Klein: Obama's Team of Rivals 'Strong and Wise'

Obama's sound choices pose cooperative challenges

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama wasn’t afraid to take risks in choosing his national security team, and the outcome has left Henry Kissinger optimistic, he writes in the Washington Post. Each member comes to the “team of heavyweights” with well-established views and an “autonomous constituency.” That could mean a battle of wills, but each member’s abilities encourage “the hope that America is moving beyond its divisions to its opportunities.” More»

Security not a partisan issue, president-elect declares

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama officially announced his national-security team today, a group including primary rival Hillary Clinton as secretary of state and Bush holdover Robert Gates as defense secretary, the AP reports. “One of the dangers in a White House, is that you get wrapped up in group-think,” Obama said, explaining his potentially clashing picks. “So I am going to be welcoming a vigorous debate.” More»

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»

(NEWSER) - With the US recession hammering Mexico, the Mexican drug war frightening the US, and a free-trade tiff in the works, relations between the countries have gotten a tad frosty of late, the New York Times reports. In an effort to head off a full-blown crisis, Hillary Clinton is heading to Mexico today, and President Obama will visit next month. More»

Foreign-policy, economics teams peppered with respected, relatively conservative appointees

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama’s Cabinet picks leave Republicans with few lines of attack, Politico reports. In contrast to campaign rhetoric that painted Obama as a radical leftist, the retention of Robert Gates and selection of McCain buddy Jim Jones has won praise from GOP stalwarts. Karl Rove himself said Obama’s brainy, centrist economic appointments “provided surprisingly positive clarity.” More»