Want to know who’s in the top tier of the next president’s inner circle?
Check their tags.
They already have security clearances.
More than 100 potential nominees for positions in an Obama government have already received interim security clearances under an executive order and 2004 law that allows early vetting of those in line for critical jobs.
“That is a process that began well before the election,” transition co-chairman John Podesta said Tuesday.
The transition team wants to avoid nominees getting “bogged down” in clearances, and hopes that the FBI will dedicate significant resources to the job and the Senate will provide a smooth confirmation process, Podesta said.
“President-Elect Obama wants to make sure that we hit the ground running on Jan. 20, because we don’t have a moment to lose,” he said.
Podesta emphasized that President-Elect Barack Obama’s transition project is trying to put its national security team together as quickly as possible, but the senior Cabinet-level staff will probably not be set until December, according to transition co-chairman John Podesta.
While Podesta said the first priority for Obama and Vice President-Elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s transition staff is laying the ground work to stabilize the economy, he listed national security issues as another top concern during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. He said he is aiming for a speedy selection process in both of those areas. Along with the current economic crisis, Podesta noted that America faces a persistent threat from al Qaeda and is still involved in two wars.
“We’re going to try to accelerate that, but we’ll make announcements when we’re ready,” he said, adding that the transition project is also looking at Cabinet spots across the board.
By the end of the week, the Obama transition team plans to announce agency review teams will begin work as early as Monday.
“That will ensure that senior appointees have the information necessary to complete their confirmation processes, lead their departments and begin implementing signature policy initiatives immediately after they are sworn in,” Podesta said. The names of those who will lead the teams will be available at Obama’s Web site by the end of the week, he said.
— Rob Margetta
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