US

Obama names Clinton Secretary of State

Article published on the 2008-12-01 Latest update 2008-12-02 11:51 TU

Hillary Clinton
(Photo: Reuters)

US President-elect Barack Obama presented his National Security team at a press conference in Chicago Monday, naming his former rival Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State and Robert Gates as his Secretary of Defence. Obama also selected Eric Holder as Attorney General, Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security, Susan Rice as US representative to the UN and General James Jones as National Security Advisor.

In presenting his team, Obama highlighted that he would be moving on from the unilateralism of the Bush administration.

“In the 21^st Century, our destiny is shared with the world’s,” he said.

“Hilary’s appointment is a sign to friend and foe of my commitment to renew American diplomacy around the world,” Obama said.

Taking the podium from Obama, Clinton named the three major challenges she believes face the new administration: climate change, terrorism and a struggling economy.

“The fate of our nation and the future of our children will be forged in the crucible of these challenges,” Clinton said. “Our interests cannot be advanced by force alone, nor by Americans alone.”

Clinton’s appointment, as well as and Rice’s, will need to be confirmed by Congress, but the healthy Democrat majority all but guarantees this.

As widely expected, Obama decided to keep Bush-era Secretary of Defence Gates in his post to guarantee a smooth transition between administrations. But Obama reiterated that he would be giving new direction to American foreign policy.

“I will be giving secretary Gates a new mission upon entering the Oval Office: ending the war in Iraq,” Obama said.

“I am confident that this team is what we need to make a new beginning,” Obama said. “Together we will meet the challenges of the 21^st Century not with fear, but with hope.”