Yves Smith at Naked Capitalism is reporting that Larry Summers is to be tapped to head Barack Obama’s National Economic Counsel. Summers had been considered for the Treasury position, one that looks likely to go to Tim Geithner, the head of the New York Fed. It is notable that Robert Rubin held Summers position in the Clinton Administration before heading over to Treasury to replace Lloyd Bentsen.
Also making news is Obama’s selection of Robert Gibbs as Press Secretary. Reuters reports that Obama made a definitive announcement selecting Gibbs to the position unlike the Summers and Geithner appointments which have yet to be announced.
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama announced on Saturday that close aide Robert Gibbs would be White House press secretary and Ellen Moran of women’s organization Emily’s List would be director of communications.
Obama said Dan Pfeiffer, who heads the Obama transition team’s communications office, would serve at the White House as deputy director of communications.
Obama is moving quickly to fill his cabinet. If one compares him to Bill Clinton in 1992, he looks very decisive. Clinton took a full six weeks before moving to select his cabinet. Obama will be one very shortly.
Who has lost out in Obama’s Cabinet Shuffle?
According to Politico, there are five:
- John Kerry
- Howard Dean
- Richard Holbrooke
- Bill Richardson
- Susan Rice
Irrespective, I certainly expect Rice and Richardson at a minimum to play a major role in the Obama Administration.
Source
Summers to Head National Economic Counsel – naked capitalism
Obama names Robert Gibbs as press secretary – Reuters
5 on the outs in Cabinet shuffle – Politico