Obama chooses Ala doctor as next surgeon general--By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer

President Barack Obama turned to the Deep South for the next surgeon general, a rural Alabama family physician who made headlines with fierce determination to rebuild her nonprofit medical clinic in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

An administration official said Obama will announce the nomination of Dr. Regina Benjamin later Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to upstage the official announcement.

The surgeon general is the people's health advocate, a bully pulpit position that can be tremendously effective with a forceful personality.

Benjamin has that reputation.

A decade ago, the New York Times called her "angel in a white coat," a country doctor who made house calls along the impoverished Gulf Coast, paid whatever her patients could scrounge.

From those early days she has emerged as a national leader in the call to improve health disparities, pushed by the need in her own fishing community of Bayou La Batre, Ala., and its diverse patient mix — where immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos make up a growing part of the population.

Her nonprofit clinic was rebuilt by volunteers after being destroyed by Katrina, only to burn down months later. Benjamin later told of her patients' desperation that she rebuild again, recalling one woman who handed her an envelope with a $7 donation to help.

"If she can find $7, I can figure out the rest," Benjamin said last fall as she received a $500,000 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant," money she dedicated to finishing that job.

Benjamin became the first black woman and the youngest doctor elected to the American Medical Association's board. She also received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights in 1998, and Pope Benedict XVI awarded her the distinguished service medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.

Her nomination for surgeon general requires Senate confirmation.

Obama picks SD senator's son as US attorney--By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press Writer

President Barack Obama nominated Brendan Johnson, the 34-year-old son of Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on Friday to serve as U.S. attorney for South Dakota.

The elder Johnson, who has served in the Senate since 1997, said he did not take part in the nomination process. The state's senior congressional member of a president's political party typically puts forth a name for consideration. If confirmed, the younger Johnson would be the state's top federal prosecutor.

"My father said, 'Don't consult me. Don't update me. I'm not going to be involved in the process,'" the younger Johnson said in January. Johnson allowed The Associated Press to view his application, saying he wanted to be transparent. The application included support from Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., and former Republican Gov. Bill Janklow, a former congressman.

Johnson sought the U.S. attorney nomination in January and said he would seek the support of South Dakotans from both political parties because his family connection would prevent his father from recommending him. Johnson sent his application directly to the Obama administration.

The younger Johnson said Friday he was honored by his nomination but could not comment until his Senate hearing.

The senator said Friday in a statement that "while I stepped back from this nomination process so it would remain unbiased, as a father and a lawyer, I'm very proud of Brendan. As a senator from South Dakota, I have every confidence that Brendan will do a fine job in this post."

Johnson spokeswoman Julianne Fisher said the senator was not contacted by the White House about the nomination but learned about it from his son. "The senator stayed out of it and let his son's application speak for itself," Fisher said.

Obama nominated Johnson along with five other U.S. attorneys, saying they had "distinguished themselves as some of the best and brightest their profession has to offer."

The younger Johnson is a partner with the Sioux Falls, S.D., firm of Johnson, Heidepriem, Abdallah and Johnson, which he joined in 2005. He has also worked as a defense lawyer and a deputy state's attorney for Minnehaha County.

The senator suffered a life-threatening brain hemorrhage in December 2006, but returned to the Senate in September 2007 and was re-elected last year.

Obama to name Utah gov. envoy to China--By BETH FOUHY and BROCK VERGAKIS, Associated Press Writer

A Republican governor whose name has come up as a potential challenger to President Barack Obama in 2012 intends go to work for the president as ambassador to China, a source close to the governor said.

Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who is fluent in Mandarin Chinese from his days as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan, has accepted the appointment, said the source, who would speak only on condition of anonymity ahead of a White House announcement expected Saturday.

Huntsman, 49, is a popular, two-term governor who served in both Bush administrations and has made a name for himself advocating a moderate agenda in one of the nation's most conservative states.

He made headlines recently for encouraging the Republican Party to swing in a more moderate direction if it wanted to bounce back from the 2008 elections, angering some conservatives.

Obama's 2008 campaign manager, David Plouffe, said Huntsman is a Republican who "seems to understand the party has to adjust — not stubbornly believe that everything is OK and it is the country that has to change."

Huntsman's positions on the environment and other issues have led some to consider him a potential contender for president in 2012.

He signed an initiative that would set a regional cap-and-trade effort to reduce global warming. In a 2006 speech at Shanghai Normal University, Huntsman spoke of the need for China and the U.S. to work together on environmental issues.

"The United States and China must be good examples and stewards of the Earth. We must match economic progress with environmental stewardship. The effects of industrialization are felt worldwide," Huntsman said then.

Throughout his tenure as governor, Huntsman's background as a diplomat has been evident. He preferred to win over opponents in private meetings rather than using his bully pulpit to give rousing speeches.

One of his most significant achievements was loosening the state's restrictive liquor laws over the objections of many in heavily Mormon Utah in an effort to make the state more appealing for visitors. It was a feat many here didn't think would be possible in Huntsman's lifetime.

However, Huntsman has drawn the most attention for stating he favors civil unions for gay couples even though he backed a state constitutional amendment passed in 2004 that prohibited same-sex marriage.

Huntsman's comments on civil unions drew the ire of conservatives in Utah and elsewhere.

Officials in Michigan last month canceled a GOP county fundraiser where Huntsman was to speak; they said he had abandoned important party principles.

Huntsman's career began as a staff assistant in the Ronald Reagan administration and he also served as ambassador to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush and as a deputy U.S. trade representative and U.S. trade ambassador under President George W. Bush.

Utah's only Democratic member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, said he was pleased with the appointment. "It's a great bipartisan appointment by the president," he said.

Before becoming governor in 2005, Huntsman made millions serving as chairman and CEO of his family chemical company.

If confirmed by the Senate, Huntsman will succeed Clark Randt as U.S. ambassador to China.

Randt, a classmate of former President George W. Bush at Yale University, served as Washington's top envoy to Beijing from July 2001 until January, making him the longest-serving U.S. ambassador to China since the two nations established diplomatic ties.

Utah Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert would become governor until a special election in 2010.

___
Fouhy reported from New York. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington.

Obama names New York health chief to head CDC--By Matthew Bigg Matthew Bigg

President Barack Obama on Friday named a public health activist who made New York the first U.S. city to ban smoking in restaurants to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency charged with protecting Americans from illnesses ranging from heart disease to new flu strains.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, 48, New York's top health official since January 2002, also made the city the country's first to ban the use of trans fats, which clog arteries and raise the risk of heart disease, from food prepared in restaurants.

He will take over as director of an organization that in recent weeks has been central to global efforts to understand and combat the H1N1 flu virus. The illness, also known as swine flu, has killed 65 people, including 60 in Mexico, and infected nearly 6,500 people in 33 countries.

"Frieden is an expert in preparedness and response to health emergencies, and has been at the forefront of the fight against heart disease, cancer and obesity, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and AIDS," the White House said in a statement.

"Frieden has been a leader in the fight for health care reform, and his experiences confronting public health challenges in our country and abroad will be essential in this new role," it said.

Under Frieden's leadership, New York in 2006 launched the country's biggest community-based electronic health record project in an effort to improve preventive care.

Before his New York post, Frieden worked in India for five years on tuberculosis control. He has also worked as an epidemiologist, administrator, teacher, researcher, clinician and community organizer.

"I am deeply honored and privileged to be selected for this position, and I look forward to learning from and working with the wonderful staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Frieden said in a statement.

FAVORS EXPANDED AIDS TESTING
His appointment should please AIDS advocates as he is likely to further focus attention on the epidemic of the virus in the United States, which is spreading among minorities, gay and bisexual men and many women.

Frieden has pressed for expanding routine testing for the AIDS virus as a first step to controlling it.

He will also likely follow the lead of former CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding in becoming a very visible spokesperson for the agency.

The CDC has been headed by acting director Dr. Richard Besser since January when Gerberding resigned.

Besser became the public face of the organization's fight against H1N1 during daily televised news briefings. He will continue in his role coordinating CDC's office of terrorism preparedness and emergency response, the statement said.

CDC, based at a campus site in Atlanta, has a budget of around $9 billion. It is tasked with tracking disease across the United States and helping other countries battle outbreaks of diseases ranging from H5N1 avian influenza to Ebola.

Frieden will start his job in June.

(Additional reporting by Maggie Fox in Washington, Editing by Frances Kerry)

Obama open to prosecution, probe of interrogations--By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent

President Barack Obama said Tuesday the United States lost "our moral bearings" with gruesome terror-suspect interrogations and he left the door open to prosecuting Bush administration officials who vouched for their legality.

At the same time, Obama said the question of whether to bring charges "is going to be more of a decision for the attorney general within the parameters of various laws and I don't want to prejudge that." The president discussed the continuing issue of terrorism-era interrogation tactics with reporters as he finished an Oval Office meeting with visiting King Abdullah of Jordan.

Obama had said earlier that he didn't want to see prosecutions of CIA agents and interrogators who took part in waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics, so long as they acted within parameters spelled out by government superiors who held that such practices were legal at the time.

But the administration's stance on Bush administration lawyers who actually wrote the memos approving these tactics has been less clear. "There are a host of very complicated issues involved," Obama said.

The president took a question on this volatile subject for the first time since he ordered the release last week of top-secret Bush-era memos that gave the government's first full accounting of the CIA's use of simulated drowning and other harsh methods while questioning terror suspects.

Obama banned all such techniques days after taking office. But members of Congress have continued to seek the release of information about the early stages of the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror under former President George W. Bush. Lawsuits have been brought, seeking the same information.

Obama said Tuesday that he is worried about the impact that high-intensity, politicized hearings in Congress could have on the government's efforts to cope with terrorism, but that he could support such an inquiry if it were done on a bipartisan basis.

Obama said such an investigation might be acceptable "outside of the typical hearing process" and with the participation of "independent participants who are above reproach." This, he said, could help ensure that any investigation would be a tool to learn, not to provide partisan advantage to one side or another.

"That would probably be a more sensible approach to take," Obama said. "I'm not saying that it should be done, I'm saying that if you've got a choice."

The president made clear that his preference would be not to revisit the era extensively.

"As a general view, I do think we should be looking forward, not back," Obama said. "I do worry about this getting so politicized that we cannot function effectively and it hampers our ability to carry out critical national security operations."

Last week, Obama's Justice Department published previously classified memos that described the Bush administration's legal justification for CIA interrogation techniques that included methods criticized as torture.

On one side, Republican lawmakers and former CIA chiefs have criticized the memos' release, contending that revealing the limits of interrogation techniques will hamper the effectiveness of interrogators and will compromise critical U.S. relationships with foreign intelligence services.
On the other side, the memos' release has appeared to increase calls for further investigations of the Bush-era terrorist treatment program and for prosecutions of those responsible for any techniques that crossed the line into torture.

Conservatives Holding Up Increasing Number Of Key Obama Nominees--By Ryan Powers

Conservatives in Congress and in the media are attempting to block or delay a growing number of critical nominees for what amount to ideological witch hunts and self-interested horse-trading. As the President attempts to deal with the significant legal and logistical questions surrounding two wars, closing Guantanamo Bay, and caring for our nation’s veterans, the people Obama has picked to assist him with such issues are being forced to wait in the wings.

In the last week alone, at least four separate nominees who thought they were on track to be approved will have to wait at least a few more weeks:

Department of Defense: Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced today that “they are blocking President Barack Obama’s nomination of Ashton Carter as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.” The senators want assurances that Carter will not “change the criteria” on which the Pentagon considers a refueling tanker contract that could benefit defense contractors in their state.

Department of Veterans Affairs: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) asked the Senate Veterans Affairs committee to delay voting on the “nomination of Tammy Duckworth, an injured Iraq war helicopter pilot, to be an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Contacted by ThinkProgress, Burr’s Press Secretary, David Ward said that Burr is waiting for the answers to several questions he’s put to the White House and Duckworth, but would not disclose what those questions were.

White House Office of Legal Council: Dawn Johnsen’s nomination as head of the OLC has been delayed in part because Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has ideological differences with her. As the Legal Times explained, “citing Johnsen’s criticisms of Bush national security policies, [Cornyn] accused her of lacking ‘the seriousness and necessary resolve’ to fight terrorism,” while “other Republicans have targeted her work as legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America from 1988 to 1993.”

Department of State: Right wing commentators are working to block the appointment of Harold Koh to the State Deptment’s top legal adviser, smearing him as a “threat to democracy” for his being an international law expert. As the Century Foundation notes, “The fervent opponents of Harold Koh turn out to be enthusiastic defenders of John Yoo.”

Additionally, Chris Hill’s nomination as ambassador to Iraq is still being held up by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) at the behest of the right wing. This despite the fact that Secretary of State Robert Gates recently issued a rare statement on a diplomatic appointment saying, it is “vital that we get an ambassador in Baghdad as soon as possible.” These delays are just the latest in a long string of delays. The nominations of Attorney General Eric Holder, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, and Presidential Science Adviser John Holdren were also held up for largely partisan reasons.

Now Obama Tells Us?--By Victor Davis Hanson

What an honest campaign would have sounded like

Imagine that last fall, before being elected, Barack Obama had outlined the positions he has embraced since being inaugurated. An honest campaign speech could have gone something like this:

“As we approach Election Day, the American people should not waste the crisis we find ourselves in.

“Consequently, if elected, I promise to get us over the Bush financial meltdown with a stimulus program that will borrow $787 billion — which, of course, will add to the already sizable budget deficit (nearly $500 billion) projected in the Bush administration’s last budget.

“By March of next year, my new $3.6 trillion budget will include a spending bill with over 8,500 budget earmarks to target in-need constituents.

“In addition to the stimulus/borrowing plan, I intend to devote $634 billion to fund a new supplementary national health-care system. But that is not all. Unfortunately, the initial Bush bank bailout of some $700 billion also may well have to be augmented by an additional $750 billion.

“Although my new spending proposals may raise the federal deficit in my first year to $1.75 trillion, I promise the American people that by the end of my first term, I will halve the federal deficit — albeit adding another $3 to $5 trillion to the national debt.

“Those savings can be accomplished by upping the federal income tax to about 40 percent on those rich 5 percent of Americans who currently pay only 60 percent of our aggregate income taxes — as well as lifting Social Security caps on their payroll taxes and cutting out many of their tax deductions.

“With state income taxes, federal income tax, and Social Security and payroll taxes, along with new cutbacks in deductions, some of these rich will pay over 60 percent of their incomes in taxes. That is not an unreasonable rate in comparison with past levels — or the fact that well over 40 percent of Americans do not make enough to pay any federal income taxes.

“I expect that Wall Street may react negatively to these proposals. We may see the Dow fall an additional 2,000 to 3,000 points after I’m elected. It may descend to under 7,000 during my first weeks of office. And this may be the moment when the economy continues to cool and unemployment rises.

“But to deal with this reaction of entrenched interests, I promise a fresh team of hard-nosed American professionals — understanding that it is impossible to ensure that none have past insider connections and occasional tax problems.

“From the former Clinton administration, I will select Rahm Emanuel to run my staff. To oversee revenue, Timothy Geithner will assemble a large team at Treasury. Senator Clinton herself will run State, and I will anchor my cabinet with pros like Tom Daschle, Eric Holder, Bill Richardson, and Hilda Solis.

“On matters of protecting civil liberties, I assure the American people that I have examined the Patriot Act, the FISA accords, and renditions — and I have discovered that they, in fact, do not shred our Constitution. I will, however, shut down Guantanamo Bay — but must keep it open another year and appoint a task force to study the issue.

“Our new direction in energy policy will center on cap-and-trade initiatives that promote wind and solar power. While we won’t rule out oil, gas, coal, and nuclear development, problems with greenhouse-gas emissions and nuclear waste mean that these ossified 20th-century industries — including new offshore-drilling development — must be discouraged and further taxed or regulated to subsidize our green future.

“Abroad, I promise to give America a new image. My first television interview will be with al Arabiya. Due to both new initiatives and my unique background, I can reassure them that no longer will the United States alienate the Muslim world. Our aim is to return to stable and friendly relations with the Middle East characteristic of 20-30 years ago.

“Indeed, on matters in the Middle East, I will bring back my suspended adviser Samantha Power. I look forward to her input, along with that of Charles Freeman, former ambassador to Saudi Arabia and critic of Israel, as head of the National Intelligence Council, to craft new directions in the region.

“We expect to open new dialogues with Basher al-Assad of Syria and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran without preconditions. And to further the cause of peace in the Middle East, the United States will pledge almost $1 billion to help rebuild the Gaza strip that is governed by Hamas.”
Now all that would have been hope and change that we could have voted on.

— Victor Davis Hanson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a recipient of the 2007 National Humanities Medal. © 2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Obama takes on teachers' unions--By Jonathan Martin

After weeks of pleasing Democrats by overturning policies set by the previous administration, President Barack Obama Tuesday will for the first time confront a powerful constituency in his own party: teachers’ unions.

Obama will propose spending additional money to reward effective teachers in up to 150 additional school districts, fulfilling a campaign promise that once earned him boos from members of the National Education Association.

Obama’s plan to embrace merit pay will come in a speech before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, say administration officials who briefed reporters. Teachers’ unions say merit pay causes teachers to compete against each other, rather than collaborate, and is unfair to those who work in disadvantaged areas where it can be harder to boost student performance.

But polls show the policy is overwhelmingly supported by the public, and it offers Obama a chance both to burnish his reformer credentials and point to a split from party orthodoxy.

In addition to rewarding good teachers, Obama also will seek to push out those who aren’t getting results.

“He supports improved professional development and mentoring for new and less effective teachers, and will insist on shaping new processes to remove ineffective teachers,” said a background statement issued by the White House.

The Obama officials didn’t elaborate on how much he would spend on a merit pay program, or how he would propose to weed out bad teachers, but there is money included in the stimulus package for improved tools to track teacher performance.

Notably, the administration officials also avoided discussing No Child Left Behind – the federal education standards set by President George W. Bush – and made clear that Obama won’t be addressing the law in his speech.

“The president is not calling tomorrow for specific amendments to No Child Left Behind,” said a senior administration official.

The law is deeply unpopular with teachers’ unions, and Obama railed against it during the campaign, where it was listed as the very first issue on his website’s education page.

Obama will use his address to challenge states to implement “world-class standards,” a senior official said, but he won’t propose specific benchmarks they must meet.

In a move that may make the merit pay proposal more palatable for teachers’ unions, Obama will speak out against the current standardized tests so loathed by educators in favor of upgraded assessments and better data systems for tracking student progress.

Obama also plans to:
• Tout grants in his budget that would bolster data collection among early education programs.

• Address the drop-out rate as “a new national priority,” with a specific eye on the 2,000 American high schools that produce more than half of the country’s dropouts.

• Link the growth in Pell Grants to the rate of inflation to ensure regular increases as part of a goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

President-elect Obama Announces Intelligence Chiefs

On January 9, 2009, the President-elect introduced his intelligence chiefs- CIA director Leon Panetta and NID retired Admiral Dennis Blair.
http://www.change.gov/copyr...

White House Chief Performance Officer

On January 7, 2009, President-elect Obama announced a new position in the White House, Chief Performance Officer, and his intention to nominate Nancy Killefer to fill the new role.
http://www.change.gov/copyright

Bill Richardson bows out of commerce secretary job

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is withdrawing his nomination to be commerce secretary, citing the distraction of a federal investigation into ties to a company that has done business with his state.

Speaking to reporters Monday, he said that he underestimated how long the investigation would take, calling it an "untenable delay" likely to hinder his confirmation process.

Two Democratic officials told CNN the investigation involves a California company that won municipal bond business in New Mexico after contributing money to various Richardson causes.

In a statement Sunday, Richardson said he asked President-elect Barack Obama "not to move forward" with his nomination.

"I do so with great sorrow. But a pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months," the statement reads. "Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Withdrawing nomination is "right thing to do," Richardson says »

"Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done." iReport.com: Share your reaction to Richardson's withdrawal

Richardson, one of the best-known Hispanics in the Democratic Party, served as energy secretary in the Clinton administration as well as ambassador to the United Nations. The 61-year-old said he will remain governor. Learn more about Gov. Bill Richardson »

Obama released a statement saying that he accepted the withdrawal with "deep regret."

"Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office," the statement read.

"It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time.

"Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration." Watch why Richardson bowed out »

Talking to reporters Monday, Richardson said, "Yesterday I was hurting over this decision. I lost a Cabinet appointment."

"But I think we have to focus on what people are losing in this country," he said, referring to heightened U.S. unemployment. "Mine is minor compared to that," he said.

Richardson did not offer details of the investigation or the company involved.

Two Democratic strategists outside Obama's transition team told CNN that Obama aides pushed the withdrawal because they did not want an ethical distraction amid the controversy surrounding embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Federal prosecutors allege that Blagojevich, a Democrat, had hoped to barter Obama's Senate seat for either money or influence.

One of the strategists described Richardson as "stunned." But Democrats who talked with CNN noted the withdrawal is in keeping with the Obama philosophy of resolving issues quickly. iReport.com: Do you trust your political leaders?

When Obama announced December 3 that Richardson was his pick for commerce secretary, Obama hailed the New Mexico governor as a "leading economic diplomat for America."

Obama said then: "I know that Bill will be an unyielding advocate for American business and American jobs, at home and around the world. And I look forward to working with him in the years ahead."

Richardson was the third former presidential rival to join Obama's team. Vice President-elect Joe Biden and Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama's pick for secretary of state, also competed for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Richardson also was a contender for the secretary of state post.

Richardson withdrew from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination on January 10, 2008, after a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary, and later endorsed Obama. Obama and Clinton both lobbied Richardson for his endorsement.

Obama's intel picks short on direct experience--By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer Pamela Hess, Associated Press Writer

President-elect Barack Obama's decision to fill the nation's top intelligence jobs with two men short on direct experience in intelligence gathering surprised the spy community and signaled the Democrat's intention for a clean break from Bush administration policies.

Former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, an eight-term congressional veteran and administrative expert, is being tapped to head the CIA. Retired Adm. Dennis Blair is Obama's choice to be director of national intelligence, a selection expected for weeks, according to two Democrats who spoke on condition of anonymity because Obama has not officially announced the choices.

The Obama transition team's long delay in selecting CIA and national intelligence directors is a reflection of the complicated demands of the jobs and Obama's own policies and priorities.

Obama is sending an unequivocal message that controversial administration policies approving harsh interrogations, waterboarding and extraordinary renditions — the secret transfer of prisoners to other governments with a history of torture — and warrantless wiretapping are over, said several officials.

The search for Obama's new CIA chief had been stalled since November, when John Brennan, Obama's transition intelligence adviser, abruptly withdrew his name from consideration. Brennan said his potential nomination had sparked outrage among civil rights and human rights groups, who argued that he had not been outspoken enough in his condemnation of President George W. Bush's policies.

And despite an internal list of former and current CIA officials who had impressive administrative credentials, all either worked in intelligence during the Bush administration's development of controversial policies on interrogation and torture or earlier, during the months leading up to the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Neither Panetta nor Blair are tainted by associations with Bush administration policies, in large part because they both come from outside the intelligence world. Blair was posted at the CIA for about a year.

Panetta could face tough questions at his nomination hearing about his background in intelligence. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who will chair the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Monday she was surprised by the pick, and neither was informed nor consulted.

"I know nothing about this, other than what I've read," she said. "My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time."

A former senior CIA official who advises Obama defended the surprise choice of Panetta, who has no direct intelligence experience beyond a two-year stint in the mid-1960s as a U.S. Army lieutenant. The official said Panetta had been a consumer of CIA intelligence when he was at the White House. He said he was selected for his administrative, management and political skills which will allow him both to control and advocate for the agency.

He said Panetta will rely on the expertise of CIA officers to balance his lack of personal intelligence experience.

Veterans of the CIA were caught off guard by the selection.

"I'm at a loss," said Robert Grenier, a former director of the CIA's counterterrorism center and 27-year veteran of the agency who now is managing director of Kroll, a security consulting company.

The lack of intelligence experience puts Panetta at "a tremendous disadvantage," Grenier told The Associated Press in an interview.

"Intelligence by its very nature is an esoteric world. And right now the agency is confronted with numerous pressing challenges overseas, and to have no background is a serious deficit. I don't say that he can't succeed. It may that he can compensate for the obvious deficit."

John Hamre, the president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, served with Panetta during the Clinton administration. He said Panetta's experience as a former Cabinet member will help elevate the CIA's status inside the White House. The CIA director was once the president's main intelligence adviser. That role shifted in 2004 to the newly created national intelligence director.

Obama "has drawn a former Cabinet-level official to take a sub-Cabinet position, which means for a much more powerful CIA in the constellation of intelligence agencies," Hamre said.

Panetta was director of the Office of Management and Budget and a longtime congressman from California. As White House Chief of Staff during the Clinton administration, he spearheaded the internal effort to find a new CIA chief that led to the selection of John Deutsch in 1995. Deutsch served for 18 months. After he resigned, CIA security officers found classified material on his home computer, a violation of security procedures.

Panetta also served on the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that released a report at the end of 2006 with dozens of recommendations for reversing course in the war.

With his wife, Sylvia, Panetta directs the Leon & Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy, based at California State University, Monterey Bay. The university that he helped establish is on the site of the former U.S. Army base at Fort Ord. Panetta also served for two years on a review board that helped oversee two major reports on the history of sex abuse in U.S. Catholic dioceses.

Obama's selection of Blair, a former U.S. Pacific Command chief, had been expected.

Blair served in the Navy for 34 years and was chief of the U.S. Pacific Command during the Sept. 11 attacks. Blair also is a China expert, and he was an associate director for military support at the CIA.

Blair and Panetta would replace retired Adm. Mike McConnell and former Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, respectively. Both men had said they would stay in their positions if asked.

President-elect Obama names key regulatory appointments

The President-elect introduced his picks to lead the SEC and the CFTC at a press conference December 18, 2008 in Chicago.

12/20/08 President-elect Obama's Weekly Address

On December 20, 2008 President-elect Obama introduced the team of men and women who will head up the nation's major scientific departments.

President-elect Obama Introduces Labor Heads

On December 19 in Chicago, the President-elect announced his picks for four labor related positions.

Officials: Obama to select Rep. Solis, Ron Kirk--By NEDRA PICKLER and LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers

Nearing completion of his Cabinet, Barack Obama has selected California Rep. Hilda Solis as his labor secretary and former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. trade representative, officials said Thursday.

The president-elect planned to formally announce the Solis and Kirk selections soon, perhaps as early as Friday, along with that of Republican Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois for transportation secretary.

On Thursday, Obama named three veteran regulators to help clean up financial debacles. Amid a year-old recession that's still deepening, Obama blamed much of the nation's economic troubles on government regulators who "dropped the ball," and he called for a return to ethics and tough enforcement.

The officials who disclosed the Solis and Kirk selections spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss selections that had not yet been announced.
Solis, a Democratic congresswoman who is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants, has focused on immigration and environment issues while in the House. Kirk, a partner in the Dallas office of the Houston-based powerhouse law and lobbying firm Vinson & Elkins, was the first black to be elected Dallas mayor.

Obama is trying to get most of his major appointments out of the way before heading to Hawaii for a holiday vacation, and has held a news conference each day this week to unveil top positions. He has yet to announce senior intelligence positions, and numerous sub-Cabinet posts remain unfilled.

Standing before reporters on Thursday, Obama named Securities and Exchange Commission veteran Mary Schapiro as chairwoman of that agency, former Treasury official Gary Gensler to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and law professor Daniel Tarullo to fill an empty Federal Reserve seat. All three will need to be confirmed by the Senate next year.

In making the announcements, Obama pointed to Wall Street money manager Bernard Madoff, under investigation in an alleged $50 billion fraud, and said the scandal underscored the need for tougher regulators. The scandal "has reminded us yet again of how badly reform is needed," he said.

The president-elect said his new team will help put in place new rules that will help "crack down on the culture of greed and scheming."

"There needs to be a shift in ethics on Wall Street," he said.

As Obama spoke in Chicago, the White House said it is considering "orderly" bankruptcy as a way of dealing with the desperately ailing U.S. auto industry. President George W. Bush, asked about an auto rescue plan during an appearance before a private group, said he hadn't decided what he would do but also spoke of the idea of bankruptcies organized by the federal government as a possible way to go.

Obama did not immediately comment on the idea.

But he wouldn't weigh in on whether he would support a decision by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to tap the second $350 billion installment of the $700 billion financial bailout program. Major auto companies are pleading for emergency aid, which could come from that pot.

"I think it's important that the Treasury, the Fed and all of us do whatever's required to make sure that our financial system is stable and secure," Obama said. But he added: "We cannot afford a collapse of our financial system. Main Street can't afford it." He said he would evaluate any Paulson signals about what is necessary.

More broadly, Obama blamed regulators for the financial debacle, saying that they, along with congressional committees, "have been asleep at the switch."

Americans, as they watch their investments tank, are frustrated that "there's not a lot of adult supervision out there," Obama added.

Schapiro, who would be Obama's top Wall Street regulator and investor protector, said that investor trust "is the lifeblood of financial markets." She called for tough enforcement action by incoming regulators.

If confirmed by the Senate:
--Schapiro, who served as an SEC commissioner in Republican and Democratic administrations and is currently the head of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, would take over an agency that faces growing criticism for its failure to protect investors and detect trouble brewing on Wall Street.

As the scandal involving Madoff continues to stun the financial world, revelations have surfaced that staff at the SEC repeatedly failed over the course of a decade to fully investigate credible allegations against him. SEC Chairman Christopher Cox on Tuesday ordered the agency's inspector general to investigate what went wrong.

--Gensler, a former Treasury official in the Clinton administration, would lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is an independent agency created by Congress to regulate trading in the commodity futures and option markets.

--Tarullo, a Georgetown law professor who also worked for President Bill Clinton, would fill an open seat on the Federal Reserve board in Washington.

All the present Fed board members, including chairman Ben Bernanke, were picked by Bush. Tarullo would fill one of two vacant seats on the seven-member board. A third seat also will become available.

_____
Liz Sidoti reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer Jesse Holland in Washington contributed to this report.

___
On the Net:
Obama transition: http://www.change.gov

Obama chooses 3 more to take on financial reforms--By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

Nearing completion of his Cabinet, Barack Obama plans to choose California Rep. Hilda Solis as his labor secretary, a labor official said Thursday as the president-elect named three veteran regulators to help clean up financial debacles.

Obama blamed much of the nation's economic troubles on government regulators who "dropped the ball," and he called for a return to ethics and tough enforcement.

Obama planned to announce Solis' selection on Friday, along with that of Republican Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois for transportation secretary. The incoming chief executive is trying to get most of his major appointments out of the way before heading to Hawaii for a holiday vacation, and has held a news conference each day this week to unveil top positions.

He has yet to announce senior intelligence positions or his choice to head the Office of U.S. Trade Representative. And, numerous sub-Cabinet posts remain unfilled.

Solis, a Democratic congresswoman who is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants, has focused on immigration and environment issues while in the House. The official who disclosed Obama's decision spoke on condition of anonymity because an announcement has not been made yet.

Standing before reporters on Thursday, Obama named Securities and Exchange Commission veteran Mary Schapiro as chairwoman of that agency, former Treasury official Gary Gensler to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and law professor Daniel Tarullo to fill an empty Federal Reserve seat. All three will need to be confirmed by the Senate next year.

In making the announcements, Obama pointed to Wall Street money manager Bernard Madoff, under investigation in an alleged $50 billion fraud, and said the scandal underscored the need for tougher regulators. The scandal "has reminded us yet again of how badly reform is needed," he said.

The president-elect said his new team will help put in place new rules that will help "crack down on the culture of greed and scheming."

"There needs to be a shift in ethics on Wall Street," he said.

As Obama spoke in Chicago, the White House said it is considering "orderly" bankruptcy as a way of dealing with the desperately ailing U.S. auto industry. President George W. Bush, asked about an auto rescue plan during an appearance before a private group, said he hadn't decided what he would do but also spoke of the idea of bankruptcies organized by the federal government as a possible way to go.

Obama did not immediately comment on the idea.

But he wouldn't weigh in on whether he would support a decision by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to tap the second $350 billion installment of the $700 billion financial bailout program. Major auto companies are pleading for emergency aid, which could come from that pot.

"I think it's important that the Treasury, the Fed and all of us do whatever's required to make sure that our financial system is stable and secure," Obama said. But he added: "We cannot afford a collapse of our financial system. Main Street can't afford it." He said he would evaluate any Paulson signals about what is necessary.

More broadly, Obama blamed regulators for the financial debacle, saying that they, along with congressional committees, "have been asleep at the switch."

Americans, as they watch their investments tank, are frustrated that "there's not a lot of adult supervision out there," Obama added.

Schapiro, who would be Obama's top Wall Street regulator and investor protector, said that investor trust "is the lifeblood of financial markets." She called for tough enforcement action by incoming regulators.

If confirmed by the Senate:

--Schapiro, who served as an SEC commissioner in Republican and Democratic administrations and is currently the head of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, would take over an agency that faces growing criticism for its failure to protect investors and detect trouble brewing on Wall Street.

The SEC stands at what could be one of the most difficult times in its history, buffeted by criticism for failing to detect signs that major Wall Street banks were in trouble before the financial crisis erupted and for lax oversight and enforcement in other areas.

As the scandal involving Madoff continues to stun the financial world, revelations have surfaced that staff at the SEC repeatedly failed over the course of a decade to fully investigate credible allegations against him. SEC Chairman Christopher Cox on Tuesday ordered the agency's inspector general to investigate what went wrong.

--Gensler, a former Treasury official in the Clinton administration, would lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is an independent agency created by Congress to regulate trading in the commodity futures and option markets.

--Tarullo, a Georgetown law professor who also worked for President Bill Clinton, would fill an open seat on the Federal Reserve board in Washington.

His selection would allow Obama to begin to put his imprint on the Federal Reserve. All the present board members, including chairman Ben Bernanke, were hand picked by Bush. Tarullo would fill one of two vacant seats on the seven-member board. A third seat also will become available.

As a member of the Fed board, Tarullo would have an important voice in deciding policy to help jolt the economy back to life.

___
On the Net:
Obama transition: http://www.change.gov

Presdient-elect Obama announces Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture

The President-elect announced his nominees for Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior at a press conference December 17, 2008 in Chicago.

President-elect Obama Announces Environment and Energy Team

On December 16 in Chicago, President-elect Obama held a press conference to announce key members of his energy and environment team.

Chicago School Chief Nominated for Cabinet

President-elect Obama announced Arne Duncan as his nominee for education secretary at an elementary school in Chicago.