Obama's Weekly Address #2

President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden Announce Key White House Staff

President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden today announced the following White House staff: Patrick Gaspard, Director of the Office of Political Affairs; Jackie Norris, Chief of Staff to the First Lady; Catherine (Cathy) M. Russell, Chief of Staff for Dr. Jill Biden; Cynthia Hogan, Counsel to the Vice President; and Moises (Moe) V. Vela, Jr., Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President.

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The Design Team Behind the ‘O’ in Obama

At the end of 2006, Mode, a motion design studio in Chicago, approached Sol Sender, a graphic designer, to create a logo for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The resulting “O” became one of the most recognizable political logos in recent history. I spoke with Mr. Sender a few days after the election to discuss the evolution of his design.

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Ludlum Elementary School Renamed to Barack Obama Elementary School

A New York elementary school has been re-named in honor of President-elect Barack Obama. Ludlum Elementary School in Long Island's Hempstead Union Free School District was re-named at a board meeting Thursday, at the request of numerous school students.

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Obama Plans to Name Clinton to Secretary of State After Thanksgiving

President-elect Barack Obama is "on track" to name Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as his secretary of state shortly after Thanksgiving, two senior Obama aides said.

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Obama Formally Announces Four Cabinet Positions

Obama formally announced David Axelrod as a senior advisor, along with three other top aides, just now.

The general sense is that Obama's core campaign team, with the important exception of David Plouffe, will be shifting intact to the White House.

Also announced: Greg Craig as White House Counsel; Chris Lu, an Obama law school classmate who ran his Senate office, as Cabinet Secretary (which is not a cabinet post); and American Constitution Society executive director Lisa Brown, a former Gore vice presidential aide, as Staff Secretary, the powerful job held by figures ranging from John Podesta to Harriet Miers.

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Obama Promises Climate Change Leadership at Summit

Obama Resigns Senate Seat

"Today, I am ending one journey to begin another," Obama said in a statement, describing his job representing Illinois as one of the highest honors of his life.

"I am stepping down as senator to prepare for the responsibilities I will assume as our nation's next president," he said. "But I will never forget, and will forever be grateful to, the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible."

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Hillary Clinton Accepts Secretary of State Job (According to Guardian)

Hillary Clinton plans to accept the job of secretary of state offered by Barack Obama, who is reaching out to former rivals to build a broad coalition administration, the Guardian has learned.

Obama's advisers have begun looking into Bill Clinton's foundation, which distributes millions of dollars to Africa to help with development, to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. But Democrats do not believe that the vetting is likely to be a problem.

Clinton would be well placed to become the country's dominant voice in foreign affairs, replacing Condoleezza Rice. Since being elected senator for New York, she has specialised in foreign affairs and defence. Although she supported the war in Iraq, she and Obama basically agree on a withdrawal of American troops.

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Obama Must Part with BlackBerry

For years, like legions of other professionals, Mr. Obama has been all but addicted to his BlackBerry. The device has rarely been far from his side — on most days, it was fastened to his belt — to provide a singular conduit to the outside world as the bubble around him grew tighter and tighter throughout his campaign.

But before he arrives at the White House, he will probably be forced to sign off. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful.

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Announced White House Staff: Valerie Jarrett, Phil Schiliro and Ron Klain

President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden today announced the following key White House staff, Valerie Jarrett, Phil Schiliro and Ron Klain. Valerie Jarrett will serve as Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison, Phil Schiliro as Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and Ron Klain to be the Chief of Staff to the Vice President.

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Your Weekly Address from the President-elect

Robert Gibbs Will be White House Press Secretary

Robert Gibbs, a top aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on his campaign and in his Senate office, will be named the White House press secretary, a top Democratic official said.

Gibbs was usually the senior official on Air Obama, the campaign plane. As communications director of Obama's Senate office, Gibbs was a key strategist in Obama's rapid move to the national stage.

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Obama Offered Clinton Secretary of State

President-elect Barack Obama offered Sen. Hillary Clinton the position of Secretary of State during their meeting Thursday in Chicago, according to two senior Democratic officials. She requested time to consider the offer, the officials said.

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Obama 365 - Mccain 162

President-elect Barack Obama has won one of Nebraska's electoral votes, making history in a state that has never split its electoral votes.

Missouri, with 11 electoral votes, is still too close to call. Election officials there have until Tuesday to finish counting.

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Obama to Upload Weekly Democratic Address on Change.gov

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, Change.gov, once the radio address is made public on Saturday morning.

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Hillary Clinton could be Secretary of State

President-elect Obama has narrowed the possibilities for secretary of State and Clinton is among those being strongly considered, the officials said. Some even call her the favorite.

It is not known what Obama himself thinks of the idea.

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President-Elect Obama on 60 Minutes Sunday

President-elect Barack Obama has agreed to give his first post-election interview to 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft. The interview includes future first lady Michelle Obama and is to take place on Friday, Nov. 14, in Chicago.

The interview is scheduled to be broadcast on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT.


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Obama's Inauguration May Draw 1 Million-Plus

The National Park Service, which is planning for an inaugural crowd of at least 1 million, will clear more viewing space along the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. Jumbo TV screens will line the National Mall so people can watch the inauguration and parade, park service spokesman David Barna said Thursday.

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Obama Will Resign Senate Seat on Sunday

In a statement, the junior Illinois senator called his four-year term "one of the highest honors and privileges" of his life and said the people of Illinois will stay with him as he leaves the Senate to begin "the hard task of fulfilling the simple hopes and common dreams of all Americans as our nation's next president."

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