Kennedy Meets With Sharpton In Harlem
This post was written by CBS News producer Karen Raffensperger.
Nobody goes to Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem for salad. You go for down home Southern cooking, and that's what Caroline Kennedy did when she ate lunch there today with Al Sharpton. It was a quick meal, including chicken, string beans, collard greens, salad and corn bread, because Sharpton had to get to his radio show.
Sharpton and Kennedy arrived together, and had to push through a crowd of reporters, tourists getting more than they'd bargained for, and a few local residents to get inside. They settled at the same table where Sharpton had lunched with then-Senator Obama, and Sharpton later joked that their lunch was one of the reasons President-elect Obama had won the election. Still cameras were then allowed in for a few shots, followed by video cameras - no sound and no print reporters allowed.
They promised a media availability following lunch, so in order to avoid the mad camera scramble that ensued on their arrival, we set up a location outside with mics and camera positions. As Sharpton and Kennedy exited the restaurant, they walked to the mic stand, where Kennedy smiled and said "Hi everybody" and seemed to be awaiting questions. Just as the first questions flew, Sharpton stepped up to the podium and delivered a statement in which he praised but did not endorse Kennedy, saying he would "trust the governor's judgment to decide what's best for the state."
Following his brief statement, Kennedy took four questions before departing with Sharpton. She says she was inspired during this election year and that "government is the place where people need to come together." She said, "I have quite a bit to learn but I feel like I bring a lot with me as well" and that "this is a time when nobody can afford to sit out...."
She seemed hesitant to get too close to the mics, and spoke in a soft voice that was occasionally drowned out by honking cars and airplane engines. After describing herself as a "Kennedy Democrat," the media avail was ended and they drove off. The entire event - lunch, photo ops and media avail - was over in less than one hour.
Also See: Caroline Kennedy's life in photos.
(AP)
Sharpton and Kennedy arrived together, and had to push through a crowd of reporters, tourists getting more than they'd bargained for, and a few local residents to get inside. They settled at the same table where Sharpton had lunched with then-Senator Obama, and Sharpton later joked that their lunch was one of the reasons President-elect Obama had won the election. Still cameras were then allowed in for a few shots, followed by video cameras - no sound and no print reporters allowed.
They promised a media availability following lunch, so in order to avoid the mad camera scramble that ensued on their arrival, we set up a location outside with mics and camera positions. As Sharpton and Kennedy exited the restaurant, they walked to the mic stand, where Kennedy smiled and said "Hi everybody" and seemed to be awaiting questions. Just as the first questions flew, Sharpton stepped up to the podium and delivered a statement in which he praised but did not endorse Kennedy, saying he would "trust the governor's judgment to decide what's best for the state."
Following his brief statement, Kennedy took four questions before departing with Sharpton. She says she was inspired during this election year and that "government is the place where people need to come together." She said, "I have quite a bit to learn but I feel like I bring a lot with me as well" and that "this is a time when nobody can afford to sit out...."
She seemed hesitant to get too close to the mics, and spoke in a soft voice that was occasionally drowned out by honking cars and airplane engines. After describing herself as a "Kennedy Democrat," the media avail was ended and they drove off. The entire event - lunch, photo ops and media avail - was over in less than one hour.
Also See: Caroline Kennedy's life in photos.
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Ron Kirk Chosen For Trade Representative
(AP)
Kirk, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2002, is now a partner of the powerhouse law firm Vinson & Elkins.
The Wall Street Journal points out an interesting dichotomy between these two picks. Kirk is an avid free-trader who has often extolled the benefits of NAFTA. Solis on the other hand is a free-trade opponent who rallied opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The selection of both displays a possible split in the administration as Mr. Obama tries to appeal to supporters both sides of the issue and in separate wings of his own party. (You can read more from the Journal here.)
On Thursday, Mr. Obama named Mary Schapiro as his choice to chair the SEC, Gary Gensler to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Daniel Tarullo for an empty seat at the Federal Reserve. (Read more on those picks.)
CBS News reports that it's expected that Kirk, Solis and Mr. Obama's Transportation Secretary choice Rep. Ray LaHood will all be officially announced at a news conference tomorrow at 2:15 p.m. ET.
Obama Taps Calif. Rep For Labor Secretary
A labor source confirms for CBS News that Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., will be named labor secretary.
Solis, 51, was just elected to her fifth term representing California's 32nd district in Southern California.
She would be the third Hispanic in Mr. Obama's Cabinet. The other two are N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson as Commerce secretary and Colo. Sen. Ken Salazar as Interior secretary.
Solis, 51, was also an early and vocal supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
Solis, 51, was just elected to her fifth term representing California's 32nd district in Southern California.
She would be the third Hispanic in Mr. Obama's Cabinet. The other two are N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson as Commerce secretary and Colo. Sen. Ken Salazar as Interior secretary.
Solis, 51, was also an early and vocal supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
Obama And The Gay Community
This post was written by CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder:
One reason the Rick Warren thing is a big deal is because, after Bill Clinton, the gay community is unusually sensitive to getting the shorter angle of presidential triangulation. It is hard to overstate the optimism and excitement that gays and lesbians felt in 1992. But the optimism deflated spectacularly after "Don't Ask, Don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, not to mention President Clinton's sneaky 1996 ad boasting about DOMA, which aired only on Christian radio.
Clinton was willing to say the word "gay" in public and appear in black tie at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, but, in the eyes of the gay political community, his commitment to gay rights vanished both times it counted most.
Relative to other minority groups, the LGBT community is disproportionately dependent on the goodwill of the president, because almost all of their big-ticket agenda items are federal laws (the military, DOMA repeal, hate crimes, ENDA, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act, etc.). And relative to other minorities, gays still want and need basic reassurance that they are an ordinary part of American life and politics. So everyone is peering anxiously at Obama wondering if he is going to let them down like Clinton did.
You can read more about the growing controversy here.
One reason the Rick Warren thing is a big deal is because, after Bill Clinton, the gay community is unusually sensitive to getting the shorter angle of presidential triangulation. It is hard to overstate the optimism and excitement that gays and lesbians felt in 1992. But the optimism deflated spectacularly after "Don't Ask, Don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, not to mention President Clinton's sneaky 1996 ad boasting about DOMA, which aired only on Christian radio.
Clinton was willing to say the word "gay" in public and appear in black tie at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, but, in the eyes of the gay political community, his commitment to gay rights vanished both times it counted most.
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
You can read more about the growing controversy here.
Click Here For All Of CBSNews.com's Special Inauguration Coverage
Obama And The Gay Community
This post was written by CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder:
One reason the Rick Warren thing is a big deal is because, after Bill Clinton, the gay community is unusually sensitive to getting the shorter angle of presidential triangulation. It is hard to overstate the optimism and excitement that gays and lesbians felt in 1992. But the optimism deflated spectacularly after "Don't Ask, Don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, not to mention President Clinton's sneaky 1996 ad boasting about DOMA, which aired only on Christian radio.
Clinton was willing to say the word "gay" in public and appear in black tie at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, but, in the eyes of the gay political community, his commitment to gay rights vanished both times it counted most.
Relative to other minority groups, the LGBT community is disproportionately dependent on the goodwill of the president, because almost all of their big-ticket agenda items are federal laws (the military, DOMA repeal, hate crimes, ENDA, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act, etc.). And relative to other minorities, gays still want and need basic reassurance that they are an ordinary part of American life and politics. So everyone is peering anxiously at Obama wondering if he is going to let them down like Clinton did.
You can read more about the growing controversy here.
One reason the Rick Warren thing is a big deal is because, after Bill Clinton, the gay community is unusually sensitive to getting the shorter angle of presidential triangulation. It is hard to overstate the optimism and excitement that gays and lesbians felt in 1992. But the optimism deflated spectacularly after "Don't Ask, Don't tell" and the Defense of Marriage Act, not to mention President Clinton's sneaky 1996 ad boasting about DOMA, which aired only on Christian radio.
Clinton was willing to say the word "gay" in public and appear in black tie at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, but, in the eyes of the gay political community, his commitment to gay rights vanished both times it counted most.
Relative to other minority groups, the LGBT community is disproportionately dependent on the goodwill of the president, because almost all of their big-ticket agenda items are federal laws (the military, DOMA repeal, hate crimes, ENDA, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act, etc.). And relative to other minorities, gays still want and need basic reassurance that they are an ordinary part of American life and politics. So everyone is peering anxiously at Obama wondering if he is going to let them down like Clinton did.
You can read more about the growing controversy here.
Obama Defends Rick Warren's Role At Inauguration
President-elect Barack Obama's announcement Wednesday that Pastor Dr. Rick Warren will give the invocation at the inauguration has set off a firestorm of criticism from liberal and gay rights activists.
Warren is the best-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life and other books, as well as the pastor of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. He is known as a "new evangelical" who stresses issues like poverty and climate change alongside other traditional conservative Christian issues. He also hosted a forum at his church in August with both Mr. Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain.
His selection by Mr. Obama further cements his place as one of the nation's preeminent religious leaders and also is seen as a clear sign to reach out to evangelical and conservative voters who didn't support him in last month's election.
Continue »
(AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
His selection by Mr. Obama further cements his place as one of the nation's preeminent religious leaders and also is seen as a clear sign to reach out to evangelical and conservative voters who didn't support him in last month's election.
Continue »
Another Republican Picked For Obama's Cabinet
CBS News has confirmed that President-elect Barack Obama has tapped Republican Rep. Ray LaHood to be the next Secretary of Transportation.
LaHood, 63, did not seek re-election this year. He was first elected to Congress from Illinois' 18th district in 1994.
If confirmed by the Senate, LaHood would be the second Republican in Mr. Obama's cabinet, along with current defense secretary Robert Gates, who Obama has asked to stay on for a year or more.
CBS News also confirmed today that Mr. Obama is set to name Mary Schapiro to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Schapiro, a Democrat, served as a financial regulator in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations.
The SEC is under intense scrutiny for its lax oversight of Wall Street leading up to the current economic crisis and its failure to thoroughly investigate fraudulent money manager Bernard Madoff despite repeated warnings.
The SEC chairmanship also requires Senate confirmation, although it is not a cabinet-level post.
Obama will announce the Schapiro pick at a 10:45 a.m. ET news conference tomorrow. It is not clear whether or not he will name LaHood as his transportation pick at that time as well.
LaHood, 63, did not seek re-election this year. He was first elected to Congress from Illinois' 18th district in 1994.
If confirmed by the Senate, LaHood would be the second Republican in Mr. Obama's cabinet, along with current defense secretary Robert Gates, who Obama has asked to stay on for a year or more.
CBS News also confirmed today that Mr. Obama is set to name Mary Schapiro to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Schapiro, a Democrat, served as a financial regulator in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations.
The SEC is under intense scrutiny for its lax oversight of Wall Street leading up to the current economic crisis and its failure to thoroughly investigate fraudulent money manager Bernard Madoff despite repeated warnings.
The SEC chairmanship also requires Senate confirmation, although it is not a cabinet-level post.
Obama will announce the Schapiro pick at a 10:45 a.m. ET news conference tomorrow. It is not clear whether or not he will name LaHood as his transportation pick at that time as well.
Kennedy Begins Campaign For Senate
(AP)
This morning on The Early Show, Rev. Al Sharpton and Susan Molinari, a former congresswoman from New York, weighed in on what they thought of her possible appointment.
Sharpton said that while he was not formally supporting anyone to be picked, he thought Kennedy was "qualified to run." He also reacted to those who say she does not have qualifications for the office beyond name-recognition — by pointing out that Clinton was once in the same boat
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Musical Greats On Inauguration Lineup
(AP)
Among the musical acts taking part will be the "The Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin. Also, there will be a performance including Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. Two famous spiritual leaders also will make remarks -- Dr. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California (who hosted a forum with Mr. Obama and Sen. John McCain in August) and Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery (who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King, Jr.).
Below is the full lineup, as announced by the committee:
Musical Selections
The United States Marine Band
Musical Selections
The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Invocation
Dr. Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA
Musical Selection
Aretha Franklin
Oath of Office Administered to Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
By Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, The Honorable John Paul Stevens
Musical Selection, John Williams, composer/arranger
Itzhak Perlman, Violin
Yo-Yo Ma, Cello
Gabriela Montero, Piano
Anthony McGill, Clarinet
Oath of Office Administered to President-elect Barack H. Obama
By the Chief Justice of the United States, The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
Inaugural Address
The President of the United States, The Honorable Barack H. Obama
Poem
Elizabeth Alexander
Benediction
The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
The National Anthem
The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"
Click Here For All Of CBSNews.com's Special Inauguration Coverage
Obama: "Frustrating" Not To Release Blagojevich Report
(AP)
CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers asked Mr. Obama about his pledge for transparency in light of not being able to release his internal report on his staff's contacts with Blagojevich's staff. Mr. Obama said it was "frustrating" not to release it yet because there are things in the media he said he would like to "correct."
But he added: "By next week, you guys will have answers to all your questions."
Update 4:55 p.m. ET: Cynthia Bowers later wrote us with this tidbit on what she noticed about the body language during today's press conference of Chief of Staff designee Rahm Emanuel and Obama senior adviser David Axelrod:
"Interestingly during today's announcement and question and answer Rahm Emanuel stood stiffly staring straight at the podium, unwilling it seemed to even glance at reporters trying to get a read on whether he's worried about the investigation or not. David Axelrod seemed more relaxed."
Obama Is Time's "Person Of The Year"
(AP Photo/ TIME)
As for why, other than the obvious, the magazine writes on its Web site: "For having the confidence to sketch an ambitious future in a gloomy hour, and for showing the competence that makes Americans hopeful he might pull it off, the president-elect is Time's Person of the Year."
It's hard to think of anyone who has achieved anything more significant than being elected "leader of the free world" in 2008, but Mr. Obama did have some competition. The magazine said the runners-up were: Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese film director Zhang Yimou (for the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics).
Last year's winner was Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Bush won the honor in 2004 and 2000, after both of his election victories.
You can read more from Time here.
White House Response To Madoff Case
By CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer:
The White House is speaking out on the way the Securities and Exchange Commission dealt with the case of money manager Bernard Madoff. In a written response to a question from CBS News, Press Secretary Dana Perino says, "It's troubling and disappointing that the SEC didn't fully examine allegations regarding wrongdoing as far back as nine years ago."
Perino notes that because of the SEC's internal investigation and litigation involving Madoff, she's unable to offer a more specific response. But she adds, "We want all the facts to come to light and prevent this from happening again."
The White House is speaking out on the way the Securities and Exchange Commission dealt with the case of money manager Bernard Madoff. In a written response to a question from CBS News, Press Secretary Dana Perino says, "It's troubling and disappointing that the SEC didn't fully examine allegations regarding wrongdoing as far back as nine years ago."
Perino notes that because of the SEC's internal investigation and litigation involving Madoff, she's unable to offer a more specific response. But she adds, "We want all the facts to come to light and prevent this from happening again."
Eric Holder Taking A Big Pay Cut
It's a classic Washington question – power vs. riches?
Attorney General designee Eric Holder may be looking forward to becoming the nation's top law enforcement official, but the job comes with a big pay cut. Last year, as a partner of powerhouse Washington law firm Covington & Burling, he made more than $2.1 million, according to the questionnaire he had to fill out for the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of his approval hearings next month. (Click here to see the full form)
The Attorney General makes a salary of $186,600.
In addition, Holder says he will be due about $2.5 million from the law firm in 2009 from deferred compensation, compensation for work performed in the current year, repayment of his partner equity account and a $1.3 million "separation payment."
And that's all from working for the firm only since 2001 when he last left the Justice Department.
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
The Attorney General makes a salary of $186,600.
In addition, Holder says he will be due about $2.5 million from the law firm in 2009 from deferred compensation, compensation for work performed in the current year, repayment of his partner equity account and a $1.3 million "separation payment."
And that's all from working for the firm only since 2001 when he last left the Justice Department.
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