Obama administration: The insiders

07 November 2008

US president-elect Barack Obama has moved quickly to put his personal staff into place and in the process has made the first appointment of his new administration by opting for Congressman Rahm Emanuel as his White House chief of staff. 

Reports suggest Robert Gibbs, a senior aide, may be the next White House press secretary.

Also, a near certainty as an appointee is David Axelrod, Obama campaign strategist, who may be asked to assume responsibilities as senior White House adviser - a post previously held by the 'Architect' of many a George Bush campaign, Karl Rove.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel on Thursday accepted Obama's offer.

Political observers feel all three nominations reveal a practical, hard-headed side of Barack Obama, more in keeping with the tough, Chicago school of politics from which he has emerged. 

"Though Rahm understands how to get things done in Washington, he still looks at the world from the perspective of his neighbors and constituents on the Northwest Side of Chicago, who work long and hard, and ask only that their government stand on their side and honor their values," Obama said in a statement.