Let's see,some peolple have a problem with old Clinton personnel coming back.Did you have a problem when Bush jr. brought Bush sr.old cronies back into the mix.How soon we forget about GOP good ole boy doings and how it has effected this country.You bellow Carter and Clinton but the name Bush will go down in history as the worst father and son president tandem.

He must choose experienced people along with the people he does and others that are recommended by people he respects – the last time Democrats were in were the eight years during the Clinton years so naturally we would see some of those people. Beyond Monica and the Republicans constantly tearing him down, things were not that bad during the Clinton years if you recall. Too much is going on in this country to bring in people who don't know how the country is run. If he can get us out of financial debt, restore hope, get us out of Iraq and upgrade our image across the world, he has produced major change and instead of being cynical, perhaps it is more appropriate to wish him well. PS. Change in the White House = The return of competence and the absence of deception.

Does anyone else think it strange that Barack Obama has been compared to the greatest US presidents in history and he hasn't even taken office yet?

Obama is very smart to pick these people cos they picked him over Hillary Clinton in the primary even if they worked for Bill.Brillant move ,POTUS

Great choice!

This guy has longevity with a good record wherever he's been.

We need the best of the best.

And we need the American people to give Obama and his administration a fighting chance to fix what is close to being unfixable.

It's nice to see that the Republicans are complaining again. Just who should Obama pick? Sarah Palin? Give it a rest. You lost.

I'm not surprised he's trying to get the best of the best becuase he doesn't know what he is doing! He has not an original idea that he called for CHANGE. I'm really surprised at you supporters! Your so blinded with Obama, you can't see beyond the hand in front of you! Example: Hillary and her possible appt. He distroyed her in the run off and now he needs her and the Clinton staff. Don't forget Bill
Clintoin lied to you american people that he didn't have sexual relations with Monica. What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that Obama is not going to hire any more former Clinton people.
Clinton administration, unfortunately, hired too many Stephanopulisis who were there purely for themselves. They were so busy destroying another guy, including President, that nobody had time to do any work.

We need experience and intelligence..bravo to President-elect for displaying both in his choices so far. Now bring Colin Powell aboard so the Republicans can stop saying "This is change?"

Sounds like the Chicago Political Machine is moving to Washington,DC!!

Chicago is doing so well,I cann't wait to see what happens in D.C.

Where do you get these pundits? Wolf Blitzer must just love the drama, that he and his sunday afternoon pundits are creating!
By God, can't President-Elect Obama choose his Cabinet on the basis of who is the very best person for the job! Hillary beyond a doubt is the best qualified person for Secretary of State. You have to dig really deep to find anyone who is so loved and respected in the "rest of the world"…all of the CRAP, about keep your enemies closer, keep her out of the Senate, what absolute Bull. Thank God Obama will keep duct tape on your lips….I wonder if there is an equilvalent of duct tape for your brain process? Why don't you just report, and stop this ridiculous speculation? I think the American People are pretty sick of your keeping your ratings high by creating "drama". You will soon find that President Elect Obama is a No kinda Drama guy…..how soon before you start calling him "Boring"!
Grow up idiots bring your credibility up….don't worry about your ratings.

Nice choices…appears to be a visually smooth process…good work

I think thisis actually a good idea that Baraka Obama has choose to have more White House positions since the white house is truly big it would be a great idea to have all this positions so that more people can work there to get paid thats only if they have great experience

I think tish is actually a good idea that Baraka Obama has choose to have more White House positions since the white house is truly big it would be a great idea to have all this positions so that more people can work there to get paid thats only if they have great experience

During the final days of the campaign the obama complained continually about the number of lobbyiest on the McCain campaign staff, Now the obama is puting lobbiest on his staff,some change.

President Elect Obama needs to make should consider Jeffrey Sachs for one of his appointments. This is a very bright individual you can help Obama in various positions..

This makes me want to barf. I just pray that the damage to our country be minimized over the next 4 or 8 years… This administration will have a movie made abot it: The Carter Adminitration II: Jimmuh Returns to Wreck the US Economy. Starring Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Special appearance made by other Socialists, racists and terrorists.

Hillary for SOS. Asking Richardson, (judas) would be like being married to a mistress, you'd never forget how You got her, and would always be wondering who might be next. Not worth the trouble for sure!!!

I voted for mc cain but I'm I willing to give BO a chance to fall on his face with style. Its a no brain-er people. Who else can BO pick that has the experience he needs and the capabilities to change washington. He's by himself as an outside. So, he's going to need some of the inside players to get things moving first and then start his agenda of who knows what. We'll have to wait and see what that looks like. God help us all however if BO can't stand up for himself against his cabinet.

WOW…At least Obama is picking people with experience,
unlike Bush. Bush had a bunch of num nuts in his staff.

All excellent choices!

It looks as if Obama is building in a staff with useful contacts with Congress, the business community, the Clinton administration, etc. That should be helpful. A few Repubs (carefully screened to find the few nonwierdos available there) would be a good idea as well. Even conservative firebomber Fred Barnes (on the Fox News Circus) admitted Hillary Clinton would be an effective choice for Secretary of State.

I think Obama is making great choices for his White House Staff and Cabinet positions. I'm so glad Bill Clinton gave Obama the advise to pick his WH staff first, and learn from his mistakes. It will help him be the best prepared president he can be on day 1. Lord knows we will need him to be on his A game that day…looking forward to the l"ame ducks" departure.

his advisors will keep close tabs on his cabinet selections. these people are good at what they do. plouffe,axelrod. both masterminds and with barack leading it is a trio of geniuses.

Du=id i vote for the wrong man? I thought i voted for change and a bi-partison President!! His picks up till now met with my approval and i have defended him. But, now all i see are his longtime friends and washinton insiders!1 Please Pres-Elect Obama do some chosing that will make us not regret our decision.

( i know this won't be posted but i had to speak my peace!)

I think America is going to see the wisest US President of all time. He is reaching out to those that derided him and made him nothing and he is bringing them to his banqueting table. What a man ! Obama is like Mandela but even more.. This is really historic. I think this is the way he will win the middle east. He will not win by the barrel of a gun but will win the hearts of those nations.

I'm glad to see the Obama team moving forward. With the country in the worst shape it's ever been, an NO leadership for the next two months, it is going to get worse before Obama takes office.

I'm sure this item will also have a lot of whiney posts from the Repubs. I love their favorite line, "that's not change". BULL!

In case nobody noticed, the Democrats won. Of course, Obama is going to staff his administration with a lot of Dems. CHANGE is about healing this country's wounds, and it requires experienced people. The economy was GREAT during the Clinton administration, so why wouldn't Obama appoint former Clinton staff.

I believe Obama's leadership WILL BE the best we have ever seen, and the will be a CHANGE in the way government does business. The first phase is to erase all the damage from the Bush administration before it's too late.

check for typos. not trying to be a jerk here since i'm a Web writer too.

"He saved as a national chief of staff " you might want to change that to "served"

Continue with deliberate haste to fill the important positions.

for all the promise of change, I just see more of the same ole washington democrat regulars! who was elected b.o. or b.J.clinton, with the appointment of his old staff,this change is it from a patriotic stand up of for america,to a cowering look to appease the other nations before our own needs and whats best for americans!I've yet to see any real meaningful change or even the real promise of change!

Where are the black folks in his cabinet?

I find it very encouraging that Pres.-elect Obama appears to be choosing people with a great degree of knowledge in many different areas. To those who think choosing people from past administrations is the same old politics, how could he possibly accomplish anything with an entire crew of inexperienced staff and cabinet members? I believe his promise of change is in policies and how they are executed. Nothing could be accomplished without people who know the workings of Washington.

All I can say is that an Obama Presidency will be awesome! Can't think of a BIMBO yet that was even in his company. Can't say that about his opponent(lol)

Looking forward to an outstanding cabinet built to serve the People's interests instead of corporate's interests…
Hail to our next Commander in Chief!

The positions that have been filled are going to get very difficult to keep up with. It is also hard to keep track of what has yet to be filled. Is there any way CNN can come up with some sort of interactive visual so that readers could keep everything straight. Like, say you could click on cabinet and it would show you all the cabinet positions, or click on white house staff, etc.

to conclude;
Colin Powell = Sec Defense
John Mccain = Sec Veteran Affairs (they could sure use a heavy hitter)
Hillary = Supreme Court

How hard was that?

The gathering of the great minds, movers and shakers, to bring this country back to order; I love it!

Bill Richardson = Sec State
Warren Buffet = Sec Treasury
T. Boone Pickens = Sec Energy
Colin Powell

I want to know who the AG will be, and the Sec of Defense.

I'm concerned that there will be too many Clinton people. Clinton was good, but he also made some mistakes.

Also, this bait and switch with the 700 billion dollar bail out is not fair. Paulson should go to jail. He said he didn't tell Congress about "recapitalization becaue he didn't know how to sell that". This man is a snake, he took our money, paid his buddies and then thumbed his nose at the taxpayers. He is slime and I hope Congress makes him pay.

Paulson has figured out, like the oil companies that you do the deed, then go back and apologize. Listen to Congress scream, and then you go home.

Funny,

It seems a huge number of the Messiahs staff has " served under Clinton " in thier resume.

Can he not find the CHANGE he was preacing all along?

Or is it the simple fact he really does not have the experiance and has to surround himself with former Clinton staff?

But then again, he may be smart, place all these former white house staffers in his staff, he will look better than if he tried to do it himself when he does not know how.

Good thinking

A President in office who does NOT surround himself with WELL qualified people that he KNOWS he can trust IS a FOOL! I don't think for one moment that Barack Obama is a fool.

Just the opposite, I suspect that he is the first TRULY qualified and MORALLY equiped man for President that this country has seen since Abraham Lincoln! And I don't consider that an exaggeration in the least!

Obama, is the One….

All these republcans who are criticizing Obama for picking a lot of old clinton staffers need to remember that Obama is picking the best people for the job, and the last time this country enjoyed economic prosperity was during the clinton admin. He turned a deficit from Sr. Bush into a surplus. So we need to give Obama a break and see how he performs before we criticize.

Change, change and more change….into the Carter / Clinton adminstration, with a healthy dose of lobbyists to add flavor.

This is what happens when voters and the media don't pay attention.