Obama's Priorities Before The Inauguration

With Less Than 3 Weeks Before Taking Office, President-Elect Lays Groundwork For First Tasks

(CBS)  With less than three weeks before President-elect Barack Obama starts his new job, there are several issues at hand that beg his attention.

The Obamas are moving to a Washington hotel on Sunday so the girls can start school - and their father will go right to work.

Even though he's been saying since the election that the U.S. has only one president at a time, the president-elect hasn't been shy about wanting an economic stimulus package ready for a vote in Congress, reports CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante.

Democratic strategist Steve McMahon told Plante that he'll likely get it. "He needs money, he needs an economic package. He'll have one on their desk to vote on."

Obama campaigned on a promise to bring change in many areas, but the economy is the top concern for voters now, and the president-elect has promised a rescue plan: "With our economy in distress, we cannot hesitate nor can we delay," he said.

"Ideally, he would like to take the oath of office, walk over to the signing room in the Capitol [and] sign the legislation before he joins the parade up Pennsylvania Avenue," Newsweek contributing editor Eleanor Clift said on CBS' The Early Show. "If he pulls that off, that will be one for the history books."

But as the conflict in the Middle East escalated over the past week, Obama has remained largely silent, despite a statement last year suggesting he would understand an Israeli response to the rocket attacks from Gaza.

"I think it is more difficult for him to engage very much on foreign policy" before the inauguration, said McMahon. "It's very important for our country to speak with only one voice. He's respecting that tradition."

"The Middle East is such a minefield and every word that he said before he took office would be weighed and contrasted with the current administration," Clift said. "I'm sure that he's hoping there will be a ceasefire in place which will at least give him and the new administration some breathing room, but I think it's appropriate that he mute his voice as long as he's not really the president yet."

And, Plante notes, the new president will be dealing with the world's problems soon enough.

"We're going to need a Secretary of State on Day One because the Palestinian problem isn't going to wait until Day Two or Three," McMahon told Plante. "It's something on the president's plate. And it's going to have to be dealt with immediately."

Another major priority pre-inauguration is getting key cabinet members confirmed by the Senate so they can get right to work, particularly the Secretaries of State and Treasury.

"The Republicans have an interest in confirming those cabinet appointees who they know will be confirmed and who are relatively non-controversial," McMahon said. "Timothy Geitner, Hillary Clinton, the others that are needed to do the economic work that needs to be done immediately, and the foreign policy work that needs to be done right away."

On The Early Show, Clift said that while Obama's choice for Attorney General, Eric Holder, might face questions about pardons he was involved in during the Clinton administration, she does not see any big hurdles for Obama's nominees (despite past presidents having to withdraw names over one controversy or another) for one major reason: "I think that there is such an awareness on both sides of the aisle about the crises facing this country that this is not the time to elevate small things into major issues.

"I think everybody is basically keeping their eye on the prize, and that is getting the administration in place," Clift said.

But Republicans have the power to block much of the Obama agenda if they wish to do so. So while Obama will be meeting on Monday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Plante said the president-elect will likely spend some time with Republicans in the next 18 days as well.

"Well, I think he has to lay down his markers and I'm sure there's a lot more exchanges going on beyond the scenes," Clift said.

"I think the fact he is going to meet with Republicans, along with Democrats, again that signals that he's serious about including Republicans and not trying to just roll over them.

"But I think what he's also thinking about, being a man of words, he's thinking about his inaugural address and the signals that he's going to send, not only to Americans but around the world."

[Stratmaster7]

-Friedrich Nietzsche

Posted by TexHillGirl at 05:18 PM

Wow. Is Rowdy really quoting an anti-christian philosopher who went insane and died from Syphillis over 100 years ago?

[nanc12]

As for me, I intend to keep an eye on him like hawk...he''''s no friend to this country!
Posted by TexHillGirl

Good grief, Rowdy, you changed your name AGAIN?? I''m sure everyone in the country can go to sleep tonite feeling safer, because you''re standing guard for us.

[adenizard]

Posted by Riptide213 at 01:34 PM : Jan 03, 2009

I SO AGREE WITH YOU THERE! OBAMA HAS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICE AND NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF "FROM THE BOTTOM UP". WE ALL KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY BUT WE, THE PEOPLE, MUST SUPPORT HIM BY TALKING TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES. NEED SOMETHING TO BE DONE, WE ALL MUST PUT OUR HANDS IN THE DOUGH.

[adenizard]

Posted by Riptide213 at 01:34 PM : Jan 03, 2009

I SO AGREE WITH YOU THERE! OBAMA HAS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE OFFICE AND NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF "FROM THE BOTTOM UP". WE ALL KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY BUT WE, THE PEOPLE, MUST SUPPORT HIM BY TALKING TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES. NEED SOMETHING TO BE DONE, WE ALL MUST PUT OUR HANDS IN THE DOUGH.

[midwestvalue]

Mccain08nc, many of us DID give W a chance when he started 8 years ago but lost faith when we saw the ACTUAL results (remember his 70%+ popularity after 9/11???? - I was one who approved of him at that time). But the "secret" government, catering to the hatemongers and constantly lying to the American people (WMD in Iraq, tax cuts that would help everyone, etc, etc) turned me and the majority off to himv (I guess by your reckoning, 70% of the American people are leftist loonies since that is exactly the number of Americans that disapprove of him today).

Your claim that none of us on the "looney left" have preached unity for 8 years is only justification for you to hold on to your narrow,divisive and uninformed opinions.

Thanks for the lovely language about the President Elect - it was very helpful in proving my point.

[riptide213]

Obama''s Priorities before the Inauguration.

From day one; be your own, one of a kind, extraordinary President.

Never lose sight of your noble mantra of hope and change.

Nation needs clear and astute direction.

The Obama era must make history for all the right reasons.

Americans voted for you loud and clear, so be the American people%u2019s President. America first; is the best, right value for taxpayer money.

Rewrite Presidential rulebook by applying new logic test to all policies; how does this impact all Americans from the bottom up? Not how will it benefit a few from the top down.

Trusted relations between government and all citizens with open lines of communication to hear the voice of the people and feel their pulse on issues of national issues.

Be a positive, open, organized, and inspiring leader role model who promotes stronger interagency teamwork.

Motivate all staffers, agencies, and individual Americans to walk a little taller and just be a little prouder because incoming 21st century US national government will be candid with and more considerate toward its number one shareholder; ordinary, law abiding, tax paying US citizens.

Successes should be celebrated, and failures should be treated as opportunities to build new strengths.

[ofbyfor3]

I see that the sore-loser, conspiracy-theorist, rumor-mongers are out in force today.

[libh8er]

"More than half of active-duty U.S. service members feel uncertain or pessimistic about President-elect Obama as commander in chief, according to a Military Times survey.

Six out of 10 Americans in uniform are concerned about Obama''s lack of military experience and their perceived difference in his mission and values from that of Bush."

And most of us not in uniform feel the same way.

[libh8er]

"In addition to the Rod Blagojevich pay-for-play probe, Obama could figure in the upcoming fraud trial of Norman Hsu, the disgraced Democratic fundraiser who was charged last year with operating a $60 million pyramid scheme. According to investigators, Hsu, a major Hillary Clinton fundraiser, pressured investors to donate money to political candidates with whom he was aligned."

Seems to me the halfrican''s biggest priority will be keeping his a** out of jail. This guy is tainted and he hasn''t even done anything except get elected to public office. Has he ever held a real job? Did he ever pass the bar exam???

[midwestvalue]

Wow - the right wing, "kool-aid" drinkers are out in force today! It is very disappointing to hear the lies and innuendos made by incredibly dishonest people throughout the campaign repeated here. If you don''t want to give Obama a chance, that''s your choice, but stop trying to keep the Nation divided. After 8 years of name calling, innuendo and "nasty" politics by the "brownshirts" of the right, the Country is ready for something better. If and when O''bama doesn''t keep his promises or does something to hurt this country, then by all means "fire away". But until then, get used the fact that he will be our President, stop repeating the vicious and disproven lies and stop trying to keep this country divided. Our country needs to come together right. Those that continue to spew lies and try to divide us are doing a great dis-service to the country they claim to love.

[ofbyfor3]

I see someone''s been forced to change her nic again.

[tincup356]

America will go belly up very soon...thanks to white collar ,suit and tie terrorism that is being brought upon the people.....congress on both sides of the isle is committing treason and the people sit back ....go broke.....and brag on what a great job THEIR PARTY has done for America....Get real people we are being screwed hard and they are not even trying to hide it.

[opedanderson]

Here is my point. Do any of you Obama worshippers have any idea of what he is going to do? Can you point to anything in his record that backs up what you think?

He ran a brilliant campaign. He held some great speeches. He underperformed in some debates and was declared the winner by a MSM that fell in love with the idea of a black president no matter what.....

We are going into this blind.

[wardoglrs]

Obama is a joker

[jsutaguy]

You''''ve really got to read this article by the Washington Post. http://tinyurl.com/6emukq

This top-rated piece of investigative reporting shows that Wall Street took BILLIONS out of each of our pockets by cornering the Oil markets in 2008, controlling 81 percent of all oil contracts in the world. They plan to do the same in 2009. This story was ignored by CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, CNN.

Cut and paste this and pass it on.

http://tinyurl.com/6emukq

As the article points out, these same Wall Street firms plan to do the same thing to the price of everything we eat or drink, using the same cheap money they are getting from our treasury, in 2009.

Why are we paying to keep these firms in business?

Why are our taxes being used to keep them operating?

They aren''''t lending money to real businesses, they aren''''t helping our economy, they simply aren''''t necessary for America...they are only used by the very richest parasites who are destroying our country and dictating its policies by buying out our government. Wall Street has clearly taken control of the CFTC, which is the Federal Agency that is paid to prevent speculators from cornering markets and illegally driving up prices. The CFTC, prior to this Washington Post report, laughably said that Gasoline prices were simply %u201Csupply and demand%u201D. This is simply a lie.

[besscannon-2009]

These comments sometimes don''t make any sense, just a bunch of goofoffs trying to get their silly remarks in print. Stick to the subject at hand, fellas, rather that all these "cute" remarks at each other.

[flsunjnky]

Well ya know slownewsdaze, I don''t go into personalities very much. Substance is the real issue.

[flsunjnky]

Well, slownewsdaze I think you really have a handle on critical thinking.

[flsunjnky]

That''s nice Majority, you don''t know txgrouch very much.

[themajority1]

SND and txgrough are another example of differing parties; yet they maintain civil and even pleasant responses in their communications. Why can''t we all do that? Nice work gentlemen!