President-elect Barack Obama is quickly running out of cabinet space after nominating Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo, as secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
President-elect Barack Obama is quickly running out of cabinet space after nominating Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo, as secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “It is time for a new kind of leadership in Washington that’s committed to using our lands in a responsible way to benefit all of our families,” Obama said at a Wednesday news conference. The agriculture and interior departments oversee farming and lands policies. Obama said the new focus of both departments would be to serve family farmers and the American people instead of big businesses and lobbyists in Washington. To do this it will mean protecting environmental treasures and expanding both agriculture and new energy sources, he added. “I am confident we have the team we need to make the rural agenda America’s agenda, to create millions of new green jobs, to free our nation from its dependence on oil and to help preserve this planet for our children,” Obama said. At least one more appointment is expected before Obama heads to Hawaii for a Christmas vacation. And Obama said he expects to release his internal investigation into whether anyone on his staff had any dealings with Gov. Rod Blagojevich surrounding his U.S. Senate seat. “There’s been a lot of speculation in the press that I would love to correct immediately,” he said. Obama said. “It’s not going to be that long.” The U.S. Attorney Office has not accused Obama or anyone on his team of any wrongdoing in the probe. ______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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