Obama Names Clinton In National Security Team Rollout

President-elect Barack Obama, left, stands with his choice to be secretary of state, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, at a news conference in Chicago today.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP Photo

Following weeks of speculation, President-elect Barack Obama nominated one-time Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State.

Here's more from NPR's Linton Weeks:

President-elect Barack Obama introduced Sen. Hillary Clinton, his archrival in the 2008 Democratic presidential race, as his secretary of state on Monday.

"I have known Hillary Clinton as a friend, a colleague, a source of counsel, and as a campaign opponent. She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic," said Obama, speaking at a news conference in Chicago where he has been managing his transition. "Hillary's appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances."

In introducing his national security team, Obama said he will keep Robert Gates as secretary of defense. "I will be giving Secretary Gates and our military a new mission as soon as I take office: responsibly ending the war in Iraq through a successful transition to Iraqi control," Obama said.

... The president-elect also formally nominated Eric Holder as attorney general, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations. Obama named retired Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser.

By choosing Clinton as his secretary of state, Obama may be solving several problems. Because of her long, variegated political experience, Clinton is one of the most qualified people for the prestigious position.

Rice and Holder would be the first African Americans to hold those respective positions.

What do you think of Obama's chosen war Cabinet? What does this selection of prominent names say about the President-elect and how he will govern?

Geoffrey Bennett

Tags: Hillary Clinton | President-elect Barack Obama | Secretary of State

1:20 PM ET | 12- 1-2008 | permalink

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