Obama Stacking His Cabinet With Pit Bulls

Prez was relentless in analyzing every angle

(NEWSER) - Amid cries of "dithering" and the silent finality of Arlington's rows of white tombstones, President Obama calmly, analytically, and exhaustively reviewed all options in Afghanistan before finally announcing to his team on Nov. 29 that he would send in 30,000 more troops. The New York Times retraces the president's steps in a lengthy retelling. Highlights: More»

Briefed military last night, will reveal number and other details tomorrow

(NEWSER) - After weeks of deliberation, President Obama has settled on a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan and ordered the military to carry it out. The exact size of the troop escalation has not been announced, but sources put the number in the neighborhood of 30,000 more troops. The president started informing military leaders last night and will explain his plan in detail in a national speech tomorrow from the US Military Academy at West Point. More»

(NEWSER) - With decisions that some presidents don’t make in 4 years packed into his first 100 days, what President Obama’s advisers deride as a “Hallmark holiday” presents a legitimate occasion for a report card, and for a Politico team to catch up with White House insiders. “I don’t want to go through accomplishments, because I feel like I’m just walking around with a punch card,” Rahm Emanuel says. More»

But former veep says he wants to keep working from 'outside'

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama and Joe Biden will meet today with Al Gore just as the transition team is set to choose the key environmental appointments of energy secretary and EPA chief, CNN reports. The meeting in Chicago has triggered speculation that Obama may be considering Gore for a slot in his administration, but Politico reports that Gore is dismissing any talk of a formal role. More»

Aides say he plans to do so just after Thanksgiving

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama remains "on track" to name Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state and plans to do so shortly after Thanksgiving, senior aides to the president-elect tell Politico. They said Clinton is expected to accept the offer and added that disclosure issues related to the complicated funding of Bill Clinton's foundation have been ironed out, the AP notes. More»