Obama picks Cabinet at record speed

President-elect Barack Obama is choosing his Cabinet at record speed putting together a "team of rivals" from all sides of the political spectrum.

David Sirota argues that the real rivalry here is not between the Cabinet members but between Obama's campaign promises and his future policy decisions. He rightly notes that Obama must be given the chance to deliver on his promise that all policy emanates from him and not from his Cabinet and staff.

Having competing voices is generally a good thing as long friction does not interfere with results. Few presidents have entered office with the kinds of tests Obama is facing. Possibly only Franklin Delano Roosevelt inherited a more battered economy, and the country is mired in two wars that are part of a larger "war on terrorism." The broader geopolitical situation is heating up with the possibility of a new strategic arms race also around the corner.

Here are the new members of the national security team:

Hillary Clinton, will serve as Secretary of State, arguably the highest profile position next to the president.

Secretary Robert Gates, the current Secretary of Defense, will continue to serve and presumably will have no problem implementing a 16-month pullout from Iraq, if that policy is indeed implemented.

Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General and a former United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, will serve as Attorney General. He will be the first African American to serve in that post.

Janet Napolitano, Governor and former U.S. Attorney for Arizona, will serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The first woman to serve in this position that was just created during the Bush administration.

Dr. Susan E. Rice, a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Obama for America campaign, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will serve as Ambassador to the United Nations.

General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret), former Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander of the United States European Command, will serve as National Security Advisor.

Washington Post

Obama Dazzles Dems and GOP with Cabinet Picks
FOXNews - 1 hour ago
President-elect Barack Obama has named half of his Cabinet members at record speed and earned positive reviews from both sides of the political aisle.