The Obama Cabinet: Change and Continuity

Making News

Pakistan-India Tensions Rise after Mumbai Attacks ()

Barack Obama said his new security team has already discussed last week's terrorism in Mumbai. But he said there's only one president at a time, that the Bush administration is doing what needs to be done and that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to India. Somini Sengupta is New Delhi Bureau Chief for the New York Times, currently in Mumbai.

Guests:

• Somini Sengupta: New Delhi Bureau Chief, New York Times

Main Topic

Obama Names His Nation Security Team ()

Barack Obama's national security team is full of familiar faces, including Hillary Clinton at State and Robert Gates staying on at Defense. Along with former Marine Corps Commandant General James Jones at the National Security Council, they've had many public disagreements with the president-elect. As he introduced them today, the President-elect described himself as a strong believer in strong personalities and strong opinions. Cautioning against the danger of "group-think and affirming that he welcomed "vigorous debate inside the White House," he acknowledged that the buck stops with him. We hear about his so-called "team of rivals." Can they implement his vision for combining force and diplomacy?

Guests:

• Stephen Hess: author, 'What Do We Do Now?'
• David Corn: Washington Bureau Chief, Mother Jones, @DavidCornDC
• Doyle McManus: Washington Bureau Chief, Los Angeles Times
• Terry Sullivan: Co-Founder, White House Transition Project

Links:

• Kearns Goodwin's 'Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln'
• Hess' 'What Do We Do Now: A Workbook for the President-Elect'
• Corn's blog on Jones as pick for National Security Council

Reporter's Notebook

Is Eric Holder the Right Pick for Attorney General? ()

During the Bush Administration, career attorneys have resigned from the Justice Department over political intrusion into hiring and the filing of cases, the authorization of brutal interrogation techniques and eavesdropping without court warrants. Today, Barack Obama named Eric Holder as his choice for Attorney General. Holder was named superior court judge for the District of Columbia by Ronald Reagan. Bill Clinton made him US Attorney for the District and, four years later, Deputy Attorney General. We get two perspectives on the controversy over the top man at the Justice Department.

Guests:

• Michael Greenberger: Director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security, University of Maryland
• Bruce Fein: Principal, American Freedom Agenda, @RonPaul