described him well.

"The chief of staff at the White House is the quarterback for the team on the field. And he has -- I think Rahm will need a chief operating officer to, you know, make things run on time and all the rest of it. But he has to look out for the president's larger interests. He has to scope out what the president's policy goals are, understand that and also then try to translate the policies into political action and keep the whole administration running.

"He is the president's ambassador, if you will, not only within the White House, but often to the cabinet.

"And I think, in this case, he brings a to.ughness we've all talked about, we all know about, that suggests that with Barack Obama, we're going to have a velvet glove, but there is going to be a lot of steel in it -- a steel fi.st in it, you know, on a regular basis.

"And Barack Obama will often operate as sort of a transcendent, healing kind of figure. But everyone who works for the White House, especially on Capitol Hill, will know, you know, there is a cl.ub in the closet. And Rahm knows how to take it out.

"So I think it's an extremely interesting choice."

[MontanaHome]

Nice. Thanks for posting this.

[abby4ever]

Thanks to MNmommy for helping me find the Gergen thing, above, the transcript is from Larry King Live, yesterday's show.

[mjrovito]

I know there are some Democrats/liberals who have some beef with Rahm for his stance on immigration reform back in 2006. Some claim that his views on Dem support for reform would have repercussions in the Congressional races (again, 2006), and for individuals to steer clear on commenting on their stance.

However, I don't think it is that divisive of a choice. Rahm is a very intelligent individual who can offer much to Obama's administration.

http://rovitoreview.blogspot.com

[who38]

"an extremely interesting choice." Lots of code in that phrase.

[LeSamourai]

Boycott FOX
Boycott everyone of their sponsors.

This is beyond reprehensible:

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox_contributor_mocks_reporters_tears_during_1106.html

[MNmommy]

Oh man, I can't fuckingtellyouhowmuchihate Greg Gutfield. He is the WORST.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

Chris Wallace mocked Stephen Colbert and John Stewart for getting emotional on election night.

[breakingnews]

I havenever, ever watched Pox, now I know why!

[Bannerday]

I am already boycotting msnbc, one more is to much to handle

[scandals&skeletons]

I can't boycott Famil Guy, Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Football. Other than that I never watch FOX

[MNmommy]

Football, Bones, House, Fringe and So You think You can Dance are my Fox crack.

:)

I have programmed out FNC on my remote though.

[gladys46]

President Elect Obama has every right, the same good judgment & talent in picking who the he^l he wants as his cabinet !

MorningHoe is a very jealous lil school bully !

Do your thing P.E.Obama ... whatever it is !!!

[abby4ever]

I agree. 63 million people just voted Obama because they trust his judgement...and these guys want to pick his decisions apart.

[blastocyst]

Am I the only person laughing at Scarborough's ineffective and petty churlishness?

[MNmommy]

Nope Nope!

We do it as a team here on a daily basis.

:)

[blastocyst]

What a relief.

[RobertaInCT]

No!

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

You wish. It's so funny.

[RomeoinFl]

Joe is so upset about Obama winning, LOL. He is really swinging this morning. The idiot Willie just selected 4 people who don't like Rahm including Dick Morris and this proves that Obama is not living up to his promise??? WHAT?

Now he is lashing out at a Nobel Prize winning economist?

[Gotcha54]

Joe has his nerve calling Krugman and angry left winger - what is he all I see with Joe is an angry extreme right winger that thinks he knows everything about politics. At least Krugman has a Nobel Prize for his views. I know Joe has a show but from what I continually read it's not because of him it's for the lack of anything to really compete!

[gladys46]

Hoe is nothing .... it's the show's format that makes it successful ... he could be there or not ! I find him to be very ig norant !!!

[RomeoinFl]

Very true

[Gotcha54]

It sure could be a lot better with a few changes - or for that matter just keep the format and make wholesale changes! Haha!

[MNmommy]

Exactly - the format is why I watch.

It was great to see Lawrence smack him down about Krugman. Those are the moments I wait for - along with all of the awesome guests.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

Morning Hoe says that Paul Krugman is a bitter little man.

Geez is that the pot calling the kettle black?

[breakingnews]

I swear, Hoe makes me vomit.

[blastocyst]

Self-projecting schmo

[MNmommy]

You've just witnessed Joe's head exploding.

[BreakfastatTiffanys1]

Again 5 days in a row.

Conservatives on MSNBC took Obama's win a lot worse than anyone else.

[RobertaInCT]

His face is getting red. he piss-ed....................:)

[Gotcha54]

The thing is he doesn't realize how stupid his words are!

[Flick08]

I've always respected Rahm but now that picking him has got the Repubs crapping their pants I completely HEART him. He's their night terror...a tough, efficient Dem. I'm so excited. If a Repub had won that handily they'd be strutting like peacocks and tauting their mandate and how they're going to spend their political capital. As far as I'm concerned Obama has made a brilliant pick. He's sent a message that he'd like to get along with everyone but if they want a fight he'll not only bring it and he'll kick some a**.