The morning line, Nov. 25, 2008
Today, the transition holds a press conference at noon Eastern time, in Chicago, where Obama will make an economic announcement. He is widely expected to name additional members of his Cabinet and staff, possibly to include Bill Richardson to head Commerce and Peter Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget within the White House, according to the Associated Press.
Yesterday's economic appointments were largely met with praise, including from the Bush administration, reports USA Today, which takes a look at the four new appointees. The Washington Post, in an editorial, applauded Obama's picks, saying, "At a time when the country badly needed a sense of confidence and direction, these choices inspired it." The New York Times noted, however, that both of Obama's top two choices, Timothy Geithner for Treasury secretary and Lawrence Summers for director of the National Economic Council, "played central roles in policies that helped provoke today’s financial crisis" and asks if they have learned from their mistakes.
Eric Holder's nomination to be Attorney General will be announced after Thansgiving, according to Mike Allen of the Politico. Allen reports that the transition is satisfied that Holder's selection will stand up in confirmation hearings where Republicans are expected to ask tough questions about Holder's role in the pardoning of Marc Rich.
Retired Adm. Dennis Blair is the top contender to be director of national intelligence, according to Politico. Blair may face questioning at his confirmation hearing about his contributions to a report on the F-22 Raptor that helped persuade the Air Force to seek a multiyear deal for the fighter plane. The Project on Government Oversight, a government contracting watchdog, has raised questions about Blair's role running the think tank that produced the report while sitting on the board of a Raptor subcontractor, EDO Corp. Blair resigned both roles following news reports about the apparent conflict.
Former Federal Emergency Management Agency head James Lee Witt, a Clinton appointee, is set to reprise his oft-praised role, according to the Washington Post's Al Kamen. Kamen reports that Witt, who has spent last seven years heading up James Lee Witt Associates, would briefly take the helm of the often-beleaguered agency, which would also be split off from the Department of Homeland Security in a bid to restore it to its former reputation. Witt and Witt Associates President Mark Merritt, whom Kamen says would likely come in as deputy director of FEMA, will both likely face questions over their role in contracting Hurricane Katrina relief for the state of Louisiana.
NBC reported that their firm was paid more than $40 million for its work while allegedly billing the state double what it was paying its sub-contractors. The NBC report is here, along with a response from Witt and a statement from then- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco.
Kamen mentions three possible contenders to be secretary of Agriculture, after expected candidate former Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa) took himself out of the running on Sunday. The contenders are Rep. Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee; Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers Union; and John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association.
In other appointments, expected picks for top deputy posts at Justice, State and the National Security Council are down to transition lawyer David Ogden at Justice, former Clinton deputy national security adviser James Steinberg at State and lawyer and Joe Biden confidante Tom Donilon for deputy national security adviser, while former Clinton assistant secretary of state for Africa, Susan Rice, an Obama advisor, is expected to be ambassador to the United Nations.
The Washington Post profiles the man behind the throne, John Podesta, the head of the transition.
In other news, Barbara Walters will interview the future first couple on Wednesday at 10pm ET, according to Mark Halperin.
