Obama Announces Final Cabinet Picks (video)

In a press conference this afternoon, President-elect Obama announced the final selections for his Cabinet including Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-Calif.) as labor secretary, former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk as U.S. trade representative and Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) as transportation secretary. Obama also named Karen Gordon Mills as his choice to head the Small Business Administration.

Heidi Li posted earlier on Republican Ray LaHood, Obama’s pick as transportation secretary:

‘“But today's announcement of Ray Lahood, the retiring Illinois Republican House member who, says the New York Times, ‘rose to prominence when he presided over the House impeachment vote against President Bill Clinton,’ as the second Republican in Obama's cabinet really takes the cake.

Obama has picked Lahood to serve as Transportation Secretary - Transportation Secretary in an administration that is planning to push a huge spending package disseminating bucks for works on the transport system and one that proclaims it is interested in ‘green’ issues. This is like putting Dick Cheney in charge of energy policy and thinking that we were going to end up with a crackdown on various corrupt practices in energy trading and the oil industry or that suddenly environmental standards regarding the production of ‘green’ cars would be advanced.

‘“The Times also reports that ‘Mr. LaHood...is close to Mr. Obama and Rahm Emanuel, the incoming White House chief of staff.’ In other words, Lahood, another Illinois crony. Well, cronyism also carries on the Bush legacy: remember W.'s efforts to appoint Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court? Or his 2006 recess appointments of Ellen R. Sauerbrey and J. Dorrance Smith?’’

Here's the video of the latest Obama press conference:

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