Between Campaign and a Hard Pass: Obama's Team Was Cleared Early

[babylonsister]

Between Campaign and a Hard Pass: Obama's Team Was Cleared Early

By CQ Staff | November 12, 2008 5:00 AM


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.

more...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/transition/2008/11/between-campaign-and-a-hard-pa.html

[Thrill]

1. I thought Dick Morris said Obama couldn't get clearance. lol