Obama, Biden and Ed. Sec. Designate Duncan at Dodge Renaissance Academy after presser.
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Arne Duncan named Education Secretary.
President-elect Obama announced Tuesday his pick for secretary of education, calling Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan a hands-on reformer with a proven record of success.
"For years, we've talked our education problems to death, but failed to act," Obama said, speaking at a news conference held in a school that he said has made remarkable progress under Duncan's leadership.
"We can't continue like this. It's morally unacceptable for our children," Obama said.
For the past seven years, Duncan, 44, has run the nation's third-largest school district. Duncan, a Harvard graduate, played professional basketball in Australia and later ran a nonprofit education organization on Chicago's South Side before going to work in the city's public schools.
I am not a fan of Duncan for many reasons. Of all the picks, this one is a bad one in my opinion.
Read, JJP and bokeen.
Kids question Obama.
Transcript
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The Obamas and Bidens Whistle Stop Tour to the White House
President-elect Barack Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and their families will hold a pre-inaugural event in Baltimore on Saturday, Jan. 17, as they travel to Washington by train for the swearing-in ceremony the next week, it was announced today.
The presidential inaugural committee said that the Baltimore appearance would be "in the tradition of past presidents-elect," who have staged a variety of events on their way to Washington to begin their administration.
According to the committee, the Jan. 17 events are in keeping with the theme of the inauguration --"Renewing America's Promise" -- and will feature cities with historic connections to that theme: Philadelphia, where the country's promise was realized in the signing of the Declaration of Independence; Baltimore, "where that promise was defended, then immortalized in our national anthem"; and Washington, the nation's capital, where four days of inaugural celebrations are to be held next month.
Obama and his family plan to begin the day with an event in Philadelphia. They will then board a special train that will stop in Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Del., where another event will be held.
The vice president and his family will then board the train for the remainder of the trip. Biden was famous for commuting via Amtrak to Wilmington during his years in the Senate.
The inaugural train is due to arrive in Washington that evening after the Baltimore event. Details of the day's events will be announced later, the committee said. continue
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Secret Service on Inauguration
Since we witnessed an Iraqi journalist throw both shoes at Bush and the slow security response, don't think or wonder if the Secret Service will not be on their game for The Obamas and Bidens during the whirlwind Inauguration. They will be.
The United States Secret Service, under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in cooperation with its local, state and federal security and public safety partners, has developed an overall security plan for the 56th Presidential Inaugural on Tuesday, January 20.
DHS has designated the Inaugural as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). When an event is designated an NSSE, the Secret Service assumes its role as the lead federal agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan. The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Park Police as well as a number of other federal and local agencies will play an active role in securing this event and resources will be deployed to maintain the level of security needed for the designated events.
A number of security measures will be in place for the 56th Presidential Inaugural. As details become available, this information will be updated. continue
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Caroline Kennedy wants Clinton's Senate Seat
There is some angst in New York State over Kennedy being appointed or anointed to the Clinton seat.
Kennedy has been working the phones, letting the NY political establishment know that she is serious and wants the seat. This includes contacting Hillary Clinton.
Kennedy is not a carpetbagger as Clinton was in 2000, she is a bonafide New Yorker and have worked on various charities, raising monies for the public school system in NYC, runs the Kennedy Library along with the Kennedy Center Honors and selecting the Profile in Courage Award recipient. Plus, Kennedy is a lawyer and writer of several constitutional law books.
Picking Kennedy will secure several things for Democrats. She has the name recognition of a powerhouse and beloved family and she can raise the much needed money to run for this seat in New York. Remember, after the appointment there will be a special election in 2010, then another election in 2012 for the expiration of this seat. That's two elections withing a 4 year period. This is why Kennedy will have the ups on anyone else.
Finally, there has been a Kennedy in the senate since 1953, with her father being the first. Many will think this is an imperial or dynasty pick, but I see it as a legacy pick. If Caroline Kennedy wants this, she will have it.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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and................
The Obama Girls and Blacks at Sidwell - An Inside Perspective, Part II
Vilsack for Agriculture Secretary
That Minnesota Senate race will never end, Norm Coleman lawyers up
Dear Republicans: You Lost. Get Over It.
And watch the C-Span week long series on The White House. Truly fascinating.
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