44 - Politics and Policy in Obama's Washington - November 9, 2008

The Moment of Victory

By Garance Franke-Ruta President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, sat down Friday with...

By Web Politics Editor | November 15, 2008; 4:10 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Election Day
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Phil Schiliro Takes on Key Congressional Liason Role in Obama Administration

Phil Schiliro will be Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, the Obama-Biden presidential transition office announced today.

By Web Politics Editor | November 15, 2008; 1:44 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: B_Blog, Cast of Characters
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Team of Rivals, Indeed

Obama aide and former State Department official Greg Craig ripped Hillary Clinton's foreign policy experience during the Democratic primaries.

By Web Politics Editor | November 15, 2008; 12:29 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cabinet, Cast of Characters, Hillary Rodham Clinton, In the Loop
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'Team of Rivals' an Amazon.com Bestseller

The buzz about President-elect Barack Obama potentially selecting former rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to be his Secretary of State appears to have heightened interest in Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography of Abraham Lincoln, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln."

By Web Politics Editor | November 15, 2008; 11:41 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Barack Obama
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President-Elect Obama's First YouTube Address

Billed on YouTube and Change.gov as "Your Weekly Address from the President-Elect," the video went online at 6 a.m.; the radio version airs later in the morning.

By Web Politics Editor | November 15, 2008; 6:31 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Barack Obama, Primary Source
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Obama Wins Nebraska Electoral Vote

The election of 2008 came one step closer to formal resolution today, as President-elect Barack Obama won the final ballot count in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 8:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Election Day
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Obama Announces More Than 100 Agency Review Officials

President-elect Barack Obama rounded out his transition team today, unveiling more than 100 officials who will lead Obama's review of federal agencies.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 7:51 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Transition
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Obama Taps Emmett Beliveau to Run Inauguration Committee

President-elect Barack Obama has plucked the director of advance for his campaign to run the Presidential Inaugural Committee, according to sources close to the planning operation.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 6:58 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Inauguration Week
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Valerie Jarrett Named White House Senior Advisor

As a senior advisor, Jarrett may serve a similar role for Obama to that played by Karen Hughes during President Bush's first term -- providing political advice while keeping him grounded.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 6:48 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: B_Blog, Cast of Characters
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Leahy Speaks Out Against Lieberman Chairmanship

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) today announced his opposition to Sen. Joe Lieberman retaining a key committee chairmanship, becoming the first Democrat to publicly declare his intention to vote against the Connecticut senator next week when the caucus considers punishing him for his high-profile support of the GOP presidential ticket.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 5:09 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: B_Blog, Democratic Party
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Albright and Leach Meeting with Foreign Delegations

Former secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former representative Jim Leach (D-Iowa) have been busy meeting with representatives of foreign governments, part of an unofficial series of contacts aimed at keeping President-elect Barack Obama informed.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 4:24 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Economy, Transition
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Clinton, Richardson on Short List for Secretary of State

After an under-wraps meeting with President-elect Barack Obama in Chicago on Thursday, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is now considered a top contender for the role of Secretary of State in the Obama administration, several people involved in the process said on Friday.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 1:24 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (157)
Categories: B_Blog, Cabinet, Hillary Rodham Clinton
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McCain-Obama Meeting Set in Motion by Graham

The upcoming meeting between President-elect Barack Obama and his onetime rival Sen. John McCain was set in motion during a phone call over the weekend between Obama and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), McCain's closest friend.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 1:11 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: John McCain
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Obama to Meet With McCain, Is Giving Interviews

President-elect Barack Obama will meet with his vanquished GOP rival, Sen. John McCain, Monday in Chicago, and is giving his first post-election interviews. Sources say he also met with New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) to discuss a possible Cabinet appointment.

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 11:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Media Notes, The Daybook
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The No-News Transition Gets a Dose of Buzz

By Ben Pershing As the "No Drama Obama" campaign has turned into the "No News...

By Web Politics Editor | November 14, 2008; 8:28 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: The Rundown
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Ayers Elaborates

In an interview on Good Morning America this morning, the radical activist turned college professor slammed the "dishonest narrative" that tried to turn his "civic" relationship with Obama into something nefarious.

By Washington Post Editor | November 14, 2008; 8:18 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (59)
Categories: Barack Obama
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The YouTube Presidency

Today, President-elect Obama will record the weekly Democratic address not just on radio but also on video -- a first. The address, typically four minutes long, will be turned into a YouTube video and posted on Obama's transition site once the radio address is made public on Saturday morning.

By Washington Post Editor | November 14, 2008; 5:09 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: B_Blog, The Clickocracy
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The Bidens and Cheneys Meet and Greet

Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne Cheney, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, met today at the vice president's residence in Washington before both issuing brief, innocuous statements.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 7:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Joe Biden
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Duckworth a Leading Contender for VA Secretary

Those searching for tea leaves about Barack Obama's favored picks for his Cabinet should look no further than the president-elect's Veterans' Day photo op. Joining Obama at a wreath-laying ceremony in Chicago was Tammy Duckworth, a former National Guard helicopter pilot who lost both legs in combat in Iraq and now directs the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 7:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cabinet, Transition
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Biden Talks with Israeli and Jordanian Leaders

Vice President-elect Joe Biden has been holding calls with world leaders to express "his thanks and appreciation for their congratulations on the election," the Obama-Biden transition office said this afternoon.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 6:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Joe Biden
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Ron Klain Tapped as Joe Biden's Chief of Staff

Washington insider and former vice presidential chief of staff Ron Klain has been tapped to reprise his Clinton-era White House role and will be Joe Biden's chief of staff, a Democratic official familial with the agreement confirms.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 5:44 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cast of Characters, Joe Biden
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Cathy Russell Expected to Get Jill Biden Chief of Staff Nod

Cathy Russell, formerly administrative assistant to Sen. Joe Biden and staff director on the Senate Judiciary Committee and a senior Justice Department official in the Clinton administration, is expected to be tapped to be chief of staff to second lady-elect Jill Biden.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 5:09 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: In the Loop
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Obama Will Resign from Senate Sunday

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a fellow Democrat, now has to appoint a replacement for Obama.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 3:17 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: B_Blog, Barack Obama
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Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State?

There's talk that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) may now be under consideration by the Obama transition.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 2:46 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (238)
Categories: Cabinet, Hillary Rodham Clinton, In the Loop, Transition
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Lobbyists Predict Obama Short Lists

Lobbyists circulate a memo speculating on who will be in the Cabinet.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 1:46 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Cabinet, Cast of Characters, Transition
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Jarrett to HUD? Friends Render a Verdict of Unlikely

"Never going to happen," said one longtime Clinton official offering guidance to the transition team.

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 12:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: B_Blog, Cabinet, Cast of Characters
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Palin, at RGA, Says She's Not Interested in Rehashing Campaign

After a week of television interviews in which she defended herself against anonymous charges from within the McCain campaign that she was ill-prepared and even a drag on the ticket, Palin said, "I don't even want to talk about strategy within a campaign that's over."

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 11:31 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (54)
Categories: B_Blog, Sarah Palin
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High Expectations for Obama; Biden Gets a Chief of Staff

By Ben Pershing With less than 10 weeks to go until Inauguration Day, are expectations...

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 8:29 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: The Rundown
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Biden Visits His New Home

By Anne E. Kornblut Another quiet day is on the horizon for President-elect Barack Obama,...

By Web Politics Editor | November 13, 2008; 8:21 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Joe Biden, The Daybook
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Baucus Kicks Off Health-Care Reform Debate with 89-Page Memo

Despite significant policy differences between them, President-elect Barack Obama and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) had nothing but happy talk Wednesday on their ability to revamp the nation's $2.1 trillion health system.

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 6:24 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Health Care
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'Palin as President' Takes a Rest

An online satire updates to reflect election results.

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 4:48 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (28)
Categories: Sarah Palin
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Obama Announces Agency Review Chiefs for State, Treasury and Defense

After reviews that should begin at the end of the week, according to the transition office, the teams will provide information on agencies, departments and commissions -- as well as the White House -- to the new administration so that it can make "strategic policy, budgetary, and personnel decisions prior to the inauguration."

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 4:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Transition
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Biden and Cheney to Meet Tomorrow

Vice President-elect Joe Biden is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Dick Cheney, the man he has called "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably" in U.S. history.

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 4:26 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: B_Blog, Joe Biden
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Obama Advisers Will Keep Tabs on Bush Economic Summit

Obama tapped two Washington supporters to be his eyes and ears at the summit: former Republican Congressman Jim Leach (Iowa) and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who served under Clinton.

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 3:22 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: 43, B_Blog, Economy
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Obama Transition Takes Issue With AP Report

The Obama-Biden transition office this morning issued an unusual -- and unusually campaign-like -- statement pushing back against an Associated Press report on its transition efforts.

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 10:59 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Transition
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Republican Governors Head South

By Ben Pershing Much of the political press heads south today to Miami and its...

By Web Politics Editor | November 12, 2008; 8:07 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: The Rundown
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In Chicago, Obama Returns Calls From World Leaders

President-elect Barack Obama has nothing on his public schedule but is continuing to return congratulatory calls from heads of state around the globe.

By Washington Post Editor | November 12, 2008; 6:55 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: The Daybook
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Obama Lays Out Ethics Rules

Obama released a set of ethics guidelines for those working in the transition operation, continuing the anti-lobbying policies he adopted during his primary and general election campaigns.

By Lexie Verdon | November 11, 2008; 3:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: 44 The Obama Presidency, B_Blog, The Fix
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Handover or Hand-Me-Down?

By Al Kamen There apparently was a momentary pause last week in the exchanges of...

By Web Politics Editor | November 11, 2008; 2:35 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Transition
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Obama Supports Keeping Lieberman in Democratic Caucus

President-elect Barack Obama has endorsed keeping Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) in the Democratic caucus, suggesting to leadership that the two sides reach a compromise in the conflict over the former Democratic vice presidential nominee's future, sources said today.

By Web Politics Editor | November 11, 2008; 12:54 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (37)
Categories: Barack Obama
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44: November 9, 2008 - November 15, 2008