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Steps Toward Obama's Swearing-In

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2008

Leaving The Senate

President-elect Barack Obama officially resigned from the Senate on Sunday, removing himself from any official role in the lame-duck session of Congress that convened this week.

A Cordial Meeting

The bitter general election campaign behind them, Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain met Monday to discuss ways to reduce government waste, promote bipartisanship and find other ways to improve government. The erstwhile rivals met for 40 minutes at Obama's transition headquarters in Chicago. It was their first meeting since Nov. 4, when Obama vanquished McCain in an electoral landslide.

Cabinet Starts Taking Shape

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will accept the nomination as secretary of state. She will resign her Senate seat to take the post as America's top diplomat, her associates said Friday.

Obama's top choice for secretary of Homeland Security is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, top Obama advisers and several Democrats said as the shape of Obama's Cabinet begins to emerge.

The Obama advisers cautioned Thursday that no final decision has been made on putting Napolitano in charge of Homeland Security, the massive agency created by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But the advisers said she was by far the top contender.

Thus far, Obama has informally selected Washington lawyer Eric Holder as attorney general and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as health and human services secretary. The plans could be sidetracked by unexpected glitches in the final vetting process, officials note.

Among other Cabinet posts: Senior Democrats say there is a strong possibility that Defense Secretary Robert Gates would stay temporarily and later give way to former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig.

Timothy Geithner, New York Federal Reserve president, is the leading contender for treasury secretary and is likely to be nominated Monday.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who had been rumored to be in line for secretary of state, is Obama's leading choice for secretary of commerce.

It's Corned Beef For The Chief

Obama grabbed his lunch to go Friday. "We got the corned beef," he said as he made his way around the counter at Manny's deli, a popular hangout and campaign stop for Chicago politicians. "Rahm Emanuel sends his regards," Obama told deli workers, referring to his chief of staff.

Obama also talked to the owner and signed a picture for him. "I've aged a little bit," the president-elect said as he handed back the photograph.

Obama shook hands and greeted patrons, who gave him hugs and took cell phone pictures.

"I love you back," he told one customer.

A wire report

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