December 15, 2008 11:03 AM

Obama Meets With National Security Team Today

By
Steve Chaggaris
Topics
White House
Prior to a 5 p.m. ET news conference where he is expected to announce his energy and environment team, President-elect Barack Obama will meet with his national security team.

The meeting will include Mr. Obama, Vice President-elect Biden, White House Chief of Staff-designee Rahm Emanuel, Secretary of State designee Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Attorney General designee Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security designee Janet Napolitano, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, Ambassador to the United Nations designee Susan Rice, National Security Advisor designee Jim Jones, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and White House Counsel designee Greg Craig.

A transition official provided CBS News with some background on the meeting:

"There is one president at a time and this meeting is part of the work being done during the transition to be ready to hit the ground running on January 20."

"This is not the first national security meeting. President-elect Obama previously held a meeting with key members of his team on Monday, December 1st, the day he announced key nominees. That meeting included the Vice President-elect, Clinton, Gates, Holder, Napolitano, Rice, Jones. Focus of that meeting was Mumbai."

"There will be more meetings like this between now and January 20."

"Focus of these meetings is international opportunities and challenges -- will cover a range of topics."

"President-elect Obama has made clear that he has no higher priority than advancing America's security and keeping America safe."

Add a Comment
by cardamom1 December 17, 2010 11:34 AM EST
Really? Obama-nation's number one priority is to keep America safe? So what will he recommend? Possibly to check the childrens underwear a little more thoroughly when going through the airport? Maybe, it's to make sure all urine bag liquids over three ounces are run through extra scanning to make sure there are no explosive making chemicals included. That is if they don't burst them while feeling up their prey. Gee, I feel so much safer already. (Sarcasm intended)
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