GOP's LaHood Will Take Transportation Post

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama announced his final Cabinet choices today, making official what insiders have hinted at for a week, the Washington Post reports. Hilda Solis will be the nominee for labor secretary, Ron Kirk for trade representative, and Republican Ray LaHood for transportation. Solis appears to be the lightning rod, as union officials praised the appointment and foes said she would “toe the line for union bosses.” More»

Will likely stay on through fall 2012

(NEWSER) - One piece of economic upheaval that won't hit the fan this weekend: A vacancy at the Treasury Department. After much gnashing of teeth, Tim Geithner has informed President Obama that he will stay on as secretary at least through next fall, reports the Wall Street Journal. Geithner had wanted to resign in order to live in New York with his family, but administration officials pressured him to stay. He now "looks forward to the important work ahead on the challenges facing our great country," according to a statement. More»

Former energy CEO John Bryson picked to head Dept. of Commerce

(AP) - President Obama will nominate businessman John Bryson to lead the Commerce Department, a White House official said today. Bryson's appointment brings another private sector player into an administration that has been making a concerted effort to improve its relationship with the business community. Bryson is a former chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International, a California-based energy company. He also has an extensive background in environmental issues, having co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council and served on a United Nations advisory group on energy and climate change. More»

The JPMorgan Chase exec has pro-business reputation

(NEWSER) - President Obama is considering bringing on Clinton-era Commerce Secretary William Daley as his new chief of staff, or slotting him into some other high-level White House job, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The appointment would send a powerful message to the business world, where Daley, a champion of free trade, is seen as an ally. Daley was a close adviser to Obama during his presidential campaign, and has long been considered a potential hire for him. More»

And rolls out infrastructure program in same breath

(AP) - As expected , Barack Obama rolled out a $50 billion infrastructure program designed to create jobs at a Labor Day speech in Milwaukee—and coupled it with a blunt campaign-season assault on Republicans. "These guys refuse to give up on the economic philosophy they peddled for most of the last decade: You cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires; you cut rules for special interests ... Well, that philosophy didn't work out so well. All it did was rack up record deficits and result in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression." More»