Obama Unveils National Security Team
That’s a Wrap | 11:35 a.m. As they all walked off stage, Mr. Obama put his arm around Mrs. Clinton and escorted her out while the others tagged along. The entire press conference underscored that, at least for now, Mrs. Clinton is first among equals.
President Elect Introduces Team
Clinton, Gates, Jones, Holder, Rice, Napolitano and Biden
President Elect Obama's Full Remarks here : http://thepage.time.com/...
President Elect On SoS Clinton:
Speaking to reporters after the announcement of his national security team, Obama brushed off the (fading) story of differences between him and Hillary Clinton, and his own campaign criticism of her foreign policy experience during the campaign.
"On the broad core vision of where America needs to go we are in almost complete agreement," he said.
"This is fun for the press to try to stir up whatever quotes were generated in the course of the campaign – no, I understand – and you’re having fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that."
"If you look at the statements that Hillary Clinton and I have made outside the heat of a campaign we share a view that America has to be safe and secure, and in order to do that we have to combine military power with strengthened diplomacy [and] stronger alliances around the world."
Former President Cinton's Statement
As an American, I am thankful that President-elect Barack Obama has asked Hillary to be Secretary of State and that she has accepted. As her husband, I am deeply proud.
She is the right person for the job of helping to restore America's image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security, by building a future for our children with more partners and fewer adversaries, one of shared responsibilities and opportunities.
She has already earned the respect of foreign leaders and diplomats through her work to promote human rights and the empowerment of women through access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. And Americans know, from her leadership in the Senate on national security, that she will always put the security, values and the interests of our people first.
In her service to the people of New York and our nation, Hillary has demonstrated the knowledge, passion, resilience, and capacity to learn that our country needs at this critical time. She loves being a Senator from New York, but as she has in all the thirty-seven years I've known her, she answered the call to serve. I commend President-Elect Obama for asking her to be a part of a great national security team. America will be well-served.
Think Progress on the Fox News Shutout
Fox News shut out again at Obama press conference.»
Fishbowl DC has been keeping tabs of which media outlets have been allowed to ask a question at President-elect Barack Obama’s five press conferences so far. They report Fox News is 0-5. “Questions instead went to such outlets as ABC, New York Times, CBS, Reuters and the Associated Press.
The team:
National Security Adviser
General James Logan Jones, Jr.
General James Logan Jones, Jr. (USMC, Retired) (born December 19, 1943) is the former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) (2003-2006) and the Commander of the United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM) (2003-2006); and served as the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps (July 1999-January 2003). Jones retired from the United States Marine Corps on February 1, 2007 after 40 years of service
Defense Secretary
Robert Michael Gates
Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. He took office on December 18, 2006. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W. Bush as Director of Central Intelligence. Before he joined the CIA, he served with the United States Air Force (USAF). After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates also served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee Hamilton, that has studied the Iraq War. He was also the first pick to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security when it was created following the September 11, 2001 attacks, but he declined the appointment in order to remain President of Texas A&M University
UN Ambassador
Dr Susan Rice
Susan Elizabeth Rice (born November 17, 1964) is an American foreign policy expert. Rice served on the National Security Council and as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the second Bill Clinton administration, from October 1997 until January 20, 2001. She is currently on leave from the Brookings Institution, having served as a senior foreign policy advisor to Senator Barack Obama in his 2008 presidential campaign. On November 5, 2008, Rice was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project. On November 30, 2008, The New York Times reported that she was named by Barack Obama to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Attorney Genral
Eric Holder
Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. (born January 21, 1951), is a former Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, United States Attorney and Deputy Attorney General of the United States. He is currently a senior legal advisor to President-elect Barack Obama, a position he also held in Obama's campaign. He was one of three members of Obama's vice-presidential selection committee.
Homeland Security
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano (born November 29, 1957) is the current governor of the U.S. state of Arizona, and a member of the Democratic Party, originally elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. She is Arizona's third female governor, and the first woman to win re-election. In November 2005, Time magazine named her one of the five best governors in the U.S.She served as the Chair of the National Governors Association in 2006-2007. In February 2006, Napolitano was named by The White House Project as one of "8 in '08", a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run for president in 2008. On November 5th, 2008, Napolitano was named to the advisory board of the Obama-Biden Transition Project.
Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton
(do i really need to post her biog? oh ok)
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is the junior United States Senator from New York, and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election. She is married to Bill Clinton—the 42nd President of the United States—and was the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001.
For those of you unsure about today: