Team of American dream

Author: Alexander MaksymovPhoto: InterMedia consulting

Since Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States 12 days ago, he has largely remained out of sight, getting high-level government briefings and conferring with his transition team. But he surfaced on Friday afternoon in Chicago, alongside his wife Michelle to give 60 Minutes his first post-election interview.

It covers a wide range of subjects including the economy, the ailing automobile industry, the government's $700 billion bailout program, their visit to the White House, the emotions of election night and the quest for a family dog. You'll hear all of it. But we begin with the president-elect and his thoughts about the new job.

According to him, the priority is to save automobile industry. So it's his belief that they need to provide assistance to the auto industry. "But I think that it can't be a blank check.

So that we are creating a bridge loan to somewhere as opposed to a bridge loan to nowhere. And that's, I think, what you haven't yet seen. That's something that I think we're gonna have to come up with.

In this situation, you could see the spigot completely shut off so that it would not potentially permit GM to get back on its feet. And I think that what we have to do is to recognize that these are extraordinary circumstances. Banks aren't lending as it is. They're not even lending to businesses that are doing well, much less businesses that are doing poorly. And in that circumstance, the usual options may not be available," he said.

More details he gave about his plans regarding foreign policy. "I think it is a top priority for us to stamp out al Qaeda once and for all. And I think capturing or killing bin Laden is a critical aspect of stamping out al Qaeda. He is not just a symbol, he's also the operational leader of an organization that is planning attacks against US targets," he said.

"I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America doesn't torture. And I'm gonna make sure that we don't torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America's moral stature in the world," he added.

President-elect Barack Obama is forming a White House leadership team that combines experienced Washington insiders who can help build a bridge with Congress and trusted associates who share his Chicago roots.

During that time, Obama had Pete Rouse as his Senate chief of staff to take care of his business on the Hill. On Sunday, Obama named Rouse to be a senior adviser in his White House. Rouse has 24 years of experience as a top Senate aide, also running the offices of former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota and Obama's Illinois colleague, Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin.

Other names that have begun to roll out in recently come with varying degrees of Washington experience. Obama is drawing on accomplished Chicago friends, longtime congressional aides and former Clinton administration officials, including some with ties to the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The new chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., combines the Chicago roots and the legislative connections. Vice President-elect Joe Biden's chief of staff Ron Klain held the same role for Vice President Al Gore.

Obama has picked Mona Sutphen and Jim Messina as his deputy chiefs of staff. Like Rouse, Messina has served as chief of staff for three different lawmakers â€" Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont, Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. â€" and has a vast network of relationships to show for it that he can tap on Obama's behalf.

Philip Schiliro, who has more 25 years experience working for Congress, is Obama's liaison to Capitol Hill.

A report from a British newspaper this morning says Senator Hillary Clinton will accept President-Elect Barack Obama's Secretary of State position.

The Guardian newspaper says Clinton will accept the position, but it is not stated when, or if it has been offered.

The report comes after several days of reports that the Clinton family was being vetted by Obama's representatives.  According to several reports, the finances and personal information concerning both the Senator and her husband, former President Clinton, were combed through.

As Secretary of State, Clinton would specialize in foreign affairs, something Obama has stated in the past is a top priority to him.

Теперь давайте вернемся к должности государственного секретаря. Хотя очень многие специалисты сходятся в том, что госдеп возглавит именно Хиллари Клинтон, будет нелишним взглянуть и на других претендентов. Мало ли...

But Hilalry Clinton is not the only candidate. Let's look at the short list of candidates:

Holbrooke is among those under consideration to be America's top diplomat. Known as the "Bulldozer" and the "Raging Bull," Holbrooke -- a 34-year foreign service veteran -- has a negotiating tenacity that is beyond dispute. Holbrooke negotiated an end to a Balkan war, helped normalize relations with China and advanced American interests as envoy to the United Nations. Holbrooke was among Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's inner circle during her presidential campaign.

Susan Elizabeth Rice has a reputation for being blunt-spoken, but also for being a politically connected fast-riser. A protégé of Madeleine K. Albright when she was secretary of state, Ms. Rice catapulted over more veteran officials in 1997 to become one of the youngest assistant secretaries of state ever. She also brings early experience with Al Qaeda; Ms. Rice was the top diplomat for African issues during the 1998 terrorist bombings of embassies in Tanzania and Kenya.

While in Congress, Bill Richardson served as a roving diplomatic troubleshooter for President Bill Clinton, and was later named ambassador to the United Nations in December 1996. He earned a reputation as a tough and inventive negotiator, especially when dealing with America's most entrenched adversaries, among them Iraq, Sudan, North Korea and Cuba. In the 1990s, he negotiated the release of a downed American pilot imprisoned in North Korea, some Red Cross workers held in Sudan and two American contractors detained by Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Despite intense courtship by the Clintons and having served in Mr. Clinton's cabinet, Mr. Richardson endorsed Mr. Obama during the epic primary battle. He also helped deliver the pivotal Hispanic vote in New Mexico for Mr. Obama, which helped flip the state to Democratic from Republican and ensure a Democratic victory.

Other names are Senator  John Kerry, two Republican senators Chuck Hagel, Richard Lugar and Senator Sam Nunn.

Another important post is the Pentagon's chief. According to the New York Times: In the national security arena, much depends on whether Mr. Obama decides to ask Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to stay to demonstrate bipartisanship. If Mr. Obama decides against it, or Mr. Gates turns him down, Democrats see former Deputy Defense Secretary John J. Hamre and former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig as two candidates for the Pentagon.

Without Mr. Gates, Mr. Obama might want to tap a Republican for the State Department, perhaps including Senators Richard Lugar of Indiana or Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, advisers said. If Mr. Gates stays, some Democrats said, Senator John F. Kerry, the Democratic nominee who gave Mr. Obama the platform at the 2004 convention that vaulted him to national fame, is a leading choice to be secretary of state.

For national security adviser, Mr. Obama might pick between James B. Steinberg, a former deputy national security adviser, and Gregory B. Craig, a former State Department official. Mr. Danzig and Dennis Ross, a longtime Middle East envoy, are also mentioned. Susan E. Rice, a former assistant secretary of state and early Obama adviser, is often described as a possible deputy national security adviser or ambassador to the United Nations.

Candidates for Treasury Secretary include the head of the New York Federal Reserve Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers, who served as Secretary of the Treasury in Bill Clinton's second term, and former Treasury Secretary Bob Rubin.

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President Obama is facing uneasy period of appointments, and his first actions after the inauguration will show whether he has managed to accomplish this task.