The Obama transition team set a record in announcing nominations for cabinet secretary positions - and some agency/commission heads - by completing the majority of its proposed nominations prior to Christmas. Now the job is selecting the subcabinet - all though deputy, under and assistant secretaries. No one will be formally nominated to fill a cabinet slot until President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in as president, but the following list shows those nominees who have accepted or are very likely to accept (*) the President-elect's invitation to join his cabinet:
Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack Agriculture
Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D, SD) Health & Human Services
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY) State
Sec. Robert Gates Defense
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano Homeland Security
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson Commerce
Timothy Geithner, New York Fed president Treasury
Eric Holder, former Clinton justice official Attorney General/Justice
Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, former Army chief of staff Veterans Affairs
Arne Duncan, Chicago schools superintendent Education
Shaun Donovan, New York City housing commissioner HUD
Dr. Steven Chu, scientist/scholar Energy
Lisa Jackson, former head of New Jersey EPA EPA
Sen. Ken Salazar (D, CO) Interior
Rep. Ray LaHood (R, IL) Transportation
Rep. Hilda Solis (D, CA) Labor
Peter Orszag, former Clinton advisor, CBO director OMB
Gary Gensler, Clinton treasury subcabinet CFTC
Mary Schapiro, former regulator SEC
Ron Kirk, former Dallas mayor Special Trade Representative
So far, no significant opposition to any intended nominee has surfaced, and all are expected to be confirmed quickly by the Senate.